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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for January 20, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Study: Martian crater may once have held groundwater-fed lake- 'Quadruple helix' DNA discovered in human cells
- Genes and their regulatory 'tags' conspire to promote rheumatoid arthritis, study finds
- Opening a new avenue in neurobiology, scientists turn one form of neuron into another in the brain
- Study finds new genetic defects in high-risk childhood leukemia subtypes with chromosomal loss
- Developing microbial cell factories by employing synthetic small regulatory RNAs
- Warmer soils release additional CO2 into atmosphere; Effect stabilizes over longer term
- Team identifies molecular switch enabling immune cells to better fight disease
- Tumors evolve rapidly in a childhood cancer, leaving fewer obvious tumor targets
- Astronomers measure nearby Universe's 'cosmic fog'
- Belgium reveals artificial island plan for wind energy
- Study reveals promising new target for Parkinson's disease therapies
- Apple, Google chiefs face grilling on 'no-poaching'
- Shedding light on the power of M 82's superwinds
- Google wants Password123 in Museum of Bad Headaches
Space & Earth news
Slooh space camera to broadcast live feeds of super close Moon / Jupiter conjunction
On Monday, January 21st, the Moon will appear amazingly close in the sky to the largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter. The waxing gibbous Moon—the lunar phase between first-quarter Moon and full Moon—will be approximately one degree south of Jupiter appearing to be only a pen width apart. This will be closest conjunction between the two celestial bodies until 2026.
US climate fears mount, but political action wanes
Climate change was thrust to the forefront of the US political agenda recently in the wake of the devastation caused by superstorm Sandy and record high temperatures across the country.
NASA's IRIS spacecraft is fully integrated
NASA's next Small Explorer (SMEX) mission to study the little-understood lower levels of the sun's atmosphere has been fully integrated and final testing is underway.
Groundbreaking mercury treaty adopted by 140 countries (Update)
More than 140 countries agreed Saturday on a ground-breaking treaty to rein in the use and emission of health-hazardous mercury, the UN said, but environmental activists lamented it did not go far enough.
A microquasar makes a giant Manatee Nebula
(Phys.org)—A new view of a 20,000-year old supernova remnant demonstrates the upgraded imaging power of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) and provides more clues to the history of this giant cloud that resembles a beloved endangered species, the Florida Manatee.
Shedding light on the power of M 82's superwinds
(Phys.org)—An international team of astronomers, led by Dr. Kazuya Matsubayshi (Kyoto University), has discovered that outflows of gas from starburst galaxy M 82 collide with a "cap" of gas clouds 40,000 light years away from the galactic disk. Shockwaves from M 82's central starburst region are the most likely source of the bright clouds within the cap. The large light-gathering power of Subaru Telescope's 8.2-m mirror and its ability to produce highly detailed images enabled the researchers to make these findings, which provide important clues about the wind's power.
Warmer soils release additional CO2 into atmosphere; Effect stabilizes over longer term
Warmer temperatures due to climate change could cause soils to release additional carbon into the atmosphere, thereby enhancing climate change – but that effect diminishes over the long term, finds a new study in the journal Nature Climate Change. The study, from University of New Hampshire professor Serita Frey and co-authors from the University of California-Davis and the Marine Biological Laboratory, sheds new light on how soil microorganisms respond to temperature and could improve predictions of how climate warming will affect the carbon dioxide flux from soils.
Astronomers measure nearby Universe's 'cosmic fog'
Researchers from the Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet (CNRS/École Polytechnique) have carried out the first measurement of the intensity of the diffuse extragalactic background light in the nearby Universe, a fog of photons that has filled the Universe ever since its formation. Using some of the brightest gamma-ray sources in the southern hemisphere, the study was carried out using measurements performed by the HESS telescope array, located in Namibia and involving CNRS and CEA. The study is complementary to that recently carried out by the Fermi-LAT space observatory. These findings provide new insight into the size of the Universe observable in gamma rays and shed light on the formation of stars and the evolution of galaxies. They feature on the cover of the 16 January 2013 issue of the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics online.
Study: Martian crater may once have held groundwater-fed lake
(Phys.org)—A NASA spacecraft is providing new evidence of a wet underground environment on Mars that adds to an increasingly complex picture of the Red Planet's early evolution.
Technology news
Overcharging batteries eyed in Boeing 787 mishaps
It's likely that burning lithium ion batteries on two Boeing 787 Dreamliners were caused by overcharging, aviation safety and battery experts said Friday, pointing to developments in the investigation of the Boeing incidents as well as a battery fire in a business jet more than a year ago.
Aviation technology advances, US tries to keep up
(AP)—The battery that caught fire in a Japan Airlines 787 in Boston last week was not overcharged, but U.S. investigators said Sunday there could still be problems with wiring or other charging components.
Hi-tech offers Israel's religious Jews a job path
In a chic auditorium typically reserved for late-night concerts, Israel's next generation of high-tech entrepreneurs are gathered. Though their vocation is modern, their appearance and lifestyle are distinctly traditional and they are seated separately—men to the left, woman to the right.
Apple, Google chiefs face grilling on 'no-poaching'
Apple chief Tim Cook and Google chairman Eric Schmidt are expected to face questioning in a lawsuit accusing Silicon Valley giants of secretly agreeing not to "poach" one another's workers, according to officials and court documents.
Google wants Password123 in Museum of Bad Headaches
(Phys.org)—Should typed passwords ever make their way into the Memory Bin, no tears will be shed in certain quarters at Google. The search giant is taking a serious look at a computing future where users have a safer environment that can secure their online information and accounts via physical passwords, perhaps in the form of finger rings or USB sticks or keys. Google's Vice President of Security Eric Grosse and engineer Mayank Upadhyay have presented their suggestions for better hardware authentication in an upcoming research paper to be published in Security & Privacy magazine.
Indicted Megaupload founder launches new site
Indicted Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom launched a new file-sharing website on Sunday, promising users amped-up privacy levels in a defiant move against the U.S. prosecutors who accuse him of facilitating massive online piracy.
Belgium reveals artificial island plan for wind energy
(Phys.org)—Belgium is to build an artificial island made of sand three km off the Belgian coast. This will be a doughnut-shaped structure designed to store wind energy once the plan gets a final go-ahead. This North Sea island would work as an offshore substation; it would take five years or more to build. The plan was announced earlier this week in a presentation at the port of Zeebrugge by Johan Vande Lanotte, Belgium's North Sea minister.
Medicine & Health news
Winter sports safety: Preparation is key
(HealthDay)—The outdoor winter sports season is in full swing, which means it's a good time to remind people about winter sports safety tips, says the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Poor sleep can leave romantic partners feeling unappreciated
Spouses and other romantic partners often complain about feeling unappreciated, and a new study from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests poor sleep may play a hidden role.
US flu epidemic worsens, 29 children dead
A flu epidemic gripping the United States is more severe than usual, striking the elderly especially hard, health authorities said Friday as they also announced 29 child victims.
Vaccines might become another way to fight cancer
(HealthDay)—Most people think of the flu when the word "vaccine" comes up in conversation, but several vaccines also exist to help prevent cancers.
How cervical cancer vaccines came to be
(HealthDay)—The cervical cancer vaccine has turned into one of the biggest success stories in the field.
Hockey rule changes could cut player aggression, injuries
(HealthDay)—Restrictions on body checking and other rule changes could limit aggression and reduce young hockey players' risk of injury, according to a new study.
FDA gives nod to botox to treat overactive bladder
(HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday gave its approval for the use of Botox against a form of urinary incontinence known as overactive bladder.
In STEMI, C-reactive protein at presentation predicts MI, death
(HealthDay)—For patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) measurements at presentation predict subsequent nonfatal MI and cardiac death; and for patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), fetuin-A and CRP have prognostic value, according to two studies published in the Jan. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
About 10 percent of neoplastic polyps incompletely resected
(HealthDay)—About 10 percent of neoplastic polyps are incompletely resected, with considerable variation in the rate of incomplete resection between endoscopists, according to a study published in the January issue of Gastroenterology.
ERs need to focus on integration into new payment models
(HealthDay)—Emergency care systems need to focus on integrating into new payment models by promoting efficiency and coordinated care, according to an article published online Jan. 2 in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
CDC: Flu activity continues to be high across the United States
(HealthDay)—Flu remains at epidemic proportions across the United States, but flu activity decreased in some areas during the second week of January, according to FluView, a weekly influenza surveillance report prepared by the Influenza Division of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Surprising connections between our well-being and giving, getting, and gratitude
We all know that getting a good night's sleep is good for our general health and well-being. But new research is highlighting a more surprising benefit of good sleep: more feelings of gratitude for relationships.
US Marines studying mindfulness-based training
The U.S. Marine Corps, known for turning out some of the military's toughest warriors, is studying how to make its troops even tougher through meditative practices, yoga-type stretching and exercises based on mindfulness.
How to tell if your child is too sick for school: expert
(HealthDay)—Children often get colds, but when they are not feeling well enough to participate in their normal daily activities or not alert enough to learn or play, they are too sick to go to school, an expert advises.
Loneliness, like chronic stress, taxes the immune system
New research links loneliness to a number of dysfunctional immune responses, suggesting that being lonely has the potential to harm overall health.
Study reveals promising new target for Parkinson's disease therapies
With a new insight into a model of Parkinson's disease, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine have identified a novel target for mitigating some of the disease's toll on the brain.
Testing brain pacemakers to zap Alzheimer's damage (Update)
It has the makings of a science fiction movie: Zap someone's brain with mild jolts of electricity to try to stave off the creeping memory loss of Alzheimer's disease.
Team identifies molecular switch enabling immune cells to better fight disease
A research team led by the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology has discovered the mechanism that enables CD4 helper T cells to assume the more aggressive role of killer T cells in mounting an immune attack against viruses, cancerous tumors and other damaged or infected cells. The finding, made in collaboration with researchers from the RIKEN Institute in Japan, could enable the development of more potent drugs for AIDS, cancer and many other diseases based on using this mechanism to trigger larger armies of killer T cells against infected or damaged cells.
Study finds new genetic defects in high-risk childhood leukemia subtypes with chromosomal loss
Research led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists has identified a possible lead in treatment of two childhood leukemia subtypes known for their dramatic loss of chromosomes and poor treatment outcomes.
Tumors evolve rapidly in a childhood cancer, leaving fewer obvious tumor targets
An extensive genomic study of the childhood cancer neuroblastoma reinforces the challenges in treating the most aggressive forms of this disease. Contrary to expectations, the scientists found relatively few recurrent gene mutations—mutations that would suggest new targets for neuroblastoma treatment. Instead, say the researchers, they have now refocused on how neuroblastoma tumors evolve in response to medicine and other factors.
Genes and their regulatory 'tags' conspire to promote rheumatoid arthritis, study finds
In one of the first genome-wide studies to hunt for both genes and their regulatory "tags" in patients suffering from a common disease, researchers have found a clear role for the tags in mediating genetic risk for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an immune disorder that afflicts an estimated 1.5 million American adults. By teasing apart the tagging events that result from RA from those that help cause it, the scientists say they were able to spot tagged DNA sequences that may be important for the development of RA. And they suspect their experimental method can be applied to predict similar risk factors for other common, noninfectious diseases, like type II diabetes and heart ailments.
Biology news
Rhino is named South Africa's top newsmaker
The rhino has been named South Africa's newsmaker for 2012, based on the extensive media coverage around the slaughter of the creature for its horn, the National Press Club said on Saturday.
Joshua Tree spider species named for U2's Bono
It appeared Bono and arachnids didn't mix when his "Spider-Man" musical had a rough Broadway run, but that didn't keep a biologist from naming an actual spider species after the U2 singer.
Wind in the willows boosts biofuel production
(Phys.org)—Willow trees cultivated for 'green energy' can yield up to five times more biofuel if they grow diagonally, compared with those that are allowed to grow naturally up towards the sky.
Developing microbial cell factories by employing synthetic small regulatory RNAs
A Korean research team led by Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee at the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, reported that synthetic small RNA can be employed for finely controlling the expression levels of multiple genes at the translation level.
Opening a new avenue in neurobiology, scientists turn one form of neuron into another in the brain
A new finding by Harvard stem cell biologists turns one of the basics of neurobiology on its head – demonstrating that it is possible to turn one type of already differentiated neuron into another within the brain.
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