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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 2, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Anything you can do I can do better: Neuromolecular foundations of the superiority illusion- Phase transition may explain how brain neurons encode information
- Black hole wakes up and has a light snack
- Regular demands on attention and memory keep students on task in online courses, study reports
- Study shows humans and apes learn language differently
- Cholesterol-lowering eye drops could treat macular degeneration
- Ozone masks plant's volatiles, plant eating insects confused
- Fighting listeria and other food-borne illnesses with nanobiotechnology
- Switching to a power stroke enables a tiny but important marine crustacean to survive
- New insights on how spiral galaxies get their arms
- Mineral analysis of lunar crater deposit prompts a second look at the impact cratering process
- Research on Maya village uncovers 'invisible' crops, unexpected agriculture
- Telerobotic system designed to treat bladder cancer better
- Pedestrians at serious risk when drivers are 'permitted' to turn left, study says
- Speaking a tonal language (such as Cantonese) primes the brain for musical training
Space & Earth news
Survey shows many Republicans feel America should take steps to address climate change
In a recent survey of Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents conducted by the Center for Climate Change Communication (4C) at George Mason University, a majority of respondents (62 percent) said they feel America should take steps to address climate change. More than three out of four survey respondents (77 percent) said the United States should use more renewable energy sources, and of those, most believe that this change should begin immediately.
Scientists find government justification of new environmental policy unfounded
Recent efforts by the Canadian government to curb the time allowed for environmental reviews over fears of adverse impact on economic development are misguided and unnecessary, according to research by scientists at the University of Toronto. Instead, the federal government's tinkering will only weaken environmental protection and not expedite economic growth.
Northeast drilling boom threatens forest wildlife
Like a quiet neighborhood cut up by an expressway, northeastern forests are changing as pipelines and other structures crisscross them amid the region's gas drilling boom.
China fertiliser leaves tons of harmful waste, report finds
Mountains of hazardous waste left from China's huge phosphate fertiliser industry are polluting nearby communities and waters, the environmental group Greenpeace said in a report on Tuesday.
Arkansas opens probe into ExxonMobil spill
Arkansas opened an investigation into an ExxonMobil pipeline that spilled thousands of gallons of crude and forced the evacuation of two dozen homes, the state's attorney general said Tuesday.
Top NASA climate change expert retiring
Pioneering NASA climatologist James Hansen, one of the first scientists to raise the alarm about global warming, is retiring after 46 years, a colleague confirmed to AFP on Tuesday.
Economist warns of 'radical' climate change, millions at risk
The author of an influential 2006 study on climate change warned Tuesday that the world could be headed toward warming even more catastrophic than expected but he voiced hope for political action.
Houston gets iPhone app with up-to-date smog data
(AP)—Houston residents now can have in their pocket the answer to whether ozone levels in the city are too high for their asthmatic child to play soccer.
Liverpool Bay sediment discovery could save millions
New research tracking the movement of dredged sediment around Liverpool Bay could save millions of pounds, according to scientists.
Snap-proof space tether
(Phys.org) —Space tethers hold intriguing potential for satellite manoeuvring, attitude control and even power generation. But about half of all orbital tether tests have either failed to deploy or snapped, probably due to micrometeoroid impacts.
Heatwaves: Longer, hotter and more common
(Phys.org) —Australia's summer heatwaves are lasting longer and have been increasing in number over the past 60 years, a UNSW study shows.
Greenhouse gases from farmland underestimated
(Phys.org)—Changes in agricultural practices could reduce soil emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide and the atmospheric pollutant nitric oxide, according to a new study by scientists at the University of California, Davis.
Phosphorus: Essential to life—Are we running out?
Phosphorus, the 11th most common element on earth, is fundamental to all living things. It is essential for the creation of DNA, cell membranes, and for bone and teeth formation in humans. It is vital for food production since it is one of three nutrients (nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus) used in commercial fertilizer. Phosphorus cannot be manufactured or destroyed, and there is no substitute or synthetic version of it available. There has been an ongoing debate about whether or not we are running out of phosphorus. Are we approaching peak phosphorus? In other words, are we using it up faster than we can economically extract it?
NM governor to sign space travel liability bill
Gov. Susana Martinez is scheduled to visit the southern New Mexico city of Truth or Consequences on Tuesday afternoon to sign a bill that will shield commercial space travel companies from some damage lawsuits.
Supernova remnant 1987A continues to reveal its secrets
A team of astronomers led by the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) have succeeded in observing the death throws of a giant star in unprecedented detail.
NASA sends unmanned aircraft to study volcanic plume
(Phys.org) —Studying volcanos can be hazardous work, both for researchers and aircraft. To penetrate such dangerous airspace, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), especially those with electric engines that ingest little contaminated air, are an emerging and effective way to gather crucial data about volcanic ash and gases.
Simulations indicate Milky Way may have up to 2000 black holes in its halo
(Phys.org) —Valery Rashkov and Piero Madau, space scientists with the University of California have uploaded a paper to the preprint server arXiv in which they suggest that the Milky Way galaxy likely has between 70 and 2000 intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) existing in its outer edges. They came to this conclusion by building a computer model that mimics what they believe occurred when galaxies, and by extension, black holes merged during their formative years.
New insights on how spiral galaxies get their arms
(Phys.org) —Spiral galaxies are some of the most beautiful and photogenic residents of the universe. Our own Milky Way is a spiral. Our solar system and Earth reside somewhere near one of its filamentous arms. And nearly 70 percent of the galaxies closest to the Milky Way are spirals.
Ozone masks plant's volatiles, plant eating insects confused
(Phys.org) —Increases in ground-level ozone, especially in rural areas, may interfere not only with predator insects finding host plants, but also with pollinators finding flowers, according to researchers from Penn State and the University of Virginia.
Mineral analysis of lunar crater deposit prompts a second look at the impact cratering process
Large impacts on the Moon can form wide craters and turn surface rock liquid. Geophysicists once assumed that liquid rock would be homogenous when it cooled. Now researchers have found evidence that pre-existing mineralogy can survive impact melt.
Rising temperature difference between hemispheres could dramatically shift rainfall patterns in tropics
(Phys.org) —One often ignored consequence of global climate change is that the Northern Hemisphere is becoming warmer than the Southern Hemisphere, which could significantly alter tropical precipitation patterns, according to a new study by climatologists from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Washington, Seattle.
Understanding the turbulence of gases in planet-forming protoplanetary disks
(Phys.org) —Many newly formed stars are surrounded by what are called protoplanetary disks, swirling masses of warm dust and gas that can constitute the core of a developing solar system. Proof of the existence of such disks didn't come until 1994, when the Hubble telescope examined young stars in the Orion Nebula.
Black hole wakes up and has a light snack
(Phys.org) —Astronomers have watched as a black hole woke up from a decades-long slumber to feed on a low-mass object – either a brown dwarf or a giant planet – that strayed too close. A similar feeding event, albeit on a gas cloud, will soon happen at the black hole at the centre of our own Milky Way Galaxy.
Technology news
Researchers create system to enable more accurate analysis of severe automobile accidents
University of Granada researchers have developed a new statistical technique that enables an exhaustive analysis of all possible causes that increase the severity of a traffic accident. The research, based on two data-mining studies (Latent Class Clustering and Bayesian Networks), means that traffic accidents can be measured much more precisely and, furthermore, demonstrate certain relations among the variables that were not previously identifiable using traditional methods:
Publicis targets 50% revenue from digital
French advertising group Publicis, number three worldwide, aims to generate half of its revenue from digital activities within five years, its chief executive said on Tuesday.
LA unveils city app to report potholes, pay bills
(AP)—Los Angeles has unveiled a smartphone app that will let residents report potholes, pay city utility bills and look up dog parks at the tap of a virtual button.
FIFA pick GoalControl for Confederations Cup
Football's world governing body on Tuesday said that German company GoalControl will provide the goal-line technology at this year's Confederations Cup in Brazil.
Feds announce winners of robocall contest
There may one day soon be another way to fight those annoying prerecorded phone pitches known as robocalls.
Berkeley Lab researchers release guide to financing energy upgrade for K-12 school districts
Energy costs K-12 schools in the U.S. $6 billion dollars annually. Spending less money on energy costs would leave more for funding-constrained school districts to spend on educating their students, according to researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab).
Warner Bros launches streaming for 'rare' movies, TV
Warner Bros on Tuesday unveiled a new streaming television subscription service to give viewers access to its archive of productions dating back to the 1920s.
Dan Porter, head of OMGPop, leaving Zynga
(AP)—Dan Porter is leaving Zynga a year after the online game maker bought his company, OMGPop, for $183 million.
Verizon denies talk of bid with AT&T for Vodafone
Verizon is denying a report that it's looking to partner with AT&T to buy Vodafone, the British cellphone company that owns 45 percent of Verizon's wireless business.
NRC panel advises US DOD on green buildings
New recommendations by a National Research Council (NRC) expert panel on green and sustainable building performance could lead to a revolution in building science by creating the first large building performance database, says panel member Paul Fisette, a nationally recognized sustainable building expert at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Goldman takes Apple stock off 'preferred' list
Goldman Sachs has taken Apple off its list of most highly recommended stocks, joining other analysts in dialing back its expectations for the company.
Plastic film is future of 3-D on-the-go
Ditch the 3D glasses. Thanks to a simple plastic filter, mobile device users can now view unprecedented, distortion-free, brilliant 3D content with the naked eye. This latest innovation from Temasek Polytechnic and A*STAR's Institute of Materials Research and Engineering is the first ever glasses-free 3D accessory that can display content in both portrait and landscape mode, and measures less than 0.1 mm in thickness.
Miniature aircraft could help scientific data take off
(Phys.org) —In their most basic form, remote-controlled aircraft are the perfect gadget-lover's toy, but now their high-tech cousins have the potential to revolutionise the way ecological data are collected.
A longer life for lithium-sulfur batteries
Electric cars have still got it tough in the German marketplace. They are too expensive and their range is too short. This is an opportune time for a breakthrough in efficient and low-cost lithium-sulfur batteries.
Android gains US share at Apple expense, survey finds
Smartphones using the Android platform boosted their US market share in recent months, extending their lead over Apple's iPhone, a new survey shows.
Streaming music gains in US market
Streaming music services like Pandora online radio are gaining fast among US listeners under age 35, a survey showed Tuesday.
Intelsat plans scaled-back IPO in New York (Update)
Satellite operator Intelsat Global Holdings revived Tuesday its plan for an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange, aiming to raise up to $710 million, less than half of what it envisioned last year.
Michael Dell to be 'aggressive' if buyout succeeds
Personal computer industry pioneer Michael Dell would "invest for growth" and compete aggressively in new markets if his plan to take the company he founded private succeeds, according to a new memo.
As Facebook matures, is it losing its edge? (Update)
Has Facebook become less fun? That's something many users—especially those in their teens and early 20s—are asking themselves as they wade through endless posts, photos "liked" by people they barely know and spur-of-the moment friend requests. Has it all become too much of a chore? Are the important life events of your closest loved ones drowning in a sea of banana slicer jokes?
High-skilled visa requests likely to exceed supply
The U.S. Homeland Security Department expects applications for high-skilled immigration visas to outpace the available supply in a matter of days, one of the fastest runs on the much-sought-after work permits in years and a sign of continued economic recovery amid new hiring by U.S. technology companies.
US stock regulator clears disclosures on social media
The US government's stock market watchdog on Tuesday cleared Netflix of improper disclosure of key corporate data, saying it is now acceptable to release pertinent information on Facebook.
Project will improve heat dissipation in 3-D microelectronic systems
Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology have won a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract to develop three-dimensional chip-cooling technology able to handle heat loads as much as ten times greater than systems commonly used today.
UC San Diego team achieves petaflop-level earthquake simulations on GPU-powered supercomputers
A team of researchers at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) and the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering at the University of California, San Diego, has developed a highly scalable computer code that promises to dramatically cut both research times and energy costs in simulating seismic hazards throughout California and elsewhere.
Desert nomads marvel at water purifying device
Omar Razzouki gazes intently at the wooden box, marvelling at what might be the solution to the perennial water woes that he and other nomads like him across the Sahara desert face daily.
High speed cancer profiling
(Phys.org) —Identify the type of cancer for patients with breast cancer in a few minutes. This is the challenge that EPFL researchers successfully met by presenting their new "microfluidic chip." Their research is written up in PNAS.
Researchers root out the limits of social mobilization
(Phys.org) —A team of international researchers working together to better understand how social mobilization works, has built a model using data obtained by the DARPA Network Challenge in 2009. In their paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they say their results show that social mobilization only appears to be successful under optimum circumstances.
Student work fuels effort to make smartphones smarter
(Phys.org) —Most term papers are evaluated by one or two people, but Carlee Joe-Wong's will be checked by hundreds.
Reinventing the power line cable
Materials scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory are researching ways to perfect a next generation power cable made of an aluminum and calcium composite. Cables of this composite will be lighter and stronger, and its conductivity at least 10 percent better than existing materials for DC power, a growing segment of global power transmission. Its conductivity is about the same as that of existing conductors for AC power.
Google and privacy: Six EU countries take action (Update 4)
Google's new privacy policy is under legal attack from regulators in its largest European markets, who want the company to overhaul practices they say let it create a data goldmine at the expense of unwitting users.
Pedestrians at serious risk when drivers are 'permitted' to turn left, study says
A study to examine driver behavior in permitted left turns has identified what researchers call an "alarming" level of risk to pedestrians crossing the street – about 4-9 percent of the time, drivers don't even bother to look and see if there are people in the way.
Telerobotic system designed to treat bladder cancer better
(Phys.org) —Although bladder cancer is the sixth most common form of cancer in the U.S. and the most expensive to treat, the basic method that doctors use to treat it hasn't changed much in more than 70 years.
Medicine & Health news
NJ governor signs ban on tanning bed use by minors
(AP)—New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has signed legislation banning anyone under 17 from using a tanning bed and anyone under 14 from getting a spray tan a year after the state's Tanning Mom became a tabloid sensation.
CMS softens Medicare Advantage funding changes
Medicare Advantage customers may not see the drastic 2014 benefit cuts or premium hikes that insurers have been warning about after all.
Progress, puzzles in halting malaria: Hidden parasites pose challenge to eradication, speakers say
The prevalence of malaria in the population on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar has fallen to just 2 percent from 70 percent over the last century. Much of the progress came in just the last 10 years, leading to a new challenge: how to sustain eradication efforts now that the disease has become relatively rare.
Shanghai raises flu response with emergency plan (Update)
China's financial capital, Shanghai, activated an emergency plan Tuesday that calls for heightened monitoring of suspicious flu cases following the recent deaths of two men from a lesser-known strain of bird flu.
Medical marijuana goes on sale in Czech pharmacies
Medical marijuana legally went on sale Tuesday in pharmacies across the Czech Republic for patients suffering from cancer, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis or psoriasis.
Organ donation shortfall at large general hospitals in Ontario
Organ donation in Ontario is significantly less common at large general hospitals than at hospitals with clinical programs for transplant recipients, which points to missed opportunities to optimize organ donation, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Gynecomastia has psychological impact on adolescent boys
Persistent breast enlargement (gynecomastia) negatively affects self-esteem and other areas of mental and emotional health in in adolescent males, reports the April issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
'Sharps' injuries have major health and cost impact for surgeons
Injuries caused by needles and other sharp instruments are a major occupational hazard for surgeons—with high costs related to the risk of contracting serious infectious diseases, according to a special article in the April issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
College athletes twice as likely to have depression than retired collegiate athletes
A survey of current and former college athletes finds depression levels significantly higher in current athletes, a result that upended the researchers' hypothesis. The finding published in Sports Health suggests the need for more research to understand depression among college athletes.
National Sleep Foundation launches free 'Sleep Disorders' online resource guide for primary care
The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) is pleased to announce the launch of a comprehensive free online sleep disorders resource for all professionals in primary care. The "Sleep Disorders" guide is the updated web version of Dr. Peter Hauri's book, The Sleep Disorders, first published in 1977.
Italy bans minors from buying electronic cigarettes
Italy on Tuesday announced plans to raise the legal limit for buying electronic cigarettes to 18 years from a previous 16, citing the high dose of nicotine inhaled when using the smokeless product.
Epileptic seizures can propagate using functional brain networks
The seizures that affect people with temporal-lobe epilepsy usually start in a region of the brain called the hippocampus. But they are often able to involve other areas outside the temporal lobe, propagating via anatomically and functionally connected networks in the brain. New research findings that link decreased brain cell concentration to altered functional connectivity in temporal-lobe epilepsy are reported in an article in Brain Connectivity, a bimonthly peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. .
CDC: Rabies no longer threat to three organ recipients
Federal public health officials say three people who received organs from a rabies-infected donor in 2011 are no longer in danger of coming down with the deadly disease.
Body Mass Index and coronary heart disease
Coronary heart disease (CHD) increases with BMI, as well as with age, finds an article published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine. The research from the Million Women Study indicates that increased weight increases risk of CHD equivalent to that caused by getting older.
Dental bib clips can harbor oral and skin bacteria even after disinfection
Researchers at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and the Forsyth Institute published a study today that found that a significant proportion of dental bib clips harbored bacteria from the patient, dental clinician and the environment even after the clips had undergone standard disinfection procedures in a hygiene clinic. Although the majority of the thousands of bacteria found on the bib clips immediately after treatment were adequately eliminated through the disinfection procedure, the researchers found that 40% of the bib clips tested post-disinfection retained one or more aerobic bacteria, which can survive and grow in oxygenated environments. They found that 70% of bib clips tested post-disinfection retained one or more anaerobic bacteria, which do not live or grow in the presence of oxygen.
Have asthma? You likely have an allergy as well
Asthma is becoming an epidemic in the United States. The number of Americans diagnosed with asthma grows annually, with 26 million currently affected. And according to a new study, nearly two-thirds or more of all asthmatics also have an allergy, which can make this spring season particularly bothersome.
India's rejection of drug patent could reverberate
The India Supreme Court's rejection of a patent for an improved version of a costly cancer drug by Novartis AG could have big implications for the world's largest drugmakers.
Diet shown to be critical factor in improving type 2 diabetes after bariatric surgery
Patients with type 2 diabetes who consume a diet identical to the strict regimen followed after bariatric surgery are just as likely to see a reduction in blood glucose levels as those who undergo surgery, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.
Questions in China on how H7N9 flu strain killed 2
Health officials say they still don't understand how a lesser-known bird flu virus was able to kill two men and seriously sicken a woman in China, but that it's unlikely that it can spread easily among humans.
New findings on bullying, victims and disliking in adolescence challenge previous assumptions
(Medical Xpress)—Thousands of children are bullied each day, but new University of Virginia research shows that they are not disliked universally by their peers. Indeed, victims may not be the most popular students at school; though they may have interpersonal and behavioral difficulties, many are not disliked by classmates.
Men's bowel cancer rates up by more than a quarter in last 35 years
(Medical Xpress)—Bowel cancer rates among men have risen by nearly 30 per cent in the last 35 years, while women have seen an increase of only six per cent, according to a new report from Cancer Research UK.
National bowel screen program saves lives
(Medical Xpress)—Flinders University health experts are calling on the Federal Government to accelerate the roll out of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP), following a landmark report which shows it will lead to a significant drop in colorectal cancer mortality.
Infant tests for debilitating diseases set for mainstream
(Medical Xpress)—Michael Gelb and František Tureček have worked more than a decade to devise and implement newborn screening for some debilitating, often-fatal conditions that show up in the first year to several years of a child's life.
WHO plays down China bird flu fears
The World Health Organisation on Tuesday played down fears over a strain of bird flu which has killed two people in China, but said it was crucial to find out how the virus infected humans.
In the UK, a DIY approach to mental health help
After crocheting a colorful blanket, Joan Ferguson snuggled up under it one night and proudly thought: "This is one groovy blanket. I'm brilliant."
Sampling of embryonic DNA after IVF without biopsy
New study published in Reproductive Biomedicine Online shows that fluid-filled cavity in 5-day old human blastocysts may contain DNA from the embryo, allowing diagnosis of genetic disease without a biopsy
Obama proposes $100M for brain mapping project (Update 4)
President Barack Obama on Tuesday proposed an effort to map the brain's activity in unprecedented detail, as a step toward finding better ways to treat such conditions as Alzheimer's, autism, stroke and traumatic brain injuries.
Regaining proper hearing at last
Around 17 million people in Germany suffer from impaired hearing. For many of them, their hearing is so damaged that a standard hearing aid is no longer enough. A new device will improve patients' hearing and can be implanted during outpatient surgery.
Promising stem cell therapy for leukemia patients
Leukemia patients receive a bone marrow transplant, which allows them to build a "new" immune system. However, this immune system not only attacks cancer cells but healthy tissue too. Special antibodies will be used to protect healthy tissue in future.
New diagnostic technology may lead to individualized treatments for prostate cancer
(Medical Xpress)—A research team jointly led by scientists from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the University of California, Los Angeles, have enhanced a device they developed to identify and "grab" circulating tumor cells, or CTCs, that break away from cancers and enter the blood, often leading to the spread of cancer to other parts of the body.
Cholesterol rafts deliver drugs inside cancer cells
DNA, siRNA and miRNA can reprogram cancer cells – that is, if these nucleic acids could cross through the cell membrane. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published today in the journal Therapeutic Delivery shows that cholesterol "rafts" can shepherd genetic payloads into cancer cells.
Motor control exercises successful in curbing back pain
(HealthDay)—Motor control exercises (MCE) are better at reducing pain and disability than other treatments for chronic low back pain (LBP), according to a review published in the March 15 issue of Spine.
Better communication reduces prescriptions for antibiotics
(HealthDay)—Neither C-reactive protein testing nor enhanced physician communication training resulted in reduced office visits, but enhanced communication training resulted in less prescribing for antibiotics for respiratory tract infections, according to research published in March/April issue in Annals of Family Medicine.
China: Four more rare bird flu cases, new steps taken (Update 2)
China reported Tuesday that four more people in one province have been seriously sickened by a bird flu virus new to humans, as cities along the eastern seaboard stepped up public health measures to guard against the disease, which has already caused two deaths.
Scientists develop 3-D stem cell culture technique to better understand Alzheimer's disease
A team of researchers at The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute led by Scott Noggle, PhD, Director of the NYSCF Laboratory and the NYSCF – Charles Evans Senior Research Fellow for Alzheimer's Disease, and Michael W. Nestor, PhD, a NYSCF Postdoctoral Research Fellow, has developed a technique to produce three-dimensional cultures of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells called embryoid bodies, amenable to live cell imaging and to electrical activity measurement. As reported in their Stem Cell Research study, these cell aggregates enable scientists to both model and to study diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
Study reveals risk factors for blood clots in pregnant and postnatal women
Women who have suffered a still birth or have medical conditions including varicose veins, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or heart disease are at greater risk of developing dangerous blood clots after giving birth, a study has revealed.
Tonsillectomy in adults with severe recurrent sore throats may benefit some people
Tonsillectomy may result in fewer severe sore throats and could benefit some adult patients, according to a randomized trial published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Cartilage damaged from exercise may aid in early osteoarthritis detection
Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disorder, affecting about one-third of older adults, and currently there is no cure. A study published by Cell Press April 2nd in the Biophysical Journal reveals how the nanoscale biomechanical properties of cartilage at joints change at the earliest stages of osteoarthritis, making the tissue more prone to damage during fast physical activities. The findings could improve early detection of the disease as well as tissue engineering strategies to repair damaged cartilage in patients.
Surprising findings in mitochondrial biology change long-standing ideas on the protein MTERF1
New findings in mitochondrial biology thoroughly change the idea scientists had for 20 years on the role and importance of the protein MTERF1. For the first time, Max Planck researcher Mügen Terzioglu and her colleagues in Germany and Sweden investigated in vivo what was up to now only explored in cell culture. Using the mouse as a model organism, she made a surprising discovery: MTERF1 does after all not play the key role in mitochondrial transcription and translation that was hitherto ascribed to it.
New research discoveries shed light on common STI
Research led by David H. Martin, MD, Professor and Chief of Infectious Diseases at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, has found that a common sexually transmitted infection-causing parasite "cultivates" bacteria beneficial to it, changing thinking about which comes first–infection or bacteria. The researchers also discovered a previously unknown species of these bacteria.
Vitamin P as a potential approach for the treatment of damaged motor neurons
Biologists from the Ruhr-Universität Bochum have explored how to protect neurons that control movements from dying off. In the journal Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience they report that the molecule 7,8-Dihydroxyflavone, also known as vitamin P, ensures the survival of motor neurons in culture. It sends the survival signal on another path than the molecule Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which was previously considered a candidate for the treatment of motoneuron diseases or after spinal cord damage.
CAMH study shows mental illness associated with heavy cannabis use
People with mental illnesses are more than seven times more likely to use cannabis weekly compared to people without a mental illness, according to researchers from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) who studied U.S. data.
'Endgame' strategy aims to end polio outbreaks in 2014 (Update)
A new strategy for ending polio worldwide aims to boost security for violence-plagued vaccine workers and halt polio outbreaks by the end of next year, global health authorities said Tuesday.
Cells culled from adults may grow human bone
Preparations are underway for the first known human trial to use embryonic-like stem cells collected from adult cells to grow bone.
Research reveals how antibodies neutralize mosquito-borne virus
Researchers have learned the precise structure of the mosquito-transmitted chikungunya virus pathogen while it is bound to antibodies, showing how the infection is likely neutralized.
Study tracks patterns of US cases of anal canal carcinoma
(HealthDay)—Available screening and identification of human papillomavirus likely contributed to the increased incidences of squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCCA) and anal carcinoma in situ (CIS) after 1997, according to research published online March 18 in Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Repeat births by teen girls still too high: CDC
(HealthDay)—Nearly 20 percent of American teens who give birth have already had one or more babies, a federal study released Tuesday says.
USPSTF: BRCA testing for women with family history
(HealthDay)—The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic testing be limited to women whose family histories are associated with an increased likelihood of having BRCA mutations.
Diabetes affects improvements after lumbar spine surgery
(HealthDay) —Patients with diabetes who have longstanding diabetes, poor glycemic control, and use insulin had suboptimal improvements in clinical outcomes after lumbar spine surgery, according to research published March 15 in Spine.
Child's cancer often causes parents severe distress: study
(HealthDay)—Many parents of children with advanced cancer have high to severe levels of psychological distress, a new study finds.
Decreased melatonin secretion associated with higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes
With previous evidence suggesting that melatonin may have a role in glucose metabolism, researchers have found an independent association between decreased secretion of melatonin and an increased risk for the development of type 2 diabetes, according to a study in the April 3 issue of JAMA.
Investigational vaccine not effective in reducing post-operative staph infections
Use of a vaccine to prevent Staphylococcus aureus infections among patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery did not reduce the rate of serious postoperative S aureus infections compared with placebo and was associated with increased mortality among patients who developed S aureus infections, according to a study in the April 3 issue of JAMA.
Landmark study describes prostate cancer metastasis switch
Prostate cancer doesn't kill in the prostate – it's only once the disease travels to bone, lung, liver, etc. that it turns fatal. Previous studies have shown that loss of the protein E-Cadherin is essential for this metastasis. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published this week in the Journal of Biological Chemistry describes for the first time a switch that regulates the production of E-Cadherin: the transcription factor SPDEF turns on and off production, leading to metastasis or stopping it cold in models of prostate cancer.
Review: Few effective, evidence-based interventions to prevent posttraumatic stress disorder
Millions of adults are exposed to traumatic events each year. Shortly after exposure many experience symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) such as flashbacks, emotional numbing and difficulty sleeping.
Medication duloxetine helps reduce pain from chemotherapy
Among patients with painful chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, use of the anti-depressant drug duloxetine for 5 weeks resulted in a greater reduction in pain compared with placebo, according to a study in the April 3 issue of JAMA.
Mortality rates have increased at hospitals in rural communities for certain conditions
In an analysis that included data on more than 10 million Medicare beneficiaries admitted to acute care hospitals with a heart attack, congestive heart failure, or pneumonia between 2002 and 2010, 30-day mortality rates for those admitted to critical access hospitals (designated hospitals that provide inpatient care to individuals living in rural communities) increased during this time period compared with patients admitted to other acute care hospitals, according to a study in the April 3 issue of JAMA.
Access to mental health care lacking for children, teens across the US
Everyday, news reports detail the impact of the deficiencies in the nation's mental health care services. Even more startling, a survey from the University of Michigan reveals that many adults across the U.S. believe children and teens have extremely limited or no access to appropriate mental health care services.
Heart failure doesn't discriminate
Lifetime risk for heart failure is similar for blacks and whites and higher than expected for both groups—ranging from 20 to 45 percent—according to a new Northwestern Medicine study.
White blood cell enzyme contributes to inflammation and obesity
Many recent studies have suggested that obesity is associated with chronic inflammation in fat tissues. Researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) have discovered that an imbalance between an enzyme called neutrophil elastase and its inhibitor causes inflammation, obesity, insulin resistance, and fatty liver disease. This enzyme is produced by white blood cells called neutrophils, which play an important role in the body's immune defense against bacteria. The researchers found that obese humans and mice have increased neutrophil elastase activity and decreased levels of α1-antitrypsin, a protein that inhibits the elastase. When the team reversed this imbalance in a mouse model and fed them a high-fat diet, the mice were resistant to body weight gain, insulin resistance (a precursor to type 2 diabetes), and fatty liver disease.
Negative emotions in response to daily stress take a toll on long-term mental health
Our emotional responses to the stresses of daily life may predict our long-term mental health, according to a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
HIV self-testing: The key to controlling the global epidemic
A new international study has confirmed that self-testing for HIV is effective and could be the answer to controlling the global epidemic. This major systematic review, led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), shows HIV self-testing removes much of the fear and stigma associated with being tested for the disease. This study, which is published in PLoS Medicine is the first of its kind and could pave the way for early detection and treatment around the world, thereby reducing transmission.
Australia-led study in epilepsy breakthrough
An Australia-led study has identified a gene associated with a common form of epilepsy which could lead to earlier diagnosis, a researcher said Tuesday.
Researchers see more realistic tumor growth and response to anti-cancer drugs using polymer scaffolds
(Medical Xpress)—Porous polymer scaffolds fabricated to support the growth of biological tissue for implantation may hold the potential to greatly accelerate the development of cancer therapeutics.
Comparing mouse and human immune systems: Few differences charted in map to translate mouse findings to humans
(Medical Xpress)—It is a familiar note struck when authors conclude their reports on experiments conducted in mouse models: They suggest caution when translating their findings from mouse to human. A variation of this refrain can be heard when a small molecule that works in mice fails in human clinical trials.
Researchers pinpoint brain mechanisms that make the auditory system sensitive to behaviorally relevant sounds
(Medical Xpress)—How do we hear? More specifically, how does the auditory center of the brain discern important sounds – such as communication from members of the same species – from relatively irrelevant background noise? The answer depends on the regulation of sound by specific neurons in the auditory cortex of the brain, but the precise mechanisms of those neurons have remained unclear. Now, a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has isolated how neurons in the rat's primary auditory cortex (A1) preferentially respond to natural vocalizations from other rats over intentionally modified vocalizations (background sounds). A computational model developed by the study authors, which successfully predicted neuronal responses to other new sounds, explained the basis for this preference.
Cholesterol-lowering eye drops could treat macular degeneration
A new study raises the intriguing possibility that drugs prescribed to lower cholesterol may be effective against macular degeneration, a blinding eye disease.
Fatty acid metabolite shows promise against cancer in mice
A team of UC Davis scientists has found that a product resulting from a metabolized omega-3 fatty acid helps combat cancer by cutting off the supply of oxygen and nutrients that fuel tumor growth and spread of the disease.
Speaking a tonal language (such as Cantonese) primes the brain for musical training
Non-musicians who speak tonal languages may have a better ear for learning musical notes, according to Canadian researchers.
Regular demands on attention and memory keep students on task in online courses, study reports
(Medical Xpress)—Somewhere between the traditional classroom and old fashion home schooling, online learning has emerged as the dominant educational resource. Skyrocketing tuition, particularly at the college level, has sped the inevitable migration to online accreditation. While the benefits are obvious, the loss of those seamless instances of microfeedback between student and teacher makes attention the primary casualty of its rapid adoption. Efforts to bridge this gap and reduce mind wandering among online students are underway at Harvard University, an institution well poised to be a leader in providing online content. A new study in PNAS from their psychology department gives one possible solution to the problem. By making attentional demands in the form of brief quizzes on 5-minute intervals, student performance in online courses can be significantly improved.
Study shows humans and apes learn language differently
(Medical Xpress)—How do children learn language? Many linguists believe that the stages that a child goes through when learning language mirror the stages of language development in primate evolution. In a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Charles Yang of the University of Pennsylvania suggests that if this is true, then small children and non-human primates would use language the same way. He then uses statistical analysis to prove that this is not the case. The language of small children uses grammar, while language in non-human primates relies on imitation.
Anything you can do I can do better: Neuromolecular foundations of the superiority illusion
(Medical Xpress)—The existential psychologist Rollo May wrote that "depression is the inability to construct a future"1 while Lionel Tiger stated that "optimism has been central to the process of human evolution"2. These deceptively simple phrases are remarkable in their depth and the connections they form between philosophy, psychology and neuroscience. Both capture the essence of human nature by articulating their insight that our ability to imagine and plan for the future is not only one of the most striking aspects of our species, but also that the inability to exercise this faculty is profoundly damaging to our happiness and sense of self. Two concepts related to these observations are depressive realism – the assertion that people with depression actually have a more accurate perception of reality, and moreover are less affected by its counterpoint, the superiority illusion. The superiority illusion is a cognitive bias by which individuals, relative to others, overestimate their positive qualities and abilities (such as intelligence, cognitive ability, and desirable traits) and underestimate their negative qualities. (Other cognitive biases include optimism bias and illusion of control.) While mathematically flawed – given a normal population distribution, most people are not above average – the superiority illusion is a positive belief that promotes mental health. Recently, scientists at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (Chiba, Japan), the Japan Science and Technology Agency (Saitama), and Stanford University School of Medicine used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) to study the default states of neural and molecular systems that generate the superiority illusion. They showed that resting-state functional connectivity between the frontal cortex and striatum regulated by inhibitory dopaminergic neurotransmission determines individual levels of the superiority illusion. The scientists state that their findings help clarify how the superiority illusion is biologically determined and identify potential molecular and neural targets for treating depressive realism.
Biology news
Save the milkweed, save the monarch
(Phys.org) —Could there soon be a summer without the iconic monarch butterfly?
Reviewing the work of one of the greatest beetle collectors: Napoleon's General Dejean
Two Canadian scientists have undertaken the challenging task to bring up to date the catalogues written by one of the most passionate collectors of beetles, Coleoptera, in the 19th century, Pierre Dejean. Dr. Yves Bousquet and Dr. Patrice Bouchard, who work with the Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes, have now produced a pioneering detailed review of the important nomenclatural and taxonomic data in these rich publications. Two articles analyzing the Coleoptera genera in the second (1833) and third (1836) catalogues of Dejean's collection were published in the latest special issue of the open access journal ZooKeys.
US says EU rules on biotech crops 'unnecessary'
The United States on Monday criticized "unnecessary" European Union rules against genetically modified US crop imports as it prepares to enter free-trade talks with the EU.
Fast track to mouse modeling
What genes are responsible for the development of breast cancer? What are the brain cell mutations that lead to the onset of Alzheimer's? To find new therapies, scientists have to understand how diseases are triggered at cell level. Experiments on genetically modified mice are an indispensable part of basic medical research. Now a method has been found to help laboratories carry out their work with fewer test animals.
Remaining unnoticed for 100 years, a Kyrgyz onion species strikes with its beauty
Situated at the foothills of the Western Tian-Shan, Kyrgyzstan is home to a diverse range of vascular plants, many of which are endemic and can only be found in very narrowly circumscribed areas. Such is the case for the onion species Allium spathulatum that had long remained undetected in spite of living within the famous Sary-Chelek Nature Reserve. Even in close proximity to the headquarters it remained unnoticed until it was finally described in 1998.
Putting larval cobia to the acid test
Ocean acidification, which occurs as CO2 is absorbed by the world's oceans, is a source of concern for marine scientists worldwide. Studies on coral, mollusks, and other ocean denizens are helping to paint a picture of what the future might entail for specific species, should carbon emissions continue to increase.
Tiny grazers play key role in marine ecosystem health
Tiny sea creatures no bigger than a thumbtack are being credited for playing a key role in helping provide healthy habitats for many kinds of seafood, according to a new study by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and U.S. Geological Survey.
Can synthetic biology save wildlife?
What effects will the rapidly growing field of synthetic biology have on the conservation of nature? The ecological and ethical challenges stemming from this question will require a new dialogue between members of the synthetic biology and biodiversity conservation communities, say Kent Redford of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Archipelago Consulting; Bill Adams of the University of Cambridge; and Georgina Mace of University College London (UCL) in a new paper published 2 April in the open access journal PLOS Biology.
Symbiotic bacteria program daily rhythms in squid using light and chemicals
Glowing bacteria inside squids use light and chemical signals to control circadian-like rhythms in the animals, according to a study to be published on April 2 in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology. The Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes, houses a colony of Vibrio fischeri bacteria in its light organ, using the bacteria at night as an antipredatory camouflage while it ventures out to hunt. The results of the study show that, in addition to acting as a built-in lamp, the bacteria also control when the squid expresses a gene that entrains, or synchronizes, circadian rhythms in animals.
Swords to plowshares: Engineering plants for more biofuel sugars
(Phys.org) —Xylan is a polysaccharide composed of pentoses – five carbon sugars – that represents a double-edged sword for advanced biofuels. On the one hand, as the world's second most abundant source of biomass after cellulose, xylan is an enormous source of stored solar energy. On the other hand, the presence of xylan makes it more difficult to extract the hexoses – six carbon sugars – in cellulose that are more easily fermented into biofuels than pentoses.
Monkey study reveals why middle managers suffer the most stress
(Phys.org) —A study by the universities of Manchester and Liverpool observing monkeys has found that those in the middle hierarchy suffer the most social stress. Their work suggests that the source of this stress is social conflict and may help explain studies in humans that have found that middle managers suffer the most stress at work.
Switching to a power stroke enables a tiny but important marine crustacean to survive
Olympic swimmers aren't the only ones who change their strokes to escape competitors. To escape from the jaws and claws of predators in cold, viscous water, marine copepods switch from a wave-like swimming stroke to big power strokes, a behavior that has now been revealed thanks to 3-D high-speed digital holography.
Study helps to explain how C. elegans worm turns
New research by scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School shows at the single cell level how an external stimulus sets off a molecular chain reaction in the transparent roundworm C. elegans, a process in which a single neurotransmitter coordinates and times two separate actions. These findings shed new light on how neurons translate sensory input into actions and may one day pave the way to understanding how misfiring neurons contribute to motor symptoms in neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease. Details of the study were published online by PLOS Biology.
Total buzz kill: Metals in flowers may play role in bumblebee decline
(Phys.org) —Beekeepers and researchers nationally are reporting growing evidence that a powerful new class of pesticides may be killing off bumblebees. Now, research at the University of Pittsburgh points toward another potential cause: metal pollution from aluminum and nickel.
An inside look at carnivorous plants: Researchers track the importance of microscopic inhabitants
(Phys.org) —When we imagine drama playing out between predators and prey, most of us picture stealthy lions and restless gazelle, or a sharp-taloned hawk latched on to an unlucky squirrel. But Ben Baiser, a post-doctoral fellow at the Harvard Forest and lead author of a new study in Oikos, thinks on a more local scale. His inter-species drama plays out in the humble bogs and fens of eastern North America, home to the carnivorous pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea. "It's shocking, the complex world you can find inside one little pitcher plant," says Baiser.
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