Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 4, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Discovery of 1,800-year-old 'Rosetta Stone' for tropical ice cores- Power behind primordial soup discovered
- Upgrade of LHC underway paving way for new discoveries
- 3-D printer builds synthetic tissues
- Scientists to Io: Your volcanoes are in the wrong place
- Rocket powered by nuclear fusion could send humans to Mars
- Team provides new insight into photosynthesis
- Graphene foams: Cozy and conductive scaffolds for neural stem cells
- New camera system creates high-resolution 3-D images from up to a kilometer away
- Hubble telescope breaks record for furthest supernova
- Could scientists peek into your dreams? (w/ video)
- Don't call it vaporware: Scientists use cloud of atoms as optical memory device (w/ video)
- Facebook unveils 'Home' Android product (Update 3)
- Lotus Mobile unfolds its solar-charging petals
- For the first time, researchers isolate adult stem cells from human intestinal tissue
Space & Earth news
Shining light on elusive dark matter
The antimatter hunter AMS-02 on the International Space Station is searching for the missing pieces of our Universe. The project's first results published yesterday are hinting at a new phenomenon and revealing more about the invisible 'dark matter'.
Going greener offshore
Pei Cheng Chua at the University of Stavanger (UiS) has developed new and better environment-friendly chemicals for use in oil and gas production. The 32-year-old from Malaysia defended her PhD thesis on studies of new classes of low-dosage hydrate inhibitors (LDHIs) at the university on 24 January.
Sandy criticism prompts change in storm warnings
The National Hurricane Center is changing the way it issues hurricane and tropical storm watches and warnings after being criticized over its handling of Superstorm Sandy.
'Sir' William Herschel incorrectly honored, historian says
(Phys.org) —In a paper published on-line today by the Journal for the History of Astronomy, the historian Michael Hoskin, emeritus at the University of Cambridge, says that William Herschel should not be addressed by the appellation "Sir".
Pacific climate swings found to affect Western Indian Ocean rainfall
(Phys.org) —Giant ancient corals off the coast of Madagascar have revealed that climate swings thousands of kilometres away in the Pacific Ocean have a major impact on rainfall variations in the Western Indian Ocean, adding new insight to managing water resources in a warming climate.
Measuring the seeds of noctilucent clouds
(Phys.org) —A constant stream of space debris flows toward Earth from the rest of the solar system. Large meteors can sometimes survive the intense friction and heat upon entering Earth's atmosphere, but by and large the meteors evaporate and reform into tiny particles that are left to whiz through the atmosphere. Such particles are so light and so ubiquitous that scientists refer to them as smoke. Tracking how this smoke swirls around Earth has implications for understanding weather and climate patterns, including – scientists believe – the formation of a polar phenomenon of glowing clouds known as noctilucent clouds.
Protecting history with satellites
Looking down from orbit is an attractive way of monitoring historical sites in remote or politically unstable regions – and can even help archaeologists to make new discoveries.
NASA flies radar south on wide-ranging expedition
(Phys.org) —A versatile NASA airborne imaging radar system is showcasing its broad scientific prowess for studying our home planet during a month-long expedition over the Americas.
Image: James Webb Space Telescope wings arrive for testing at Marshall
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's X-ray and Cryogenic Test Facility recently received the James Webb Space Telescope's wings for testing.
Mars missions scaled back in April because of sun
It's the Martian version of spring break: Curiosity and Opportunity, along with their spacecraft friends circling overhead, will take it easy this month because of the sun's interference.
New study reconciles carbon record disparities on land and on sea
(Phys.org) —It's a pressing question: How will the Earth's climate respond to future increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2)? Throughout geologic history, evidence of rapid, large-scale increases in atmospheric CO2 offers unique insight into how the Earth's systems are capable of reacting.
Researchers discover plants are enormous water users
(Phys.org) —A new study published today in Nature by researchers at the University of New Mexico indicates the immense amount of fresh water used by plants and its movement during their life cycle has significant implications for future predictions about climate change.
Researchers say a comet killed the dinosaurs
In a geological moment about 66 million years ago, something killed off almost all the dinosaurs and some 70 percent of all other species living on Earth. Only those dinosaurs related to birds appear to have survived. Most scientists agree that the culprit in this extinction was extraterrestrial, and the prevailing opinion has been that the party crasher was an asteroid.
Gravity-bending find leads to Kepler meeting Einstein
(Phys.org) —NASA's Kepler space telescope has witnessed the effects of a dead star bending the light of its companion star. The findings are among the first detections of this phenomenon—a result of Einstein's theory of general relativity—in binary, or double, star systems.
ALMA detects signs of star formation surprisingly close to galaxy's supermassive black hole
(Phys.org) —Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) telescope have discovered signs of star formation perilously close to the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. If confirmed, this would be the first time that star formation was observed so close to the galactic center.
Remote reefs can be tougher than they look
(Phys.org) —Isolated coral reefs can recover from catastrophic damage as effectively as those with nearby undisturbed neighbours, a long-term study by marine biologists from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (CoECRS) has shown.
Power behind primordial soup discovered
(Phys.org) —Researchers at the University of Leeds may have solved a key puzzle about how objects from space could have kindled life on Earth.
Hubble telescope breaks record for furthest supernova
(Phys.org) —The supernova, designated SN UDS10Wil, belongs to a special class of exploding stars known as Type Ia supernovae. These bright beacons are prized by astronomers because they can be used as a yardstick for measuring cosmic distances, thereby yielding clues to the nature of dark energy, the mysterious force accelerating the rate of expansion of the Universe.
Discovery of 1,800-year-old 'Rosetta Stone' for tropical ice cores
Two annually dated ice cores drawn from the tropical Peruvian Andes reveal Earth's tropical climate history in unprecedented detail—year by year, for nearly 1,800 years.
Scientists to Io: Your volcanoes are in the wrong place
(Phys.org) —Jupiter's moon Io is the most volcanically active world in the Solar System, with hundreds of volcanoes, some erupting lava fountains up to 250 miles high. However, concentrations of volcanic activity are significantly displaced from where they are expected to be based on models that predict how the moon's interior is heated, according to NASA and European Space Agency researchers.
Technology news
NKorea's Twitter account hacked amid tension
(AP)—Hackers apparently broke into at least two of North Korea's government-run online sites Thursday, as tensions rose on the Korean Peninsula.
Suspicious powder incidents require the right tools for quick action
First responders know that white powder scenarios—or suspected biological threats—require quick and decisive action. Having the right field-deployable equipment available to determine what the suspicious substance is can be complicated, challenging and expensive.
Distributed Agile Submarine Hunting (DASH) program completes milestones
DARPA's Distributed Agile Submarine Hunting (DASH) Program has tested two complementary prototype systems as part of its Phase 2 development effort. The prototypes demonstrated functional sonar, communications and mobility at deep depths. The successful tests furthered DASH's goals to apply advances in deep-ocean distributed sonar to help find and track quiet submarines.
Observing engine oil beneath metal: Scientists reveal how lubricant oil disperses in a functioning clutch
Lubricating oil is essential for engines. Multi-disc clutches, like those found in motorcycles, are also lubricated and cooled with oil. The oil pump has to be driven by the engine at the same time, thus increasing the vehicle's fuel consumption. The goal of developers is therefore to optimally lubricate the drive components – with the smallest possible volume of flowing oil. In order to observe how oil is distributed inside a clutch, Developmental Engineers from the Schaeffler-Brand LuK (D) together with scientists from the Paul Scherrer Institute in Villigen (CH) are working together, illuminating metals with neutrons.
Aeration tube makes swimming safer
Accidents with pool grilles result in fatalities every year. Pool owners and builders are hardly aware of the risks of suction entrapment. UT student Joost Avezaat studied the technical safety of water circulation systems in European pools together with the Blue Cap Foundation. This resulted in workable solutions.
ICT plays an increasing part in criminal activities
The influence of ICT on traditional crimes such as burglary, robbery, intimidation and fraud is on the rise. Researchers from the University of Twente examined a large number of crimes in the east of the Netherlands on behalf of and in collaboration with PAC – the police cybercrime programme – and the five regional police forces which now form the East Netherlands unit. They looked into 136 burglaries, 140 commercial burglaries, 259 instances of threatening behaviour and 274 cases of fraud. The fraud cases in particular had a strong digital component.
Google resells print rights to Frommer guide founder
Google said Thursday it had "returned" the print rights for Frommer's travel books to company founder Arthur Frommer less than a year after acquiring the popular tourist guides.
European collaboration to improve radioactivity measurement in waste materials
As part of the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP), the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is working to improve the radioactivity measurements needed to ensure safety at nuclear power plants and waste repositories throughout their operation and decommissioning.
T-Mobile USA gains subscribers
T-Mobile USA says that subscribers were more likely to stick with the company in the last three months, a welcome trend for a company that's struggling against larger competitors.
Hackers attack N. Korea news website
Activist hackers appeared Thursday to have infiltrated North Korea's official news website and its accompanying Twitter and Flickr feeds, posting unflattering images of leader Kim Jong-Un.
Facebook unveils its 'home' on Android phone
Facebook unveils its "home" on the Android smartphone Thursday, a move expected to tie the leading social network's services tightly into mobile software.
Black silicon solar cells with record 18.7% efficiency
Scientists at Aalto University, Finland and Fraunhofer ISE, Germany report an efficiency of 18.7% for black silicon solar cells, the highest efficiency reported so far for a black silicon solar cell.
Apple, Samsung battle for hearts and wallets of phone users
Last fall, college sophomore John Castro did what was considered the unthinkable among his friends: The devoted Apple fan bought a Samsung Galaxy S3, the closest thing to an iPhone killer.
Federal lawmakers push for online sales tax
When Katherine McHenry answers the phone at a Building Blocks Toy Store in Chicago, she may get a caller who wants to negotiate a lower price on an item she is selling because it can be purchased for less money online.
Apple aims to win over skeptical video editors
The backlash over Apple's redesign of Final Cut Pro video editing software two years ago was so severe that even slashing the price by $700, to $299, caused an uproar.
Google-Samsung relationship profitable but could change
The world's leading smartphone maker managed to spotlight a youthful tap-dancer, Broadway actors and plenty of lame jokes during an hourlong event to show off its latest high-end gadget - but there was barely a mention of the Android software that makes Samsung's most successful phones work.
Researchers expose the human side of cybercrime
In a perfect world, a door could remain unlocked without evoking the curiosity of strangers and criminals. This not being the case, humans have developed sophisticated security systems and intrusion deterrents. These efforts are continually countered, however, by those who wish to enter the door and have a peek, or a piece, of what lies on the other side. The same phenomenon applies to cyberspace. The ability of hackers to bypass security measures and gain entry to networks worldwide drives the development of technology in a neverending cycle.
Experts propose research priorities for making concrete 'greener'
The challenge of making concrete greener—reducing its sizable carbon footprint without compromising performance—is just like the world's most ubiquitous manufactured material—hard!
Turning tyres into gas for energy and new, valuable materials
Europe's tyre waste production is 3 million tonnes per year. Currently 65% to 70% of used tyres end up in landfills. Not only are they causing environmental damage, but a loss of added value in the form of new products that recycling can generate. One of the approaches for recycling tyres is now being investigated in a EU funded project called TyGRE.
PC market losing more ground to tablets
Sales of traditional desktop and mobile personal computers are expected to drop 7.6 percent this year as consumers shift to tablets and other devices, a market tracker said Thursday.
Philadelphia gets ready to play 'Pong' on building (Update)
Philadelphia is getting ready for a supersized game of "Pong"—on the side of a skyscraper. The classic Atari video game will be re-created later this month on the facade of the 29-story Cira Centre, where hundreds of embedded LED lights will replicate the familiar paddles and ball.
BlackBerry-maker RIM stops BBM music service
BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion says it is silencing its streaming music service barely two years after it launched.
In further shakeup, HP chairman Lane quits
Hewlett-Packard said Thursday its non-executive chairman Raymond Lane has decided to step down in a shakeup of the board of directors at the struggling US computer giant.
Rotary valve could help propel craft to Mars one day
(Phys.org) —A rotary fuel delivery valve developed by a UAHuntsville team led by Dr. James Blackmon just might help us get manned space flights out of our immediate neighborhood one day, and he says it could have practical terrestrial applications.
Report finds materials manufacturers will likely be unable to meet targets for carbon-emissions reductions by 2050
A new report by researchers at MIT and elsewhere finds that the global manufacturing sector has made great strides in energy efficiency: The manufacturing of materials such as steel, cement, paper and aluminum has become increasingly streamlined, requiring far less energy than when these processes were first invented.
British Library sets out to archive the Web (Update 2)
Capturing the unruly, ever-changing Internet is like trying to pin down a raging river. But the British Library is going to try.
On Twitter, anti-vaccination sentiments spread more easily than pro-vaccination sentiments
On Twitter, a popular microblogging and social-networking service, statements about vaccines may have unexpected effects—positive messages may backfire, according to a team of Penn State University researchers led by Marcel Salathé, an assistant professor of biology. The team tracked the pro-vaccine and anti-vaccine messages to which Twitter users were exposed and then observed how those users expressed their own sentiments about a new vaccine for combating influenza H1N1—a virus strain responsible for swine flu. The results, which may help health officials improve strategies for vaccination-awareness efforts, will be published in the journal EPJ Data Science on 4 April 2013.
Lotus Mobile unfolds its solar-charging petals
(Phys.org) —A Scottsdale, Arizona, company is making the news with its fold-able solar charging system of 18 panels that resemble a flower, and can sit atop a vehicle, which gives the device the appearance of a supersized canopy or floppy hat. At least that is the way in which the Lotus Mobile solar charger made its showcased appearance, perched on top of an orange Tesla car, no less, just in case all eyes were not totally riveted. The Lotus Mobile solar power system is the brainchild of the orange car's owner, Joseph Hui, CEO of the Scottsdale, Arizona, company Monarch Power, and also a professor at Arizona State University.
Facebook unveils 'Home' Android product (Update 3)
With its new "Home" on Android gadgets, Facebook aims to put its social network at the center of people's mobile experiences.
Invention could make spent nuclear fuel useful for irradiation purposes
A researcher at Oregon State University has invented a way to use spent nuclear fuel to produce the gamma rays needed to irradiate medical supplies, food and other products – an advance that could change what is now a costly waste disposal concern into a valued commodity.
Medicine & Health news
Breivik killer was 'psychotic and afraid of losing his masculinity', says researcher
An alternative view of the Norway killer Anders Behring Breivik – as a psychotic man with a terror of losing his masculinity – was presented at the British Sociological Association in London today [Thursday 4 April].
Quad bike fatalities costly but manufacturers fail to act
Two University of Sydney papers published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health have highlighted the costs associated with fatal quad bike incidents and compared the behavior of the quads industry in opposing safety improvements to that of tobacco companies.
How rats see things
The image of an object, when projected into the eyes, may take on the most diverse shapes depending on the chosen point of view, as this can change its distance, perspective and so on, yet generally we have no difficulty in recognizing said object. This is a well-known notion that concerns humans and primates, yet now Alireza Alemi-Neissi, Federica Rosselli and Davide Zoccolan of SISSA (the International School for Advanced Studies of Trieste) have shown that also rats possess such a sophisticated visual recognition ability, and that their brain employs complex strategies. The study has been just published in The Journal of Neuroscience.
Fed gov to cover 100% of new Medicaid enrollees under ACA
(HealthDay)—The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the federal government will pay 100 percent of the costs of certain newly eligible adult Medicaid beneficiaries under the Affordable Care Act.
Sexual assault awareness advocate says rape culture a problem worldwide
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, but Kansas State University's Donna Potts thinks every month should focus on the problem—especially on college campuses throughout the world.
New findings point to the importance of illness behavior
A paper by a group of Italian investigators in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics provides new data on the role of illness behavior in determining the illness impact.
Writing can be a therapy after a traumatic stress
This study demonstrates that writing therapy resulted in significant and substantial short-term reductions in post traumatic symptoms (PTS) and comorbid depressive symptoms. Writing therapy is an evidence-based treatment for PTS, and constitutes a useful treatment alternative for patients who do not respond to other evidence-based treatments.
Impact of training sessions and matches on the bodies and physical performance of women football players
UPV/EHU researchers have measured the changes that take place in women as a result of the training sessions and matches throughout one season. There is a tendency for fat to be reduced and muscle mass to increase, and physical performance tends to improve, although no significant changes take place. However, substantial improvements have been detected at specific moments, and they have confirmed that playing in official matches is an important stimulus for improving physical performance.
Hallucinations of musical notation
Professor of neurology, physician, and author Oliver Sacks M.D. has outlined case studies of hallucinations of musical notation, and commented on the neural basis of such hallucinations, in a new paper for the neurology journal Brain.
Can therapy using robots reduce pain and anxiety among pediatric patients?
Pet therapy can help patients cope with the pain, stress, and emotional effects of a serious illness, but access to a companion animal is not always possible. Robotic animals may offer the same benefits, as explored in a fascinating study presented in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.
Incarceration, marijuana use and suicide attempts may hinder liver transplant eligibility
Results from an anonymous survey of U.S. transplant providers report that incarceration, marijuana use, and psychiatric diagnoses, particularly suicide attempts, may lower patients' eligibility for liver transplantation. The study published in the April issue of Liver Transplantation, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society, also found that most providers would not offer transplants to patients with advanced age, those severely obese, or with lifetime imprisonment.
IU and Regenstrief conducting nation's first randomized controlled dementia screening trial
Researchers from the Indiana University Center for Aging Research and the Regenstrief Institute are conducting the nation's first randomized controlled dementia screening trial to weigh the benefits and risks of routine screening for dementia. The results of the five-year trial will help policy-makers, individuals and families weigh the pros and cons of routine screening of adults age 65 and older.
Cancer patients may be unintended victims of budget cuts
(HealthDay)—Thousands of Medicare cancer patients are being denied treatment at clinics nationwide because of federal budget cuts related to the so-called sequester, according to a published report.
Court overturns $482M patent decision against J&J
(AP)—A federal appeals court says that a Johnson & Johnson heart stent does not infringe a patent held by a doctor and inventor, overturning a $482 million decision against the company.
Overweight starting in early adulthood linked with kidney disease in older age
Being overweight starting in young adulthood may significantly increase individuals' risks of developing kidney disease by the time they become seniors, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The findings emphasize the importance of excess weight as a risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Baldness linked to increased risk of coronary heart disease
Male pattern baldness is linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease, but only if it's on the top/crown of the head, rather than at the front, finds an analysis of published evidence in the online journal BMJ Open.
Peer coaching model beneficial for patients with diabetes
(HealthDay)—Health coaching by peers is associated with a significant reduction in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels among patients treated in public health clinics, according to research published in the March/April issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
Fitness, obesity independently affect cardiometabolic risk
(HealthDay)—Fitness and obesity are independently associated with cardiometabolic (CM) risk, according to a study published in the April 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Genetic vulnerability of lung cancer to lay foundation for new drug options
Physician-researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified a vulnerability of certain lung-cancer cells – a specific genetic weakness that can be exploited for new therapies.
Despite free health care, household income affects chronic disease control in kids
Researchers at the University of Montreal have found that the glycated hemoglobin levels of children with type 1 diabetes followed at its affiliated Sainte-Justine Mother and Child University Hospital (CHU Sainte-Justine) is correlated linearly and negatively with household income. Glycated hemoglobin is the binding of sugar to blood molecules – over time, high blood sugar levels lead to high levels of glycated hemoglobin, which means that it can be used to assess whether a patient properly controls his or her blood glucose level. "Our study highlights a marked disparity between the rich and the poor in an important health outcome for children with type 1 diabetes, despite free access to health care", explained Dr. Johnny Deladoëy, who led the study.
Bird flu 101: How bad is the new H7N9 strain?
A bird flu virus never before found in humans has grabbed world attention this week after it infected and killed people in China. Scientists have been scrambling to understand how it happened and, more importantly, whether it poses a risk to public health or could potentially spark a global pandemic.
Social media exposes fear of dentist's chair
(Medical Xpress)—A study of YouTube videos including emotional scenes where children and teens are seen crying, screaming and panicked has revealed new insight into their fear and loathing of going to the dentist.
Integrated model can predict preeclampsia in first trimester
(HealthDay)—An integrated model for first-trimester screening of preeclampsia (PE) seems effective in a routine care setting, according to a study published in the March issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Researchers reveal that immune system like a turbo-charged hybrid car
(Medical Xpress)—Trinity College Dublin scientists have made a significant breakthrough in understanding the immune system that could lead to new treatments for diseases such as sepsis and Type 2 diabetes. A team led by Professor of Biochemistry, Luke O'Neill of the School of Biochemistry and Immunology in the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute has revealed that during an infection, immune cells switch their "engine" from the more sedate "battery" power, to using the equivalent of petrol to supercharge the engine needed to fight the infection. The work has just been published in the international leading science journal Nature.
China reports fifth H7N9 bird flu death (Update 2)
A new strain of bird flu has claimed two more lives in China's business capital of Shanghai, taking the total number of human deaths attributed to the H7N9 virus to five, state media said Thursday.
Morbid obesity in women on the rise, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—A Deakin University study has found that the rate of morbid obesity in women increased by almost 70 per cent over a 10 year period.
Alkaptonuria: New hope for treatment of rare genetic disease
(Medical Xpress)—Scientists at the University of Liverpool have found that a drug treatment administered at the earliest signs of a rare genetic disease could prevent the condition from developing in later life.
In times of danger people follow the dominant leader: Gaze following provides insight into the evolution of leadership
In the background of evolution, gaze following is one of the oldest manifestations of leadership. Three-month-old babies, for example, already follow the eye movements of their parents. Psychologists at VU University Amsterdam have discovered that in times of danger people follow the eye movements of individuals with a masculine and dominant appearance. When people feel safe, however, they follow the eye movements of both men and women. The results were published yesterday in the scientific journal PLoS One.
Medical study first to pinpoint best 'nerve block' treatments for patients needing surgery for hip fractures
(Medical Xpress)—Anesthesiologists now have more direction for treating patients who have broken their hip and are undergoing surgery.
Evidence piles up for banning trans fats
(Medical Xpress)—Banning the use of trans fats in the preparation of foodstuffs is one of the most effective ways to prevent some of the world's biggest killer diseases, but many governments are not taking such action because they do not think these bans work, according to a University of Sydney study published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization today.
Stem cells fill gaps in bones
For many patients the removal of several centimetres of bone from the lower leg following a serious injury or a tumour extraction is only the beginning of a long-lasting ordeal. Autologous stem cells have been found to accelerate and boost the healing process. Surgeons at the RUB clinic Bergmannsheil have achieved promising results: without stem cells, it takes on average 49 days for one centimetre of bone to regrow; with stem cells, that period has been reduced to 37 days.
A protein enables cardiovascular risk assessment
Researchers at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have managed to predict the probability of a cardiovascular patient suffering a heart attack, stroke or arterial occlusion within three months. In the long-term, this knowledge may enable targeted preventive measures. The results of the study have appeared in the current issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Dental amalgam: Anti-mercury movement pushes for shifts in dentistry
Silver tooth fillings have been placed in the mouths of Americans since before the Civil War, an inexpensive, durable and reliable material that helped form the foundation of modern dentistry.
Schizophrenia may give early warnings
Changes in brain function may foreshadow schizophrenia as early as puberty, nearly a decade before most patients begin showing obvious symptoms, new research from the University of North Carolina shows.
Body representation differs in children and adults, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—Children's sense of having and owning a body differs from that of adults, indicating that our sense of physical self develops over time, according to a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
What is the mental pain?
When we think of pain we generally think of something that is related to our body. But there is a devastating form of pain that is not frequently acknowledged and is a topic of a paper by Eliana Tossani (University of Bologna) in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.
World's most detailed 3-D computer model of heart chambers
Researchers from The University of Auckland have developed the world's most detailed 3D computer models of the heart's upper chambers.
National teen driving report finds safety gains for teen passengers
A new report on teen driver safety released today by The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and State Farm shows encouraging trends among teen passengers. In 2011 more than half of teen passengers (54 percent) reported "always" buckling up. From 2008 to 2011, risky behaviors of teen passengers (ages 15 to 19 years) declined: the number of teen passengers killed in crashes not wearing seat belts decreased 23 percent; the number of teen passengers driven by a peer who had been drinking declined 14 percent; and 30 percent fewer teen passengers were killed in crashes involving a teen driver. Overall, the report measured a 47 percent decline in teen driver-related fatalities over the past six years. Still, as recent high-profile multi-fatality crashes with teen drivers illustrate, crashes remain the leading cause of death for U.S. teens.
Prostate cancer treatment study changing the way doctors practice
A study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine recommends a dramatic shift in the way doctors treat metastatic prostate cancer.
Vermont's health care reform has lessons for other states
Vermont's aggressive health care reform initiatives can serve as a roadmap for other states, according to a Master of Public Health candidate at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). The paper, "Lessons from Vermont's Health Care Reform," will appear tomorrow in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Obesity without the health problems? There could be a way
Obesity is linked to the widespread epidemics of diabetes and heart disease that plague society, but a lesser-known fact is that the weight can also lead to autoimmune disease. Now, researchers have new information about how that damaging immune response happens and how it might be stopped, published on April 4 in Cell Reports.
ORNL's awake imaging device moves diagnostics field forward
A technology being developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory promises to provide clear images of the brains of children, the elderly and people with Parkinson's and other diseases without the use of uncomfortable or intrusive restraints.
Shift of language function to right hemisphere impedes post-stroke aphasia recovery
In a study designed to differentiate why some stroke patients recover from aphasia and others do not, investigators have found that a compensatory reorganization of language function to right hemispheric brain regions bodes poorly for language recovery. Patients who recovered from aphasia showed a return to normal left-hemispheric language activation patterns. These results, which may open up new rehabilitation strategies, are available in the current issue of Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience.
Shutting down DNA construction: How senescence halts growth of potential cancers
Researchers from The Wistar Institute explain a new molecular mechanism behind the phenomenon of oncogene-induced senescence. By depriving the cell of the ability to make new nucleotides—the building blocks of DNA molecules—cells can suppress cancer development by forcing a damaged cell into a senescent state, where the cell remains alive yet cannot reproduce.
Study reveals that chemotherapy works in an unexpected way
It's generally thought that anticancer chemotherapies work like antibiotics do, by directly killing off what's harmful. But new research published online on April 4 in the Cell Press journal Immunity shows that effective chemotherapies actually work by mobilizing the body's own immune cells to fight cancer. Researchers found that chemo-treated dying tumors secrete a factor that attracts certain immune cells, which then ingest tumor proteins and present them on their surfaces as alert signals that an invader is present. This new understanding of how chemotherapy works with our immune systems could prompt new tactics for treating cancer.
Study demonstrates effects of mutant IDH1 and IDH2 inhibitors in primary tumor models
Agios Pharmaceuticals announced today the publication of two articles in the journal Science by Agios scientists and their collaborators demonstrating the effects of the company's small molecule isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 (IDH1 and IDH2) mutant specific inhibitors in primary human tumor models. These data add to a growing body of scientific research demonstrating the significant promise of targeting mutant IDH1 and IDH2 enzymes as novel approaches to treating cancer.
Despite big progress, many kids have high lead levels in blood (Update)
(HealthDay)—There has been a big drop in the number of American children with elevated blood lead levels over the past four decades, but about 2.6 percent of children aged 1 to 5 years still have too much lead in their systems, federal officials reported Thursday.
Walking can lower risk of heart-related conditions as much as running
Walking briskly can lower your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes as much as running can, according to surprising findings reported in the American Heart Association journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.
Chronic pain common complication of clot-caused strokes
Chronic or persistent pain is a common—and likely under-recognized—complication of ischemic strokes (caused by a blocked blood vessel) according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.
China begins poultry cull after bird flu found
Authorities in Shanghai began the mass slaughter of poultry at a market after the H7N9 bird flu virus, which has killed five people in China, was detected there, state media said Friday.
Web-based nephrology consults may reduce referrals
(HealthDay)—A system of Web-based consultations (telenephrology) may reduce the number of specialty referrals for patients with chronic kidney disease, according to a study published in the March/April issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
Mortality predictors in CV implantable device infection ID'd
(HealthDay)—Infective endocarditis related to a cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED), corticosteroid therapy, and other comorbidities are tied to reduced short- and long-term survival, according to a study published in The American Journal of Cardiology.
Geographic value index may not produce efficient care
(HealthDay)—A geographically based value index to set Medicare reimbursements may not take into account differences in health care decision-making by individual practitioners or organizations, according to an interim report released March 22 by the Institute of Medicine (IOM).
Not all patients benefit equally from hip or knee replacement, study finds
Only half of people with arthritis who had a hip or knee replacement reported a significant improvement in pain and mobility after surgery, according to a new study led by Women's College Hospital and the Institute for Clinical and Evaluative Sciences (ICES).
Study finds mothers with postpartum depression want online professional treatment
Mothers suffering from postpartum depression after a high-risk pregnancy would turn to online interventions if available anonymously and from professional healthcare providers, according to researchers from Case Western Reserve University's Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing and College of Arts and Sciences.
Growth hormone reverses growth problems in children with kidney failure
Growth hormone therapy can help reverse growth problems in children with kidney failure, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). However, treatment increases bone turnover and interrupts the relationship between bone turnover and a blood marker of bone health, making it difficult for doctors to assess patients' bone health by blood tests alone.
Reducing salt and increasing potassium will have major global health benefits
Cutting down on salt and, at the same time, increasing levels of potassium in our diet will have major health and cost benefits across the world, according to studies published in BMJ today.
Research effort reveals differences in brain activity for two types of mental illness
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers in Australia have uncovered what they describe as differences in brain behavior for people diagnosed with either bipolar disorder (BP) or borderline personality disorder (BPD). As they describe in their paper published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, brain scans of people diagnosed with one or the other of the disorders show differences in the ways emotions are processed, leading perhaps to a true biological marker for the two ailments.
Key link between obesity and type 2 diabetes discovered
(Medical Xpress)—New research published in the journal Cell Metabolism has identified a key mechanism in the immune system involved in the development of obesity-linked type 2 diabetes. The findings open up new possibilities for treatment and prevention of this condition, which is becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide. The study is by Dr Jane Howard and Professor Graham Lord, King's College London, and colleagues, and is funded by the UK Medical Research Council.
Avoid impulsive acts by imagining future benefits: Waiting more pleasurable if focus is on good things ahead
(Medical Xpress)—Why is it so hard for some people to resist the least little temptation, while others seem to possess incredible patience, passing up immediate gratification for a greater long-term good?
Scissor-like enzyme points toward treatment of infectious disease
UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report that a pathogen annually blamed for an estimated 90 million cases of food-borne illness defeats a host's immune response by using a fat-snipping enzyme to cut off cellular communication.
Hepatitis A virus discovered to cloak itself in membranes hijacked from infected cells
Viruses have historically been classified into one of two types – those with an outer lipid-containing envelope and those without an envelope. For the first time, researchers at the University of North Carolina have discovered that hepatitis A virus, a common cause of enterically-transmitted hepatitis, takes on characteristics of both virus types depending on whether it is in a host or in the environment.
Genetic markers ID second Alzheimer's pathway
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a new set of genetic markers for Alzheimer's that point to a second pathway through which the disease develops.
Scientists can see which cells communicate with each other in the brain, by flipping a neural light switch
There are cells in your brain that recognize very specific places, and have that as one of their main jobs. These cells, called place cells, are found in an area behind your temple called the hippocampus. While these cells must be sent information from nearby cells to do their job, so far no one has been able to determine exactly what kind of nerve cells, or neurons, work with place cells to craft the code they create for each location. Neurons come in many different types with specialized functions. Some respond to edges and borders, others to specific locations, others act like a compass and react to which way you turn your head.
Building better blood vessels could advance tissue engineering
One of the major obstacles to growing new organs—replacement hearts, lungs and kidneys—is the difficulty researchers face in building blood vessels that keep the tissues alive, but new findings from the University of Michigan could help overcome this roadblock.
Could scientists peek into your dreams? (w/ video)
(HealthDay)—Talk about mind reading. Researchers have discovered a potential way to decode your dreams, predicting the content of the visual imagery you've experienced on the basis of neural activity recorded during sleep.
Biology news
Italy asks EU to halt GM maize cultivation
The Italian government has asked the European Commission not to renew authorisation of a key genetically-modified corn, according to a letter seen by AFP on Thursday.
Landmark deal struck to protect Sumatran rhino
Malaysia and Indonesia have struck a landmark deal to try to save the critically endangered Sumatran rhino, whose population stands at fewer than 100, the International Union for Conservation of Nature said Thursday.
Satellite tagging maps the secret migration of white sharks
Long-life batteries and satellite tagging have been used to fill in the blanks of female white sharks' (Carcharodon carcharias) lifestyles. Research published in the launch edition of BioMed Central's open access journal Animal Biotelemetry defines a two year migratory pattern in the Pacific Ocean. Pregnant females travel between the mating area at Guadalupe Island and nursery in Baja California, putting them and their young at risk from commercial fishing.
Researcher shines a light on crop growth
New funding will help a Massey University researcher develop lighting technology that will assist crop growth.
Razor clam research has a sharp edge
(Phys.org) —A barefoot encounter with a Razor Clam is not a pleasant experience, just ask anyone who has had their feet sliced open in the shallows of picturesque Lake Macquarie, north of Sydney.
One extinct turtle less: Turtle species in the Seychelles never existed
The turtle species Pelusios seychellensis regarded hitherto as extinct never existed. Scientists at the Senckenberg Research Institute in Dresden discovered this based on genetic evidence. The relevant study was published today in the journal PLOS ONE.
Wild mice have natural protection against Lyme borreliosis
Like humans, mice can become infected with Borrelia. However, not all mice that come into contact with these bacteria contract the dreaded Lyme disease: Animals with a particular gene variant are immune to the bacteria, as scientists from the universities of Zurich and Lund demonstrate. Wild mice are the primary hosts for Borrelia, which are transmitted by ticks.
Climate change winners: Adelie penguin population expands as ice fields recede
Adélie penguins may actually benefit from warmer global temperatures, the opposite of other polar species, according to a breakthrough study by an international team led by University of Minnesota Polar Geospatial Center researchers. The study provides key information affirming hypothetical projections about the continuing impact of environmental change.
The equine Adam lived fairly recently: Close relationships among modern stallions
In mammals, an individual's sex is determined by the chromosomes it inherits from its parents. Two X chromosomes lead to a female, whereas one X and one Y lead to a male. Y chromosomes are only passed from fathers to sons, so each Y chromosome represents the male genealogy of the animal in question. In contrast, mitochondria are passed on by mothers to all their offspring. This means that an analysis of the genetic material or DNA of mitochondria can give information on the female ancestry. For the modern horse, it is well known that mitochondrial DNA is extremely diverse and this has been interpreted to mean that many ancestral female horses have passed their DNA on to modern horse breeds.
Asian carp DNA not widespread in the Great Lakes
Scientists from the University of Notre Dame, The Nature Conservancy, and Central Michigan University presented their findings of Asian carp DNA throughout the Great Lakes in a study published in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. "The good news is that we have found no evidence that Asian carp are widespread in the Great Lakes basin, despite extensive surveys in Southern Lake Michigan and parts of lakes Erie and St Clair," said Dr. Christopher Jerde, the paper's lead author and a scientist at the University of Notre Dame, "Looking at the overall patterns of detections we remain convinced that the most likely source of Asian carp DNA is live fish."
Let me introduce myself: Leafcutter bee Megachile chomskyi from Texas
The genus Megachile is a cosmopolitan group of solitary bees, often called leafcutter bees. This is one of the largest genera of bees, with well over 1,500 species in over 50 subgenera. A new species, Megachile chomskyi, has been found only in Texas, US. What is specific and interesting about this bee is the fact that it is among those insects which exhibit a narrow, specialized preference for pollen sources. Presumably, the irreplaceable host of M. chomskyi are the beautiful flowers of the widespread Onagraceae, or the so-called Evening-Primrose Family. The study has been recently published in the peer review, open access journal ZooKeys, with distribution data available via Canadensys.
Revealing the weapons by which bacteria fight each other
A new study which was performed jointly at Umea University and the University of Washington in Seattle, USA, discovered that bacteria can degrade the cell membrane of bacterial competitors with enzymes that do not harm their own membrane. This exciting finding opens the way for the development of new antibacterial drugs to fight bacteria using their own weapons.
An ancient biosonar sheds new light on the evolution of echolocation in toothed whales
(Phys.org) —Some thirty million years ago, Ganges river dolphins diverged from other toothed whales, making them one of the oldest species of aquatic mammals that use echolocation, or biosonar, to navigate and find food. This also makes them ideal subjects for scientists working to understand the evolution of echolocation among toothed whales.
Scientists document first expansion of 'sea potato' seaweed into New England
There's a new seaweed in town, a brown, bulbous balloon befitting the nickname "sea potato." Its New England debut was spotted by two University of New Hampshire plant biology graduate students; now researchers are keeping a close eye on the sea potato's progress to determine whether there is cause for alarm.
Bumblebees use logic to find the best flowers
Scientists at Queen Mary, University of London and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), have discovered why bees copy each other when looking for nectar – and the answer is remarkably simple.
Protein maintains order in the nucleus
Researchers in Freiburg identify a protein responsible for the correct arrangement of the chromosome centromeres in the nucleus.
For the first time, researchers isolate adult stem cells from human intestinal tissue
For the first time, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have isolated adult stem cells from human intestinal tissue.
New measurement of crocodilian nerves could help scientists understand ancient animals
Crocodilians have nerves on their faces that are so sensitive, they can detect a change in a pond when a single drop hits the water surface several feet away. Alligators and crocodiles use these "invisible whiskers" to detect prey when hunting. Now, a new study from the University of Missouri has measured the nerves responsible for this function, which will help biologists understand how today's animals, as well as dinosaurs and crocodiles that lived millions of years ago, interact with the environment around them.
Team provides new insight into photosynthesis
Pigments found in plants and purple bacteria employed to provide protection from sun damage do more than just that. Researchers from the University of Toronto and University of Glasgow have found that they also help to harvest light energy during photosynthesis.
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