Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 7, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Sweet success: Study finds way to catalyze more sugars from biomass- Researchers discover new link between heart disease and red meat
- Final chapter to 60-year-old blood group mystery
- Lift weights to lower blood sugar? White muscle helps keep blood glucose levels under control
- Adhesive force differences enable separation of stem cells to advance therapies
- Dengue cases may be four times more common than known
- As Bitcoin virtual currency soars, bubble fears do too
- Widely used filtering material adds arsenic to beers
- Do cells in the blood, heart and lungs smell the food we eat?
- Genome wide study identifies genetic variants associated with childhood obesity
- Retinoic acid gradient visualized for the first time in an embryo
- Global burden of dengue is triple current estimates
- Engineering algae to make the 'wonder material' nanocellulose for biofuels and more
- Engineered T cells kill tumors but spare normal tissue in an animal model
- TV startup shakes up US broadcasters with court win
Space & Earth news
NASA selects explorer investigations for formulation
NASA's Astrophysics Explorer Program has selected two missions for launch in 2017: a planet-hunting satellite and an International Space Station instrument to observe X-rays from stars.
Philippines asking $1.4 mn from US for reef damage
The Philippines will ask the United States to pay 58 million pesos ($1.4 million) in compensation for damage caused by a US warship to a protected coral reef, the manager of the reef said Saturday.
7.1 magnitude earthquake hits Indonesia
A powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit a remote part of eastern Indonesia on Saturday, causing residents to run outside in panic, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, an official said.
Reducing waste of food: A key element in feeding billions more people
Families can be key players in a revolution needed to feed the world, and could save money by helping to cut food losses now occurring from field to fork to trash bin, an expert said here today. He described that often-invisible waste in food—4 out of every 10 pounds produced in the United States alone—and the challenges of feeding a global population of 9 billion in a keynote talk at the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.
Capsizing ends trans-Atlantic rowing attempt
Two Canadians and two Americans attempting to set a world record for an unassisted, human-powered row across the Atlantic Ocean have been rescued after a rogue wave capsized their boat after 73 days at sea, the U.S. Coast Guard and organizers said Sunday.
Antarctic team digs deep to predict climate future
Nancy Bertler and her team took a freezer to the coldest place on Earth, endured weeks of primitive living and risked spending the winter in Antarctic darkness, to go get ice—ice that records our climate's past and could point to its future.
Air pollution stunts coral growth, research shows
A new study has found that pollution from fine particles in the air – mainly the result of burning coal or volcanic eruptions – can shade corals from sunlight and cool the surrounding water resulting in reduced growth rates.
Technology news
'World's greatest' chef Adria seeks digital legacy
From foie gras noodles and liquid olives to air baguettes and mimetic peanuts, much of what elBulli chef Ferran Adria and his team created across their nearly 2,000 dishes defies transcription.
Broadcasters worry about 'Zero TV' homes
(AP)—Some people have had it with TV. They've had enough of the 100-plus channel universe. They don't like timing their lives around network show schedules. They're tired of $100-plus monthly bills.
Radioactive water 'may have leaked' from Fukushima
Radioactive water may have leaked into the ground from a tank at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, the operator said on Saturday, the latest in a series of troubles at the crippled facility.
Foreign wind farms cause uproar in Mexican villages
Foreign energy firms have flocked to a narrow region of southern Mexico, known as one of the world's windiest places, to build towering wind turbines, but some projects have angered and torn indigenous villages.
Hackers target Israeli websites, fail to disrupt (Update)
An international cyber attack campaign against Israeli government websites on Sunday failed to cause serious disruptions despite dire threats from the Anonymous hacker collective, Israeli officials said Sunday.
TV startup shakes up US broadcasters with court win
A startup whose business model is based on tiny antennas receiving over-the-air television for online viewing by subscribers has put the US broadcast industry on the defensive.
Smog-eating pavement on 'greenest street in America'
The big rigs rattling past smokestacks sure don't make this Chicago roadway look like the greenest street in America.
As Bitcoin virtual currency soars, bubble fears do too
Some call it the most famous pizza purchase in history: In May 2010, a programmer called Laszlo asked an online forum if anyone would buy him a couple of pies in exchange for 10,000 Bitcoins, an experimental online currency launched in 2009.
Medicine & Health news
Obama faces choice on morning-after pill limits
(AP)—President Barack Obama supports requiring girls younger than 17 to see a doctor before buying the morning-after pill to help prevent unwanted pregnancies. But fighting that battle in court, after a new decision makes the pill available without a prescription, comes with its own set of risks.
Targeted toxin active in platinum-resistant ovarian cancers
A new antibody-guided drug has shown promising activity in a phase I trial involving ovarian cancer patients with platinum drug-resistant disease, researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute will report today at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. The findings (abstract LB-290) will be discussed at a press conference on Saturday, April 06, 2013, and later at an oral presentation on Tuesday, April 09, 2013.
Biomarker analysis identified women most likely to benefit from T-DM1
For women with metastatic, HER2-positive breast cancer, the amount of HER2 on their tumor might determine how much they benefit from a drug called trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1), according to data from a subanalysis of the phase III clinical trial that led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve the drug on Feb. 22, 2013. These findings were presented by José Baselga, M.D., Ph.D., physician-in-chief at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, N.Y., at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013, held in Washington, D.C., April 6-10.
Expert pitches safety tips for young baseball players
(HealthDay)—Baseball is one of the safest sports for children, but even so there are potential risks that can result in serious injury, an expert warns.
China steps up response to bird flu cases (Update)
Cities in eastern China where an H7N9 bird flu outbreak has killed six people moved Saturday to prevent the virus from spreading by banning live poultry trade and culling fowl.
Degeneration doesn't progress to discs adjacent to burst fracture
(HealthDay)—For patients with traumatic burst fractures of the thoracolumbar spine who are treated with pedicle screw fixation and direct end-plate restoration, adjacent intervertebral discs do not routinely progress to severe degeneration at 12 to 18 months post-injury, according to a study published in the March issue of The Spine Journal.
Diabetes-linked autoantibodies may alter children's gut microbes
(HealthDay)—Children with diabetes-associated autoantibodies have alterations in the gut microbiome, according to a study published in the April issue of Diabetes.
Smoking worsens outcomes with advanced colon cancer
(HealthDay)—Smoking is tied to significantly shorter disease-free survival (DFS) and time to recurrence (TTR) in patients undergoing treatment for stage III colon cancer, according to a study published April 1 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Program linked to medical oncology practice improvement
(HealthDay)—For medical oncology practices in the United States, participation in the American Society of Clinical Oncology's Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) correlates with improvements in measured performance, especially with regard to newly introduced clinical information, according to research published online March 11 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Obesity does slow people down, study confirms
(HealthDay)—Women who struggle with chronic obesity end up engaging in less and less routine physical activity, new research shows, confirming what may seem obvious to some.
Flies model a potential sweet treatment for Parkinson's disease
Researchers from Tel Aviv University describe experiments that could lead to a new approach for treating Parkinson's disease (PD) using a common sweetener, mannitol. This research is presented today at the Genetics Society of America's 54th Annual Drosophila Research Conference in Washington D.C., April 3-7, 2013.
Flies reveal kidney stones in-the-making
Kidney stones usually make their presence known suddenly, often sending a person to the hospital in excruciating pain. Each year in the U.S. more than a million people seek medical attention for kidney stones, technically called nephrolithiasis. The total annual cost of treatment exceeds $2.1 billion, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse.
China reports 2 more cases of new bird flu virus
Shanghai has reported two more cases of human infection of a new strain of bird flu, raising the number of cases in eastern China to 18. Six of the people who contracted the virus have died.
Two-step ovarian cancer immunotherapy made from patients' own tumor shows promise
As many as three quarters of advanced ovarian cancer patients appeared to respond to a new two-step immunotherapy approach—including one patient who achieved complete remission—according research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania that will be presented today in a press conference at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013.
Blood tests can provide fuller picture of mutations in cancer than traditional biopsies do
A new blood test revealed more of the gene mutations that sustain certain digestive-tract tumors than did a DNA analysis of a traditional tumor biopsy, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators will report at a special symposium of the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting in Washington, April 6-10.
Depression, anxiety and war in Pakistan's tribal belt
After nine friends and relatives were killed in a US drone strike four years ago, Mohammed Fahim took tranquillisers to blot out the nightmares.
China boosts bird flu response as cases rise
China confirmed three more cases of bird flu on Sunday, as authorities sought to curb a deadly outbreak by banning live poultry sales and disinfecting schools.
Low levels of serum bilirubin spell higher lung cancer risk for male smokers
Elevated levels of bilirubin in the blood get attention in the clinic because they often indicate that something has gone wrong with the liver. Now researchers have found that male smokers with low levels of the yellow-tinged chemical are at higher risk for lung cancer and dying from the disease.
Current HPV vaccine may not help some women with immune problems
Women with HIV acquire cancer-causing forms of the human papillomavirus (HPV) that are not included in the current HPV vaccines Gardasil and Cervarix, according to new research from Fox Chase Cancer Center being presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013 on Sunday, April 7.
Different drug combinations work best for prevention versus treatment of colorectal tumors
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Once colorectal cancer has spread to other parts of the body, only 11 percent of patients will survive five years from the date of their diagnosis. Most colorectal cancers are adenocarcinomas—cancers that begin in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids. Adenocarcinomas begin as benign tumors called adenomas, which become malignant over time. By treating adenomas before they become cancerous, it could be possible to prevent colorectal cancer.
Some patients with incurable tumors and BRCA mutations respond to new two-drug combination
A novel combination of two drugs has shown anti-cancer activity in patients who had incurable solid tumors and carried a germline mutation in their BRCA genes, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers are reporting at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting in Washington, April 6-10.
Immunotherapy showed promising antileukemia activity in pediatric patients
Researchers using patients' own immune cells in an immunotherapy approach called "anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy," achieved responses in children whose acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) had returned after a bone marrow transplant, according to preliminary results presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013, held in Washington, D.C., April 6-10.
Engineered T cells kill tumors but spare normal tissue in an animal model
The need to distinguish between normal cells and tumor cells is a feature that has been long sought for most types of cancer drugs. Tumor antigens, unique proteins on the surface of a tumor, are potential targets for a normal immune response against cancer. Identifying which antigens a patient's tumor cells express is the cornerstone of designing cancer therapy for that individual. But some of these tumor antigens are also expressed on normal cells, inching personalized therapy back to the original problem.
Lift weights to lower blood sugar? White muscle helps keep blood glucose levels under control
Researchers in the Life Sciences Institute at the University of Michigan have challenged a long-held belief that whitening of skeletal muscle in diabetes is harmful.
Genome wide study identifies genetic variants associated with childhood obesity
Researchers have identified four genes newly associated with severe childhood obesity. They also found an increased burden of rare structural variations in severely obese children.
Global burden of dengue is triple current estimates
The global burden of dengue infection is more than triple current estimates from the World Health Organization, according to a multinational study published today in the journal Nature.
Study shines light on how stress circuits learn
Researchers at the University of Calgary's Hotchkiss Brain Institute have discovered that stress circuits in the brain undergo profound learning early in life. Using a number of cutting edge approaches, including optogenetics, Jaideep Bains, PhD, and colleagues have shown stress circuits are capable of self-tuning following a single stress. These findings demonstrate that the brain uses stress experience during early life to prepare and optimize for subsequent challenges.
Retinoic acid gradient visualized for the first time in an embryo
In a ground-breaking study, researchers from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan report a new technique that allows them to visualize the distribution of retinoic acid in a live zebrafish embryo, in real-time. This technique enabled them to observe two concentration gradients going in opposing directions along the head-to-tail axis of the embryo, thus providing long-awaited evidence that retinoic acid is a morphogen.
Do cells in the blood, heart and lungs smell the food we eat?
In a discovery suggesting that odors may have a far more important role in life than previously believed, scientists have found that heart, blood, lung and other cells in the body have the same receptors for sensing odors that exist in the nose. It opens the door to questions about whether the heart, for instance, "smells" that fresh-brewed cup of coffee or cinnamon bun, according to the research leader, who spoke here today at the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.
Dengue cases may be four times more common than known
There may be nearly four times as many people infected with the tropical disease dengue globally than was previously believed, according to a new study.
Final chapter to 60-year-old blood group mystery
Researchers have solved a 60-year-old mystery by identifying a gene that can cause rejection, kidney failure and even death in some blood transfusion patients. In this study, published in Nature Genetics online 7 April, they identified the gene that underlies the Vel blood group and will lead to the development of more reliable blood tests and reduce the risk for transfusion patients who lack this blood group.
Researchers discover new link between heart disease and red meat
A compound abundant in red meat and added as a supplement to popular energy drinks has been found to promote atherosclerosis – or the hardening or clogging of the arteries – according to Cleveland Clinic research published online this week in the journal Nature Medicine.
Biology news
Kenya to toughen poaching sentences to save elephants
Kenya plans to bolster current lenient sentences for convicted wildlife poachers or ivory smugglers in a bid to stamp out a spike in elephant killings, the government said on Saturday.
Engineering algae to make the 'wonder material' nanocellulose for biofuels and more
Genes from the family of bacteria that produce vinegar, Kombucha tea and nata de coco have become stars in a project—which scientists today said has reached an advanced stage—that would turn algae into solar-powered factories for producing the "wonder material" nanocellulose. Their report on advances in getting those genes to produce fully functional nanocellulose was part of the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
Adhesive force differences enable separation of stem cells to advance therapies
A new separation process that depends on an easily-distinguished physical difference in adhesive forces among cells could help expand production of stem cells generated through cell reprogramming. By facilitating new research, the separation process could also lead to improvements in the reprogramming technique itself and help scientists model certain disease processes.
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