Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 3, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- AndyVision retail robot takes stock and more (w/ Video)- Strength in numbers: Physicists identify new quantum state allowing three -- but not two -- atoms to stick together
- Researchers propose gold and DNA based dark matter detector
- Three-city patent court gets nod from EU leaders
- Researchers create room-temperature quantum bits that store data for nearly two seconds
- NASA space suits inspire temperature-regulating dress shirts (w/ video)
- Bugs inspire better X-rays: Nanostructures modeled like moth eyes may boost medical imaging
- Two species fused to give rise to plant pest
- Genetic 911: Study examines how cells exploit gene sequences to cope with toxic stress
- Cutting calories might help you live longer, but not without increased physical activity
- Keeping electric vehicle batteries cool
- Epigenetics alters genes in rheumatoid arthritis
- Conduct code for unmanned aircraft is unveiled
- First photo of shadow of single atom
- Roadmap leaks show BlackBerry's comeback try
Space & Earth news
Climate change no longer tops US environment worries
Americans no longer see climate change as the world's number-one environmental issue, according to a public opinion poll released Tuesday amid an ongoing heat wave in much of the United States.
New Taiwanese centre to probe origins of universe
Taiwan opened a space research control centre Tuesday, as part of an ambitious international project aimed at exploring the origins of the universe.
Report slams new coal power station in India
An independent report into a huge coal power station being built in energy-starved India on Tuesday called for construction to be halted immediately due to environmental damage.
This US summer is 'what global warming looks like': scientists
(AP) — Is it just freakish weather or something more? Climate scientists suggest that if you want a glimpse of some of the worst of global warming, take a look at U.S. weather in recent weeks.
Book details a new model for sharing water
From the American Southwest to the Middle East, water is a highly contested resource: Many neighboring nations, and several states in the United States, have fought decades-long battles to control water supplies. And that need for water only seems likely to increase.
Gaia checks out of antenna testing
(Phys.org) -- Entombed by the distinctive foam pyramids typical of test chambers, the main antenna of the Gaia billion-star surveyor has been put through its paces ahead of launch next year.
When the world ended in ice
(Phys.org) -- A mile or so of glacial ice covering much of North America and plowing down from the north once terminated in the New York metropolitan area, at a front stretching roughly from exit 13 on the New Jersey Turnpike (Rahway), on across southern Staten Island, the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, and northeastward through Long Island. But exactly when that ice started to seriously melt has long been an enigma.
Green roof design may help control urban runoff
(Phys.org) -- A research team in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech has released early results of an experimental study testing the effects of green roofs on controlling urban runoff.
Fish learn to cope in a high CO2 world
Some coral reef fish may be better prepared to cope with rising CO2 in the world's oceans – thanks to their parents.
SMOS satellite measurements improve as ground radars switch off
Over a dozen radio signals that have hindered data collection on ESA's SMOS water mission have been switched off. The effort also benefits satellites such as NASA's Aquarius mission, which measures ocean salinity at the same frequency.
Global warming favors proliferation of toxic cyanobacteria
Cyanobacteria are among the most primitive living beings, aged over 3,500 million years old. These aquatic microorganisms helped to oxygenate the earth´atmosphere. At present their populations are increasing in size without stopping. It appears that global warming may be behind the rise in their numbers and may also lead toan increase in the amount of toxins produced by some of these populations.
Earth is not enough: First fringes between effelsberg and RadioAstron using the DiFX correlator
(Phys.org) -- Researchers at the Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (MPIfR, Bonn, Germany) and the Astro Space Center (ASC, Moscow, Russia) have obtained the first detection of interferometric signals between the Effelsberg 100 m telescope in Germany, and the RadioAstron spacecraft telescope orbiting the Earth using the DiFX software correlator.
Biologist offers insight into future of the Amazon
(Phys.org) -- The Amazon is at a crossroads and decisions made today could have significant impacts on the region’s long-term viability, according to FIU biologist Kenneth Feeley.
The 'flame' burns bright in new WISE image
(Phys.org) -- A new image from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, shows the candle-like Flame nebula lighting up a cavern of dust. The Flame nebula is part of the Orion complex, a turbulent star-forming area located near the constellation's star-studded belt.
Fireworks over Mars: The spirit of 76 pyrotechnics
(Phys.org) -- One month and a day after celebrating its independence with fireworks exhibitions throughout the country, America will carry its penchant for awe-inspiring aerial pyrotechnic displays to the skies of another world. Some pyrotechnics will be as small as the energy released by a box of matches. One packs the same oomph as a stick of TNT. Whether they be large or small, on the evening of August 5th (Pacific time), all 76 must work on cue as NASA's next Mars rover, Curiosity, carried by the Mars Science Laboratory, streaks through the Red Planet's atmosphere on its way to a landing at Gale Crater.
A young star flaunts its X-ray spots in McNeil's Nebula
(Phys.org) -- X-ray observations have revealed something curious about the young star that illuminates McNeil's Nebula, a glowing jewel of cosmic dust in the Orion constellation: The object is a protostar rotating once a day, or 30 times faster than the sun. The stellar baby also has distinct birthmarks—two X-ray-emitting spots, where gas flows from a surrounding disk, fueling the infant star.
A geyser of hot gas flowing from a star
(Phys.org) -- The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured a new image of Herbig-Haro 110, a geyser of hot gas flowing from a newborn star.
Technology news
Twitter says government requests rising in 2012
Twitter said Monday in its first "transparency report" that the number of government requests for user information or to block content is rising in 2012.
Cooking fuel transition in China
Despite China's booming economy, many poor individuals continue to use traditional stoves that burn low-grade solid fuels like charcoal and coal. Such stoves generate high levels of indoor air pollution that cause dire health problems, especially in women and children. These health concerns include asthma, bronchitis, and heart disease. By 2030, a new study predicts, nearly a quarter of the rural population and one-sixth of city dwellers could still be using such stoves. However, with a relatively small per capita investment, the study suggests, those values could drop to zero.
New technology reduces data center energy consumption by more than 20 percent
FIT4Green – project concentrated in finding new solutions for saving energy in data centres. The project designed and implemented an energy-aware plug-in on top of the current data centres' management tools to orchestrate the allocation of ICT resources and turning off unused equipment. Project achieved its goal: 20 % direct ICT equipment energy savings without compromising compliance with Service Level Agreements (SLA) and Quality of Service (QoS) metrics. The achieved savings in CO2 emissions were on the same scale as in energy. The direct energy savings in the ICT equipment induce also remarkable additional savings due to the reduced needs for cooling, for example.
Indian tribunal split on 3G roaming case
India's telecoms tribunal delivered a split ruling Tuesday on a challenge by mobile phone operators to a government ban on forming roaming pacts to provide 3G services outside their licensed zones.
UAVForge reveals challenge of developing perch-and-stare UAV
DARPA's UAVForge, a crowdsourcing competition to design, build and manufacture an advanced small unmanned air vehicle (UAV), set out to determine if a loosely-connected community of UAV enthusiasts could develop a militarily relevant back-pack portable UAV with specific capabilities. By using a crowdsourcing design approach, the effort sought to inspire innovation and creative thought by lowering barriers to entry and increasing the number and diversity of contributors.
Activision brings online 'Call of Duty' to China
(AP) — Activision is bringing its popular "Call of Duty" series to China as a free online game.
Tweeting your debit card? New account aims to shame you
A six-week-old Twitter account is making apparent progress in its mission to get people to stop tweeting pictures of their bank cards, often with full numbers visible.
Kodak wins OK to auction digital patents
(AP) — Kodak says bankruptcy court has approved an auction of its imaging patent portfolios over the objections of Apple and FlashPoint Technologies, giving the photography pioneer clarity on ownership claims.
Battle is joined for Japan's e-book market
In highly-literate and gadget-loving Japan, e-books are curiously rare -- but battle for the largely-untapped and potentially hugely lucrative market is about to commence.
US online-deals firm eyes road less traveled
Online coupons are last year's news. That is the view from number two US online deals firm Living Social, which is battling sector leader Groupon by offering what executives call "unique" or original experiences that are not simply linked to discounts.
Computing grid built for physics benefits a wide range of science
(Phys.org) -- Snaking cables and racks of computer processors with winking blue lights fill a room in University of California, San Diego’s Mayer Hall. It’s a powerful resource, made more so through links to a network of more than 80 similar centers distributed across the country.
Samsung samples industry's first 16-gigabyte server modules based on DDR4 memory technology
Samsung Electronics today announced that it has begun sampling the industry’s first 16-gigabyte (GB) double data rate-4 (DDR4), registered dual inline memory modules (RDIMMs), designed for use in enterprise server systems.
Life-saver 'eCall' system for new cars urged by MEPs
The European parliament on Tuesday demanded all new cars be forced to be equipped by 2015 with an electronic emergency system known as eCall.
Researchers develop an artificial cerebellum than enables robotic human-like object handling
University of Granada researchers have developed an artificial cerebellum (a biologically-inspired adaptive microcircuit) that controls a robotic arm with human-like precision. The cerebellum is the part of the human brain that controls the locomotor system and coordinates body movements.
Researchers explore bioenergy utilization in China
With China the largest growing economy in the world, scientists and policymakers alike are keenly interested in the country's increasing use of biomass – instead of polluting and climate-harming fossil fuels – for energy generation. Although bioenergy consumption has more than doubled from 2005 to 2010, few studies have evaluated exactly where, in the vast country, this shift is taking place and through what means.
Tablets to overtake notebook PCs by 2016: study
Tablet computers are expected to overtake notebook PCs by 2016 as consumers shift to newer devices like the Apple iPad, a survey said Tuesday.
US arrests head of online poker site
US authorities have arrested the head of online betting website Full Tilt Poker and charged him with a scheme to defraud banks and misleading customers about the security of their funds.
Stereoscopic 3-D for professional training of football referees
Researchers from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid are applying stereoscopic 3-D to record exercises on offside position for the FIFA to use as teaching material in professional training courses for assistant referees.
Olympic experts sure they can repel cyber threats (Update)
(AP) — Vital computer systems for London's 2012 Olympic Games have come under repeated cyber-attacks — but only from hackers who were invited to join in thousands of hours of security tests.
Anti-aging elixir for solar cells
Photovoltaic modules deliver power without risks to the environment and climate. But solar-power is expensive. Therefore, it is imperative that the modules last as long as possible, 25 years or more. Fraunhofer researchers in the USA are now investigating materials to protect solar cells from environmental influences to meet that goal.
Sailing with nerves of glass
In the world of racing, tiny details can be the difference between victory and defeat. It is no wonder, then, that manufacturers of racing yachts are always on the lookout for new technologies to optimize boats and sails. An ingenious new sensor technology now helps them to extend the boundaries of what is possible.
Sandia SolarTrak technology helps arrays worldwide follow the sun
When Alex Maish was a researcher at Sandia National Laboratories in the early 1980s, he had a pet project, a low-cost, high-precision way to continuously move solar panels into the best possible position to catch sunlight and generate energy. By the early 1990s the technology was ready for market, but it hadn't happened.
EU court OKs resale of software licenses
(AP) — The European Union's highest court ruled Tuesday that software makers cannot keep people who download programs from selling their licenses for those programs to others — as long as they disable their own copies.
Electricity in the air
(Phys.org) -- The faster a wind turbine's blade spins, the more energy you can get from it. And the farther you get from the hub, the faster that part of the blade is traveling. So the tips of the blades generate most of the turbine's power—as much as 90 percent, according to David North, an engineer at NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia.
Augmented reality makes shopping more personal
While in-store shopping accounts for 92 percent of retail volume, consumers are expecting the same levels of personalization and customization that they do when they shop online; 58 percent of consumers want to get in-store product information and 19 percent of consumers are already browsing their mobile devices while in-store. Scientists at IBM Research - Haifa are looking to bring all the benefits of online shopping into traditional, brick-and-mortar stores and are creating a new augmented reality mobile shopping application (app) that will give in-store shoppers instant product details and promotions through their mobile devices.
More heat, more light: A step toward better solar energy systems
(Phys.org) -- A Michigan Technological University researcher has made a solar cell that brings more to the rooftop: it’s good at making electricity, and it’s great at capturing heat to warm your home and your water.
Some crash-avoidance systems may work better than others
Certain new crash-avoidance systems are effective in preventing car accidents, while others may do more harm than good, researchers say.
Keeping electric vehicle batteries cool
Heat can damage the batteries of electric vehicles – even just driving fast on the freeway in summer temperatures can overheat the battery. An innovative new coolant conducts heat away from the battery three times more effectively than water, keeping the battery temperature within an acceptable range even in extreme driving situations.
Conduct code for unmanned aircraft is unveiled
A trade group for drone aircraft manufacturers and operators has released the industry's first code of conduct in response to growing privacy concerns.
Roadmap leaks show BlackBerry's comeback try
(Phys.org) -- Beached whales or comeback kids? The company Research in Motion (RIM) has a lineup of new products in the wings that might at least interest the company’s critics and give Blackberry loyalists something to feel good about. Headlining its revelations as “Exclusive Leaked BlackBerry 10 2013 Roadmap,” a BlackBerry blogging site BlackBerryOS.com is telling its readers this week that two kinds of BlackBerry phones will come out after the New Year and to watch out for an impressive tablet entry later that year. The leaked RIM roadmap reveals both a touch-screen and QWERTY keyboard phone coming in 2013, to be followed by a 10-inch BlackBerry tablet.
Three-city patent court gets nod from EU leaders
(Phys.org) -- A one-stop panEuropean patent court system with functions divided among three cities is now in the wings, bringing Europe a new day for a single European patent system. After a decision left dangling over arguments over which country should house the court, EU leaders reached their decision on Friday at a council meeting to just spread the activities among three European centers. In March last year, ministers from 25 member states made plans to introduce a common system for registering patents, without Spain and Italy, which opposed the plan.
NASA space suits inspire temperature-regulating dress shirts (w/ video)
(Phys.org) -- A dress shirt that absorbs body heat and stores it in the shirt’s fabric may make sweating a thing of the past. A team of MIT grads has been developing the temperature-regulating “Apollo” shirt, which uses phase change materials like those used in NASA space suits, and hopes to begin selling the shirts for $130 later this summer.
Medicine & Health news
Interactive AIDS map updated to show impact in major U.S. cities
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health are unveiling a major update to their HIV interactive online map, AIDSVu.
Adolescent girls who over use internet and social media suffer lower self-esteem and negative body image
Adolescent girls, who spend long periods each day on the internet, engaging and communicating on social media, are more likely to suffer low self-esteem and negative body image, according to new research to be presented at the Appearance Matters 5 conference in Bristol on Tuesday 3 July.
Genetic map of Britain goes on display
A genetic map of the British people has been produced by Oxford University researchers. It forms the centrepiece of their display at the Royal Society's free Summer Science Exhibition, which opens today.
Cancer in childhood can have negative impact on career readiness
(Medical Xpress) -- Young adult survivors of childhood cancer often have problems maintaining jobs and relationships, researchers have found. A new study of childhood brain tumor survivors by disability researcher David Strauser, a professor of community health at the University of Illinois, suggests that a battle with cancer during a critical developmental period in middle childhood may negatively affect career readiness and achievement as an adult by compromising children’s development of an effective work personality.
Laser-ing in on brain surgery
Medical operations have become almost commonplace, but the delicacy of medical procedures involving the brain and the spinal cord force physicians and patients to consider other alternatives. European researchers, however, could change this following their development of a laser for minimally invasive brain surgery. The achievement is a result of an interdisciplinary EU project that involved partners from seven European countries, creating a table-top solid-state laser system that can cut brain tissue with unprecedented precision.
A study demonstrates that ibuprofen improves bone repair after surgery or a fracture
A study conducted at the University of Granada hasdemonstrated that ibuprofen –a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)– has beneficial effects on bone repair after afracture or following bone surgery.
Foster kids do much better under approach developed by CU School of Medicine
Foster kids who receive mentoring and training in skills such as anger management, healthy communication, and problem solving are less likely to move foster homes or to be placed in a residential treatment center, and more likely to reunify with their biological families, according to a study by University of Colorado School of Medicine researchers.
New study finds increase in track-related injuries among youth in the United States
With the 2012 summer Olympic games about to take place in London, children everywhere are looking forward to watching their sports idols and role models take center stage. While the Olympics may inspire some to try a new sport, such as track, parents should be aware that this participation does not come without risk of injury.
Northwestern launches comprehensive program for patients with bicuspid aortic valve disease
Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease is the most common congenital heart defect, occurring in approximately one to two percent of the population. The condition is present when the aortic valve, the valve that connects the heart to the main artery that distributes blood to the body, contains two leaflets instead of three, which open and close to regulate blood flow. As a result, the valve does not function properly, which can cause strain on the heart over time and may lead to serious health complications. Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute (BCVI) has been at the forefront of BAV research and treatment for years and recently launched a comprehensive program that brings together a multidisciplinary team of specialists experienced in the diagnosis and medical and surgical management of patients with BAV.
23andMe discovers surprising genetic connections between breast size and breast cancer
Using data from its unique online research platform, 23andMe, a leading personal genetics company, has identified seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly associated with breast size, including three SNPs also correlated with breast cancer in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) now published online in BMC Medical Genetics. These findings make the first concrete genetic link between breast size and breast cancer risks.
11 dead from H1N1 flu in Bolivia
At least 11 people in Bolivia have died from H1N1 flu in recent months, with most of the cases occurring in just the past few weeks, health officials here said Tuesday.
Revolutionary project will obtain entire genome sequences in fight against Alzheimer's
Since 2004, UCLA's Laboratory of Neuro Imaging (LONI) has been responsible for receiving, organizing, archiving and disseminating the stream of data generated by the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), an ambitious, worldwide effort by scientists to define the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
South African government should act on Big Food Corporations and the obesity epidemic: international experts
"The South African government should develop a plan to make healthy foods such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grain cereals more available, affordable, and acceptable, and non-essential, high-calorie, nutrient-poor products, including soft drinks and some packaged foods and snacks, less available, more costly, and less appealing to the South African population," write international health experts in this week's PLoS Medicine.
Brazil has laws that protect against "Big Food" and "Big Snack"
Under pressure from civil society organizations, the Brazilian government has introduced legislation to protect and improve its traditional food system, standing in contrast to the governments of many industrialized countries that have partly surrendered their prime duty to protect public health to transnational food companies, argue nutrition and public health experts writing in this week's PLoS Medicine.
Risk factors for death identified for children with diarrhea in rural Kenya
A hospital-based surveillance study conducted by Ciara O'Reilly of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA and colleagues describes the risk factors for death amongst children who have been hospitalized with diarrhea in rural Kenya.
Urban groups help women but no effect on perinatal outcomes in Mumbai
In this week's PLoS Medicine, David Osrin of the UCL Institute of Child Health, UK and colleagues report findings from a cluster-randomized trial conducted in Mumbai slums that aimed to evaluate whether facilitator-supported women's groups could improve perinatal outcomes.
Revisiting the association between saturated fat intake and coronary heart disease
In this week's PLoS Medicine, Kay-Tee Khaw of the University of Cambridge, UK and colleagues analyze data from a prospective cohort study and show associations between plasma concentrations of saturated phospholipid fatty acids and risk of coronary heart disease, and an inverse association between omega-6 polyunsaturated phospholipid fatty acids and risk of coronary heart disease.
Two studies offer new insights from the front lines of battle against malaria
A pair of provocative studies in the July 2012 issue of The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (AJTMH) provides a window into the intense ground war now underway against malaria. In one review, researchers offer new evidence supporting indoor insecticide spraying as a way to dramatically reduce malaria deaths. In another study, scientists in Mali simultaneously affirm the effectiveness of a critical drug to treat malaria infection in the West African malaria "hot zone" amidst concerns that it may follow the path of its predecessors and succumb to resistant parasites already being detected in other parts of the world.
Mexico declares bird flu 'emergency'
The Mexican government declared a national animal health emergency on Monday in the face of an aggressive bird flu epidemic that has infected nearly 1.7 million poultry.
Major new study finds clues to the genetic causes of osteoarthritis (Update)
(Medical Xpress) -- UK scientists have discovered more genetic regions associated with the cause of osteoarthritis. Researchers from nine institutions across the UK have described the findings as a significant breakthrough in understanding the genetic risk factors that cause the disease.
New drug prospect offers hope against hookworm infections
A drug candidate that is nearing clinical trials against a Latin American parasite is showing additional promise as a cure for hookworm, one of the most widespread and insidious parasites afflicting developing nations, according to a collaborative study at UCSF and Yale University.
China reports bird flu outbreak
Authorities in China's remote northwestern region of Xinjiang have culled more than 150,000 chickens following an outbreak of bird flu, officials said.
A high intake of certain dietary fats associated with lower live birth rates in IVF
Women with a higher intake of dietary saturated fats have fewer mature oocytes available for collection in IVF, according to results of a study from the Harvard School of Public Health funded by the US National Institutes of Health. The study investigated the effect of dietary fat (classified as total, saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, omega 6, omega 3 and trans) on a range of preclinical and clinical outcomes in women having IVF. Results showed that the intake of saturated fat was inversely related to the number of mature oocytes retrieved, while polyunsaturated fat consumption was inversely associated with early embryo quality.(1)
Why smoking is 'BAD' for the Fallopian tube -- and increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy
Cigarette smoke reduces the production of a Fallopian tube gene known as "BAD", which helps explain the link between smoking and ectopic pregnancy. The finding, from scientists led by Drs Andrew Horne and Colin Duncan at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Reproductive Health in Edinburgh, UK, was described today at the annual meting of ESHRE (European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology) in Istanbul.
Five or more cups of coffee a day reduce the chance of IVF success by around 50 percent
Women who drink five or more cups of coffee a day severely reduce their chance of success from IVF treatment. Indeed, Danish investigators who followed up almost 4000 IVF and ICSI patients described the adverse impact as "comparable to the detrimental effect of smoking".
Standardized treatment plans developed for new-onset JIA
(HealthDay) -- Four standardized consensus treatment plans (CTPs) have been developed for patients with new-onset systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), according to research published in the July issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
Pharmacist intervention does not prevent medication errors
(HealthDay) -- A pharmacist-delivered intervention does not significantly improve the rate of clinically important medication errors following discharge among hospitalized heart patients, according to a study published in the July 3 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Gel shows promise as future male contraceptive
(HealthDay) -- Men may one day have a birth-control option other than the condom or vasectomy -- if early research on a new contraceptive gel pans out.
Drug shows promise for triple-negative breast cancer
(Medical Xpress) -- A promising new therapy for hard-to-treat triple-negative breast cancer has been reported in the journal Breast Cancer Research by a team at the Tulane University School of Medicine, led by Dr. Bridgette Collins-Burow.
Congestive heart failure patients may benefit from a test for pulmonary hypertension
(Medical Xpress) -- A new Emory University study highlights the importance of performing an echocardiogram to measure pulmonary artery systolic pressures in stable patients with congestive heart failure (HF). Researchers will present a study poster during the American Society of Echocardiography’s 23rd Annual Scientific Sessions currently being held in National Harbor, MD.
New technique to improve blood flow in children born with one functional ventricle shows promise in pilot study
(Medical Xpress) -- Two in every thousand babies born in the United States start life with just one functional ventricle, or pumping chamber, instead of the normal two. These babies typically undergo a series of two or three open-heart surgeries, culminating in a “total cavopulmonary connection” (TCPC), which is known as the Fontan procedure. During this process, surgeons redirect the circulation to allow oxygen-poor blood to flow from the body directly to the lungs passively, without the benefit of a pumping chamber.
New target for prostate cancer therapy
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at Imperial College London have discovered a molecule that plays an important role in driving prostate cancer growth, and could be a target for new therapies.
New understanding of cell metabolism provides therapeutic target
(Medical Xpress) -- One of the reasons that cancer cells proliferate is that they metabolize fuel differently from normal cells. A team led by Blossom Damania, PhD, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, reports that two inter-related metabolic processes contribute to cell proliferation in non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Study: persistent pain still common in hospitalized children
(Medical Xpress) -- Despite advances in the understanding and treatment of pediatric pain, many hospitalized children continue to experience serious pain, according to a Johns Hopkins Children’s Center study published online ahead of print in the journal Pain Management Nursing.
Study finds obesity linked to kidney injury after heart surgery
(Medical Xpress) -- Obesity increases the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) following cardiac surgery, according to a Vanderbilt study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Study identifies new target in treating mesothelioma
(Medical Xpress) -- An international team of researchers, led by Haining Yang, PhD, from the University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, has identified HMGB1 as a critical protein in the pathogenesis of malignant mesothelioma, one of the most dangerous forms of cancer highly related to asbestos and erionite exposure. The findings are featured as the cover story of the July 1, 2012 issue of Cancer Research, one of the nation's leading cancer research publications.
Anti-bullying efforts should be tailored to victims' needs, study shows
(Medical Xpress) -- Girls with poor self-control become as physically aggressive as the average boy when they’re bullied, suggests a new study by psychologists at the University of Illinois.
Cigarettes made from tobacco with less nicotine may help smokers quit
(Medical Xpress) -- Smokers can begin loosening the tight grip of nicotine addiction by smoking low-nicotine cigarettes, without lighting up any more than they usually do, according to recent research.
Targeting protein could lead to new treatments for mouth cancer
(Medical Xpress) -- A protein that is overactive in mouth cancers and encourages tumours to grow could be a target for new treatments for the disease. The study is published in this week’s Cancer Research.
Step closer to understanding childhood degenerative brain disease
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) are a step closer to understanding and combating the degenerative brain disease ataxia-telangiectasia.
Parents less likely to develop colds, research shows
There is no question that being a parent is, at times, challenging both physically and mentally. However knowledge of the actual affect parenthood has on health has been inconsistent at best, until now.
Unknown disease kills 60 children in Cambodia: WHO
An unidentified disease has killed 60 young children in Cambodia in three months, the World Health Organization said Tuesday as it raced to identify the cause.
Childhood adversity increases risk for depression and chronic inflammation
When a person injures their knee, it becomes inflamed. When a person has a cold, their throat becomes inflamed. This type of inflammation is the body's natural and protective response to injury.
Road-mapping the Asian brain
Scientists at The University of Nottingham are leading research that will develop the world's first 'atlas' of the Asian brain.
Highlighting molecular clues to the link between childhood maltreatment and later suicide
Exposure to childhood maltreatment increases the risk for most psychiatric disorders as well as many negative consequences of these conditions. This new study, by Dr. Gustavo Turecki and colleagues at McGill University, Canada, provides important insight into one of the most extreme outcomes, suicide.
Researchers closer to understanding how proteins regulate immune system
Researchers in the biological sciences department in the Faculty of Science at the University of Calgary have revealed how white blood cells move to infection or inflammation in the body; findings which could help lead to developing drug therapies for immune system disorders. The research is published this month in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Safety indicators confirmed for common treatment of heart defect
A new study by medical scientists coordinated from the University of Manchester has for the first time used patients' results to establish that "safety indicators" for people taking anticoagulant drugs to regulate a common heart condition are correct.
Summer is peak time for teens to try drugs, alcohol: report
(HealthDay) -- More teenagers start drinking and smoking cigarettes and marijuana in June and July than in any other months, U.S. health officials say.
Study results: Adult stem cells from bone marrow
Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Maryland report promising results from using adult stem cells from bone marrow in mice to help create tissue cells of other organs, such as the heart, brain and pancreas - a scientific step they hope may lead to potential new ways to replace cells lost in diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's or Alzheimer's. The research in collaboration with the University of Paris Descartes is published online in the July 2, 2012 edition of Comptes Rendus Biologies, a publication of the French Academy of Sciences.
Cuba's first cholera outbreak in 130 years kills three
An outbreak of cholera in eastern Cuba has killed at least three people, 130 years after the last known case of the disease was reported on the island.
Non-slip tracheal implants
If a person‘s windpipe is constricted, an operation in which the surgeon inserts a stent to enlarge the trachea is often the only way to relieve their respiratory distress. But this grid-like implant can slip out of position, closing off the windpipe altogether. Researchers are working on a special surface coating for the stents to keep them in place.
Scientists discover mechanism that controls obesity, atherosclerosis and potentially cancer
Scientists from the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) have discovered a new signalling pathway that controls both obesity and atherosclerosis. The team demonstrated, for the first time, that mice deficient in the Wip1 gene were resistant to weight gain and atherosclerosis via regulation of the Ataxia telangiectasia mutated gene (ATM) and its downstream signalling molecule mTor. These groundbreaking findings were published in the journal Cell Metabolism on 3rd July and may provide significant new avenues for therapeutic interventions for obesity and atherosclerosis.
Exposure to violence has long-term stress effects among adolescents
Children who are exposed to community violence continue to exhibit a physical stress response up to a year after the exposure, suggesting that exposure to violence may have long-term negative health consequences, according researchers at Penn State and University College London.
Some diabetes drugs may increase risk of bladder cancer
An increased risk of bladder cancer is linked to the use of pioglitazone, a medication commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Obesity, larger waist size associated with better outcomes in heart failure patients
A slim waist and normal weight are usually associated with better health outcomes, but that's not always the case with heart failure patients, according to a new UCLA study.
Researchers moving towards ending threat of West Nile virus
Mosquitoes are buzzing once again, and with that comes the threat of West Nile virus. Tom Hobman, a researcher with the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, is making every effort to put an end to this potentially serious infection.
US approves 1st rapid, take-home HIV test (Update)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first over-the-counter HIV test, allowing Americans to check themselves for the virus that causes AIDS in the privacy of their homes.
Factors ID'd for outcome of percutaneous nephrolithotomy
(HealthDay) -- Single-tract percutaneous nephrolithotomy (sPCNL) is effective for clearing renal stones, with stone size, location, and prior shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) identified as independent predictors of stone clearance, according to a study published in the July issue of Urology.
Novel susceptibility loci identified for osteoarthritis
(HealthDay) -- Five novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are significantly associated with osteoarthritis, including one near the nucleostemin-encoding gene, according to a study published online July 3 in The Lancet.
Anesthesiology trainees' debt impacts moonlighting, career
(HealthDay) -- Having high medical school debt increases the likelihood of anesthesiology residents moonlighting and joining practice groups with debt repayment programs, while decreasing their odds of pursuing academic medicine, according to a study published in the July issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia.
Rheumatoid arthritis drug not linked to specific birth defects
(HealthDay) -- The rheumatoid arthritis drug leflunomide is not a major cause of birth defects in women who inadvertently become pregnant while taking the drug, although pregnancy should be avoided, according to a study in the July issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
Infection rates unaffected by time to debridement of open fx
(HealthDay) -- There is no association between infection rates and time to operative debridement of open fractures, according to research published in the June 20 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
Half of heart patients make mistakes with their meds: study
(HealthDay) -- Half of patients hospitalized for a heart attack or heart failure will make a mistake with their medications within a month of checking out of the hospital, new research shows.
Biomarker predicts chemo response for osteosarcoma
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists have found that a protein expressed by some cancers is a good predictor of how the cancer will respond to standard chemotherapy for osteosarcoma, the most common bone cancer in children. Knowing whether a patient's tumor has this protein biomarker could help doctors determine if a patient should undergo standard treatment or if a more aggressive or alternative therapy may be more effective. The study findings were published in Human Pathology.
New animal model may lead to treatments for common liver disease
Scientists at Texas Biomed have developed the laboratory opossum as a new animal model to study the most common liver disease in the nation – afflicting up to 15 million Americans – and for which there is no cure.
Rate of community-onset MRSA infections appears to be on the decline
In analysis that included more than 9 million Department of Defense nonactive and active duty personnel, the rates of both community-onset and hospital-onset methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia decreased from 2005 to 2010, while the proportion of community-onset skin and soft tissue infections due to MRSA has more recently declined, according to a study in the July 4 issue of JAMA.
Study sheds light on pregnancy complications and overturns common belief
A study led by Hospital for Special Surgery researchers has demonstrated that women who have a specific type of antibody that interferes with blood vessel function are at risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes and that other antibodies in the same family thought to cause pregnancy complications do not put women at risk.
Shingles vaccine among patients with psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis not linked with increased risk of shingles
Although some have suggested that patients receiving medication for immune-mediated diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis may be at increased risk of herpes zoster (HZ; shingles) shortly after receipt of the vaccine, an analysis that included nearly 20,000 vaccinated Medicare beneficiaries finds that the live zoster vaccine is not associated with an increased risk of HZ shortly after vaccination in patients currently treated with biologics, and that it is associated with a significantly reduced longer-term risk of HZ in patients with an immune-mediated disease, according to a study in the July 4 issue of JAMA.
The food industry should be regulated: expert
"The obesity crisis is made worse by the way industry formulates and markets its products and so must be regulated to prevent excesses and to protect the public good," writes a leading food expert in this week's PLoS Medicine.
Why current strategies for fighting obesity are not working
(Medical Xpress) -- As the United States wages war on the growing epidemic of obesity among children and adults, a team of University of Colorado School of Medicine obesity researchers conclude that what the nation needs is a new battle plan – one that replaces the emphasis on widespread food restriction and weight loss with an emphasis on helping people achieve “energy balance” at a healthy body weight.
Discovery explains how cellular pathways converge to regulate food intake and body weight
In the complex chain of molecular events that underlie eating behaviors and body weight, the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) enzyme has proven to be a critical link.
Cutting calories might help you live longer, but not without increased physical activity
Dietary restriction can slow age-related diseases and extend the lifespan of all species tested to date. Understanding this phenomenon might help people live longer, preferably without having to drastically limit calories. Now, investigators reporting in the July 3 issue of the Cell Press journal Cell Metabolism have found that in flies, dietary restriction causes enhanced fat metabolism in the muscle and increased physical activity, both of which are critical for extending lifespan. The findings suggest that dietary restriction may cause changes in muscle that can lead to a more active and longer life.
Epigenetics alters genes in rheumatoid arthritis
It's not just our DNA that makes us susceptible to disease and influences its impact and outcome. Scientists are beginning to realize more and more that important changes in genes that are unrelated to changes in the DNA sequence itself – a field of study known as epigenetics – are equally influential.
Biology news
The EU underpays Madagascar for access to fish: research
Unfair and exploitative political agreements allow Europeans to eat fish from the plates of developing countries, according to a study led by University of British Columbia researchers.
The big sleep
All zoo animals – and sometimes also wild animals – occasionally need veterinary treatment and anaesthesia is clearly required in many cases. For most animals the procedures are well established but for a variety of reasons it has proven difficulty to anaesthetize hippopotamuses. The thick skin and the dense subcutaneous tissue make it difficult to introduce sufficient amounts of anaesthetics and opioid-based anaesthetics often cause breathing irregularities and occasionally even death. In addition, the level of anaesthesia is only rarely sufficient to enable surgery to be undertaken: few vets wish to be around when a drugged hippopotamus starts to wake up.
New vaccine for 1 of the 7 strains of the dreaded foot-and mouth disease
One of the most economically devastating diseases in the world for those who raise cows, sheep, pigs, goats, deer and other cloven-hoofed animals is foot and mouth Disease (FMD). This incredibly contagious and fast-spreading disease causes fever, blisters on the feet and mouth (hence the name), loss of appetite, drooling, and lameness. Most herds affected are culled, as in the case of the 2001 outbreak in Great Britain when over 10 million animals had to be destroyed.
West coast experiencing decreasing trends in salmon spawning
The number of adult sockeye salmon produced per spawner has been decreasing over the last decade or more along the western coast of North America, from Washington state up through British Columbia and southeast Alaska. A new study published in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences says that this widespread decrease in productivity has important implications for management of salmon stocks and requires research into its potential causes to help determine future management strategies.
Motion sensors detect horse lameness earlier than veterinarians, study finds
The most common ailment to affect a horse is lameness. A University of Missouri equine veterinarian has developed a way to detect this problem using a motion detection system called the "Lameness Locator." Now, Kevin Keegan, a professor of equine surgery in the College of Veterinary Medicine at MU, has found that his Lameness Locator can detect lameness earlier than veterinarians using the traditional method of a subjective eye test.
CIPRES Science Gateway clarifies branches in evolution's 'tree of life'
A new Web resource developed at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at the University of California, San Diego is helping thousands of researchers worldwide unravel the enigmas of phylogenetics, the study of evolutionary relationships among virtually every species on the planet.
Not all animal traps are equal
(Phys.org) -- Large differences in the performance of spring traps used to kill mice, rats and moles, indicate considerable scope for improving the humaneness of such traps, and suggest that incentives are needed for manufacturers to 'build a better mousetrap'.
Scientists probe yeast's ability to protect tree nuts
(Phys.org) -- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have moved a step closer to understanding the underlying mechanisms that enable a helpful yeast to disable a mold that attacks tree nuts such as almonds, pistachios, and walnuts. Their on-going laboratory studies may help improve the effectiveness of the yeast, Pichia anomala, in thwarting the mold, Aspergillus flavus.
Zooming in on single cells
(Phys.org) -- Last fall, assistant professor of chemistry Long Cai received a New Innovator Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Now, just nine months later, Cai has published the first results of his supported research.
Searching for an ancient syphilis DNA in newborns
The ancient bones of newborns are very useful to recover the ancient DNA of the bacteria causing syphilis, the Treponema pallidum pallidum. This is the conclusion reached by a study led by Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB), which was able to obtain the genetic material from the bacteria in more than one individual, in what is considered to be the oldest case known to date. Several previous intents had only achieved to yield this material in one occasion and from only one individual.
Pakistan's national mammal makes a comeback
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) announced today that the markhor – a majestic wild goat species – is making a remarkable comeback in Pakistan due to conservation efforts.
Diving shrews -- heat before you leap
How does the world's smallest mammalian diver survive icy waters to catch its prey? A recent study of American water shrews to be presented at the Society for Experimental Biology meeting in Salzburg on 1st July has surprised researchers by showing that the animals rapidly elevate body temperature immediately before diving into cold water.
Scientists discover bees can 'turn back time,' reverse brain aging
(Phys.org) -- Scientists at Arizona State University have discovered that older honey bees effectively reverse brain aging when they take on nest responsibilities typically handled by much younger bees. While current research on human age-related dementia focuses on potential new drug treatments, researchers say these findings suggest that social interventions may be used to slow or treat age-related dementia.
Study shows vast majority of cells close to death after toxin exposure can survive and thrive
(Phys.org) -- The vast majority of cells that appear to be on a one-way track to death after exposure to toxins can bounce back completely after those toxins are removed, Johns Hopkins scientists report in a new study. The finding, published in the June 15 issue of Molecular Biology of the Cell, is not only a testament to the indomitable cellular spirit, but could also offer some practical insight on how to save dying tissues after heart attacks or strokes as well as prevent cancer in cells transiently exposed to toxins.
Engineers convert a natural plant protein into drug-delivery vehicles
(Phys.org) -- Finding biocompatible carriers that can get drugs to their targets in the body involves significant challenges. Beyond practical concerns of manufacturing and loading these vehicles, the carriers must work effectively with the drug and be safe to consume. Vesicles, hollow capsules shaped like double-walled bubbles, are ideal candidates, as the body naturally produces similar structures to move chemicals from one place to another. Finding the right molecules to assemble into capsules, however, remains difficult.
Researchers uncover Yak genes responsible for their altitude tolerance
(Phys.org) -- For some four thousand years, people in Tibet have relied on Yaks to help them survive in the high altitudes in which they live. The Yaks have proven over time that they are far better at dealing with high mountain living than are cows, which are more prevalent in other societies around the world. Scientists have known for years that cows and Yaks are closely related, and that the two were once the same species, having diverged just shy of five million years ago, which is roughly the same time span that humans and chimps went their separate ways. Now, new research by an international team of biologists and geneticists has taken apart the Yak genome and found, as they describe in their paper published in Nature Genetics, the genes that are responsible for allowing the Yak to thrive at such high altitudes.
Amniotic fluid yields alternatives to embryonic stem cells
Stem cells found in amniotic fluid can be transformed into a more versatile state similar to embryonic stem cells, according to a study published today in the journal Molecular Therapy. Scientists from Imperial College London and the UCL Institute of Child Health succeeded in reprogramming amniotic fluid cells without having to introduce extra genes. The findings raise the possibility that stem cells derived from donated amniotic fluid could be stored in banks and used for therapies and in research, providing a viable alternative to the limited embryonic stem cells currently available.
Social bats pay a price: Fungal disease, white-nose syndrome ... extinction?
The effect on bat populations of a deadly fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome may depend on how gregarious the bats are during hibernation, scientists have discovered.
Two species fused to give rise to plant pest
A fungal species native to Iran which attacks grasses is the result of natural hybridization that occurred just a few hundred years ago.
Genetic 911: Study examines how cells exploit gene sequences to cope with toxic stress
Toxic chemicals wreak havoc on cells, damaging DNA and other critical molecules. A new study from researchers at MIT and the University at Albany reveals how a molecular emergency-response system shifts the cell into damage-control mode and helps it survive such attacks by rapidly producing proteins that counteract the harm.
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