Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 1, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Ants follow Fermat's principle of least time- NASA uses Leap Motion to move ATHLETE rover (w/ video)
- Quantum dot commands light: A solid state ultrafast logic gate on a photon
- The new normal? Record-breaking 2011 Lake Erie algae bloom may be sign of things to come
- Watching fluid flow at nanometer scales: Researchers find that tiny nanowires can lift liquids as effectively as tubes
- Breast cancer researchers find new drug target companion prognostic test for hormone therapy resistance
- 'RNA sponge' mechanism may cause ALS/FTD neurodegeneration
- Loss of tumor suppressor SPOP releases cancer potential of SRC-3
- Crucial step in human DNA replication observed for the first time
- Researchers first to use common virus to 'fortify' adult stem cells
- By keeping the beat, sea lion sheds new light on animals' movements to sound
- US visa day sparks new debate on tech workers
- Geckos keep firm grip in wet natural habitat
- Eating fish associated with lower risk of dying among older adults
- Newly identified tumor suppressor provides therapeutic target for prostate cancer
Space & Earth news
Will climate change slow the Boston marathon?
(Phys.org) —In the middle of April, world attention focuses on the Boston Marathon. Researchers from the Biology and Earth and Environment Departments of Boston University have taken a new angle to provide novel insights on this famous running event. In a study titled "Effects of Warming Temperatures on Winning Times in the Boston Marathon," a team led by Professor Richard Primack set out to determine if global warming is affecting the performance of runners in the world's longest continuously held marathon.
Gravitational lensing in the peculiar 'magatama' galaxy
(Phys.org) —In a course of studying young galaxies at a distance of 11.6 billion light years from Earth, a team of astronomers led by Professor Yoshiaki Taniguchi (Ehime University) noticed a strangely shaped galaxy that looks like a "magatama", an ancient, comma-shaped Japanese amulet made of stone (Figure 1). Subsequent research revealed that the magatama galaxy was actually an overlapping system of two young galaxies lying in an extremely close line of sight—an exceedingly rare occurrence among celestial objects. The small angular separation between the foreground and background galaxies gave the current team an opportunity to investigate the effect of gravitational lensing on the properties of the background galaxy. A member of the team, university student Yuya Nakahiro (Ehime University), calculated that the effect of gravitational amplification would be 20% at most. The foreground young galaxy is still forming, and the team concluded that the gravitational lensin! g effect from such a young galaxy does not affect the luminosity of its background galaxy.
Community power 'can rescue failing fish stocks'
Traditional community-run marine reserves and fisheries can play a big role in helping to restore and maintain fish numbers in stressed developing nations' coral reef fisheries.
SORCE satellite: A Decade in the Sun
NASA's Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) satellite has been providing data on the sun's irradiance for 10 years. SORCE measures electromagnetic radiation produced by the sun and the power per unit area of that energy on the Earth's surface.
Astronomical pranks of April fools' past
The first day of April is always a traditional time for pranks and puns, and astronomers and scientists aren't above an April Fools' Day shenanigan or two. Hey, I gotta admit, as a freelance science journalist, even my radar will be up tomorrow as I'm sure that someone will try to slide some wowzers by the credulous media, as they always have in the past. If the aliens wanted to conquer the Earth it's wide open to 'em on April 1st, I'm just sayin'. Who would believe the tweets were for real, as they landed ray guns ablaze on the White House lawn? Trust us; you won't see such April Fools' hi-jinks from Universe Today. If you read it here, the alien invasion is for real, and you can begin stockpiling food and ammo appropriately in the best tradition of Falling Skies.
Models will enable safer deepwater oil production
Rice University researchers are developing a comprehensive model that will predict how brine, oil and gas drawn from ultra-deep wells react to everything encountered on the way up to the surface and to suggest strategies to maintain the flow.
Researchers contend increase in Antarctic sea ice due to summer melt
(Phys.org) —A team of researchers from the Netherlands, led by Richard Bintanja, has published a paper in the journal Nature Geoscience, contending that the reason the amount of annual Antarctic sea ice is increasing is because of increased ice sheet melting during the summer months. They suggest that the increased melt creates a cold layer of fresh water on the ocean surface that is easily frozen when the next winter arrives.
Hubble sees J 900 masquerading as a double star
(Phys.org) —The object in this image is Jonckheere 900 or J 900, a planetary nebula—glowing shells of ionized gas pushed out by a dying star. Discovered in the early 1900s by astronomer Robert Jonckheere, the dusty nebula is small but fairly bright, with a relatively evenly spread central region surrounded by soft wispy edges.
Streams stressed by pharmaceutical pollution
Pharmaceuticals commonly found in the environment are disrupting streams, with unknown impacts on aquatic life and water quality. So reports a new Ecological Applications paper, which highlights the ecological cost of pharmaceutical waste and the need for more research into environmental impacts.
Deep-sea vent animals not as isolated as they seem
(Phys.org) —Miles below the ocean surface, diverse ecosystems flourish at hydrothermal vents. Without sunlight, animals live off of bacteria that thrive on chemicals billowing out of the Earth's crust. These strange communities appear entirely detached from life on land. However, new research from MBARI biologist Bob Vrijenhoek suggests that vent ecosystems might be more sensitive to global environmental change than scientists originally thought.
Soils in newly forested areas store substantial carbon that could help offset climate change
Surface appearances can be so misleading: In most forests, the amount of carbon held in soils is substantially greater than the amount contained in the trees themselves.
Star birth in Cepheus
(Phys.org) —Watching starbirth isn't easy: tens of millions of years are needed to form a star like our Sun. Much like archeologists who reconstruct ancient cities from shards of debris strewn over time, astronomers must reconstruct the birth process of stars indirectly, by observing stars in different stages of the process and inferring the changes that take place. Studies show that half of the common stars, including our Sun, formed in massive clusters, rich with young stars, from which they eventually escape. As part of his PhD thesis work, Thomas Allen, University of Toledo, has been observing such a region where stars are forming.
NASA uses Leap Motion to move ATHLETE rover (w/ video)
(Phys.org) —NASA representatives were at the 2013 Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco to show how the ATHLETE robot, a six-legged robot developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in southern California, can move via remote control with the Leap Motion device. Victor Luo and Jeff Norris, from the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, presided over the demo. Luo told the audience of game industry professionals:
The new normal? Record-breaking 2011 Lake Erie algae bloom may be sign of things to come
The largest harmful algae bloom in Lake Erie's recorded history was likely caused by the confluence of changing farming practices and weather conditions that are expected to become more common in the future due to climate change.
Technology news
NY appeals court OKs Aereo live television service
A divided New York federal appeals court has given the go-ahead to an Internet company offering inexpensive live television online.
Apple issues apology following attacks in China
Apple issued an apology to Chinese consumers Monday after government media attacked its repair policies for two weeks in a campaign that reeked of economic nationalism.
April Fools: YouTube shut down, Google adds smells
Twitter is doing away with vowels, Google has a "smell button" and the cast of "Wings" is launching a Kickstarter campaign.
US visa day sparks new debate on tech workers
As the US government opened up visa applications Monday for highly skilled immigrants, debate flared anew on the tech sector's demands to be able to hire more foreign workers.
US court deals blow to digital music resales
A US federal court has dealt a blow to a music website offering sales of "pre-owned" digital music, ruling that it violates copyright law by making illegal reproductions.
Medicine & Health news
RARE-Bestpractices: Researching rare diseases
Clinical research needs to optimise its agenda by taking into consideration both patients' and clinicians' needs and interests. This is the goal of a four-year project funded by the EU's Seventh Framework Programme, which got underway in January 2013.
Phone app for managing heart disease
A new smart phone app that helps patients manage heart disease and stay out of the hospital has been developed by a team led by a Rutgers–Camden nursing student.
Hospitals measure up for Medicare reimbursement
For-profit hospitals are out-performing other hospitals when treating stroke, heart attack and pneumonia patients in emergency departments and, thus, will be more likely to receive bonuses under Medicare's new payment rules, according to a new Northwestern Medicine® study.
Promoting muscle regeneration in a mouse model of muscular dystrophy
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a degenerative skeletal muscle disease caused by mutations in the protein dystrophin. Dystrophin functions to protect muscle cells from injury and loss of functional dystrophin results in break down and loss of muscle cells. A cellular signal relay system, known as a MAP kinase cascade, regulates the function of muscle stem cells, serving as a source of the new cells that are required for muscle regeneration.
Alternative fuel for your brain
Tight control of blood glucose levels is critical to mitigating the long-term complications of diabetes; however, the intensive insulin therapy required for this control is frequently accompanied by recurrent episodes of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Hypoglycemic episodes have been implicated in brain damage and cognitive impairment. Though the brain depends predominantly on glucose as an energy source, it can also use alternative fuels, such as lactate, to satisfy its energy requirements.
New multiple myeloma treatment guidelines personalize therapy for patients
Researchers at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center have developed new guidelines to treat recently diagnosed multiple myeloma patients who are not participating in clinical trials. The guidelines give physicians practical, easy to follow recommendations for providing initial therapy, stem cell transplant and maintenance therapy. The guidelines are published in the current issue of the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings and represent a consensus opinion of hematologists at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center sites in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona.
Can 'miracle foods' decrease the risk of cancer?
Cancer is a disease that invokes fear, so it is not surprising that the public is eager to identify ways to decrease the risk. The media often features information on "Miracle Foods" and publicizes whether these foods can actually decrease the risk of cancer.
AAP updates medicaid policy statement with ACA changes
(HealthDay)—The implications of the expansion of Medicaid resulting from implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on children are discussed in a policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published online April 4 in Pediatrics.
Diabetes care for African-Americans can be improved
(HealthDay)—For African-Americans with type 2 diabetes, health care-promoted interventions targeting patients, the health care system, or both, can improve the quality of care, according to a review and meta-analysis published in the March issue of Diabetes Care.
Vt. is first state to post health insurance rates (Update)
(AP)—Vermont has become the first state to let people without health insurance see how much they would pay to get coverage through the federal health overhaul beginning next year.
Varicella vaccine has long-term effectiveness against chicken pox
Chicken pox, the childhood affliction of earlier generations, has been largely neutralized by the varicella vaccine, according to a new study by the Kaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center, which appears in the current online issue of Pediatrics.
Is guided self-help effective in treating childhood obesity?
It is known that family-based treatment that combines nutrition and exercise education, along with behavior modification, is a good approach to help children lose weight. But clinic-based weight-control programs for childhood obesity are not accessible to many families, due to issues such as cost or time commitment.
Adolescents' poor health behaviors raise risk of heart disease as adults
U.S. adolescents' high levels of poor health behaviors and unfavorable cardiovascular risk factors may increase their chances of heart disease as adults, according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.
New technique shows promise in restoring near vision without glasses
By middle age, most people have age-related declines in near vision (presbyopia) requiring bifocals or reading glasses. An emerging technique called hyperopic orthokeratology (OK) may provide a new alternative for restoring near vision without the need for glasses, according to a study, "Refractive Changes from Hyperopic Orthokeratology Monovision in Presbyopes", appearing in the April issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry.
Drug maker Novartis loses India patent battle (Update)
India's Supreme Court on Monday rejected drug maker Novartis AG's attempt to patent an updated version of a cancer drug in a landmark decision that health activists say ensures poor patients around the world will get continued access to cheap versions of lifesaving medicines.
China strengthens checks after new bird flu deaths (Update)
China's commercial hub Shanghai is stepping up monitoring after a new strain of bird flu killed two people, state media said Monday, as Taiwan announced it would screen travellers from the mainland.
Approach to hysterectomy varies despite advances
(Medical Xpress)—By age 65, one-third of women in the United States will have a hysterectomy, an operation to remove the uterus. Most women will undergo a traditional abdominal hysterectomy, despite advances in minimally invasive techniques that can improve patient outcomes, according to a new study published in the Journal of Gynecologic Surgery.
One in five US teenage boys diagnosed ADHD, report says
Nearly one in five American teenage boys is diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, marking a dramatic rise in the past decade, the New York Times reported on Monday.
New study explores role of social responsibility in drug development
(Medical Xpress)—Though pharmaceutical companies that are developing "orphan drugs" do so mainly for the business potential, the companies also consider the effort as part of their corporate social responsibility, management researchers have found.
Engineer helping unravel mystery of traumatic brain injury
The American Academy of Neurology issued new guidelines last week for assessing school-aged athletes with head injuries on the field. The message: if in doubt, sit out.
From GI issues to weight loss: A breakdown of gluten-free eating
In the ever-present search to identify and address bad nutrition habits, gluten-free eating has been receiving a lot of attention. But experts at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) say it is not to be confused with typical weight loss procedures.
Cough and sneeze into elbows, not hands
NSW Health authorities should withdraw advertisements urging people to cover their coughs and sneezes with their hands and instead tell people to use their inner elbow, according to a letter to the editor published in the Medical Journal of Australia today.
Innovative method to treat Alzheimer's in mice
Researchers from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute report that they successfully used a virus vector to restore the expression of a brain protein and improve cognitive functions, in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.
Medical myth? Crossing your legs is bad for your health
Almost everyone crosses their legs, whether it's conscious or unconscious, for custom, for comfort, for effect, to stop your legs splaying, to take pressure off a foot, or for no reason at all. But is it bad for your health?
Does aluminium cause Alzheimer's and breast cancer?
Silvery, ductile, malleable and so very, very useful, aluminium is the most common metal in the Earth's crust. But despite its importance (or perhaps because of it), there are fears that this metal causes everything from cancer to Alzheimer's disease.
Many emergency department providers don't ask suicidal patients about gun access
Although guns are used in over half of all American suicides, a new study shows that many emergency room doctors and nurses do not routinely ask suicidal patients about their access to firearms.
Growing shorter: Adult health habits influence how much we shrink with age
Even if you didn't eat your veggies or drink your milk as a child, your height is still in your hands, reveal new findings by economists from the University of Southern California, Harvard University and Peking University.
Nothing fishy about it: Fish oil can boost the immune system
Fish oil rich in DHA and EPA is widely believed to help prevent disease by reducing inflammation, but until now, scientists were not entirely sure about its immune enhancing effects. A new report appearing in the April 2013 issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, helps provide clarity on this by showing that DHA-rich fish oil enhances B cell activity, a white blood cell, challenging the notion that fish oil is only immunosuppressive. This discovery is important as it shows that fish oil does not necessarily reduce the overall immune response to lower inflammation, possibly opening the doors for the use of fish oil among those with compromised immune systems.
Our internal clocks can become ticking time bombs for diabetes and obesity
If you're pulling and all-nighter to finish a term paper, a new parent up all night with a fussy baby, or simply can't sleep like you once could, then you may be snoozing on good health. That's because new research published in The FASEB Journal used mice to show that proper sleep patterns are critical for healthy metabolic function, and even mild impairment in our circadian rhythms can lead to serious health consequences, including diabetes and obesity.
Drug for erectile disorder show promise in the treatment of obesity
Although sildenafil is best known for promoting erections, it may also serve as a weight loss aid by coaxing our bodies to store more healthy "brown fat" relative to unhealthy "white fat" than it would otherwise do on its own. According to new research published online in The FASEB Journal, this is because sildenafil inhibits the breakdown of cyclic GMP, which has been well known as a messenger molecule used by the body to control blood pressure and flow, and has now been shown to play an important role determining which type of fat—white or brown—the body stores.
New type of deadly lymphoma identified
An international research team has identified a new type of deadly intestinal lymphoma that is particularly common in Asia. The team, led by clinician-scientists from the SingHealth Academic Healthcare Cluster, also developed a new diagnostic test to accurately identify these patients.
Unique group for single fathers due to cancer offers support
Men who have dependent children and whose spouses or partners died from cancer are an overlooked population. These fathers face unique challenges not addressed by traditional grief support groups that often attract an older, female population.
FDA says longer use of nicotine gum is OK
The Food and Drug Administration says smokers that are trying to quit can safely use nicotine gum, patches and lozenges for longer than previously recommended.
Early COPD diagnosis possible with nuclear medicine
In vivo ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) imaging can detect early changes to the lung caused by cigarette smoke exposure and provides a noninvasive method for studying lung dysfunction in preclinical models, according to research published in the April issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine. These measures have the potential to be applied clinically to study and diagnose the early stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Can meditation make you a more compassionate person?
Scientists have mostly focused on the benefits of meditation for the brain and the body, but a recent study by Northeastern University's David DeSteno, published in Psychological Science, takes a look at what impacts meditation has on interpersonal harmony and compassion.
When breast cancer spreads to lungs, surgery may increase survival
(HealthDay)—Patients with breast cancer that has spread to the lungs may live longer if they have surgery to remove the lung tumors, a new study from Germany suggests.
Parent-focused classes may help tots at risk for ADHD
(HealthDay)—Parent behavior training is an effective and well-studied intervention for preschoolers at risk of developing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a new review shows.
Parents will push for medication, even if doc says not needed
(HealthDay)—When doctors use quick-and-easy disease labels to sum up symptoms of concern in an otherwise healthy infant, parents are more apt to want to treat their child with some type of medication, even if they're told that drugs won't help, new research says.
Shedding light on early Parkinson's disease pathology
In a mouse model of early Parkinson's disease (PD), animals displayed movement deficits, loss of tyrosine-hydroxylase (TH)-positive fibers in the striatum, and astro-gliosis and micro-gliosis in the substantia nigra (SN), without the loss of nigral dopaminergic neurons. These findings, which may cast light on the molecular processes involved in the initial stages of PD, are available in the current issue of Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience.
The metabolic weathervane of cancer
Highly expressed in various cancers and known for its cytoprotective properties, TRAP1 protein has been identified as a potential target for antitumor treatments. As a result of the research conducted by Len Neckers, from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, and Didier Picard, from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, this outlook is now being called into question.
Antibiotic studied to reduce hemorrhagic stroke damage
A new study will help determine if an antibiotic is a partial antidote for the poisonous effect blood has on the brain following a hemorrhagic stroke, researchers say.
Cash for weight loss? Works better when employees compete for pots of money, study finds
Do cash rewards for healthier habits work? Maybe, says a new study, if you add on one more condition – peer pressure.
Study examines the role adverse reactions play in statin discontinuation
Despite their well-documented benefits, statins, drugs used to lower cholesterol, are commonly discontinued in routine care. Statin discontinuation has been linked to increased risk for cardiovascular events and death in patients with coronary artery disease; nevertheless, the reasons for discontinuation are only starting to be explored. In a new study from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), researchers examined the role adverse reactions play in statin discontinuation and found that more than 90 percent of the patients who stopped taking a statin due to an adverse reaction, were able to tolerate it when they tried again. This study is published in the April 2, 2013 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
African Americans experience longer delay between prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment
African American men on average wait a week longer than their Caucasian counterparts between the initial diagnosis of prostate cancer and treatment, according to University of North Carolina researchers.
Organic labels bias consumers perceptions through the 'health halo effect'
The word "organic" can mean many things to consumers. Even so, the power of an organic label can be very strong: studies have shown that this simple label can lead us to think that a food is healthier, through what is known as the 'health halo effect'. But can this bias go further?
Personalized brain mapping technique preserves function following brain tumor surgery
Neurosurgeons can visualize important pathways in the brain using an imaging technique called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), to better adapt brain tumor surgeries and preserve language, visual and motor function while removing cancerous tissue. In the latest issue of Neurosurgical Focus, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania review research showing that this ability to visualize relevant white matter tracts during glioma resection surgeries can improve accuracy and, in some groups, significantly extend survival (median survival of 21.2 months) compared to cases where DTI was not used (median survival of 14 months).
Post-ER care for chest pain reduces risk of heart attack, death
Seeing a doctor within a month of an emergency room visit for chest pain significantly reduced the risk of heart attack or death among high risk patients, according to research published the American Heart Association journal Circulation.
Tests to predict heart problems may be more useful predictor of memory loss than dementia tests
Risk prediction tools that estimate future risk of heart disease and stroke may be more useful predictors of future decline in cognitive abilities, or memory and thinking, than a dementia risk score, according to a new study published in the April 2, 2013, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Study examines change in cognitive function following physical, mental activity in older adults
A randomized controlled trial finds that 12 weeks of physical plus mental activity in inactive older adults with cognitive complaints was associated with significant improvement in cognitive function but there was no difference between intervention and control groups, according to a report published Online First by JAMA Internal Medicine.
All water pills not equally effective against heart failure
Loop diuretics, more commonly known as water pills, are the most widely prescribed heart failure medications, but few studies had extensively compared their effectiveness until Yale School of Medicine researchers examined three approved loop diuretics and found that even though one of them might offer more benefit, it is rarely prescribed.
Prostate cancer risk rises in men with inherited genetic condition
Men with an inherited genetic condition called Lynch syndrome face a higher lifetime risk of developing prostate cancer and appear to develop the disease at an earlier age, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Electroencephalography underused investigative tool in hospitals
A retrospective study of patients who had in-hospital electroencephalography (EEG) has established that EEG is a valuable tool that could be deployed more widely to identify treatable causes of impaired consciousness in the hospital setting. The study is published in the April issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Prematurity, low birth weight significantly impact mortality rates
(Medical Xpress)—A study by University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) researchers published April 1, 2013, in the journal Pediatrics showed that increasing numbers of premature and other low birth weight infants are the leading cause for the leveling off of infant mortality and neonatal mortality rates in the United States.
Runners achieve greater weight loss than walkers
(HealthDay)—Runners lose more weight than walkers, according to a large study published in the April issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
Preoperative warming does not appear to be beneficial
(HealthDay)—Prewarming devices do not seem to affect patients' postoperative temperatures, nor do they reduce the proportion of patients who experience postoperative hypothermia, according to two studies published in the March issue of the AORN Journal.
In-person recruitment most effective to reach moms-to-be
(HealthDay)—In-person recruitment at hospital-based prenatal clinics produces the highest yield of early stage pregnant study participants, according to a study published online March 7 in Preventing Chronic Disease.
Study assesses work force burden of ulcerative colitis
(HealthDay)—Compared to the general population, patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) miss more work days, and patients who undergo colectomy do not fully restore work ability, according to research published in the March issue of Gastroenterology.
Newly approved blood thinner may increase susceptibility to some viral infections
A study led by researchers at the University of North Carolina indicates that a newly approved blood thinner that blocks a key component of the human blood clotting system may increase the risk and severity of certain viral infections, including flu and myocarditis, a viral infection of the heart and a significant cause of sudden death in children and young adults.
Doctors don't ask about end-of-life plans, study finds
(HealthDay)—There is a lack of communication between doctors and their elderly patients about end-of-life plans, a new Canadian study reveals.
Mental, physical challenges may help seniors stay sharp, study says
(HealthDay)—A little exercise and some mental stimulation may go a long way toward helping seniors stay sharp, a new, small study suggests.
Certain steroids may raise risk of dangerous blood clots
(HealthDay)—People who use drugs called glucocorticoids—a class of steroids—are at increased risk for blood clots in their veins, according to a new study.
Consensual sex typically doesn't begin before teen years, study finds
(HealthDay)—It's rare for children in the United States aged 10 to 12 to be sexually active, especially on a voluntary basis, a new study finds. However, almost one in five teens has had sex before age 15, and 16,000 girls under 15 get pregnant each year.
Deadly effects of certain kinds of household air pollution lead to call for biomarker studies
Almost four million people die each year from household air pollution (HAP) caused by exposure to the combustion of biomass fuels (wood, charcoal, crop residues, and dung), kerosene, or coal. These individuals are among the tens of millions who rely on such products to cook their meals, heat their rooms, and light their homes. Those in lower and middle income countries are among the hardest hit by the effects of HAP exposure, which also causes childhood respiratory infection, chronic lung disease, and cardiovascular disease. Exposure to biomass fuel is associated with low birth weight, asthma, and tuberculosis.
Mechanism of mutant histone protein in childhood brain cancer revealed
(Medical Xpress)—Most cancer treatments are blunt. In an attempt to eradicate tumors, oncologists often turn to radiation or chemotherapy, which can damage healthy tissue along with the cancerous growths. New research from C. David Allis's laboratory at Rockefeller University may bring scientists closer to designing cancer therapeutics that can target tumors with pinpoint accuracy.
Research deciphers HIV attack plan
(Medical Xpress)—A new study by Los Alamos National Laboratory and University of Pennsylvania scientists defines previously unknown properties of transmitted HIV-1, the virus that causes AIDS. The viruses that successfully pass from a chronically infected person to a new individual are both remarkably resistant to a powerful initial human immune-response mechanism, and they are blanketed in a greater amount of envelope protein that helps them access and enter host cells.
Researchers discover brain cancer treatment using genetic material from bone marrow cells
In a first-of-its-kind experiment using microvesicles generated from mesenchymal bone marrow cells (MSCs) to treat cancer, neurological researchers at Henry Ford Hospital have discovered a novel approach for treatment of tumor. Specifically, the research team found that introducing genetic material produced by MSCs, significantly reduced a particularly resistant form of malignant brain tumor in living lab rats.
Team discovers how cells distinguish friend from foe
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers at UC Davis have shown how the innate immune system distinguishes between dangerous pathogens and friendly microbes. Like burglars entering a house, hostile bacteria give themselves away by breaking into cells. However, sensing proteins instantly detect the invasion, triggering an alarm that mobilizes the innate immune response. This new understanding of immunity could ultimately help researchers find new targets to treat inflammatory disorders. The paper was published in Nature on March 31.
Researchers find link between blood clotting, immune response
Rice University researchers have found an unexpected link between a protein that triggers the formation of blood clots and other proteins that are essential for the body's immune system. The find could lead to new treatments for thousands of patients who suffer from inflammatory diseases and disorders that cause abnormal blood clotting.
'RNA sponge' mechanism may cause ALS/FTD neurodegeneration
The most common genetic cause of both ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and FTD (frontotemporal dementia) was recently identified as an alteration in the gene C9orf72. But how the mutation causes neurodegenerative disease appeared mysterious. Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine have demonstrated that this ALS/FTD mutation may be harmful because it creates an "RNA sponge," soaking up an important regulatory protein that binds RNA.
Breast cancer researchers find new drug target companion prognostic test for hormone therapy resistance
A team of international cancer researchers led by Dr. Mathieu Lupien at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, has identified the signalling pathway that is over-activated in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer cells that are resistant to hormone therapies such as tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors or fulvestrant.
Loss of tumor suppressor SPOP releases cancer potential of SRC-3
Mutations in a protein called SPOP (speckle-type POZ protein) disarm it, allowing another protein called steroid receptor coactivator-3 (SRC-3) to encourage the proliferation and spread of prostate cancer cells, said researchers led by those at Baylor College of Medicine in a report that appears online in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Eating fish associated with lower risk of dying among older adults
Older adults who have higher levels of blood omega-3 levels—fatty acids found almost exclusively in fatty fish and seafood—may be able to lower their overall mortality risk by as much as 27% and their mortality risk from heart disease by about 35%, according to a new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and the University of Washington. Researchers found that older adults who had the highest blood levels of the fatty acids found in fish lived, on average, 2.2 years longer than those with lower levels.
Researchers first to use common virus to 'fortify' adult stem cells
Using the same strategy that a common virus employs to evade the human immune system, researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center's Institute for Regenerative Medicine have modified adult stem cells to increase their survival – with the goal of giving the cells time to exert their natural healing abilities.
Newly identified tumor suppressor provides therapeutic target for prostate cancer
Scientists at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) have identified how an enzyme called PKCĪ¶ suppresses prostate tumor formation. The finding, which also describes a molecular chain of events that controls cell growth and metastasis, could lead to novel ways to control disease progression.
Biology news
Indonesia seizes nearly 700 endangered turtles
Indonesian authorities have seized nearly 700 endangered pig-nosed turtles at the main airport serving the capital Jakarta, an official said Monday.
Viewing life in OneZoom
Thanks to three scientists, including Simon Fraser University's Jeffery Joy, we can now see in OneZoom how a major portion of life originated from one cell and remains interconnected in the Tree of Life. The software has been loaded onto a kiosk available for anyone to use in SFU's biology department.
Explainer: What is a gene?
There's a very confusing exchange in Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass: "When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less."
Clones of clones can make clones
Since the first reports of successful cloning of mammals by somatic cell nuclear transfer, concerns have been raised about the efficiency and repeatability of cloning techniques, and the health of cloned offspring. Although it has been showed since the early 2000s that cloned animals can themselves be cloned, the efficiency of SCNT appeared to taper with each successive generation, leading some to speculate that there might be an inherent limit to cloning from clones due to the accumulation of genetic errors.
Mosquito genetic complexity may take a bite out of efforts to control malaria
A surprising research discovery in mosquitoes could affect future prospects for malaria control. A team of scientists from West Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom found that the mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, which was thought to be splitting into two completely new species, may actually have a more complex range of forms due to frequent inter-mating. The resulting hybrids may have implications for insecticide resistance and malaria parasite infectivity. The study published in the April 2013 issue of the journal GENETICS, documents substantial amounts of hybridization among two separate mosquito types in a large area spanning four countries in sub-Saharan western Africa.
Feeding corn germ to pigs does not affect growth performance
Inclusion of corn germ in swine diets can reduce diet costs, depending on the local cost of corn germ and other ingredients. Recent research conducted at the University of Illinois indicates that corn germ can be included at up to 30 percent in diets fed to growing pigs.
Southern California sagebrush better suited to climate change, study finds
California sagebrush in the southern part of the state will adjust better to climate change than sagebrush populations in the north, according to UC Irvine researchers in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology affiliated with the Center for Environmental Biology.
Study maps accidental killings of sea turtles
Sea turtles can get accidentally caught and killed in fishing operations, and new research out Monday seeks to map this phenomenon for the first time in a bid to save the endangered creatures.
Microbe swapping at the roller derby
What happens in a day at the roller derby? For one thing, scientists have discovered and reported last month in the journal PeerJ, a lot of bacteria get swapped around.
Study finds heat key factor in population growth of some urban insect pests
(Phys.org) —New research from North Carolina State University finds that higher temperatures found in urban environments are a key contributor to higher populations of insect pests called scale insects – indicating that an increase in temperatures associated with global climate change could lead to a significant increase in scale insect populations.
Crucial step in human DNA replication observed for the first time
(Phys.org) —For the first time, an elusive step in the process of human DNA replication has been demystified by scientists at Penn State University. According to senior author Stephen J. Benkovic, an Evan Pugh Professor of Chemistry and Holder of the Eberly Family Chair in Chemistry at Penn State, the scientists "discovered how a key step in human DNA replication is performed." The results of the research will be published in the journal eLife on 2 April 2013.
By keeping the beat, sea lion sheds new light on animals' movements to sound
A California sea lion who bobs her head in time with music has given scientists the first empirical evidence of an animal that is not capable of vocal mimicry but can keep the beat, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.
Geckos keep firm grip in wet natural habitat
(Phys.org) —Geckos' ability to stick to trees and leaves during rainforest downpours has fascinated scientists for decades, leading a group of University of Akron researchers to solve the mystery.
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