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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 4, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Researchers discover cuttlefish able to mimic female on half its body (w/ Video)- New study sheds new light on planet formation
- CERN physicists report strong evidence of Higgs boson (w/ live video from CERN)
- Smart headlights let drivers see between the raindrops
- New method enables sequencing of fetal genomes using only maternal blood sample
- Pre-industrial emissions still causing temperatures to rise: study
- Cystic fibrosis makes airways more acidic, reduces bacterial killing
- Tumor microenvironment helps skin cancer cells resist drug treatment
- Scientists link 'oncometabolite' to onset of acute myeloid leukemia
- Patient-derived stem cells could improve drug research for Parkinson's
- Blood test predicts death from heart problems after surgery
- What the electric meter tells us about the birth rate
- Humidity increases odour perception in terrestrial hermit crabs
- Israeli firm offers doubled-faced solar cells to increase energy yields
- EU Parliament rejects ACTA anti-piracy treaty
Space & Earth news
Argentina court upholds glacier protections against mining
Argentina's supreme court has upheld key articles of a law aimed at protecting glaciers, despite a legal challenge from mining companies, including Canadian giant Barrick Gold.
Running on empty
(Phys.org) -- When you consider the cost of launching a satellite, it’s small wonder that ESA is looking to keep them working as long as possible. For satellites offering communications services that are bought and paid for, this extended life is critical. Now there is a solution.
An epic crater called Odysseus
On June 28 NASA’s Cassini spacecraft passed by Tethys, a 1,062-kilometer (662-mile) -wide moon of Saturn that’s made almost entirely of ice. Tethys is covered in craters of all sizes but by far the most dramatic of all is the enormous Odysseus crater, which spans an impressive 450 kilometers (280 miles) of the moon’s northern hemisphere — nearly two-fifths of its entire diameter!
What's cooking? The UK's potential food crisis
The Sustainable Consumption Institute research claims food which families now take for granted, such as meat and fresh vegetables, could become too expensive for many if global temperatures rise in line with the current trends and reach 4°C within the lifetime of many people.
Seabirds study shows plastic pollution reaching surprising levels off coast of Pacific Northwest
Plastic pollution off the northwest coast of North America is reaching the level of the notoriously polluted North Sea, according to a new study led by a researcher at the University of British Columbia.
Evidence of life on Mars could come from Martian moon
(Phys.org) -- A mission to a Martian moon could return with alien life, according to experts at Purdue University, but don't expect the invasion scenario presented by summer blockbusters like "Men in Black 3" or "Prometheus."
A good reason to wake up at dawn
Summer is a good time to relax, sleep late, enjoy a break from school or work. Waking before sunrise is just not done.
Melting ice the greatest factor in rising sea levels
Melting glaciers and ice sheets have contributed more to rising sea levels in the past decade than expansion from warming water, according to modelling in the latest report by the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems (ACE) Cooperative Research Centre.
Pre-industrial emissions still causing temperatures to rise: study
A climate model accounting for the carbon dioxide (CO2) released into our atmosphere before the industrial revolution has been used to show the detrimental effect of carbon emissions on global temperature in the long-term.
Scientists identify tropical oceans as 'beating heart' of climate change
(Phys.org) -- The world’s oceans are increasingly pumping tropical warm water towards the poles with important consequences for life on Earth, according to a new study.
New study sheds new light on planet formation
A study published in the July 5 edition of the journal Nature is challenging scientists' understanding of planet formation, suggesting that planets might form much faster than previously thought or, alternatively, that stars harboring planets could be far more numerous.
Technology news
Google in crosshairs over gun ban
Google has banned gun sales from its new shopping platform, a move drawing fire from hunters and weapons enthusiasts but praised by gun control activists.
New app keeps Londoners in the loop about the tube
A new app for android phones allows Londoners to share their experiences about the London Underground as they travel, and could transform how we use public transport.
'Googling' through unique audio material: towards a better search result
Searching and finding in audio archives can be improved if we take a different look at the underlying technology and allow for how the results are used. This provides a better picture of the problems and the points for improvement. Laurens van der Werff demonstrated this in his PhD thesis 'Evaluation of Noisy Transcripts for Spoken Document Retrieval', which he will defend on 5 July at the University of Twente.
EU launches new app for passengers' rights
(AP) — The European Union says it has launched a new smartphone application which allows air and rail passengers stranded in the EU due to cancellations or delays to immediately check on their legal rights regarding rebates and compensation.
Japan Diet to publish Fukushima disaster probe
A Japanese parliament probe into the nuclear disaster at Fukushima is expected to say the then prime minister fanned chaos in the opening days of the crisis when it publishes its final report Thursday.
Toshiba fined in US antitrust case
Japanese electronics giant Toshiba said Tuesday a jury has ordered it to pay $87 million in a price-fixing case on LCD displays, but that it ultimately may not end up paying damages.
iGoogle gets axed in shakeup
Google said Tuesday it was discontinuing its iGoogle page designed as Web "portal," saying it had become less relevant in the age of the mobile Internet.
Bright future for new LED manufacturing process
A new technique for making brighter, longer-lasting LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) has taken the first leap from research laboratory towards the three-billion-US-dollar global market in high-powered lighting. The new manufacturing system, called liquid forging, dramatically improves the way tiny electronic devices keep cool and looks set to revolutionize production of next generation LEDs.
Development of world's highest-density optical fiber cable
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation has developed the world’s highest-density multi-fiber optical fiber cable for outdoor optical fiber networks. NTT Access Network Service Systems Laboratories (NTT Labs) succeeded in increasing to an ultimate fiber density of optical fiber cable by using bending loss insensitive optical fiber (BIF) and novel optical fiber ribbon.
No show stoppers for concentrating solar power
(Phys.org) -- A recently published study confirms that solar thermal power is largely unrestricted by materials availability. There are, however, some issues that the industry needs to look into soon, like replacing silver in mirrors.
EU Parliament rejects ACTA anti-piracy treaty
The European Parliament overwhelmingly defeated an international anti-piracy trade agreement Wednesday after concern that it would limit Internet freedom sparked street protests in cities across Europe.
Israeli firm offers doubled-faced solar cells to increase energy yields
(Phys.org) -- An Israeli firm called bSolar has introduced a dual-faced solar cell that it says can boost energy yields by 10 to 30% with conventional mounted inclined panels, and up to 50% with panels that are mounted vertically. The double-sided cells increase yields by taking advantage of light that bounces off surfaces behind the panel, thus the more light that is bounced back and strikes the cells, the more electricity they are able to produce.
Microsoft engineer eyeballs Android botnet
(Phys.org) -- A Microsoft engineer has spotted a botnet that targets Yahoo! Mail users using Android devices. Terry Zink , who also writes an Internet security blog, said he has evidence of a botnet running on Android devices where spam e-mail messages are being sent from Yahoo mail servers on Android devices, logging into Yahoo! mail accounts and sending off spam. Zink, embarking on a tracking expedition, reported how all the messages coming from compromised Yahoo! accounts and sent through Yahoo! Mail servers, seemed to finish with “Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android” signatures.
Smart headlights let drivers see between the raindrops
(Phys.org) -- A Carnegie Mellon professor and his team have developed a prototype headlight system, or “smart headlights” designed to help you make your way safely home if driving through a downpour or snowstorm where visibility is threatened. During low-light conditions, drivers rely mainly on headlights to see the road but the same headlights reduce visibility when light is reflected off of precipitation back to the driver. The prototype smart headlights work in such a way so that lights help, not hinder, the stressed-out driver.
Medicine & Health news
Freezing all embryos in IVF with transfer in a later non-stimulated cycle may improve outcome
There is growing interest in a "freeze-all" embryo policy in IVF. Such an approach, which cryopreserves all embryos generated in a stimulated IVF cycle for later transfer in a non-stimulated natural cycle, would avoid any of the adverse effects which ovarian stimulation might have on endometrial receptivity during the treatment cycle. Ovarian stimulation has been shown to have adverse effects on endometrial receptivity and the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is also increased when embryo transfer is performed in the stimulated cycle.
Fertility preservation with cryopreservation of ovarian tissue: from experimental to mainstream
Although the first successful preservation of fertility from the freezing, thawing and grafting of ovarian tissue was reported eight years ago,(1) the technique has remained experimental and confined to a few specialist centres. Now, with the announcement of a first pregnancy (and subsequent live birth) in Italy following the transplantation of ovarian tissue, there are indications that fertility preservation is moving into the mainstream of reproductive medicine and into a greater number of centres.(2)
Single embryo transfer reduces the risk of perinatal mortality in IVF
A policy of single embryo transfer (SET) reduces the risk of perinatal mortality in infants born as a result of IVF and ICSI. The conclusion emerged from an analysis of more than 50,000 births recorded in the Australian and New Zealand Assisted Reproduction Technology Database between 2004 and 2008, where the introduction of an SET policy has been associated with a reduction in overall perinatal mortality for IVF and ICSI babies.
Roberts 'wrote both sides of US health care ruling'
Chief Justice John Roberts flipped late in the game on the Supreme Court ruling on "Obamacare" and ended up writing both the majority opinion and most of the opposing dissent, sources said Tuesday.
Russia fears new epidemic of synthetic marijuana
(AP) — Russia's leading anti-drug crusader says the abuse of synthetic marijuana is turning into a "horrible" epidemic in his country.
Virginia Tech researchers highlight danger of firework projectiles toward eyes
(Medical Xpress) -- Just in time for the July Fourth holiday, Virginia Tech College of Engineering researchers have published a study that shines a new spotlight on the dangers of fireworks on the human eye, that projectiles from fireworks are more likely to cause severe eye injuries than the previously believed culprit blast overpressure.
Getting to the heart of the problem
Doctors working to cut the number of people in the UK who die from undiagnosed cardiac conditions each year will be presenting their research at this year’s Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition which opens today (3 July). Every week 12 seemingly fit and healthy young people under the age of 35 die from these conditions.
Heat wave especially dangerous for kids
(Medical Xpress) -- Extreme heat continues to plague the nation with many areas seeing record temperatures. Though everyone needs to take precautions when it comes to dangerous heat, it’s especially important to watch your kids. Children are at a greater risk than adults of sustaining heat injuries.
Claim that undoit pill blocks all fat and carbs is baseless
A company advertising a pill that “will ‘undo’ 5g of fat and 210g of carbs” must remove advertisements for the product and publish a retraction on its website, a review panel has ruled.
Puerto Rico sees sharp spike in dengue cases
(AP) — The number of detected dengue cases is running at above-average levels as Puerto Rico enters the peak season for the painful disease.
Unvaccinated children rather than lack of effective vaccines is hindering the elimination of polio in Pakistan and Afgha
Too few children have received sufficient doses of vaccine to wipe out polio in Pakistan and Afghanistan, two of only three countries in the world where endemic polio has yet to be eliminated, according to new research published online first in the Lancet. The findings suggest that the newly introduced bivalent oral poliovirus vaccine has the potential to eliminate polio in these countries if sufficient numbers of children could be reached by vaccination programs.
Handling of confounding in diet and asthma, allergy studies poor
(HealthDay) -- Studies investigating the effect of diet on the development of childhood asthma and allergies generally have substantial shortcomings with regard to how they handle confounding and effect modification, according to research published online June 19 in Allergy.
Methadone linked to 30 percent of painkiller overdoses
The prescription drug methadone is linked to over 30 percent of painkiller overdose deaths, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention Tuesday.
Concern grows over H1N1 outbreak in Bolivia
An epidemic of H1N1 flu has infected almost 900 people and claimed 11 lives in Bolivia, health officials said Tuesday.
Failing metal hip implants could be releasing genotoxic material
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists have discovered that the inflammation in the surrounding tissue of patients with failing chromium-cobalt metal-on-metal (MOM) implants is caused by the release of The Cobalt 2+ ions (Co2+) from metal debris that wears away from replacement joints. These ions are known to be genotoxic and could lead to further medical complications.
Inhalable nitric oxide shown safe as potential anti-microbial treatment
Results from a clinical study by a UBC-Vancouver Coastal Health research team have increased hope for a new, effective and inexpensive anti-microbial treatment using inhalable nitric oxide.
No link found between asthma drugs, suicide attempts
(Medical Xpress) -- Treating asthma with leukotriene-modifying agents does not pose an increased risk of suicide in children, according to new research at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy.
Emotionality in adolescent males is driven by hormonal changes
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers led by a team from the University of Glasgow and Oslo University Hospital, Norway have discovered that while changes in the emotions of adolescent females are directly related to age those from young males are influenced by the changing patterns of reproductive hormones that occur as individuals become more sexually mature.
Study shows appendectomies not a threat to fertility
(Medical Xpress) -- Having the appendix removed does not affect a woman's chance of having a baby, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Dundee.
Skin patch improves attention span in stroke patients
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at the UCL Institute of Neurology have found that giving the drug rotigotine as a skin patch can improve inattention in some stroke patients.
Family conflict, patient ailments increase caregiver stress
(Medical Xpress) -- Patients' mental and physical challenges, as well as family conflict, heighten caregivers' stress when they assist their ailing parents, a new University of Michigan study found.
The Medical Minute: Safe fun in the sun with skin protection
With outdoor activities in full swing this summer, how are you protecting your skin? We know that spending time in the sun increases the risk of skin cancer, the most common cancer in the United States. It also causes early skin aging for all skin types and ethnicities. The times of sunbathing and sunburns should be over. However, with all the sunscreen products on the market and numerous news articles about the questionable safety of these products, it can be hard to know what to use and how.
Exploiting the early immune response in Chikungunya fever promises to provide protection
(Medical Xpress) -- Chikungunya fever is a viral disease that has re-emerged to cause epidemics in the Pacific region within the last decade. It is caused by the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), which is transmitted by mosquitoes and causes symptoms including fever, rash and joint pain. It can be incapacitating, with some patients developing severe chronic symptoms, and it is sometimes fatal. The main current control measure is to prevent exposure to mosquitoes; a vaccine would reduce the threat of CHIKV.
Primitive cell populations retained from early embryonic development could provide seeds for precancerous growths
Heartburn makes for an uncomfortable post-meal experience, but can also herald more serious health concerns. Indeed, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a causative factor underlying Barrett’s metaplasia, a condition associated with changes in the epithelial cells lining the esophagus that can ultimately lead to esophageal carcinoma.
A prudent approach to sun
Dermatologist Joshua Fox's goal is to keep patients safe from sun damage that can -- in extremes -- lead to skin cancer. But he realizes that often means striking a balance with patients.
Platelet drug shows clinical benefits for severe, unresponsive aplastic anemia
Eltrombopag, a drug that was designed to stimulate production of platelets from the bone marrow and thereby improve blood clotting, can raise blood cell levels in some people with severe aplastic anemia who have failed all standard therapies.
Postoperative delirium in cardiac surgery patients associated with prolonged cognitive impairment
Older patients undergoing cardiac surgery often experience changes in cognitive function, such as memory problems or an inability to focus, in the days immediately following their operations. While these changes are usually temporary, for unknown reasons, a significant number of cardiac patients will encounter long-term cognitive problems, lasting as long as a year after their surgeries.
Higher doses of vitamin D prevent fractures in older women
(HealthDay) -- In the latest study to look at the effect of vitamin D on fracture risk, Swiss researchers found that taking more than 800 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily could reduce the risk of hip fractures in older women by 30 percent.
What the electric meter tells us about the birth rate
(Medical Xpress) -- If a woman were to consume in the form of food the amount of energy she uses, and were to follow the fertility patterns seen in other species, she would weigh as much as two elephants, and would continue to bear children up to the age of 70. This is because, generally, the more energy an organism uses, the bigger it is, the longer it lives, and the later it reproduces. But is this true of humans? After all, humans satisfy their appetite for energy through electrical outlets and other industrial sources.
Blood test predicts death from heart problems after surgery
(Medical Xpress) -- A blood test can predict whether patients are likely to die of a heart attack in the month after surgery, according to an international study involving thousands of patients.
Cystic fibrosis makes airways more acidic, reduces bacterial killing
The human airway is a pretty inhospitable place for microbes. There are numerous immune defense mechanisms poised to kill or remove inhaled bacteria before they can cause problems. But cystic fibrosis (CF) disrupts these defenses, leaving patients particularly susceptible to airway infection, which is the major cause of disease and death in CF.
Tumor microenvironment helps skin cancer cells resist drug treatment
One of cancer's most frightening characteristics is its ability to return after treatment. In the case of many forms of cancer, including the skin cancer known as melanoma, tailored drugs can eradicate cancer cells in the lab, but often produce only partial, temporary responses in patients. One of the burning questions in the field of cancer research has been and remains: how does cancer evade drug treatment?
Scientists link 'oncometabolite' to onset of acute myeloid leukemia
A team of international scientists led by principal investigator Dr. Tak Mak at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, has identified a causative link between the product of a mutated metabolic enzyme and the onset of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), one of the most common types of leukemia in adults.
Patient-derived stem cells could improve drug research for Parkinson's
Researchers have taken a step toward personalized medicine for Parkinson's disease, by investigating signs of the disease in patient-derived cells and testing how the cells respond to drug treatments. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.
New method enables sequencing of fetal genomes using only maternal blood sample
Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have for the first time sequenced the genome of an unborn baby using only a blood sample from the mother.
Biology news
Shrinking leaves point to climate change
University of Adelaide researchers have discovered that recent climate change is causing leaves of some Australian plants to narrow in size.
Vertical farm in abandoned pork plant turns waste into food
Urban farming is being taken to new heights in an abandoned Chicago pork processing plant where environmentalists hope to "get off the grid" by using the waste from one crop to feed and power another.
Urban athletes show that for orangutans, it pays to sway
Swaying trees is the way to go, if you are a primate crossing the jungle. Using human street athletes as stand-ins for orangutans, researchers have measured the energy required to navigate a forest using different strategies and found it pays to stay up in the trees. Their work was presented at the Society for Experimental Biology's meeting in Salzburg, Austria on 2 July 2012.
Oil spill causes massive harm to microscopic creatures
(Phys.org) -- Oiled seabirds and turtles may have been the dominant images of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, but new research indicates there was also massive harm to microscopic creatures in coastal sands, lasting months after beaches appeared superficially clean.
Tooth protection from the sea
(Phys.org) -- A team of dentists and scientists from Newcastle University are developing a new product from a marine microbe to protect dentures, teeth and gums from bacteria in the mouth.
Researchers use weevils to check spread of prolific mile-a-minute weed
(Phys.org) -- Mile-a-minute weed has declared war on Doug Tallamy’s yard. This non-native, invasive vine is growing up his trees, scrambling over shrubs and smothering tree seedlings. By blocking sunlight, it weakens a plant by reducing its ability to photosynthesize.
Development of antibiotic resistance more predictable than expected
Research by Wageningen University has shown that the development of bacteria with resistance against the antibiotic cefotaxime occurs more often and more predictably than was previously assumed. Bacterial populations were found to have many mutations that increase resistance and therefore have a negative effect on public health. Moreover, the effects are such that it can be predicted that the development of bacterial strains with a resistance against cefotaxime will progress in a similar way in different patients from different locations. Together with German colleagues, the Wageningen scientists developed a research approach which will allow them to predict whether, and if so how, resistant bacterial strains will develop for other antibiotics as well.
How cooperation can trump competition in monkeys
Being the top dog — or, in this case, the top gelada monkey — is even better if the alpha male is willing to concede at times to subordinates, according to a study by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Michigan and Duke University.
Humidity increases odour perception in terrestrial hermit crabs
(Phys.org) -- Max Planck scientists have found out that the olfactory system in hermit crabs is still underdeveloped in comparison to that of vinegar flies. While flies have a very sensitive sense of smell and are able to identify various odour molecules in the air, crabs recognize only a few odours, such as the smell of organic acids, amines, aldehydes, or seawater. Humidity significantly enhanced electrical signals induced in their antennal neurons as well as the corresponding behavioural responses to the odorants. The olfactory sense of vinegar flies, on the other hand, was not influenced by the level of air moisture at all. Exploring the molecular biology of olfaction in land crabs and flies thus allows insights into the evolution of the olfactory sense during the transition from life in water to life on land.
Researchers discover cuttlefish able to mimic female on half its body (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) -- Researchers in Australia have discovered that mourning cuttlefish (Sepia plangon) have the unique property of being able to change the coloring on one side of their body to mimic the coloring of a female to fool rivals, while displaying typically male coloring on the side that a nearby female sees; all at the same time. The team, led by Culum Brown at Macquarie University first noticed the sly behavior in a large test tank. Subsequent research showed that the ploy was prevalent in the wild as well. The team has had their paper describing their findings published in the journal Biology Letters.
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