Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for January 30, 2014:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- A shock to the system: Electroconvulsive Therapy shows mood disorder-specific therapeutic benefits- 3-D Air-Touch display operates on mobile devices
- Researchers time plasmon-generated electrons moving from nanorods to graphene
- New study reveals how the brain recognizes speech sounds (w/ video)
- Hubble images spawn theory of how spiral galaxies turn into jellyfish before becoming elliptical
- Engineers build first nonreciprocal acoustic circulator: A one-way sound device
- Graphene circuit ready for wireless
- Precise gene editing in monkeys paves the way for valuable human disease models
- How DNA damage affects Golgi—the cell's shipping department
- Researchers identify UHRF1 as oncogene driving liver cancer
- Antibiotic 'smart bomb' can target specific strains of bacteria
- Storage system for 'big data' dramatically speeds access to information
- Cell cycle speed is key to making aging cells young again
- Baffle thy enemy: The case for Honey Encryption
- New weapon fights drug-resistant tumors
Astronomy & Space news
Rosetta wide awake as check-up continues
Following last week's wake-up of the Rosetta comet-chaser, ESA's flight controllers have conducted the first in a series of health checks aimed at assessing how well it came through 31 months of hibernation.
Some ideas on where the 'Jelly Donut' rock on Mars came from
Hoo boy. Just mention the word "mystery" in conjunction with the planet Mars and all sorts of folks come out of the woodwork. Some start talking about silicon-based alien life forms or Mars-based reptiles or projectiles being tossed by little green men. The latest is that there's an exotic mushroom on Mars, and this idea has sparked a lawsuit against NASA.
Sole camera from NASA moon missions to be auctioned
NASA's only camera to have made it to the moon and back as part of the Apollo manned missions will be auctioned in Vienna on March 21, organisers said Thursday.
NASA-sponsored 'Disk Detective' lets public search for new planetary nurseries
(Phys.org) —NASA is inviting the public to help astronomers discover embryonic planetary systems hidden among data from the agency's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission through a new website, DiskDetective.org.
Comet 2013 A1 Siding Spring to buzz Mars
(Phys.org) —This spring, NASA will be paying cautious attention to a comet that could put on a barnstorming show at Mars on Oct. 19, 2014.
Image: A storm of stars in the Trifid nebula
(Phys.org) —A storm of stars is brewing in the Trifid nebula, as seen in this view from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE. The stellar nursery, where baby stars are bursting into being, is the yellow-and-orange object dominating the picture. Yellow bars in the nebula appear to cut a cavity into three sections, hence the name Trifid nebula.
Curiosity Mars rover checking possible smoother route
(Phys.org) —The team operating NASA's Mars rover Curiosity is considering a path across a small sand dune to reach a favorable route to science destinations.
Hubble images spawn theory of how spiral galaxies turn into jellyfish before becoming elliptical
(Phys.org) —A trio of researchers, two from the University of Hawaii, and one from the University of Dunham in the U.K. has found evidence from the Hubble Space Telescope that suggests jellyfish galaxies come about when spiral galaxies are ripped apart as they move towards dense galaxy clusters. In their paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, the team describes how six images of jellyfish captured by Hubble appear to show how spiral galaxies morph into elliptical galaxies.
Technology news
Brushes with law live on, thanks to mug-shot websites
In 2010, Zim Rogers was waiting to hear from his bosses about whether he would be promoted. Rogers, who works in global securities, said that instead of getting a better job, he was fired after a cursory Google search turned up an 11-year-old mug shot and records in Florida of an arrest on suspicion of drunk driving and driving without a license - charges that were later reduced to misdemeanors and dismissed, his attorney said.
Finding more space in spectrum
Radio and TV channels, mobile communications, GPS, and emergency communications are just a few examples of applications that occupy the airwaves. The radio spectrum is a finite resource, but demand for bandwidth is accelerating. As a result, the telecommunications industry is facing what the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) calls "the impending spectrum crunch."
Shell suspends drilling in Alaska as profits plunge
Royal Dutch Shell will suspend drilling in offshore Alaska after a US court decision and as the oil major streamlines operations following a slump in annual profits, it said on Thursday.
Viacom fiscal 2Q net income up 16 pct
Viacom is reporting a 16 percent jump in net income for the first quarter thanks in part to smaller losses at its film division.
Retrofitting of historical buildings requires multiple expertise
Historical buildings and town quarters are an integral part of the European cultural heritage. However, such buildings are often not very energy efficient and thus contribute substantially to the emission of greenhouse gases. To meet the challenges climate change poses to our living space, experts therefore look for new approaches. Based on eight case studies across Europe, the EU-funded project 3encult aims at finding solutions for an energy efficient retrofitting of historical buildings while at the same time preserving their unique historical value.
Video: Restoring historic buildings and saving energy
A brand new window with thin-layer glazing combines energy efficiency with the aesthetics of a baroque window.
Katy Perry rides closer to 50 mn mark on Twitter
Pop star Katy Perry was on the threshold Thursday of becoming the first person ever to have more than 50 million followers on Twitter.
Cameron: UK public has shrugged off NSA leaks
Prime Minister David Cameron said Thursday he believes the British public has largely shrugged off the espionage disclosures of former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, telling lawmakers that people seem to be satisfied that U.K. spies are doing their jobs.
Zynga to lay off 15 pct of employees as sales sink
Zynga says it is laying off 314 employees, about 15 percent of its workforce, as the game maker's fourth-quarter sales plummet.
Engineering prof sues Square over origin story
A Washington University electrical engineering professor is suing credit card processor Square Inc. in the latest legal dispute over the company's mobile plug-in technology.
In data-heavy economy, breaches unlikely to end
Target. Neiman Marcus. And now three other national retailers (yet to be named) have reportedly lost customers' personal data.
Nintendo chief stays on, health business planned
Nintendo has been unable to arrest a slide in console sales as more people play games on smartphones and tablets. The company's apparent solution? A move into health care.
Infineon hopes to lift sales in Q2 after weak Q1
German semiconductors giant Infineon said Thursday it hopes to lift sales in the second quarter and is sticking to its full-year, despite a weak first quarter.
Fujitsu returns to profit with healthy sales
Japan's Fujitsu swung back to profit in the three months to December thanks to brisk sales in PCs and networking services for public and business customers, as well as a weaker yen, the company said Thursday.
Scientist developing 3-D chips to expand capacity of microprocessors
(Phys.org) —Many researchers in the field of integrated circuits worry that the fast paced progress of "miniaturization" will start to slow unless they find new ways to expand the capacity of the conventional two-dimensional chips used today in virtually all electronics.
Creating digital maps to help preserve cultural heritage of Russian community
Indigenous communities from Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula are dealing with an issue of great concern – the possible impending loss of the Itelmen language, which, in the community of 4,000, is only spoken by roughly one dozen elders.
CEOs seek better Internet access in classrooms
The top officers at more than 40 companies are asking the Federal Communications Commission to act quickly to help get more high-speed Internet into America's classrooms.
Angry Birds will have angry users until privacy rules are clear
It was reported this week that the NSA and British intelligence agency GCHQ have been gathering information from popular apps including David Cameron's favourite game, Angry Birds.
Show me the money: HK in "biggest ever" Bitcoin giveaway
Hong Kongers snapped up HK$500,000 ($65,000) in Bitcoin vouchers on Thursday to mark the Lunar New Year in what organisers said was the biggest ever giveaway of the currency—though some were confused about how to use it.
SocialRadar: New social network aims for real-time connections
Walk into a room of people, and your smartphone can tell if you have a connection to any of them, if it can find the right data.
Argonne battery technology confirmed by US Patent Office
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory is pleased to announce that after a careful reexamination of the relevant prior patents and publications, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has confirmed the novelty of U.S. Patent 6,677,082.
Wave power technology crests economical limits
Commercial amounts of energy can be extracted from relatively small ocean waves, according to a Perth company which has developed technology that it believes is the world's most economical in harnessing wave energy.
Facebook powers higher on earnings, unveils new app
Facebook shares jumped to record highs Thursday, buoyed by news of stronger-than-expected profits and sizzling gains in mobile advertising revenue.
Nintendo defiant as mobile games leave Mario lagging
There was a time when wherever Super Mario Brothers went, the gaming world followed, but an industry that has moved on in leaps and bounds since then just shrugged at the latest re-set by Nintendo on Thursday.
The National Guard takes on hackers
At home, the National Guard is summoned during natural disasters and civil unrest. Overseas, it complements the active duty military. Now, the nation's governors want to mobilize the Guard to take on a new threat: cyberattacks.
Lawyer up online: Startups aim to make the law less confusing, expensive
When Jim Angelopoulos opened his first restaurant 10 years ago, he hired a lawyer to help him incorporate. When he later decided to trademark the name with an eye toward expansion, he used a different route: a website called LegalForce.
Startup Instacart hopes to dominate grocery delivery
On a mission to prove that consumers will pay to have bread and milk delivered to their front door, Instacart is expanding across the country as it aims to right the wrongs of years of failed grocery delivery ventures.
Where digital secrets go to die
In a 20,000-square-foot warehouse, where visitors are required to trade in a driver's license for a visitor's badge, some of the nation's secrets are torn apart, reduced to sand or demagnetized until they are forever silent.
New use for sewage: Producing heat and electricity
The orange flare along I-95 near Castor Avenue isn't lit anymore.
Sled design led by UC professor slides in to Sochi for the Olympics
A design team led by a University of Cincinnati professor will be avidly watching its latest creation at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. But it will be gone in a flash on your TV screen.
Edison supercomputer electrifies scientific computing
The National Energy Research Scientific Computing (NERSC) Center recently accepted "Edison," a new flagship supercomputer designed for scientific productivity. Named in honor of American inventor Thomas Alva Edison, the Cray XC30 will be dedicated in a ceremony held at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) on Feb. 5, and scientists are already reporting results.
Amazon swings to profit for 2013 on sales jump
US tech giant Amazon said Thursday it returned to profit in 2013 on a strong jump in revenue, as it expanded offerings for Kindle tablets and its original television programming.
Google's 4Q earnings rise 17 pct but ad rates fall
Google's fourth-quarter earnings rose 17 percent even though a long-running slump in its online ad prices deepened.
Google poised to execute long-delayed stock split
Google is finally ready to split its stock for the first time, more than three years after co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin began discussing a move engineered to ensure they remain in control of the Internet's most powerful company.
Yahoo email account passwords stolen (Update)
Yahoo said Thursday that usernames and passwords of its email customers have been stolen and used to access accounts, but the company isn't saying how many accounts have been affected.
Zynga deals for animation firm in rebound effort
Zynga announced Thursday it was buying mobile game and animation firm NaturalMotion for $527 million in a fresh reboot effort for the struggling social games pioneer.
Google's Motorola misstep could be Lenovo's boon
An expensive mistake by Google could turn into a golden opportunity for China's Lenovo Group as it expands beyond its success in the personal computer industry.
How to get ants to solve a chess problem
Take a set of chess pieces and throw them all away except for one knight. Place the knight on any one of the 64 squares of a chess board.
Facebook testing Blu-Ray Disc technology for cold storage
(Phys.org) —Facebook has announced at the ongoing Open Compute Project summit that it has begun testing a Blu-Ray Disc technology storage system for offloading less important data. Jay Parikh, VP of engineering for the company, told those in attendance that the prototype system the company has built is a single cabinet that houses 10,000 (presumably 100GB) discs and is capable of holding a petabyte of data.
Self-cleaning solar panel coating optimizes energy collection, reduces costs
Soiling—the accumulation of dust and sand—on solar power reflectors and photovoltaic cells is one of the main efficiency drags for solar power plants, capable of reducing reflectivity up to 50 percent in 14 days. Though plants can perform manual cleaning and brushing with deionized water and detergent, this labor-intensive routine significantly raises operating and maintenance costs (O&M), which is reflected in the cost of solar energy for consumers.
Facebook unveils social 'newspaper'
Facebook on Thursday unveiled its new app called "Paper," which serves as an online newspaper for viewing and sharing articles and other content from a smartphone.
Storage system for 'big data' dramatically speeds access to information
As computers enter ever more areas of our daily lives, the amount of data they produce has grown enormously. But for this "big data" to be useful it must first be analyzed, meaning it needs to be stored in such a way that it can be accessed quickly when required.
Baffle thy enemy: The case for Honey Encryption
(Phys.org) —Database breaches are making today's headlines, revealing events where thieves scoff up millions of passwords. Security experts meanwhile think about, talk about and work towards fighting against such crimes. A fresh twist in the security arsenal might be to simply baffle criminals by unleashing a flood of data that appears real but is fake. "Honey Encryption" is an approach being proposed to protect sensitive data. You beat attackers by making it difficult to figure out if the password or encryption key they are trying to steal is correct or incorrect.
Vestas says record powerful wind turbine in operation
Danish wind technology giant Vestas said on Thursday that the world's most powerful wind turbine has begun operating, sweeping an area equivalent to three football fields.
3-D Air-Touch display operates on mobile devices
(Phys.org) —While interactive 3D systems such as the Wii and Kinect have been popular for several years, 3D technology is yet to become part of mobile devices. Researchers are working on it, however, with one of the most recent papers demonstrating a 3D "Air-Touch" system that allows users to touch floating 3D images displayed by a mobile device. Optical sensors embedded in the display pixels can sense the movement of a bare finger in the 3D space above the device, leading to a number of novel applications.
Medicine & Health news
Roche sees net profit swell amid cancer drug success
Swiss pharmaceuticals giant Roche on Thursday posted an 18-percent hike in net profit for 2013, driven particularly by rising sales of its cancer-fighting drugs.
Rising to the challenge of health in the far North
According to Kue Young, the University of Alberta's dean of public health and an expert on northern and Aboriginal health, for any health indicator you choose, circumpolar peoples are typically worse off than others.
New assessment could reduce learning disorder misdiagnoses among bilingual children
As a San Francisco-based speech-language consultant in the mid-1980s, Elizabeth Peña noticed a discouraging trend. At one elementary school, speech-language pathologists had diagnosed every English-Spanish bilingual kindergartner with a language learning disability.
Studying toxoplasmosis in the Peruvian Amazon
A research study for 10 weeks in summer 2012 led Cornell veterinary student Emily Aston '15 into the heart of the Amazonian rain forest to conduct the most remote study to date of the foodborne and waterborne pathogen Toxoplasma gondii. Her findings on parasite levels in several wildlife species were published online in the International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife this month. She also created a new way to process samples using a setup simpler than previous methods.
Doctors try bringing Schumacher out of coma (Update)
French doctors have started trying to bring Formula One legend Michael Schumacher out of the induced coma he was placed in after a near-fatal ski accident in December.
First report of management of pediatric trauma in England and Wales
The first national report on the nature and outcome of trauma management for children in England and Wales has been produced by TARNLET, the paediatric (0 - 15 years) component of the Trauma Audit and Research Network, The University of Manchester.
Clinical trials show promise for prostate cancer drug
A 30 percent reduction in mortality risk is one of the impressive results achieved in a global clinical drug trial for the treatment of prostate cancer. The full trial data are due to be presented today at one of the world´s most important oncology conferences, the ASCO GU. The development of the unusually effective cancer drug was also based on three clinical trials carried out by the Clinical Program on Urological Tumours at Vienna General Hospital. Participants in the trial at the hospital already had access to treatment using the drug for four years. Recently, the trial was terminated prematurely - the outstanding results prompted the supervisory board to make the drug available as quickly as possible to the placebo control group.
Choline recommendations during pregnancy may be too low, new study suggests
cent research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) found that during pregnancy, and particularly during the third trimester, large amounts of choline may be needed to support fetal development. Conclusions of the research revealed that current recommendations may be too low.1 Choline deficiency in pregnant women may result in elevated levels of homocysteine, potentially resulting in birth defects.
NAS report: Make childbirth safer in Indonesia
Indonesia is a fast-rising economic power that has made significant progress toward key development goals including reducing child mortality. But for reasons outlined in a National Academy of Sciences report by U.S. and Indonesian experts, the nation's estimated rates of maternal and neonatal mortality remain tragically high. The report, highlighted at a joint U.S.-Indonesian public event in Jakarta Jan. 30, makes sweeping recommendations to advance the safety of childbirth in Indonesia.
Uganda plans drug boost for AIDS fight
Uganda's government is planning to double expenditure on anti-retroviral drugs in an effort to reverse a worsening trend in HIV infections, a senior health official said Thursday.
FDA approves new MS treatment regimen developed at Wayne State University
Global research overseen by and conducted at the Wayne State University School of Medicine will immediately change the treatment regimen of millions of multiple sclerosis patients around the world.
Study supports new safety rule for truck drivers
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today released the findings of a field study conducted by the Washington State University (WSU) Sleep and Performance Research Center. The study provides evidence that a revised provision in new hours-of-service regulations for truck drivers is more effective at combatting fatigue than the previous version. The new trucking regulations took effect last July.
Researchers create database to examine vast resources of health legacy foundations
Local communities can expect the number and asset size of philanthropic foundations to increase, due to the rise in health care consolidations driven by health care reform. In the past, assets of this kind may have been underused and at times, even undocumented. A new database created by UNC Charlotte researchers can help bridge this gap.
Abbott to close Puerto Rico manufacturing plant
Abbott Laboratories is closing one of its manufacturing plants in the Puerto Rico town of Barceloneta next year, delivering another blow to the U.S. territory's once-thriving pharmaceutical sector, officials said Thursday.
More heart attack patients being treated more quickly using PCI , audit finds
Expansion in the use of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) – the minimally invasive surgery performed on heart patients instead of using drugs – is seeing more patients with acute coronary syndromes treated more quickly, according to the latest National Audit of PCI (covering 2012).
New data contradict current recommendations for management of breast biopsy abnormalities
Contrary to existing understanding, long-term follow-up of patients with two types of breast tissue abnormalities suggests that both types of abnormalities have the same potential to progress to breast cancer, according to a study published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Findings from this study could improve clinical management of patients with breast tissue abnormalities.
Having a baby after fertility issues improves couples chances of staying together
New reseach reveals that women who have a child after experiencing fertility problems are more likely to remain with their partner following infertility evaluations. Findings in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology, indicate that after 12 years of follow-up, nearly 27% of women were no longer living with the partner, which they had at the time of fertility evaluation, if they did not have a child.
High estrogen levels plus diabetes may boost dementia risk
(HealthDay)—Older women with high levels of the hormone estrogen may be at a greater risk for dementia, especially if they also have diabetes, new research suggests.
Infants know plants provide food, but need to see they're safe to eat
Infants as young as six months old tend to expect that plants are food sources, but only after an adult shows them that the food is safe to eat, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
Understanding concussions: Testing head-impact sensors
The head of a crash-test dummy wore a football helmet as it hung upside down on a laboratory drop tower.
Using stem cells from hip replacements to help treat ageing adults
(Medical Xpress)—The tissue normally discarded during routine hip replacements could be a rich new source of adult stem cells for use in regenerative medicine, UNSW-led research has found.
Are the risks of extending IVF outweighing the benefits?
(Medical Xpress)—As the use of IVF expands to a wider range of fertility problems, experts warn that the risks could outweigh the benefits.
Biggest Loser a setback for healthy weight loss
(Medical Xpress)—The television reality series The Biggest Loser is doing more harm than good in the fight against Australia's obesity epidemic, according to a leading researcher into obesity, diabetes and weight loss at the University of Adelaide.
Head first: Reshaping how traumatic brain injury is treated
(Medical Xpress)—Traumatic brain injury affects 10 million people a year worldwide and is the leading cause of death and disability in children and young adults. A new study will identify how to match treatments to patients, to achieve the best possible outcome for recovery.
New treatment hope for one of the deadliest childhood cancers
Cancer Research UK doctors have launched a new trial which offers a new type of molecular radiotherapy - never before tested in children - for one of the deadliest childhood cancers.
Health care project delivers cost savings, important insights for emerging reform models
A Medicaid demonstration program analysis, to measure cost savings of provider service networks in Florida, could give a glimpse into the likely success of Affordable Care Act programs that aim to reduce health care expenditures, according to research from the University of Michigan School of Public Health and the University of Florida.
Researchers find new COPD therapy device makes breathing easier
A new device designed to help people suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other mucus producing lung diseases developed by Trudell Medical International has been clinically tested by researchers at Western University and results show it improves breathlessness and the ability to move mucus, as well as betters a patient's quality of life.
Deadly microbe dodges human immune system
Scientists from The University of Queensland have discovered that a microbe responsible for invasive bacterial Group A Streptococcus infections can bypass the immune system and multiply within infected cells.
Short bursts of exercise may cut heart disease risk
(Medical Xpress)—A University of Queensland study has found high-intensity short-duration exercise provides better results than the recommended 30 minutes of daily exercise.
Whole spine approach to neck and back problems
A researcher from The University of Western Australia and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research has worked with collaborators in the United States to create a new tool to help health professionals improve their treatment of patients experiencing neck or back pain.
New therapy to lower sky-high cholesterol
University of Rochester Medical Center cardiologists are first in Upstate New York to offer a blood-cleansing therapy for people with extremely high cholesterol, including two-time heart attack survivor Bob Guesno, whose cholesterol level was nearly three times the norm.
Radiotherapy plus hormone therapy cuts prostate cancer death in half, shows long-term study
Combination treatment more than halves mortality rates for prostate cancer, reports Norwegian health journal Dagens Medisin.
Availability of transcatheter repair of aortic stenosis benefits patients
The introduction of minimally invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for treatment of aortic stenos not only has increased the number of patients eligible for aortic valve replacement (AVR), but also has led to a decrease in patient mortality, according to a study released today at the 50th Annual Meeting of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. These results suggest that patients fare better when multiple treatment options are available.
Geranium extracts inhibit HIV-1
(Medical Xpress)—Extracts of the geranium plant Pelargonium sidoides inactivate human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and prevent the virus from invading human cells. In the current issue of PLOS ONE, scientists from the Helmholtz Zentrum München report that these extracts represent a potential new class of anti-HIV-1 agents for the treatment of AIDS.
Ambulance checklists and feedback improve emergency care for stroke and heart attack patients
The introduction of checklists and better feedback for ambulance crews as part of a national quality improvement project has significantly improved the standard of care for heart attack and stroke patients across England, a major new study has shown.
Can the body have too much iron?
Many people are aware that low levels of iron in their body can lead anaemia, with symptoms such as fatigue. But few realise that too much iron can result in a potentially fatal condition.
It takes more than stand-up desks to beat 'chair disease,' according to study
(Medical Xpress)—It takes more than stand-up work stations for office staff to combat "chair disease" from sitting too long, a new study has found.
E-cigarettes, a poor smoking-cessation tool, use 19 harmful chemicals
(Medical Xpress)—It's no easy task to quit smoking and the lure of an e-cigarette, which claims to mimic the smoking experience without the harmful chemicals, seems a dream come true for many smokers. But with no FDA regulations, that dream could quickly turn into a nightmare, said Philip McAndrew, MD, Loyola University Health System physician and smoking-cessation expert. The truth is that little is known about the chemicals e-cigarette smokers are inhaling and the increase in the number of adolescents smoking.
Gastric banding patients should closely monitor nutrition following surgery
Patients who have had bariatric surgery may need to take dietary supplements and pay closer attention to their nutritional intake, a UT Southwestern Medical Center study suggests.
Scientists discover that thyroid cancer cells become less aggressive in outer space
For those who think that space exploration offers no tangible benefits for those of us on earth, a new research discovery involving thyroid cancer may prove otherwise. In a new report appearing in the February 2014 issue of The FASEB Journal, researchers from Germany and Denmark show that some tumors which are aggressive on earth are considerably less aggressive in microgravity. By understanding the genetic and cellular processes that occur in space, scientists may be able to develop treatments that accomplish the same thing on earth.
Signs point to sharp rise in drugged driving fatalities
The prevalence of non-alcohol drugs detected in fatally injured drivers in the U.S. has been steadily rising and tripled from 1999 to 2010 for drivers who tested positive for marijuana—the most commonly detected non-alcohol drug—suggesting that drugged driving may be playing an increasing role in fatal motor vehicle crashes.
Clinical study finds 'bubble CPAP' boosts neonatal survival rates
The first clinical study of a low-cost neonatal breathing system created by Rice University bioengineering students demonstrated that the device increased the survival rate of newborns with severe respiratory illness from 44 percent to 71 percent.
'Attention on the flight deck': What doctors can learn from pilots about communication
As computers become common in medical examination rooms across the United States, a new study explores the role this technology plays in the doctor-patient relationship. The researchers looked to aviation, with its long history of success in complex communication between humans and machines, as an exemplar that may provide useful strategies to improve communication in the exam room.
Vitamin A used in acne medicines may help autoimmune and transplant patients
The same form of Vitamin A used by teenagers to combat acne might offer benefits that are more than skin deep. That's because an international team of researchers have found that it may also help keep the immune system under control for people with autoimmune disorders or those who have received transplants. This finding was published in the February 2014 issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology.
Engineered virus is effective against triple negative breast cancer cells
Scientists have discovered a potential cure for one of the most aggressive and least treatable forms of breast cancer called "triple negative breast cancer." In laboratory experiments involving human cancer cells, scientists used a virus similar to the one that helped eradicate smallpox to coax cancer cells to produce a protein which makes them susceptible to radioactive iodine. This discovery was published in the February 2014 issue of The FASEB Journal. Please note that human clinical trials are necessary before any definitive claims of a cure can be made and treatments can be made available.
Scientists develop an engineered cardiac tissue model to study the human heart
When it comes to finding cures for heart disease scientists are working to their own beat. That's because they may have finally developed a tissue model for the human heart that can bridge the gap between animal models and human patients. These models exist for other organs, but for the heart, this has been elusive. Specifically, the researchers generated the tissue from human embryonic stem cells with the resulting muscle having significant similarities to human heart muscle. This research was published in the February 2014 issue of The FASEB Journal.
New tool to identify genetic risk factors
Dartmouth researchers developed a new biological pathway-based computational model, called the Pathway-based Human Phenotype Network (PHPN), to identify underlying genetic connections between different diseases as reported in BioDataMining this week. The PHPN mines the data present in large publicly available disease datasets to find shared SNPs, genes, or pathways and expresses them in a visual form.
Women with mental health disability may face four-fold risk of abusive relationship
Women with a severe mental health-related disability are nearly four times more likely to have been a victim of intimate partner violence than those without a disability, according to a new study by Women's College Hospital researcher Janice Du Mont and co-author Tonia Forte.
College students should get a flu shot
(HealthDay)—It's the peak of flu season, and not being vaccinated can be risky for college students, a doctor warns.
Docs prefer tablets over smartphones for reading articles
(HealthDay)—Although physicians generally use smartphones rather than tablets for professional purposes, they are more likely to read articles from medical publications and access medically oriented webcasts/podcasts on tablets, according to the results of a survey conducted by Kantar Media.
Report reveals payment methods for physicians
(HealthDay)—Many physicians in non-solo practice settings are paid using different methods, with just over half receiving all or most of their compensation from salary, according to a report from the American Medical Association.
Researchers reverse some lung diseases in mice by coaxing production of healthy cells
It may be possible one day to treat several lung diseases by introducing proteins that direct lung stem cells to grow the specific cell types needed to repair the lung injuries involved in the conditions, according to new research at Boston Children's Hospital.
Video game teaches kids about stroke symptoms and calling 9-1-1
Children improved their understanding of stroke symptoms and what to do if they witness a stroke after playing a 15-minute stroke education video game, according to new research reported in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.
Immune drug helps patients with frequently replapsing kidney disease
In patients with a frequently-relapsing form of kidney disease, relapses decreased approximately five-fold for at least one year after patients took a single dose of rituximab, an antibody that targets the immune system and is often used to treat immune disorders such as lymphoma and arthritis. The findings, which will appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), suggest that this drug may provide considerable benefits for patients.
Zebra fish fins help researchers gain insight into bone regeneration
University of Oregon biologists say they have opened the window on the natural process of bone regeneration in zebra fish, and that the insights they gained could be used to advance therapies for bone fractures and disease.
Discovery may lead to new drugs for osteoporosis
Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered what appears to be a potent stimulator of new bone growth. The finding could lead to new treatments for osteoporosis and other diseases that occur when the body doesn't make enough bone.
Study shows independent association between diabetes and depression, impulse control disorders
New research published today shows that depression and impulse control disorders (eating disorders in particular) are independently associated with diabetes diagnosis, after adjustment for presence of other mental disorders. The research, published in Diabetologia (the journal of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes), supports the focus on depression as an independent risk factor for diabetes, but also suggests this focus should be extended to impulse control disorders.
Large study confirms vodka as major cause of the extraordinarily high risk of early death in Russian men
The high and sharply fluctuating death rates in Russia are due mainly to alcohol, particularly vodka, a new prospective study of 151,000 adults confirms.
Real-time video could improve effect of core stabilization exercise in stroke patients
About 80% of stroke survivors experience hemiparesis, which causes weakness or the inability to move one side of the body. Core stabilization exercise to improve postural stability and independent walking in chronic hemiparetic stroke patients could be enhanced by real-time video feedback, report researchers in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience.
Protein serves as a natural boost for immune system fight against tumors
Substances called adjuvants that enhance the body's immune response are critical to getting the most out of vaccines. These boosters stimulate the regular production of antibodies—caused by foreign substances in the body—toxins, bacteria, foreign blood cells, and the cells of transplanted organs.
Research pinpoints neural circuitry that promotes stress-induced anxiety
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over 18 percent of American adults suffer from anxiety disorders, characterized as excessive worry or tension that often leads to other physical symptoms. Previous studies of anxiety in the brain have focused on the amygdala, an area known to play a role in fear. But a team of researchers led by biologists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) had a hunch that understanding a different brain area, the lateral septum (LS), could provide more clues into how the brain processes anxiety. Their instincts paid off—using mouse models, the team has found a neural circuit that connects the LS with other brain structures in a manner that directly influences anxiety.
Animal study reveals sex-specific patterns of recovery from newborn brain injury
Physicians have long known that oxygen deprivation to the brain around the time of birth causes worse damage in boys than girls. Now a study by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Children's Center conducted in mice reveals one possible reason behind this gender disparity and points to gender-specific mechanisms of brain repair following such injury.
Don't believe everything you read on the net about vertebroplasty
Most websites with information on vertebroplasty – a procedure in which a special medical-grade cement mixture is injected into a fractured vertebra – do not paint the full picture about the pros, cons and alternatives of the treatment. Therefore patients should always sit down with their physicians to thoroughly discuss their options, rather than take everything they read on the Internet as the full gospel. This new information appears in a new study by Barrett Sullivan of Case Western Reserve University in the US, who looked into the quality and accuracy of information available on the internet about vertebroplasty. The findings appear in Springer's journal Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research.
Penn study finds more than a third of women have hot flashes 10 years after menopause
A team of researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has found that moderate to severe hot flashes continue, on average, for nearly five years after menopause, and more than a third of women experience moderate/severe hot flashes for 10 years or more after menopause. Current guidelines recommend that hormone therapy, the primary medical treatment for hot flashes, not continue for more than 5 years. However, in the new study, published online this week in the journal Menopause, the authors write that "empirical evidence supporting the recommended 3- to 5-year hormone therapy for management of hot flashes is lacking."
Does caregiving cause psychological stress? Study of female twins says it depends
When it comes to life's stressors, most people would put caregiving at the top of the list. But according to Peter Vitaliano, a professor of psychiatry and psychology at the University of Washington (UW), there never have been data actually showing caregiving causes psychological distress. So he, and other researchers at the UW conducted a study of about 1,228 female twins, some were caregivers, and some were not. The results were somewhat surprising.
Could you relationship with your mom increase your child's chances of obesity?
Could the quality of your attachment to your parents affect your own child's risk for obesity? A new University of Illinois study says it can.
Childhood depression may increase risk of heart disease by teen years
Children with depression are more likely to be obese, smoke and be inactive, and can show the effects of heart disease as early as their teen years, according to a newly published study by University of South Florida Associate Professor of Psychology Jonathan Rottenberg.
Researchers identify components in C. diff that may lead to better treatment
Rhode Island Hospital researchers have identified components in Clostridium difficile (C. diff) that may lead to new diagnostic tools, and ultimately more timely and effective treatment for this often fatal infection. C. diff is a spore-forming bacterium that causes severe diarrhea and is responsible for 14,000 deaths annually in the U.S. The study is published online in advance of print in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.
Third-hand smoke shown to cause health problems
Do not smoke and do not allow yourself to be exposed to smoke because second-hand smoke and third-hand smoke are just as deadly as first-hand smoke, says a scientist at the University of California, Riverside who, along with colleagues, conducted the first animal study of the effects of third-hand smoke.
Stressed by work-life balance? Just exercise
(HealthDay)—Feeling conflicted by the push-pull of work and family life? New research suggests that regular exercise can help balance out those feelings.
Study finds tonsillectomy just as safe for adults as kids
(HealthDay)—A new study offers reassurance for adults who need to have their tonsils removed—the procedure has low complication and low death rates.
Aging brains need 'chaperone' proteins
(Medical Xpress)—The word "chaperone" refers to an adult who keeps teenagers from acting up at a dance or overnight trip. It also describes a type of protein that can guard the brain against its own troublemakers: misfolded proteins that are involved in several neurodegenerative diseases.
Parkinson gene: Nerve growth factor halts mitochondrial degeneration
(Medical Xpress)—Neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease involve the death of thousands of neurons in the brain. Nerve growth factors produced by the body, such as GDNF, promote the survival of the neurons; however, clinical tests with GDNF have not yielded in any clear improvements. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology in Martinsried and their colleagues have now succeeded in demonstrating that GDNF and its receptor Ret also promote the survival of mitochondria, the power plants of the cell. By activating the Ret receptor, the scientists were able to prevent in flies and human cell cultures the degeneration of mitochondria, which is caused by a gene defect related to Parkinson's disease. This important new link could lead to the development of more refined GDNF therapies in the future.
Switching brain development on and off
(Medical Xpress)—The possibility of nerve cell regeneration is a step closer after neuroscientists identified the genetic signals that play a crucial role in normal development - driving stem cells to produce neurons that are correctly positioned and connected neurons within the brain.
Researchers identify UHRF1 as oncogene driving liver cancer
Patients with advanced hepatocellular (or liver) cancer have high mortality rates, with existing drugs demonstrating only a small, but significant survival advantage. By combining a zebrafish model of liver cancer with data from human tumors, researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai hope to identify potential genes of interest that can be targeted for new treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of liver cancer to develop from liver cells.
Precise gene editing in monkeys paves the way for valuable human disease models
Monkeys are important for modeling diseases because of their close similarities to humans, but past efforts to precisely modify genes in primates have failed. In a study published by Cell Press January 30th in the journal Cell, researchers achieved precise gene modification in monkeys for the first time using an efficient and reliable approach known as the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The study opens promising new avenues for the development of more effective treatments for a range of human diseases.
New genetic forms of neurodegeneration discovered
In a study published in the January 31, 2014 issue of Science, an international team led by scientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report doubling the number of known causes for the neurodegenerative disorder known as hereditary spastic paraplegia. HSP is characterized by progressive stiffness and contraction of the lower limbs and is associated with epilepsy, cognitive impairment, blindness and other neurological features.
Trick that aids viral infection is identified
Scientists have identified a way some viruses protect themselves from the immune system's efforts to stop infections, a finding that may make new approaches to treating viral infections possible.
Up close and 3-D: HIV caught in the act inside the gut (w/ Video)
The human intestinal tract, or gut, is best known for its role in digestion. But this collection of organs also plays a prominent role in the immune system. In fact, it is one of the first parts of the body that is attacked in the early stages of an HIV infection. Knowing how the virus infects cells and accumulates in this area is critical to developing new therapies for the over 33 million people worldwide living with HIV. Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) are the first to have utilized high-resolution electron microscopy to look at HIV infection within the actual tissue of an infected organism, providing perhaps the most detailed characterization yet of HIV infection in the gut.
New weapon fights drug-resistant tumors
Cancer drugs that recruit antibodies from the body's own immune system to help kill tumors have shown much promise in treating several types of cancer. However, after initial success, the tumors often return.
Protein that culls damaged eggs identified, infertility reversed
(Medical Xpress)—A new discovery by Cornell researchers may lead to therapies that allow women who are made infertile by radiation or chemotherapy treatments to have children.
New study reveals how the brain recognizes speech sounds (w/ video)
UC San Francisco researchers are reporting a detailed account of how speech sounds are identified by the human brain, offering an unprecedented insight into the basis of human language. The finding, they said, may add to our understanding of language disorders, including dyslexia.
A shock to the system: Electroconvulsive Therapy shows mood disorder-specific therapeutic benefits
(Medical Xpress)—The oldest well-established procedure for somatic treatment of unipolar and bipolar disorders, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has, at best, a variegated reputation – and not just in its reputation for being a "barbaric" treatment modality (which, as it turns out, it is not). The scientific, clinical, and ethical controversy extends to unanswered questions about its precise mechanism of action – that is, how major electrical discharge over half the brain shows efficacy in recovery from a range of sometimes quite distinct psychological and psychiatric disorders. Recently, however, scientists at Université de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland and Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany found local but not general anatomical brain changes following electroconvulsive therapy that are differently distributed in each disease, and are actually the areas believed to be abnormal in each disorder. Since interaction between ECT and specific pathology appea! rs to be therapeutically causal, the researchers state that their results have implications for deep brain stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation and other electrically-based brain treatments.
Biology news
Looking for Nirai Kanai
In 2013, a new species of goby was discovered in a stream on the main island of Okinawa. The species was named Stiphodon niraikanaiensis, which comes from a traditional word on Okinawa and Amami areas, "Nirai Kanai." Nirai Kanai is a mythical paradise beyond the sea of Okinawa where gods, who create life and bring about fertility, live. Ken Maeda, a researcher in OIST's Marine Genomics Unit discovered the species and gave it the grand and romantic name. An article about the fish was published online in the journal Ichthyological Research on December 20, 2013.
Is reducing environmental impact in the EU feasible?
By 2023 all EU member states must be complying with more stringent guidelines related to Integrated Pest Management (IPM). "The essence of the new guideline is reducing the environmental impact of pesticides," says Piet Boonekamp, manager of the Bio-interactions and Plant Health business unit at Wageningen UR. "In principle this European goal can be achieved, as has been shown by the Dutch agriculture and horticulture sectors. But only if European politicians don't lose themselves in the details."
Making Europe less dependent on protein import
The European Union aims to make the animal feed industry in Europe less dependent on plant protein imports from North and South America. Wageningen UR is studying the opportunities for new protein sources such as algae, beet greens and rape oil. It is also performing tests for the further development of European soya production.
Mirror-image nucleic acids as molecular scissors in biotechnology and molecular medicine
The biochemist Professor Volker A. Erdmann at Freie Universität Berlin succeeded for the first time in creating mirror-image enzymes - so-called Spiegelzymes - out of nucleic acids. The Spiegelzymes can be used in living cells for the targeted cutting of natural nucleic acids.
Gibraltar's latest export - pesky monkeys
Britain's tiny outpost of Gibraltar has announced it will crack down on pesky Barbary macaque monkeys by exporting them off the Rock.
Bats bounce back in Europe
Europe's bat population recovered by more than 40 percent between 1993 and 2011 after decades of decline, according to a survey published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) on Thursday.
New footage reveals family life of elusive Amur leopard
Video footage released today of one of the most endangered species on the planet, the Amur leopard, provides vital information to help conservation efforts.
Wastewater lagoons are potential energy source, researchers say
(Phys.org) —Wastewater treatment lagoons have the potential to serve as a local energy source, according to a Clarkson University doctoral student.
Three patents available for biosynthesis of pyrethrins
Wageningen scientists have discovered the refined way in which the pyrethrum plant protects its seedlings against insect damage, fungi and competition from other seedlings. They isolated the various genes for the production of natural pyrethrins, the most familiar and commonly used biopesticides (including in organic agriculture). The research resulted in three patents that are largely available in license form to plant breeders, seed coating companies and producers of biopesticides.
NIST cell membrane model studied as future diagnostic tool
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and in Lithuania have used a NIST-developed laboratory model of a simplified cell membrane to accurately detect and measure a protein associated with a serious gynecological disease, bacterial vaginosis (BV), at extraordinarily low concentrations. The work illustrates how the artificial membrane could be used to improve disease diagnosis.
Researchers sequence world's first butterfly bacteria, find surprises
For the first time ever, a team led by the University of Colorado Boulder has sequenced the internal bacterial makeup of the three major life stages of a butterfly species, a project that showed some surprising events occur during metamorphosis.
At last: Mysterious ocean circles in the Baltic Ocean explained
Are they bomb craters from World War II? Are they landing marks for aliens? Since the first images of the mysterious ocean circles off the Baltic coast of Denmark were taken in 2008, people have tried to find an explanation. Now researchers from the University of Southern Denmark and University of Copenhagen finally present a scientific explanation.
Controversial scientist claims pesticide toxicity 'proof'
A controversial French biologist, whose 2012 paper on the alleged dangers of pesticides was withdrawn, has published new claims that the chemicals were many times more toxic than advertised.
New study examines the effects of catch-and-release fishing on sharks
A new study led by scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy and the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science investigated how several species of coastal sharks respond to stress from catch-and-release fishing. The results revealed that each of the shark species responded differently. Hammerhead sharks were by far the most vulnerable to fighting on a fishing line.
Scientists unveil a molecular mechanism that controls plant growth and development
A joint study published in Cell by the teams headed by Miquel Coll at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and the Institute of Molecular Biology of CSIC, both in Barcelona, and Dolf Weijers at the University of Wageningen, in the Netherlands, unravels the mystery behind how the plant hormones called auxins activate multiple vital plant functions through various gene transcription factors.
A protein-production tale of the tape: Separating poly(A)-tail length from translational efficiency
(Phys.org) —In higher animals, an embryo's protein production immediately after fertilization relies on messenger RNAs (mRNAs) inherited from the mother. But shortly thereafter, the tiny organism undergoes a profound shift as it activates the transcription of its own genome during the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT). Whitehead Institute researchers have now determined that another shift—a change in how mRNA translation is controlled—happens shortly after this same point in development.
Research shows wallabies lose on the pokies
(Phys.org) —Biologists have discovered that a wallaby's perception of colour is more similar to a dog than a quokka, sparking questions as to why marsupial colour vision has evolved so selectively.
Pesticides impair bees' ability to gather food, researchers find
(Phys.org) —Controversial pesticides ingested by bumble bees can seriously impact the insects' ability to collect food, even at very low levels of contamination, says new research from the University of Sussex and the University of Stirling.
Novel genes determine division of labor in insect societies
Novel or highly modified genes play a major role in the development of the different castes within ant colonies. Evolutionary biologists at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) came to this conclusion in a recent gene expression study. Dr. Barbara Feldmeyer and her colleagues at the JGU Institute of Zoology studied the question how the different female castes arise. An ant colony generally consists of a queen and the workers. Moreover, workers can differ depending on the task they perform, such as brood care, foraging, or nest defense. This behavioral specialization may be accompanied by morphological and physiological differences. Queens, solely responsible for reproduction, can live up to 30 years while workers have life spans ranging from a few months to several years. In some species there are also soldier ants, which can weigh up to 100 times more than their worker sisters who take care of the brood.
How DNA damage affects Golgi—the cell's shipping department
In studying the impact of DNA damage on the Golgi, a research team from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research have discovered a novel pathway activated by DNA damage, with important consequences for the body's cellular response to chemotherapy.
Cell cycle speed is key to making aging cells young again
A fundamental axiom of biology used to be that cell fate is a one-way street—once a cell commits to becoming muscle, skin, or blood it always remains muscle, skin, or blood cell. That belief was upended in the past decade when a Japanese scientist introduced four simple factors into skin cells and returned them to an embryonic-like state, capable of becoming almost any cell type in the body.
Extinct Elephant Seal population reveals an evolutionary 'time-machine'
(Phys.org) —Genetic diversity within isolated populations can occur quite rapidly in evolutionary terms, according to findings of a paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Antibiotic 'smart bomb' can target specific strains of bacteria
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a de facto antibiotic "smart bomb" that can identify specific strains of bacteria and sever their DNA, eliminating the infection. The technique offers a potential approach to treat infections by multi-drug resistant bacteria.
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