Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for January 16, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Mathematical breakthrough sets out rules for more effective teleportation- Researchers confirm intrinsic superconductor behavior revealed
- Researchers use snail teeth to improve solar cells and batteries
- Engineer making rechargeable batteries with layered nanomaterials
- Digging yields clues: Biologists connect burrowing behavior in mice to genes
- A material that most liquids won't wet
- Team identifies new 'social' chromosome in the red fire ant
- New research shows some barnacles mate via spermcasting
- Robofish grace glides with the greatest of ease
- Scanning the brain: Scientists examine the impact of fMRI over the past 20 years
- Orange 'forces Google' to pay for mobile traffic
- Researchers develop integrated dual-mode active and passive infrared camera
- Light exposure during pregnancy key to normal eye development
- In the Eastern US, spring flowers keep pace with warming climate
- Promising new finding for therapies to treat persistent seizures in epileptic patients
Space & Earth news
FlySafe adds new dimension to safe flying
Migrating birds fly as long as it takes to get to their destination, no matter what obstacles are in their way. When that obstacle is an aircraft, the results can be deadly.
New South Pole marker honors planets, Pluto, and Armstrong
Because the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station sits atop a layer of moving ice almost 2 miles thick, the location of the marker for the Earth's geographic South Pole needs to be relocated regularly. Tradition has this done on New Year's Day, and so this past January 1 saw the unveiling of the newest South Pole marker: a beautiful brass-and-copper design created by Station machinist Derek Aboltins.
Smoke damage to four buildings housing telescopes at observatory
Four buildings containing telescopes at Australia's largest astronomical observatory have suffered smoke damage in a bushfire, the Australian National University said today.
Towards better recovery of waste resources
A considerable amount of valuable raw materials is lost in waste utilization and processing chains. It would be worth, for example, effecting better recovery of the valuable metals contained in electronic equipment. Research carried out by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Aalto University, the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) and Lappeenranta University of Technology has provided new information on the development needs of waste management.
S. Korea satellite rocket launch Jan 30-Feb 8
South Korea will make another bid at the end of this month to put a satellite in orbit and gain entry to an elite global space club that includes Asian powers China, India and Japan.
Climate change report forecasts major impacts for the Southwest
(Phys.org)—A new draft assessment of the impacts of climate change on the U.S. has been released by the Global Change Research Program in Washington, D.C., and is available online for public comment. Hailed as the most comprehensive and inclusive national effort to date to assess the science of climate change and its impacts, the National Climate Assessment, or NCA, will contribute directly to the U.S. climate policy debate.
ChemCam follows the 'Yellowknife Road' to Martian wet area
(Phys.org)—Researchers from Los Alamos National Laboratory and the French Space Agency have tracked a trail of minerals that point to the prior presence of water at the Curiosity rover site on Mars.
About that 'flower' on Mars….
The Curiosity rover is having a "field day" exploring the rocks in shallow depression that scientists call 'Yellowknife Bay', which is chockfull of light toned rocks. One small rock or feature – the size of a pebble or large grain of sand, actually – has caught the attention of many as it looks like a little flower. Keep in mind that this pebble is about 2 millimeters in size (a US dime coin is 1.35mm thick) so that's really teeny tiny. But through the power of zooming in to the high resolution images of the Mars Hand Lens Imager, or MAHLI, there have been people who are convinced this is some sort of flora on Mars, or perhaps a fossil.
Choosing the right people to go to Mars
(Phys.org)—When humans eventually travel to the Red Planet, the voyage will be long and difficult. The simulated Mars500 mission showed that every detail must be planned, including diet and sleep. The findings will also benefit those of us who stay behind.
Asteroid deflection mission seeks smashing ideas
(Phys.org)—A space rock several hundred metres across is heading towards our planet and the last-ditch attempt to avert a disaster – an untested mission to deflect it – fails. This fictional scene of films and novels could well be a reality one day. But what can space agencies do to ensure it works?
Salt menaces coastal water supplies
Invading seawater threatens to pollute or destroy scores of Australia's coastal water supplies, water scientists have warned.
New Antarctic geological timeline aids future sea-level predictions
Radiocarbon dates of tiny fossilised marine animals found in Antarctica's seabed sediments offer new clues about the recent rapid ice loss from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and help scientists make better predictions about future sea-level rise. This region of the icy continent is thought to be vulnerable to regional climate warming and changes in ocean circulation.
Joint Polar Satellite System spacecraft completes delta critical design review
The Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS-1) spacecraft recently cleared its final major design review, demonstrating that spacecraft development is on track to provide critical environmental data when launched no later than the first quarter of calendar year 2017.
NASA sees one area of strength in Tropical Storm Emang
Tropical Storm Emang continues to move through open waters in the Southern Indian Ocean and NASA's TRMM satellite noticed one area of heavy rainfall near the center.
Space station to get $18 million balloon-like room
NASA is partnering with a commercial space company to test an inflatable room that can be compressed into a 7-foot (2.13-meter) tube for delivery to the International Space Station.
Airborne toxins down, but overall pollutant levels rising, EPA says
(HealthDay)—There's some good news and bad news from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on pollutants: Although emissions of toxic air pollutants in the United States continue to decline, total releases of toxic chemicals in the air, water and land are on the rise.
Light from the darkness
(Phys.org)—An evocative new image from ESO shows a dark cloud where new stars are forming, along with a cluster of brilliant stars that have already emerged from their dusty stellar nursery. The new picture was taken with the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at the La Silla Observatory in Chile and is the best image ever taken in visible light of this little-known object.
Plastics and chemicals they absorb pose double threat to marine life
(Phys.org)—Marine creatures that ingest plastics in the ocean might suffer from a double whammy of the plastic itself and the pollutants those plastics have absorbed while floating in the open seas, according to research led by doctoral student Chelsea Rochman of the University of California, Davis.
First global qualitative assessment of 'water-grabbing' phenomenon
(Phys.org)—As world food and energy demands grow, nations and some corporations increasingly are looking to acquire quality agricultural land for food production. Some nations are gaining land by buying up property – and accompanying water resources – in other, generally less wealthy countries.
Multicellularity: A key event in the evolution of life
(Phys.org)—Multicellularity in cyanobacteria originated before 2.4 billion years ago and is associated with the accumulation of atmospheric oxygen, subsequently enabling the evolution of aerobic life, as we know it today, according to a new study from the University of Zurich involving researchers now at the University of Bristol, and Gothenburg.
NASA, Europeans uniting to send spaceship to moon (Update)
NASA is teaming up with the European Space Agency to get astronauts beyond Earth's orbit.
James Webb telescope team completes optical milestone
(Phys.org)—Engineers working on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope met another milestone recently with they completed performance testing on the observatory's aft-optics subsystem at Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp's facilities in Boulder, Colo. Ball is the principal subcontractor to Northrop Grumman for the optical technology and lightweight mirror system.
PODEX experiment to reshape future of atmospheric science
NASA scientists and engineers are working now to lay the groundwork for the Aerosol-Cloud-Ecosystem (ACE) mission, a satellite that will dramatically change what we can do from space to learn about clouds and aerosols.
Technology news
Guardian to launch online Australian edition
Britain's Guardian newspaper will launch a new online edition in Australia, where the print media is struggling with the rapidly changing digital landscape, hoping also to expand its reach in Asia.
Online buzz grows over US Internet activist suicide
As funeral services were held for Internet activist Aaron Swartz, the debate intensified over what some called a "draconian" US computer crime law used by allegedly overzealous prosecutors.
PokerStars parent company wants to buy US casino
The owner of the world's largest online poker website wants to add a brick-and-mortar casino to its portfolio.
Australian PM calls on social media companies to help take on cyber bullies
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has called on Twitter to join other social media companies that have agreed to a protocol to help deal with cyber bullying.
Britain fines Playboy for failure to protect kids from porn
Britain's media regulator fined Playboy 100,000 pounds ($160,000, 121,000 euros) on Wednesday for its "reckless" failure to prevent children from accessing pornography.
Business CEOs call for raising retirement age
An influential group of business executives is pushing a plan to increase the full retirement age to 70 for both Social Security and Medicare and to partially privatize the health insurance program for older Americans.
Google to animal lovers: no hit-and-run on donkey
Google on Wednesday moved to reassure users that no animals were harmed in the making of its popular maps after a street view picture surfaced of a donkey lying on the side of a road.
Russia promises 'green' 2014 Games
The head of Russia's Olympic committee said Wednesday that his country was set to host the greenest Games ever when the winter version of the sports extravaganza opens in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in a year's time.
Newport, Ore., to host wave energy test site
Newport, Ore., has been selected as the site for what its backers call a utility-scale wave energy test site.
SKorea: NKorea behind cyberattack on Seoul daily
South Korea said Wednesday that North Korea was behind a cyberattack last year against a conservative Seoul newspaper critical of Pyongyang.
Renewable energy 'increasing' but 2030 target in doubt
The share of renewables in the global energy mix has increased over the past decade to more than 15 percent but doubts remain over whether a 2030 target of 30 percent is achievable, delegates to an international conference said on Wednesday.
Review: Searching for answers on Facebook
Facebook has unveiled a new search tool that gives users a chance to sift through the photos, places and other information available on the site—all through the lens of their social connections.
High plutonium breeding of light water cooled reactors
Professor Oka and his research team at Waseda University have succeeded in developing the world's first conceptual nuclear reactor design of high plutonium breeding by light water cooling.
Bringing fusion electricity to the grid
The European Fusion Development Agreement (EFDA) has published a roadmap which outlines how to supply fusion electricity to the grid by 2050. The roadmap to the realisation of fusion energy breaks the quest for fusion energy down into eight missions. For each mission, it reviews the current status of research, identifies open issues, proposes a research and development programme and estimates the required resources. It points out the needs to intensify industrial involvement and to seek all opportunities for collaboration outside Europe.
US: Toyota winning back buyers with new models
Toyota is on a roll after two difficult years, when it was hit by a string of safety recalls and then by the earthquake in Japan.
EBay's 4Q earnings top analyst projections (Update)
EBay's fourth-quarter earnings topped analysts' projections as bargain-hunting holiday shoppers flocked to its Internet shopping mall and digital payment service.
Flying test bed: New aerial platform supports development of lightweight sensors for UAVs (w/ video)
(Phys.org)—A research team at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is developing an airborne testing capability for sensors, communications devices and other airborne payloads. This aerial test bed, called the GTRI Airborne Unmanned Sensor System (GAUSS), is based on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) made by Griffon Aerospace and modified by GTRI.
Orange 'forces Google' to pay for mobile traffic
The head of French telecoms operator Orange said on Wednesday it had been able to impose a deal on Google to compensate it for the vast amounts of traffic sent across its networks.
Marginal lands are prime fuel source for alternative energy
Marginal lands – those unsuited for food crops – can serve as prime real estate for meeting the nation's alternative energy production goals.
Bikes share space with cars at Detroit auto show
Transportation of the two-wheeled variety is sharing the floor at the Detroit auto show with the latest cars, trucks and concept vehicles, a nod to the potential marketing boost that bikes may offer for automakers.
Medicine & Health news
Scientist studies DNA repair; hopes to improve breast cancer treatment
(Medical Xpress)—A Purdue University scientist is studying the way cells repair damaged DNA in the hopes of making cancer cells more susceptible to treatment and normal tissue better able to withstand it.
Breast cancer mortality has not declined in women over 85
Since 1992 the number of deaths linked to breast cancer in Spain has decreased among young and middle aged patients but not among the elderly. Spanish researchers also predict that it will continue to decline over the next decade, although more slowly as observed up until now.
Paging Dr. Charles Dickens! Author used literature to showcase discrimination against the disabled
Charles Dickens' tales are filled with immortal characters—think of A Christmas Carol's Scrooge and Great Expectations' Miss Havisham. But more than whims of literary invention, his characters and plots often deal with the difficult social realities of Victorian England. His portrayal of the disabled—both in terms of medicine and the social discrimination they faced—is no exception.
Computational methods reveal how hospital-acquired bacteria spread
Scientists at the Academy of Finland's Centre of Excellence in Computational Inference Research have developed novel computational methods that have yielded essential knowledge of how hospital-acquired bacteria spread and develop. These new methods, based on randomised algorithms, make it possible to analyse extensive genomic data significantly faster and more efficiently than previously. By applying these results, it is possible to better follow hospital-acquired infections in the future, or even fight them in real time.
COPD patients at risk of dangerous bacterial infections
It is well known that COPD patients run a higher risk of contracting respiratory infections. However, a new thesis from Lund University in Sweden shows that they are also at higher risk of other bacterial infections, such as tuberculosis (TB) and pneumococcal and staphylococcal infections that can cause serious illness.
Oncologist expands HPV research to anal cancer
A basic connection of statistics lead a researcher at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island to question whether women should be screened for anal cancer during a regular visit to the gynecologist, and what technique is most effective.
Could probiotics help HIV patients?
Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs are the first line therapy for patients with HIV; however, ARV-treated, HIV-infected individuals still have a higher mortality rate than uninfected individuals. During the course of infection, HIV patients develop inflammation that damages the walls of the intestines, known as the gut mucosa, allowing intestinal microbes to escape and enter the blood stream to cause a life-threatening systemic infection. The health of the gut mucosa is significantly influenced by the complement of bacteria in the gut and there is mounting evidence that probiotic supplements benefit patients intestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome, C. difficile infection, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Hepatitis B virus promotes oncogenesis through microRNA modulation
Viruses prompt oncogenic transformation by genetically altering infected cells. Several recent studies have demonstrated that viruses alter the expression of microRNAs, non-coding RNA molecules that can block the expression of target genes.
Privacy a problem for mothers of newborns in neonatal intensive care units, study finds
Many mothers of newborns in neonatal intensive care units have difficulty finding private, quiet places in the hospital to express milk, according to a new study from the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University.
Institute of Medicine report details for monitoring safety of childhood immunization schedule
A review of the available evidence underscores the safety of the federal childhood immunization schedule, according to a report released today by the Institute of Medicine. University of Michigan population ecologist Pejman Rohani served on the 13-person committee that wrote the report.
Embracing debate on how cancers develop: Without the answer, effective therapies remain elusive
Scientists invariably conduct debates in private about whether a body of scientific work or thought is worthy of presentation to the community. Behind closed doors scientists and editors tussle over when is the right time to publish their work. In a disruptive departure from this norm, Disruptive Science and Technology, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. publishers, has launched a Debate section in which ideas and counterpoints can be debated in public. The Journal seeks not to sway opinions but rather to inform them. It is fitting that the first series of debates is focused on the root cause of cancer.
Robot allows 'remote presence' in programming brain and spine stimulators
With the rapidly expanding use of brain and spinal cord stimulation therapy (neuromodulation), new "remote presence" technologies may help to meet the demand for experts to perform stimulator programming, reports a study in the January issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
New biomarker may help in detecting gliomas
Researchers using sophisticated genetic testing techniques have identified a promising new biomarker for diagnosis of glioma—the most common type of malignant brain tumor, reports the January issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
Attempts to correct 'death panel' myth may backfire
Efforts to correct false beliefs about health care reform may backfire, depending on individuals' political views and level of knowledge, suggests a study in the February issue of Medical Care.
Spanish researchers develop new method to diagnose hereditary breast and ovarian cancer
Researchers of the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) have developed and validated a new method to diagnose hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome based on mass sequencing of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. The model is based on a genetic and bioinformatic analysis which has been proved very effective. The new protocol has been described in an article published in the European Journal of Human Genetics.
Enhanced pay for family docs due Jan. 1 will be retroactive
(HealthDay)—Family physicians who see Medicaid patients and are entitled to enhanced payment will get their pay, although it is likely to be delayed.
Ireland recalls 10 mln burgers on horsemeat fears
An Irish meat processor recalled 10 million burgers Wednesday from supermarkets across Ireland and Britain amid fears that many could contain horsemeat, a discovery that poses no danger to public health but threatens to undermine the beef business central to Ireland's rural economy.
U-M to develop guide for parents of children with disorders of sex development
When a child is born with a disorder of sex development, decisions regarding gender assignment and genital surgery are often made quickly and under pressure.
Recent study suggests bats are reservoir for ebola virus in Bangladesh
EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit organization that focuses on local conservation and global health issues, released new research on Ebola virus in fruit bats in the peer reviewed journal, Emerging Infectious Diseases, a monthly publication by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study found Ebola virus antibodies circulating in ~4% of the 276 bats scientists screened in Bangladesh. These results suggest that Rousettus fruit bats are a reservoir for Ebola, or a new Ebola-like virus in South Asia. The study extends the range of this lethal disease further than previously suspected to now include mainland Asia. "Research on Filoviruses in Asia is a new frontier of critical importance to human health, and this study has been vital to better understand the wildlife reservoirs and potential transmission routes for Ebola virus in Bangladesh and the region," said Dr. Kevin Olival, lead author and Senior Research Scientist at EcoHealth Alliance.
Risk factors identified for prolonged sports concussion symptoms
Researchers have found clear, identifiable factors that signal whether an athlete will experience concussive symptoms beyond one week. The researchers sought to identify risk factors for prolonged concussion symptoms by examining a large national database of high school athletes' injuries. Previous concussion studies were limited in scope, focusing only on male football players. The information from this study applies to male and female athletes from a number of different sports.
New study finds malaria, typhoid—not Ebola—biggest health threat for travelers to tropics
Feeling feverish after a visit to the tropics? It may not just be a bout with this year's flu. If you're a Western traveler, malaria and typhoid fever should top the list of diseases to discuss with your doctor when you return, especially following travel to Western Africa or India.
Blood clots and artery blockage more likely during IVF pregnancies
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is associated with an increased risk of pulmonary embolism (blockage of the main artery of the lung) and venous thromboembolism (blood clots) during the first trimester of pregnancy, a study published today on BMJ website suggests.
Cutting down on sugar has a small but significant effect on body weight
Reducing sugar intake has a small but significant effect on body weight in adults, finds a paper published on BMJ website today.
Tracing the impact of amyloid beta in mild cognitive impairment
The amount of amyloid β (Aβ) in the brains of people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is contributing to early memory loss, and increases with severity of symptoms, finds a study in BioMed Central's open access journal Alzheimer's Research & Therapy. The non-invasive study which used 18F-florbetaben to find Aβ plaques in brain scans to also show that in MCI the affect of Aβ on memory loss is independent of other aspects of mental decline.
Surgical-site infections may increase risk of deadly blood clots after colorectal surgery
Despite receiving blood thinners and other clot prevention treatment, some patients still develop potentially lethal blood clots in the first month after their operations anyway, especially if they developed a surgical-site infection while in the hospital, according to results of a study at Johns Hopkins.
Emergency room visits after energy drinks on rise (Update)
A new U.S. government survey suggests the number of people seeking emergency treatment after consuming energy drinks has doubled nationwide during the past four years, the same period in which the supercharged drink industry has surged in popularity in convenience stores, bars and on college campuses.
Study sheds light on how our brains move limbs
(Medical Xpress)—A Queen's University study is giving new insight into how the neurons in our brains control our limbs. The research might one day help with the design of more functional artificial limbs.
Cerebral malaria: Pinpointing a potential therapeutic target
An excessive response of the immune system to malarial infection can lead to serious complications, such as cerebral malaria. While the mechanism causing the onset of cerebral malaria is unclear, immunologists think that contributing factors include cells of the immune system and the inflammation that they cause. Laurent Renia and co-workers at the A*STAR Singapore Immunology Network and collaborators from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, have now singled out one subtype of immune cells that is key to the onset of this often fatal disease.
Cancer biology: Keeping bad company
The p53 tumor suppressor protein manages DNA repair mechanisms in response to genetic damage and kills off precancerous cells before they multiply. The loss of p53 due to mutation greatly increases risk of tumorigenesis. Even worse, however, are the various 'missense' mutations that change the amino acid sequence of p53: they warp its function to promote rather than prevent cancer.
WHO: Dengue showing global 'epidemic potential'
The World Health Organisation said on Wednesday that it had charted progress in the fight against tropical diseases but warned that dengue fever was spreading at an alarming rate.
Video games benefit children, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—Children could be better off playing video games this holiday season than watching television, a QUT study shows.
Choice of partner affects health, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—Individuals tend to choose partners of equal socio-economic status. This factor may also be significant in terms of health.
Vaccination responsible for dramatic fall in salmonella infections
Mass poultry vaccination programmes introduced to combat Salmonella infections have led to a dramatic fall in the number of cases since the late 1990s, according to a researcher at the University of Liverpool.
Violent video games may intensify anti-Arab stereotypes
(Medical Xpress)—Playing violent video games about terrorism strengthens negative stereotypes about Arabs, even when Arabs are not portrayed in the games.
Research links family's role in reducing childhood obesity
Despite recent data showing that childhood obesity in the U.S. has begun to drop, overweight and obese kids and teens remain a personal and public health hazard. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 17 percent of children and adolescents ages 2-19 are obese—that's roughly 12.5 million kids and teens.
Energy-efficient homes trap air pollution indoors, may contribute to rise in asthma rates
In an effort to protect the environment and save on energy costs, we are in the midst of a "green" home boom in this country. Between remodeling older houses and building new ones, it's estimated that millions of American homes will get a lot greener in the next decade. While that may bode well from an energy-efficiency standpoint, the trend certainly doesn't have everyone breathing easier.
Mouse mutant opens new path for birth defect research
(Medical Xpress)—According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 3 of every 100 babies in the U.S. are born with a birth defect. Among boys, one of the most common defects is the displacement of the urethral opening in the penis, a condition called hypospadias.
Scientists identify natural compounds that enhance humans' perception of sweetness
(Medical Xpress)—University of Florida taste scientist Linda Bartoshuk and her colleagues want to play a trick on you—but it's for your own good.
Study of breast cancer message boards finds frequent discussion of drug side effects, discontinuation of therapy
(Medical Xpress)—In the first study to examine discussion of drug side effects on Internet message boards, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that breast cancer survivors taking the commonly prescribed adjuvant therapy known as aromatase inhibitors (AIs) often detailed in these forums troublesome symptoms resulting from the drugs, and they were apt to report discontinuing the treatment or switching to a different drug in the same class. The findings are published online this week in the journal Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety. With 2.5 million breast cancer survivors living in the United States today – the largest group of cancer survivors – researchers say the findings have broad implications for physician communication with patients about these issues to help to promote proper adherence and inform patient-to-patient discussion online.
Combination pill could be cost effective in preventing heart disease
(Medical Xpress)—A single combination pill could reduce cardiovascular disease and stroke in Latin Americans by up to 21 percent at a cost of about $35 per quality adjusted life year gained, according to a study led by a University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health research team.
Genetics plays major role in victimization in elementary school
Genetics plays a major role in peer rejection and victimization in early elementary school, according to a study recently published on the website of the journal Child Development by a team directed by Dr. Michel Boivin, a research professor at Université Laval's School of Psychology.
Study examines link between incarceration and psychiatric disorders
Psychiatric disorders are prevalent among current and former inmates of correctional institutions, but what has been less clear is whether incarceration causes these disorders or, alternatively, whether inmates have these problems before they enter prison. A study co-authored by Jason Schnittker, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Pennsylvania, shows that many of the most common psychiatric disorders found among former inmates, including impulse control disorders, emerge in childhood and adolescence and, therefore, predate incarceration. Yet, incarceration seems to lead to some mood related psychiatric disorders, such as major depression, which have important implications for what happens to inmates after their release.
New technique helps stroke victims communicate
(Medical Xpress)—Stroke victims affected with loss of speech caused by Broca's aphasia have been shown to speak fluidly through the use of a process called "speech entrainment" developed by researchers at the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health.
Drugs for diabetes: Scientists test the power of plants
(Medical Xpress)—New drugs to treat diabetes are being developed by scientists at the University of Greenwich.
Singapore scientists discover genes responsible for cornea blindness
Scientists at Singapore Eye Research Institute and A*STAR's Genome Institute of Singapore have succeeded in identifying genes for central corneal thickness that may cause potentially blinding eye conditions. These eye conditions include glaucoma, as well as the progressive thinning of the cornea, which may eventually lead to a need for corneal transplantation.
White young adults more likely to DUI
White young adults were 50 percent more likely than their Black, Hispanic or Asian peers to self-report driving after drinking at age 21, finds a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Study finds growing 'weight extremes' in the developing world
(Medical Xpress)—Obese and overweight people are gaining weight rapidly in low-and middle-income countries while those who are severely undernourished are not experiencing similar weight gains, according to a University of Toronto and Harvard School of Public Health study.
Body's ibuprofen, SPARC, reduces inflammation and thus bladder cancer development and metastasis
Cancer researchers are increasingly aware that in addition to genetic mutations in a cancer itself, characteristics of the surrounding tissue can promote or suppress tumor growth. One of these important tissue characteristics is inflammation – most cancers prosper in and attach to inflamed tissue and so many cancers have developed ways to create it.
Growing up bilingual: Dual-language upbringing reflected in young children's vocabulary
Language mixing – using elements from two languages in the same sentence – is frequent among bilingual parents and could pose a challenge for vocabulary acquisition by one- and two-year-old children, according to a new study by Concordia University psychology professor Krista Byers-Heinlein. Those results are likely temporary, however, and are often counterbalanced by cognitive advantages afforded to children raised in a bilingual environment.
For under-75s, living alone tied to higher mortality risk
(HealthDay)—For adults younger than 75 years of age, living alone is a significant predictor of all-cause mortality, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Selective D-dimer testing strategy seems safe, effective
(HealthDay)—For patients with suspected deep venous thrombosis (DVT), selective D-dimer testing is a safe and a more efficient testing strategy than universal testing, according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Family docs are early adopters of electronic health records
(HealthDay)—Family practice physicians are adopting electronic health record (EHR) systems at a fast pace, with 68 percent using an EHR system by 2011, and 80 percent expected to be users by 2013, according to research published in the January/February issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
Income affects oncology clinical trial participation
(HealthDay)—Oncology patients with lower income, even older patients with access to Medicare, are significantly less likely to participate in clinical trials, according to research published online Jan. 7 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Education, wealth levels impact mortality in diabetes patients
(HealthDay)—Socioeconomic status, as measured by education and financial wealth, is a strong independent predictor of mortality risk among adult diabetes patients, according to a study published in the January issue of Diabetes Care.
Depressive symptoms tied to doubled risk for Crohn's
(HealthDay)—Depressive symptoms are associated with a two-fold increase in risk of Crohn's disease (CD) but not ulcerative colitis (UC), according to research published in the January issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Older individuals have atypical stone presentation
(HealthDay)—Older individuals are more likely to have atypical presentation with urolithiasis, according to a study published in the January issue of The Journal of Urology.
Just how severe is this flu season?
(HealthDay)—If the headlines are any indication, this year's flu season is turning out to be a whopper.
Inaccurate diagnoses of melanoma by smartphone apps could delay doctor visits, life-saving treatment
Smartphone applications that claim to evaluate a user's photographs of skin lesions for the likelihood of cancer instead returned highly variable and often inaccurate feedback, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The findings, published in JAMA Dermatology and available online today, suggest that relying on these "apps" instead of consulting with a physician may delay the diagnosis of melanoma and timely, life-saving treatment.
Skin problems, joint disorders top list of reasons people visit doctors
A new Mayo Clinic Proceedings study shows that people most often visit their health care providers because of skin issues, joint disorders and back pain. Findings may help researchers focus efforts to determine better ways to prevent and treat these conditions in large groups of people.
NFL players may be at higher risk for depression as they age
National Football League (NFL) players may be at increased risk of depression as they age due to brain damage resulting from concussions, according to two studies released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 65th Annual Meeting in San Diego, March 16 to 23, 2013.
Study suggests lung cancer mortality highest in black persons living in most segregated counties
Lung cancer mortality appears to be higher in black persons and highest in blacks living in the most segregated counties in the United States, regardless of socioeconomic status, according to a report published in the January issue of JAMA Surgery, a JAMA Network publication.
Researchers attack HIV's final defenses before drug-resistant mutations emerge
Scientists who study HIV are facing a troubling consequence of their own success. They created drugs that can now give infected patients almost normal life expectancy. However, those same drugs will eventually cause the constantly mutating virus to evolve into a form that eludes current treatments.
Mindfulness meditation may relieve chronic inflammation
People suffering from chronic inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and asthma—in which psychological stress plays a major role—may benefit from mindfulness meditation techniques, according to a study by University of Wisconsin-Madison neuroscientists with the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the Waisman Center.
Portrayal of spring break excess may be stereotypes gone wild
The popular perception that college students are reaching new levels of self-indulgence and risky behavior during spring break excursions may be based on media coverage and scholarship that oversimplifies what has become an annual rite for many young adults, according to researchers. The researchers, who analyzed studies on spring break from 1980 to 2010, concluded that scholars are divided on whether college students actually increase extreme behaviors during the break. In fact, activities at most spring break destinations may not differ significantly from typical weekend behavior on campuses.
New research finds slower growth of preterm infants linked to altered brain development
(Medical Xpress)—Preterm infants who grow more slowly as they approached what would have been their due dates also have slower development in an area of the brain called the cerebral cortex, report Canadian researchers in a new study published today in Science Translational Medicine.
Checklists in operating rooms improve performance during crises
In an airplane crisis—an engine failure, a fire—pilots pull out a checklist to help with their decision-making. But in an operating room crisis—massive bleeding, a patient's heart stops—surgical teams don't. Given the complexity of judgment and circumstances, standard practice is for teams to use memory alone. In a new study published in the January 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, however, researchers at Ariadne Labs, a joint center for health system innovation at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard School of Public Health, have found that teams using checklists have markedly better safety performance. Specifically, the research shows that clinicians provided with checklists in a novel study using advanced simulation of surgical crises were three-fourths less likely to miss key life-saving steps in care.
Early treatment for HIV slows damage to immune system and reduces risk of transmission
A 48-week course of antiretroviral medication taken in the early stages of HIV infection slows the damage to the immune system and delays the need for long term treatment, according to research published today in the New England Journal of Medicine (1). However, the delay was only marginally longer than the time already spent on treatment.
Shorter woman, taller man: Preferences for partner height translate into actual partner choices
Finding Mr. or Ms. Right is a complicated process, and choosing a mate may involve compromising on less important factors like their height. However, research published January 16 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Gert Stulp and colleagues from the University of Groningen, Netherlands suggests that despite the many other factors involved, people's preferences for a partner's height are reflected in real couples in the UK.
Researchers find DNA marker that predicts breast cancer recurrence
Medical researchers at the University of Alberta tested the DNA of more than 300 women in Alberta and discovered a 'genetic marker' method to help accurately profile which women were more apt to have their breast cancer return years later.
Large study confirms H1N1 flu shots safe for pregnant women
Norwegian pregnant women who received a vaccine against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus showed no increased risk of pregnancy loss, while pregnant women who experienced influenza during pregnancy had an increased risk of miscarriages and still births, a study has found. The study suggests that influenza infection may increase the risk of fetal loss.
Study: Antiretroviral therapy for HIV-1 in first four months is crucial
Patients who are started on antiretroviral therapy for HIV-1 infection within four months of estimated infection date—and who have higher counts of CD4+ T-cells at the initiation of therapy—demonstrate a stronger recovery of CD4+ T-cell counts than patients in whom therapy is started later, a new study shows.
Fecal 'transplant' to cure gut infection?
(HealthDay)—Here's a new twist on the old idea of not letting anything go to waste. According to a small new Dutch study, human stool—which contains billions of useful bacteria—can be donated from one person to another to cure a severe, common and recurrent bacterial infection.
Deer ticks carry yet another bacterial threat
(HealthDay)—People who go outdoors in several regions of the United States may have something else to worry about. Scientists report that there's another troublesome germ hiding in the deer tick that already harbors the Lyme disease bacterium.
Virtual heart sheds new light on heart defect
(Medical Xpress)—A virtual heart, developed at The University of Manchester, is revealing new information about one of the world's most common heart conditions.
Australian study turns HIV against itself (Update)
An Australian scientist said Wednesday he had discovered a way to turn the HIV virus against itself in human cells in the laboratory, in an important advance in the quest for an AIDS cure.
Possible role for Huntington's gene discovered
About 20 years ago, scientists discovered the gene that causes Huntington's disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that affects about 30,000 Americans. The mutant form of the gene has many extra DNA repeats in the middle of the gene, but scientists have yet to determine how that extra length produces Huntington's symptoms.
New research reveals exactly how the human brain adapts to injury
For the first time, scientists at Carnegie Mellon University's Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging (CCBI) have used a new combination of neural imaging methods to discover exactly how the human brain adapts to injury. The research, published in Cerebral Cortex, shows that when one brain area loses functionality, a "back-up" team of secondary brain areas immediately activates, replacing not only the unavailable area but also its confederates.
Discovery that some seizures arise in glial cells could offer new targets for epilepsy treatment
Epileptic seizures occur when neurons in the brain become excessively active. However, a new study from MIT neuroscientists suggests that some seizures may originate in non-neuronal cells known as glia, which were long believed to play a mere supporting role in brain function.
Horsemeat found in ground burger sold in UK and Irish grocery stores
(Medical Xpress)—The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has found evidence of horsemeat in ground meat marketed as beef (meat from cows) and sold in grocery stores in Ireland and the UK. The agency stressed that the findings pose no health risk, but does call into question how well regulations regarding meat processing are being observed in Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Scientists localise genetic mutations responsible for abnormal thyroid function
Thyroid hormone resistance has been linked to mutations in the IGSF1 gene for the first time—surprising researchers who did not suspect it played a role in the maintenance of normal thyroid function.
Trapping malaria parasites inside host cell basis for new drugs
One of the most insidious ways that parasitic diseases such as malaria and toxoplasmosis wreak their havoc is by hijacking their host's natural cellular processes, turning self against self. Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University, led by Doron Greenbaum, Ph.D., assistant professor of Pharmacology at Penn, have identified the cell signaling pathway used by these parasites to escape from and destroy their host cells and infect new cells—pointing the way toward possible new strategies to stop these diseases in their tracks. The study appears in Cell, Host and Microbe.
Light exposure during pregnancy key to normal eye development
New research in Nature concludes the eye – which depends on light to see – also needs light to develop normally during pregnancy.
Promising new finding for therapies to treat persistent seizures in epileptic patients
In a promising finding for epileptic patients suffering from persistent seizures known as status epilepticus, researchers reported today that new medication could help halt these devastating seizures. To do so, it would have to work directly to antagonize NMDA receptors, the predominant molecular device for controlling synaptic activity and memory function in the brain.
Scanning the brain: Scientists examine the impact of fMRI over the past 20 years
Understanding the human brain is one of the greatest scientific quests of all time, but the available methods have been very limited until recently. The development of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)—a tool used to gauge real-time brain activity by measuring changes in blood flow—opened up an exciting new landscape for exploration.
Immunology research sheds new light on cell function, response
A Kansas State University-led study has uncovered new information that helps scientists better understand the complex workings of cells in the innate immune system. The findings may also lead to new avenues in disease control and prevention.
Gene in eye melanomas linked to good prognosis
Melanomas that develop in the eye often are fatal. Now, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report they have identified a mutated gene in melanoma tumors of the eye that appears to predict a good outcome.
Biology news
Reprieve for bear rescue centre in Vietnam
A sanctuary for bears rescued from the Asian bile trade which has been at the centre of a high-profile land dispute has been spared eviction by Vietnam's government, its director said.
EU hints at insecticide ban over threat to bees
The European Commission hinted on Wednesday that it could ban several insecticides, some made by German chemicals giant Bayer, after scientists found disturbing evidence of harm to bees.
Tree and human health may be linked
Evidence is increasing from multiple scientific fields that exposure to the natural environment can improve human health. In a new study by the U.S. Forest Service, the presence of trees was associated with human health.
Fears for South Africa's lions
Lions may be the well-reputed kings of the savannah, but South Africa's lucrative trophy-hunting industry means the regal cats are more likely to know the inside of a paddock ringed with an electric fence than the country's sweeping plains.
New research shows fishways have not helped fish
Despite modern designs intended to allow migratory fish to pass, hydropower dams on major Northeast U.S. waterways, including the Merrimack and Connecticut rivers, have failed to let economically important species such as salmon, shad and river herring reach their spawning grounds, say a team of economists and fish ecologists including Adrian Jordaan of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Yaks are back: Conservationists find nearly 1,000 wild yaks in remote Tibetan Plateau
A team of American and Chinese conservationists from the Wildlife Conservation Society and University of Montana recently counted nearly 1,000 wild yaks from a remote area of the Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau. The finding may indicate a comeback for this species, which was decimated by overhunting in the mid 20th century.
New genetics research on leopards and tigers in India underscores importance of protecting forest corridors
(Phys.org)—As rapid economic expansion continues to shape the Asian landscape on which many species depend, time is running out for conservationists aiming to save wildlife such as tigers and leopards. Scientists at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute have used genetic analysis to find that the natural forest corridors in India are essential to ensuring a future for these species. According to two studies recently published in two papers, these corridors are successfully connecting populations of tigers and leopards to ensure genetic diversity and gene flow. The results of the study that focused on tigers were published in Ecology and Evolution, and the results from the study that tracked leopards were published in Diversity and Distributions.
Viruses that infect oceans' tiny beings are discovered
(Phys.org)—Viruses are well known for making people sick, but a new study provides evidence for the first time of viral infections in tiny marine crustaceans called copepods.
In the Eastern US, spring flowers keep pace with warming climate
Using the meticulous phenological records of two iconic American naturalists, Henry David Thoreau and Aldo Leopold, scientists have demonstrated that native plants in the eastern United States are flowering as much as a month earlier in response to a warming climate.
New research shows some barnacles mate via spermcasting
(Phys.org)—A team of Canadian researchers has found that one species of barnacles mate by ejecting sperm into seawater while another catches it – a process known as spermcasting. Prior to this research, scientists had believed all barnacles either mated directly, or inseminated themselves. The team describes their research and results in a paper they've had published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Team identifies new 'social' chromosome in the red fire ant
Researchers have discovered a social chromosome in the highly invasive fire ant that helps to explain why some colonies allow for more than one queen ant, and could offer new solutions for dealing with this pest.
Digging yields clues: Biologists connect burrowing behavior in mice to genes
Nature vs. nurture has long been one of the great debates in science—is behavior hard-wired into the brain, or determined by environment? In at least some cases, Harvard researchers are showing, how animals behave is in their genes.
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