Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 14, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Better batteries from waste sulfur- Biomimetic nanosponges absorb toxins released by bacterial infections and venom
- Researchers develop implantable, bioengineered rat kidney (w/ video)
- Ordinary skin cells morphed into functional brain cells: New technique holds promise for multiple sclerosis
- Admin password spells trouble in recent WordPress attacks
- Bacterial security agents go rogue
- Recent climate, glacier changes in Antarctica at the 'upper bound' of normal
- Whole genome sequencing finds new mutations to blame for a majority of brain tumor subtype
- Cutting specific pollutants would slow sea level rise, research says
- Study identifies new gene variations associated with heart rate
- 1000-year Antarctic Peninsula climate reconstruction provides new insight into accelerating ice melt
- US digital library brings culture, history online
- Iron Age warriors point to glories of Gaul
- NASA's Wallops Island prepares for the spotlight
- Can one buy the right to name a planet? IAU responds
Space & Earth news
US, China agree climate change working group
The United States and China will establish a joint working group on climate change, they said Saturday, adding that they have a shared view on the "increasing dangers" of global warming.
Ecuador to launch first homemade satellite
Ecuador will launch its first satellite into space from China in two weeks, President Rafael Correa announced Saturday.
Motorboats go silent on Venice's Grand Canal
Venice on Sunday enjoyed the sounds of silence as authorities imposed a five-hour ban on motorboats plying the Renaissance city's main waterway in a bid to raise awareness about noise pollution and architectural damage caused by waves.
Austria's glaciers shrank in 2012, study says
Nearly all of Austria's glaciers shrank significantly last year, with one glacier receding a record 97.3 metres (319.2 feet), the Austrian Alpine Association (OeAV) said Friday.
Hawaii land board approves Thirty Meter Telescope (Update)
A plan by California and Canadian universities to build the world's largest telescope at the summit of Hawaii's Mauna Kea volcano won approval from the state Board of Land and Natural Resources on Friday.
Can one buy the right to name a planet? IAU responds
In the light of recent events, where the possibility of buying the rights to name exoplanets has been advertised, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) wishes to inform the public that such schemes have no bearing on the official naming process. The IAU wholeheartedly welcomes the public's interest to be involved in recent discoveries, but would like to strongly stress the importance of having a unified naming procedure.
NASA's Wallops Island prepares for the spotlight
On one of Virginia's small barrier islands, a NASA facility that operates in relative obscurity outside scientific circles is preparing to be thrust into the spotlight.
Cutting specific pollutants would slow sea level rise, research says
With coastal areas bracing for rising sea levels, new research indicates that cutting emissions of certain pollutants can greatly slow down sea level rise this century.
Recent climate, glacier changes in Antarctica at the 'upper bound' of normal
In the last few decades, glaciers at the edge of the icy continent of Antarctica have been thinning, and research has shown the rate of thinning has accelerated and contributed significantly to sea level rise.
1000-year Antarctic Peninsula climate reconstruction provides new insight into accelerating ice melt
A new 1000-year Antarctic Peninsula climate reconstruction shows that summer ice melting has intensified almost ten-fold, and mostly since the mid 20th Century. Summer ice melt affects the stability of Antarctic ice shelves and glaciers.
Technology news
'Defiance' attempts blend of TV series, video game
Earth is recovering from an apocalyptic event, alien races cooperate warily, a wise-cracking outsider suddenly finds himself shouldering new responsibilities.
Local police grapple with response to cybercrimes
(AP)—If a purse with $900 is stolen, the victim probably would call the police.
CEET report nails wireless as energy monster
(Phys.org) —Research from Australia delivers bracing facts about serious demands on power in the coming years. The researchers find that just pinning power-grid drains on the "cloud" is imprecise. The real problem is on the mobile cloud. The researchers zeroed in on energy consumption needed to support cloud services accessed by wireless networks. They found that wireless networking infrastructure worldwide accounts for significantly more power consumption than data centers.
The bubble bursts on e-currency Bitcoin
Many saw it coming, but that didn't stop the Bitcoin bubble from bursting: after rising to dizzying heights, the digital currency suffered its first true crash this week.
China, US to set up cybersecurity working group
China and the US, which are embroiled in a bitter dispute over hacking, have agreed to set up a cybersecurity working group, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday.
'Chinese hackers' deface Philippines news website
Suspected Chinese hackers defaced the website of the Philippines News Agency (PNA) on Sunday, officials said, a possible repeat of cyber attacks last year also blamed on China during a territorial row.
Thermo Fisher reportedly nears deal for Life Tech
(AP)—Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is reportedly nearing a deal to buy Life Technologies Corp., a maker of genetic testing equipment, for almost $12 billion.
XGS presents new silicon-graphene anode materials for lithium-ion batteries
(Phys.org) —XG Sciences (XGS) this month announced new anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. These will be viewed with interest among those watching the battery marketplace, where any promising news on battery breakthroughs is always welcome. XG Sciences said it has a new battery anode that is four times the capacity of conventional material—that is, anode materials for lithium-ion batteries with four times the capacity of conventional anodes. The anode material uses xGnP graphene nanoplatelets to stabilize silicon particles in a nano-engineered composite structure. XG Sciences makes these nanoplatelets through techniques that allow for control of their size and surface characteristics. Graphene anode material, when combined with xGnP graphene products as conductive additives, provides higher energy storage than do conventional battery materials, according to the company.
Google, EU 'near deal' on search probe
US Internet giant Google is preparing changes to its dominant search system to satisfy EU anti-trust authorities, the Financial Times said on Saturday.
US digital library brings culture, history online
A new "digital public library" set to launch this month aims to provide an alternative to Google for those looking for American cultural information online.
Admin password spells trouble in recent WordPress attacks
(Phys.org) —Sources from several Web hosting services this week raised an all-out alert: WordPress was under attack with at least 90,000 IP addresses involved to brute-force crack credentials of WordPress sites. The attacks, they said, are worrying in that they are on an unusually large scale, being described as "superbotnet" level. Among hosting providers detecting such attacks were CloudFlare and HostGator. "The attacker is brute force attacking the WordPress administrative portals, using the username 'admin' and trying thousands of passwords," Matthew Prince, CEO of CloudFlare, said in an April 11 blog posting.
Medicine & Health news
MR images taken during the systole phase improve diagnoses of scars on the heart
MR images taken when the ventricles of the heart relax and fill with blood and then when the ventricles contract and eject blood to the rest of the body provide a more complete picture of the extent of myocardial scar in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, a new study finds.
Decreasing KV reduces radiation dose in lumbar spine CT without compromising quality
An algorithm that takes the patient's size into consideration can cut radiation dose by 41% in lumbar spine CT without compromising the diagnostic quality of the images, a new study shows.
Additional imaging gives better view and reduces complications in patients needing gastric tubes
Additional fluoroscopic and CT views can substantially reduce complications that occur during percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy, a procedure used for patients who require a gastric tube for nutritional support.
MDCT helps better determine valve implant size for transcatheter aortic valve in patients with aortic stenosis
MDCT is a better way to measure annular size in patients with aortic stenosis who are candidates for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) than two dimensional echocardiography, a new study indicates.
Dual energy CT accurately identifies ACL tears in emergency department
Dual energy CT is an effective way to evaluate emergency department patients with possible anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, a new study shows. ACL tears are one of the most frequent ligamentous injuries of the knee; they are not commonly diagnosed in the emergency department because they are not seen on plain x-rays.
Tomosynthesis improves detection of infiltrating ductal carcinoma in patients with increased risk
Tomosynthesis (3D mammography) is better able to show infiltrating ductal carcinoma than 2D mammography in women at increased risk of breast cancer, a new study shows.
Calif. man diagnosed with meningitis is brain dead
(AP)—A 33-year-old West Hollywood man who felt sickened by bacterial meningitis earlier this week has been declared brain dead amid warnings to sexually active gay men about the deadly strain of illness, officials said.
Electrical pulse treatment pokes holes in hard-to-treat tumors
A new, minimally invasive treatment that tears microscopic holes in tumors without harming healthy tissue is a promising treatment for challenging cancers, suggests a preliminary study being presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 38th Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans.
Icy therapy spot treats cancer in the lung
Frozen balls of ice can safely kill cancerous tumors that have spread to the lungs, according to the first prospective multicenter trial of cryoablation. The results are being presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 38th Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans.
New breast imaging algorithm brings breast cancer diagnosis and treatment to underserved area of Uganda
Radiologists are a step closer to implementing a program in an underserved region of Uganda for diagnosing and treating women with palpable breast masses.
First human H7N9 bird flu case in Beijing: officials (Update)
A seven-year-old girl is Beijing's first human case of H7N9 bird flu, local authorities said on Saturday as China's outbreak of the disease spread to the capital.
US top court to hear case on gene patents
The US Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday on whether to allow private entities to patent genes they have isolated and identified, a decision that could have far-reaching implications for genetic research.
Central adiposity may affect renal hemodynamics
(HealthDay)—Regardless of body mass index (BMI), higher waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), a measure of central adiposity, is associated with lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR), lower effective renal plasma flow (ERPF), and higher filtration fraction (FF), according to research published online April 11 in Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Most kids' meals still far from healthful, group warns
Even though children's nutrition has received lots of attention the past few years, you're still more likely to find chicken fingers and fries on kids' menus than wraps and salads.
Where does coffee stand in your health?
We are often asked whether coffee is good or bad for the health. The answer is both good and bad.
Polio vaccine developer Koprowski dies
Dr. Hilary Koprowski, the Polish-born researcher who developed the first successful oral vaccination for polio, died this week at his Philadelphia home. He was 96.
China WHO chief: Beijing H7N9 case not surprising
(AP)—A World Health Organization official said Sunday that it wasn't surprising that a new strain of bird flu has spread to China's capital after sickening dozens in the eastern part of the country.
China H7N9 bird flu area spreads, two new deaths: govt (Update)
China's H7N9 bird flu spread west to the central province of Henan on Sunday, as government websites and state media reported two deaths and 11 new cases nationwide.
Malaria elimination strategies should adapt to changing patterns of infection
According to Sir Richard Feachem, Director of the Global Health Group at the University of California, San Francisco, USA, and senior author of the study, "The malaria control strategies implemented over the last decade have been highly successful in reducing malaria worldwide. However, these strategies must evolve to respond effectively to the changing patterns of infection in low transmission areas. More sophisticated and targeted approaches to identifying those people who are infected, and responding promptly and effectively, must be put in place. The good news is that these new approaches are being pioneered with great success in countries such as China, Sri Lanka, and Swaziland."*
Stenting blocked bowel arteries saves lives
Stenting reopens completely blocked bowel arteries, preventing damage and even death from a condition that causes individuals severe pain and leads to excessive weight loss, notes research being presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 38th Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans, La.
Freezing nerves knocks pain out cold
Using a tiny ball of ice, a minimally invasive interventional radiology treatment called cryoneurolysis safely short circuits chronic pain caused by nerve damage, according to data being presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 38th Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans.
Drug-coated stents prevent leg amputation
Drug-eluting stents can keep clogged leg arteries open, preventing amputation of the leg, suggests research being presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 38th Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans.
Whole genome sequencing finds new mutations to blame for a majority of brain tumor subtype
Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project has identified mutations responsible for more than half of a subtype of childhood brain tumor that takes a high toll on patients. Researchers also found evidence the tumors are susceptible to drugs already in development.
Study identifies new gene variations associated with heart rate
Through a collaborative genome-wide study on individuals, researchers have discovered 14 new genetic variations that are associated with heart rate. Since heart rate is a marker of cardiovascular health, these findings could provide a better understanding of genetic regulation of heart beat and is a first step towards identifying targets for new drugs to treat cardiovascular disease.
Researchers develop implantable, bioengineered rat kidney (w/ video)
Bioengineered rat kidneys developed by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators successfully produced urine both in a laboratory apparatus and after being transplanted into living animals. In their report, receiving advance online publication in Nature Medicine, the research team describes building functional replacement kidneys on the structure of donor organs from which living cells had been stripped, an approach previously used to create bioartificial hearts, lungs and livers.
Biology news
Texas wildlife center works to save nearly extinct bird
Like a preening Texas cowboy strutting his stuff on a barroom dance floor, the testosterone-stoked little guy is doing his best to attract a cute hen.
Bacterial security agents go rogue
CRISPR, a system of genes that bacteria use to defend themselves against viruses, has been found to be involved in helping some bacteria evade the mammalian immune system. The results are scheduled for publication Sunday, April 14 in Nature.
Ordinary skin cells morphed into functional brain cells: New technique holds promise for multiple sclerosis
Researchers at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine have discovered a technique that directly converts skin cells to the type of brain cells destroyed in patients with multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and other so-called myelin disorders.
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