From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Sat, Mar 1, 2014 at 2:20 AM
Subject: Phys.org Newsletter Friday, Feb 28
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>
Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for February 28, 2014:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Ninjabot strikes with force of a mantis shrimp- Pencil drawing of a sensor actually is a sensor
- GE and partners developing undersea pipeline x-ray technology
- Google adding voice recognition to Chrome browser search
- ACS chemistry mavens stir up hot sauce science
- Ransoms paid by two of every five victims of CryptoLocker
- Neurons coordinate to fine-tune motor control
- Novel technique for cell lineage-specific gene-expression analysis
- Food production in the northeastern US may need to change if climate does
- Physicists pave the way for more energy efficient technology
- Why we do dumb things on smartphones
- Sea sapphires shine with cellular layers of crystal plates
- Advantages emerge in using nanostructured material when forging mechanical components
- Emergency alert in the cell: Scientists identify new mechanisms in the cellular stress response
- Unearthing key function of plant hormone
Astronomy & Space news
Giant sunspot makes third trip across the sun
a magnetically strong and complex region on the sun's surface – has just appeared over the sun's horizon. This is the third trip for this region across the face of the sun, which takes approximately 27 days to make a complete rotation.
How Earth was watered
Early Earth's accidental deluge via water-carrying comets has long been a stumbling block for those interested in life on other planets.
Microgravity and radiation exposure add up to serious health risks for astronauts
Astronauts floating weightlessly in the International Space Station may appear carefree, but years of research have shown that microgravity causes changes to the human body. Spaceflight also means exposure to more radiation. Together, microgravity and radiation exposure add up to pose serious health risks. But research is not only making space safer for astronauts, it's helping to improve health care for the Earth-bound as well.
Evidence of water in meteorite revives debate over life on Mars
A team of scientists at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., has found evidence of past water movement throughout a Martian meteorite, reviving debate in the scientific community over life on Mars.
A new 'fast and furious' black hole
A black hole with extremely powerful jets has been found in the nearby galaxy Messier 83 (M83) by a team of Australian and American researchers, as we report in the journal Science today.
Medicine & Health news
Targeting metabolism to develop new prostate cancer treatments
A University of Houston (UH) scientist and his team are working to develop the next generation of prostate cancer therapies, which are targeted at metabolism.
Egypt army 'AIDS detector' instead finds ridicule
(AP)—Egypt's military leaders have come under ridicule after the chief army engineer unveiled what he described as a "miraculous" set of devices that detect and cure AIDS, hepatitis and other viruses.
Philippines claims record in organ donor pledges
(AP)—The Philippines has broken India's record of gathering the most organ donor pledges in an hour at a single site, health officials said Friday. The feat awaits the Guinness World Records' official confirmation.
Improving the health of people with learning disabilities
People with learning (intellectual) disabilities have a lower life expectancy than the general population and are more likely to suffer physical disabilities and chronic conditions.
Helping cancer survivors socialize and get exercise
Inspired by the popularity of online dating, Associate Professor Catherine Sabiston is hoping to help cancer patients find their perfect exercise "match" post-treatment.
Some patients may benefit from hip resurfacing over replacement
When a person loses mobility because of arthritis, surgeons can replace the faulty hip joint with a new one. A new study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that a different procedure called hip resurfacing may be a better option for some patients, particularly those who are young and active.
Cause of heart disease spurred by kidney syndrome found, neutralized
Chronic kidney disease affects 26 million Americans, but its sufferers are more likely to die of heart disease than kidney problems. However, it hasn't been clear just how kidney disease causes heart disease or what could be done to stop it.
Developing an intelligent avatar to help UK's aging population
The University is taking a leading role in a ground-breaking project to support the UK's aging population through the use of responsive and interactive avatars.
New study combats depression in carers
Psychologists from the University of Exeter are trialling an innovative new type of support to help relatives and friends who care for stroke survivors – with studies showing that currently one in three become depressed or suffer other mental health problems.
Psychiatric nursing specialists played key role in response to Boston Marathon bombing
Psychiatric advanced practice nurses (APNs) played a critical role in supporting psychological recovery after the Boston Marathon bombing—not only for injured patients, but also for family members and hospital staff, according to an article in Clinical Nurse Specialist.
Can an app help make life easier for children with ADHD?
We have tended to associate welfare technology with support for the elderly. Now researchers are looking at whether technology such as digital calendars and smartwatches can also provide support for children with autism and ADHD.
High-calorie feeding may slow progression of ALS
Increasing the number of calories consumed by patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may be a relatively simple way of extending their survival. A phase 2 clinical trial led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) physicians found that ALS patients receiving a high-calorie, high-carbohydrate tube-feeding formula lived longer with fewer adverse events than participants who received a standard formula designed maintain their weight. While the small size of the trial indicates results need to be interpreted with caution, the authors are optimistic that improved nutrition could make a significant difference for patients with ALS.
Unconventional view of type 2 diabetes causation proposed
At 85, Nobel laureate James D. Watson, the co-discoverer of the double-helix structure of DNA, continues to advance intriguing scientific ideas. His latest, a hypothesis on the causation of type 2 diabetes, is to appear 7 pm Thursday US time in the online pages of The Lancet, the prestigious British medical journal.
Unique multi-resistant bacterium difficult to eradicate
A previously unknown multi-resistant bacterium has been sticking around at a Swedish University Hospital for ten years. The reason for this is deficient hygiene routines among the staff, a doctoral thesis at Linköping University shows.
Asthma drug aids simultaneous desensitization to several food allergies, study finds
An asthma drug accelerates the process of desensitizing patients with food allergies to several foods at the same time, a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford shows.
Striking the right balance with muscle control
The central nervous system (CNS) comprises the brain and spinal cord, and coordinates all our bodily activities. One of the functions of the CNS is to choose the most efficient muscle movements in order to conserve energy and allow the body to move smoothly, and it is believed that the CNS trains itself through experience to narrow down the number of options. Fady Alnajjar and colleagues from the Intelligent Behavior Control Unit of the RIKEN Brain Science Institute have now modeled the behavior of muscles during balance tests to illustrate how the human CNS trains itself to maintain balance1.
Bone development of the unborn young rats of obese mothers impaired
Does obesity during pregnancy impact the baby's chances of developing strong, healthy bones? No one knows for certain, but ongoing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-funded studies at the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center in Little Rock are helping to provide clues.
Novel therapy teaches abuse survivors not to fear kindness
Survivors of abuse, abandonment and neglect who struggle to understand the kind facial expressions of others - such as a smile - could benefit from a novel therapy tool developed by a mental health researcher with expertise in mood disorders.
Common sense, moderation are key on food safety issues
There is often debate over whether or not certain household and food-related products are safe for consumer use or consumption. The controversy often causes media hype that can scare consumers into avoiding common and useful items.
Study finds robotic-assisted prostate surgery offers better cancer control
An observational study from UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has found that prostate cancer patients who undergo robotic-assisted prostate surgery have fewer instances of cancer cells at the edge of their surgical specimen and less need for additional cancer treatments like hormone or radiation therapy than patients who have traditional "open" surgery.
Gene mutation associated with development of fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma
In the race for better treatments and possible cures, rare diseases are often left behind. In a collaboration of researchers at The Rockefeller University, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the New York Genome Center (NYGC), an unusual mutation has been found that is strongly linked to one such disease: a rare liver cancer that affects teens and young adults. The results, published this week in Science, suggest that the mutation plays a key role in the development of the disease, called fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma, and may also underlie more common cancers as well.
Lower-grade fruit availability may not increase consumption
New research suggests that increasing the availability of lower grade fresh fruit and vegetables may not be the answer to increasing its consumption.
Why shingles affects mostly people who are middle age and older
Shingles is a painful viral infection that affects almost 1 million people worldwide and 30 percent of Americans every year. Known as herpes zoster, it's caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox, the varicella-zoster virus. The outbreak occurs mostly in people older than 50 because the virus can lie dormant in the nerve tissue for many years and then become activated, which leads to shingles.
Hospitalization increases risk of depression and dementia for seniors
People over age 65 who have been hospitalized are at significantly greater risk for dementia or depression, finds a new study in General Hospital Psychiatry.
Regulator of gene expression responsible for the progression of breast cancer
Yale Cancer Center researchers have identified a regulator of gene expression that is responsible for the progression of breast cancer and its metastasis to the lung. The study appears online in Cell Reports.
Study suggests sports coaches are crucial to anti-doping attitudes amongst athletes
A study examining Scottish coaches' perspectives on anti-doping has highlighted the influence a coach can have on an athlete's views. It also calls for sport governing bodies to embed anti-doping policies and procedures to ensure Scotland maintains its clean reputation.
Breakthrough drug on fast-track to help leukemia patients
Three very different people gathered recently at University of Colorado Hospital. They were linked by leukemia.
Newer diabetes drugs cost more, but may not work better
Two newer classes of drugs to treat adult-onset diabetes may be no more effective than the old standby, yet they cost significantly more over the course of a patient's disease.
Does cell therapy treatment prolong the lives of heart attack patients?
One of the world's largest clinical cell therapy trials has begun to enroll 3,000 heart attack patients, some of whom will have bone marrow cells extracted with a needle from their hip and fed into their heart using a catheter in their coronary arteries.
Muscle loss that comes with age can be fixed through better nutrition
A cup of tea and a cookie for an afternoon snack, while a pleasant routine, may not be supplying adequate nutrition for many baby boomers, a recent Tufts study suggests. Substituting a glass of milk or a hard-boiled egg would better fuel the person who has reached that time in life—that is to say, anyone older than 50—when muscle mass declines at a rate of 1 to 2 percent annually.
Racial bias in pain perception appears among children as young as 7
A new University of Virginia psychology study has found that a sample of mostly white American children – as young as 7, and particularly by age 10 – report that black children feel less pain than white children.
Drinking water linked to infections
Brisbane's water supply has been found to contain disease carrying bugs which can be directly linked to infections in some patients, according to a new study by QUT.
Dangerous mistaken identity: Chaperone binds protein responsible for Alzheimer's disease
Proteins like the so-called heat shock protein Hsp90 play an important role in almost all processes within human cells. They help other proteins fold into their three-dimensional structure or return damaged proteins back into their proper shape.
Diabetes and obesity more common in socioeconomically deprived regions
Living in a socioeconomically deprived region is a risk factor for being affected by diabetes mellitus and obesity. This holds true regardless of the individual social status of the inhabitants. This is the conclusion reached by scientists from the Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management (IGM) at the Helmholtz Zentrum München (HMGU) and the Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Berlin. "Regional factors, such as the population's average income, unemployment or quality of the living environment can affect the health of all inhabitants, regardless of the educational level of the individual people", explains the lead author Werner Maier.
Indonesia's competitiveness at risk from neglected diseases of poverty
February 27, 2014 – The control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) is one of the most cost-effective ways Indonesia can sustain economic growth and reduce inequality, said scientists today in an analysis published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. While Indonesia is poised to defeat NTDs by 2020, it has an opportunity to scale up national programs, integrate NTDs with other development efforts, strengthen coordination and enhance collaboration among key partners.
Scientists discover the specific types of macrophages that affect Crohn's disease severity
For those coping with Crohn's disease, a new research report published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology offers hope for the development of new and more effective drugs. In the report, scientists show for the first time, precisely what type of immune cells are involved in driving the inflammation process in the disease. With this knowledge, new compounds can be identified which reduce the activity of these cells or lessen their inflammatory effects.
Shaky hand, stable spoon: Study shows device helps essential tremor patients
For people whose hands shake uncontrollably due to a medical condition, just eating can be a frustrating and embarrassing ordeal – enough to keep them from sharing a meal with others.
Smoke in the water: Understanding the effects of smoke compounds on seed germination
Although seemingly destructive, wildfires help to maintain biodiversity and are an important element of many ecosystems throughout the world. Not only do fires discourage non-native and invasive species from becoming established, but the quick release of nutrients, heat, and compounds found in ash and smoke play an important role in the life cycle of the native flora. For plants that are adapted to ecosystems where fire is a regular occurrence—such as savannas, grasslands, and coniferous forests—exposure to fire may initiate seed germination or enhance plant growth.
Study reveal unexpected findings
Research on a deadly form of brain cancer co-authored by a physician at Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The three-year research project led locally by David Brachman, M.D., revealed that a 'promising' drug therapy failed to improve survival among patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma.
Becoming disabled may up risk of developing diabetes
(HealthDay)—Functional decline and physical disability may increase the subsequent risk of diabetes in older adults, according to research published online Feb. 18 in Diabetes Care.
Funding tied to spinal study outcomes, levels of evidence
(HealthDay)—Source of funding for spinal research is significantly associated with study outcome and level of evidence (LOE), according to a review published in the Feb. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
Hand hygiene lacking in many U.S. health care facilities: study
(HealthDay)—One in five U.S. health care facilities does not make alcohol-based hand sanitizer available everywhere it's needed, new research shows.
Common asthma meds may raise sleep apnea risk, study says
(HealthDay)—Medicines commonly used to control asthma may increase the risk of a potentially serious sleep problem in some people, a small, early study suggests.
Mental health problems mistaken for physical illness in children
Many children are admitted to general acute wards with mental health problems mistaken for physical disease.
Study links poor sleep quality to reduced brain gray matter in Gulf War vets
A new study of Gulf War veterans found an association between poor sleep quality and reduced gray matter volume in the brain's frontal lobe, which helps control important processes such as working memory and executive function.
Tackling tumors with space station research
In space, things don't always behave the way we expect them to. In the case of cancer, researchers have found that this is a good thing: some tumors seem to be much less aggressive in the microgravity environment of space compared to their behavior on Earth. This observation, reported in research published in February by the FASEB Journal, could help scientists understand the mechanism involved and develop drugs targeting tumors that don't respond to current treatments. This work is the latest in a large body of evidence on how space exploration benefits those of us on Earth.
Frequent childhood nightmares may indicate an increased risk of psychotic traits
Children who suffer from frequent nightmares or bouts of night terrors may be at an increased risk of psychotic experiences in adolescence, according to new research from the University of Warwick.
Innovative approaches to improve vision in children with tumors
Robert Avery, DO, MSCE, of Children's National Health System and colleagues are establishing innovative approaches with technology and medication to improve the vision of young children who have visual pathway glioma, a type of brain tumor.
3-D imaging sheds light on Apert syndrome development
Three dimensional imaging of two different mouse models of Apert Syndrome shows that cranial deformation begins before birth and continues, worsening with time, according to a team of researchers who studied mice to better understand and treat the disorder in humans.
Researchers identify brain differences linked to insomnia
Johns Hopkins researchers report that people with chronic insomnia show more plasticity and activity than good sleepers in the part of the brain that controls movement.
Purification, culture and multi-lineage differentiation of zebrafish neural crest cells
Researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)/Harvard Medical School, Drs. Beste Kinikoglu and Yawei Kong, led by Dr. Eric C. Liao, cultured and characterized for the first time multipotent neural crest cells isolated from zebrafish embryos. This important study is reported in the February 2014 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine.
Coating could help prevent blood clots associated with implanted biomedical devices
A team of researchers from UCLA and the University of Michigan has developed a material that could help prevent blood clots associated with catheters, heart valves, vascular grafts and other implanted biomedical devices.
How photosensitization can stop viruses from infecting cells
A UCLA-led team of researchers has found evidence that photosensitizing a virus's membrane covering can inhibit its ability to enter cells and potentially lead to the development of stronger, cheaper medications to fight a host of tough viruses.
Scientists develop new nanoscale method to fight cancer
Researchers from UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed an innovative cancer-fighting technique in which custom-designed nanoparticles carry chemotherapy drugs directly to tumor cells and release their cargo when triggered by a two-photon laser in the infrared red wavelength.
Novel technique for cell lineage-specific gene-expression analysis
Before doctors like Matthias Kretzler can begin using the results of molecular research to treat patients, they need science to find an effective way to match genes with the specific cells involved in disease. As Kretzler explains, finding that link would eventually let physicians create far more effective diagnostic tools and treatments.
Neurons coordinate to fine-tune motor control
Whether it is playing a piano sonata or acing a tennis serve, the brain needs to orchestrate precise, coordinated control over the body's many muscles. Moreover, there needs to be some kind of feedback from the senses should any of those movements go wrong. Neurons that coordinate those movements, known as Purkinje cells, and ones that provide feedback when there is an error or unexpected sensation, known as climbing fibers, work in close concert to fine-tune motor control.
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