From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Wed, Apr 17, 2013 at 2:05 AM
Subject: Phys.org Newsletter Tuesday, Apr 16
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>
Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 16, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Physicists set new record for quantum teleportation with matter qubits- Google Glass: Specs on specs, API docs mark busy week
- Fujitsu unveils device that lets printed paper become interactive (w/ video)
- Nanosuits help small creatures survive a vacuum
- Manganese dioxide nanorod technology could lead to a better capacitor
- Researchers discover new materials to capture methane
- Small in size, big on power: New microbatteries the most powerful yet
- Dying supergiant stars implicated in hours-long gamma-ray bursts
- Scientists pinpoint brain's area for numeral recognition
- Remnants of supernova explosion found in ancient magnetotactic bacteria
- Layered '2-D nanocrystals' promising new semiconductor
- Super-CDMS researchers report possible evidence of WIMPs
- Team demonstrates quantum dots that assemble themselves
- Peel-and-stick solar cells
- Methods to repair kidney cells, assess kidney function on the horizon
Space & Earth news
EU lawmakers face close vote on pollution credit freeze
Controversial plans to revive the EU's faltering carbon cap-and-trade system so as to cut greenhouse gas emissions face a tough test in the European Parliament on Tuesday.
Putting the stars within reach
When you look at the night sky, you see stars, a few planets, and perhaps even the Milky Way's spangled belt stretched across the middle.
Water signature in distant planet shows clues to its formation
A team of international scientists including a Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory astrophysicist has made the most detailed examination yet of the atmosphere of a Jupiter-size like planet beyond our solar system.
7.7 magnitude quake hits Iran, Pakistan
An earthquake toppled homes and shops on both sides of the Iran-Pakistan border Tuesday, killing dozens of people and causing skyscrapers to sway in Dubai. It also forced Iranian officials—for the second time in less than a week—to issue assurances that its main nuclear reactor wasn't damaged.
Researcher conducts supercomputer simulations to learn impacts on Earth's magnetic field
(Phys.org) —Space weather is driven by the sun, which has a continually changing magnetic field. When this field accumulates excess energy, it can erupt and send energetic particles into space, sometimes toward Earth. Scientists believe that such violent emissions of charged particles, known as coronal mass ejections, are in part fueled by gusty space winds, or turbulence.
Measuring the forces generated by erosive debris flows
Like water flows, debris flows can carve out steep valleys and change landscapes. By studying the mechanics of bedrock incision caused by flowing debris, scientists are better able to understand patterns and rates of landscape evolution. Laboratory studies and models have shown how flowing granular materials can cut into rock, but field measurements are needed to confirm the findings and provide information about the more complex natural environment.
Agulhas Current leakage could stabilize Atlantic overturning circulation
A major focus of concern for the coming century is understanding how the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) will respond to the changing temperatures and wind patterns brought on by global climate change. Because the AMOC plays an important role in transporting heat to northern latitudes and modulating storm tracks, temperatures, and precipitation patterns in the surrounding continents, changes in its strength will have far-reaching consequences.
Launch! Anik G1 satellite aims to ease communications overcrowding
A new communications satellite aims to ease the strain of overcrowded communications networks in Latin America, while adding capacity to direct-to-home services in Canada and military users across the Americas.
Asteroid tracking sensor passes key test
An infrared sensor that could improve NASA's future detecting and tracking of asteroids and comets has passed a critical design test.
NASA engineers rehearse placement of Webb Telescope's NIRSpec and microshutters
(Phys.org) —The installation of equipment into the James Webb Space Telescope requires patience and precision. To prepare for the installation of the actual flight equipment and ensure perfection in the installations, scientists need to practice with an identical test unit. Scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. are currently rehearsing with the placement of the Webb's Microshutter Array into the NIRSpec.
Researchers tackle next-generation climate models
Tornadoes, twisting winds that descend from thunderheads, and derechos, winds that race ahead of a straight line of storms, are just two varieties of extreme weather events whose frequency and violence are on the increase. To keep up with nature, climate models are running at ever-higher resolutions, requiring ever-greater processing speeds and altered computer architectures.
Sediment discovery could save millions
New research tracking the movement of dredged sediment around Liverpool Bay could save millions of pounds, according to scientists at the National Oceanography Centre in Liverpool.
Study reveals escalating cost of forest conservation
In the face of unprecedented deforestation and biodiversity loss, policy makers are increasingly using financial incentives to encourage conservation.
A look at the world explains 90 percent of changes in vegetation
In the last thirty years, vegetation has changed significantly the world over. Until recently, the extent to which the climate or humankind was responsible remained unclear. However, geographers from the University of Zurich and colleagues from the Netherlands now reveal that over half of these changes are climatological, humans or as yet unknown human-climate interactions cause over a third and around ten percent cannot be explained fully by either the climate or human activity.
For the very first time, two spacecraft will fly in formation with millimeter precision
Spanish industry is leading the Proba-3 mission, a world first in precise formation flying. This European Space Agency (ESA) project aims to demonstrate that two satellites can move as one single object with sub-millimetre precision. This configuration will enable the creation of enormous space telescopes with the lens and detector hundreds of metres apart.
NASA imagery shows wind shear hammering Cyclone Imelda
Cyclone Imelda has lost both her punch and her hurricane status as the storm moved into an area of higher wind shear and cooler waters in the Southern Indian Ocean. NASA's Aqua satellite provided an image of Imelda that showed wind shear that has been hammering the storm, had pushed the bulk of the storm's precipitation southeast of the center.
Study reveals seasonal patterns of tropical rainfall changes from global warming
Projections of rainfall changes from global warming have been very uncertain because scientists could not determine how two different mechanisms will impact rainfall. The two mechanisms turn out to complement each other and together shape the spatial distribution of seasonal rainfall in the tropics, according to the study of a group of Chinese and Hawaii scientists that is published in the April 14, 2013, online issue of Nature Geoscience.
Sunlit snow triggers atmospheric cleaning, ozone depletion in the Arctic
(Phys.org) —A Purdue University-led team of researchers discovered sunlit snow to be the major source of atmospheric bromine in the Arctic, the key to unique chemical reactions that purge pollutants and destroy ozone.
Is there an atmosphere on the Moon?
(Phys.org) —Until recently, most everyone accepted the conventional wisdom that the moon has virtually no atmosphere. Just as the discovery of water on the moon transformed our textbook knowledge of Earth's nearest celestial neighbor, recent studies confirm that our moon does indeed have an atmosphere consisting of some unusual gases, including sodium and potassium, which are not found in the atmospheres of Earth, Mars or Venus. It's an infinitesimal amount of air when compared to Earth's atmosphere. At sea level on Earth, we breathe in an atmosphere where each cubic centimeter contains 10,000,000,000,000,000,000 molecules; by comparison the lunar atmosphere has less than 1,000,000 molecules in the same volume. That still sounds like a lot, but it is what we consider to be a very good vacuum on Earth. In fact, the density of the atmosphere at the moon's surface is comparable to the density of the outermost fringes of Earth's atmosphere where the International Space Stati! on orbits.
Titan's methane: Going, going, soon to be gone?
(Phys.org) —By tracking a part of the surface of Saturn's moon Titan over several years, NASA's Cassini mission has found a remarkable longevity to the hydrocarbon lakes on the moon's surface.
Strange new bursts of gamma rays point to a new way to destroy a star
(Phys.org) —A team led by the University of Warwick has pinpointed a new type of exceptionally powerful and long-lived cosmic explosion, prompting a theory that they arise in the violent death throes of a supergiant star.
Wind mission encounters 'SLAMS' waves
(Phys.org) —As Earth moves around the sun, it travels surrounded by a giant bubble created by its own magnetic fields, called the magnetosphere. As the magnetosphere plows through space, it sets up a standing bow wave or bow shock, much like that in front of a moving ship. Just in front of this bow wave lies a complex, turbulent system called the foreshock. Conditions in the foreshock change in response to solar particles streaming in from the sun, moving magnetic fields and a host of waves, some fast, some slow, sweeping through the region.
Remnants of supernova explosion found in ancient magnetotactic bacteria
(Phys.org) —Back in 2004, German scientists discovered traces of supernova ejecta that had been deposited in the deep-sea ferromanganese crust of the pacific ocean. They dated the supernova event to 2.8 million years ago (Mya), using estimates from the decay of iron-60 radioisotope. They were also able to estimate the distance of the supernova event to 10 parsecs (pc) from our sun, based on the amount of iron-60 deposited. At the April 14th meeting of the American Physical Society, another German scientist, Shawn Bishop, reported finding traces of iron-60 of supernova origin in the fossilized remains of a common bacteria. By accurately dating the sediment cores in which the samples were found, Bishop appears to have discovered the first biological signature of an ancient supernova event, and may even be able to link it to a specific exploding star.
Dying supergiant stars implicated in hours-long gamma-ray bursts
(Phys.org) —Three unusually long-lasting stellar explosions discovered by NASA's Swift satellite represent a previously unrecognized class of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Two international teams of astronomers studying these events conclude that they likely arose from the catastrophic death of supergiant stars hundreds of times larger than the sun.
Medicine & Health news
Tobacco cos. make payments under state settlement
The top U.S. cigarette companies have made their payments as part of the longstanding settlement in which some cigarette makers are paying states for smoking-related health care costs.
Social media can support healthiness of older people
The use of social media by older people can offer valuable additional support in cases of sickness and diseases, new research from the University of Luxembourg has shown.
Interview: UN puts spotlight on 'stunted' kids
(AP)—The United Nations Children's Fund says more than a quarter of children under the age of 5 worldwide are permanently "stunted" from malnutrition, leaving them physically and intellectually weak and representing a scandalous waste of human potential.
4.4 mmol/L is optimal fasting glucose cutoff for GDM screening
(HealthDay)—A fasting plasma glucose value of 4.4 mmol/L is the optimal cut point for determining which pregnant Chinese women need a 75-g 2-h oral glucose tolerance test offered at 24 to 28 weeks' gestation, according to a study published online March 27 in Diabetes Care.
Concerns that methadone children may have problems at school
Children prenatally exposed to methadone or Subutex (buprenorphine) are prone to developing cognitive difficulties. According to one researcher, these children still need close follow-up after they begin school.
Better support needed for dads as well as mums after difficult births
Severe and life-threatening complications in pregnancy can have a big impact on fathers as well as mothers. That's one of the key findings of work by Oxford University researchers who spoke to couples who had been through this, in compiling a new resource for the award-winning patient website healthtalkonline.org.
Large-scale study of preventive antibiotic usage against Lyme disease
Today, at the start of the "Tick Week", the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and Wageningen University are commencing a large-scale study to discover whether preventive use of antibiotics can stop Lyme disease developing after a tick bite. Of the more than 3400 ticks that were sent to RIVM via Tekenradar.nl (Tick radar) last year, more than 20% turned out to be infected with the Borrelia bacteria which can cause Lyme disease. Around 3% of the people bitten by ticks developed Lyme disease.
Lower education linked to premature death from malignant skin melanoma
There are socioeconomic differences in Sweden in survival amongst people with malignant skin melanoma, according to a new study published in the European Journal of Cancer. Melanoma patients with a lower educational background are much more likely to die of the disease.
Somalia: Female genital mutilation down
(AP)—Attitudes in Somalia toward a practice that critics decry as torture may be changing, as new data released by the U.N. children's agency on Tuesday showed that female genital mutilation among children in northern Somalia is on the decline.
How does acupuncture work? The science behind the therapy explored
Even as medical acupuncture is increasingly being validated as an effective treatment for a broad range of medical conditions, what has been missing is an understanding of the basic science and mechanisms of action of this age-old method of healing. A special issue of Medical Acupuncture, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers presents a series of articles by authors from around the world who provide diverse and insightful perspectives on the science and physiologic responses underlying medical acupuncture. The issue is available free on the Medical Acupuncture website at http://www.liebertpub.com/acu.
New approaches to maximize the antitumor activity of interferon
Interferons have antitumor activity and have been used to treat a variety of malignancies, including colorectal and ovarian cancers. However, their effectiveness varies. A clearer understanding of the role of interferon in immune-mediated tumor cell death and how its antitumor effects could be optimized are presented in a comprehensive Review article published in Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research.
Physician entrepreneurs are key contributors to new medical devices
Startup companies founded by physician entrepreneurs are an important source of patents used in developing innovative new medical devices, suggests a study in the May issue of Medical Care.
Magnet hospitals achieve lower mortality, report says
Lower mortality and other improved patient outcomes achieved at designated "Magnet hospitals" are explained partly—but not completely—by better nurse staffing, education, and work environment, reports a study in the May issue of Medical Care.
Energy efficiency could increase infection risks in hospital wards
The chance of infection in some hospital wards varies dramatically according to whether the nurses leave the windows open.
Parents can help their children avoid alcohol pitfalls during transition from high school to college
Prior research has shown that the transition from high school to college is a particularly vulnerable time, associated with increased alcohol use and risk of negative alcohol-related consequences. While studies have examined the effectiveness of prevention programs to address this problem, few have examined which students may benefit the most. A study of student characteristics has found that parent-based interventions (PBIs) can be effective even among those students feeling high peer pressure to drink alcohol.
PPP meets mental health needs in northern Uganda
A partnership involving the public and private sector successfully addressed the mental health needs of people in the post-conflict regions of northern Uganda and could be used as a model in other post-conflict settings, according to a Health In Action article by Ugandan and US researchers published in this week's PLOS Medicine as part of an ongoing series on Global Mental Health Practice.
England's smoking ban linked to annual five percent drop in emergency admissions for asthma
Emergency admissions for asthma among adults fell by just under five percent in each of the first three years after the ban on smoking in public places was introduced in England, reveals the largest study of its kind, published online in Thorax.
Routine screening and counselling for partner violence in health-care settings does not improve women's quality of life
New research published Online First in The Lancet confirms that routine intimate partner violence screening and counselling in primary-care settings does not improve women's quality of life, but does help reduce depressive symptoms.
Women with HIV shown to have elevated resting energy expenditure
Studies have shown that about 10 percent of men infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have an elevated resting energy expenditure (REE). Their bodies use more kilocalories for basic functions including circulation, body temperature, and breathing. Most studies have been conducted in men and those with solely women have had small sample sizes. A team of researchers has sought to rectify this with a matched, prospective, cross-sectional study. The results are featured in a new report published by the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Gene signature can predict who will survive chemotherapy
An eight gene 'signature' can predict length of relapse-free survival after chemotherapy, finds new research in Biomed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine.
Medications used to treat rheumatoid arthritis may affect abortion rate in women
A new study published in the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) journal, Arthritis Care & Research, reveals that women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were on methotrexate (MTX), a drug commonly used to reduce inflammation caused by RA, had lower rates of induced abortions compared to women with RA who were not exposed to the medication. Findings indicate that women with RA exposed to anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) drugs may have increased abortion rates compared to unexposed women.
Tobacco companies keep people smoking despite UK cigarette tax increases
Raising tobacco prices is one of the most effective means of reducing tobacco use, particularly among price-sensitive smokers such as young people and people with low incomes. But when the UK government has been raising cigarette taxes to increase prices and deter smoking, tobacco companies have been absorbing the tax increases on their ultra-low-price (ULP) brands to keep their prices low. As a result, real ULP cigarette prices have remained virtually unchanged since 2006 and their market share has doubled, suggesting that as cigarette taxes rise, many smokers downtrade to cheaper cigarettes and carry on smoking.
Cholesterol increases risk of Alzheimer's and heart disease
Researchers at the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome and the University of Colorado School of Medicine have found that a single mechanism may underlie the damaging effect of cholesterol on the brain and on blood vessels.
Urine test identifies babies at most risk of necrotizing enterocolitis
Abnormal gut bacteria in premature babies can be found days before the onset of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) finds new research in BioMed Central's open access journal Microbiome. Babies who later went on to develop NEC had a lower diversity of gut bacteria 4-9 days after birth, increased level of Firmicutes or Enterobacteriaceae, and lacked the Propionibacterium found in healthy babies.
Australians getting fatter, more anxious, survey finds
Australians are smoking and drinking less than they were five years ago but are fatter and more anxious, according to a new survey profiling the nation's health launched Tuesday.
Are pricey computer-aided mammograms worth it?
(HealthDay)—Adding computer-aided detection to mammograms finds more early, noninvasive cancers and helps detect invasive cancers at earlier stages, according to a large new study. But the jury's still out as to how worthwhile the extra technology is overall.
Laparoscopic hysterectomy rates on rise over past decade
(HealthDay)—The rate of laparoscopic hysterectomy has greatly increased over the past decade and is now higher than that of abdominal hysterectomy, according to a study in the April issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Re-op rates ID'd for herniated intervertebral disc disease
(HealthDay)—For patients undergoing surgery for lumbar herniated intervertebral disc disease, reoperation rates reach 13.4 percent after five years, with more than half of reoperations occurring in the first year, according to a study published in the April 1 issue of Spine.
Factors weighing in on long-term diabetes survival studied
(HealthDay)—Those able to survive with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) for more than 40 years are more likely to have better glycemic control, lower blood pressure, and more favorable lipid profiles, according to a study published online April 5 in Diabetes Care.
Pediatric melanomas are increasing two percent a year
(HealthDay)—The incidence of pediatric melanoma has increased by about 2 percent per year, and this incidence trend is influenced by gender, age, and stage at diagnosis, primary site, and ultraviolet (UV)-B exposure, according to research published online April 15 in Pediatrics.
Drugs can cut breast cancer risk for some, task force finds
(HealthDay)—The drugs tamoxifen and raloxifene (Evista) could reduce the risk of breast cancer among women who are at high risk of developing the disease, a new report confirms.
What's motivating child's play?
Altering parents' and teachers' notion of risk taking behaviour can significantly increase children's physical activity suggests a study lead by University of Sydney researchers.
Tweeting our way to heart health
(Medical Xpress)—Real-time social phenomenon, Twitter, can be a powerful tool to help prevent heart disease and improve health practices, according to a group of researchers affiliated with the University of Sydney.
Researchers identify pathway that may protect against cocaine addiction
(Medical Xpress)—A study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health gives insight into changes in the reward circuitry of the brain that may provide resistance against cocaine addiction. Scientists found that strengthening signaling along a neural pathway that runs through the nucleus accumbens—a region of the brain involved in motivation, pleasure, and addiction—can reduce cocaine-seeking behavior in mice.
Study uncovers key factor in Alzheimer's progression
(Medical Xpress)—A new study from researchers at the University of Florida may have uncovered a critical factor that drives the relentless progression of Alzheimer's disease ― a discovery that could eventually slow its progression.
Green cities mean healthier people
(Medical Xpress)—Australians will be happier, safer and healthier if they look after the nature spots in their cities, according to new research led by The University of Queensland.
Study shines new light on menopause symptoms
(Medical Xpress)—New UQ research reveals menopausal women who gain weight, smoke and consume alcohol at risky levels face an increased risk of experiencing night sweats and hot flushes.
Python venom traces could waste antivenom
A University of Queensland researcher has found the potential for Australian doctors to prescribe expensive antivenom to snake bite victims who don't need it.
Stimulating the brain blunts cigarette craving
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths globally. Unfortunately smoking cessation is difficult, with more than 90% of attempts to quit resulting in relapse.
EU tests show 1 in 20 beef meals tainted with horse (Update 3)
Thousands of DNA tests on European beef products have revealed extensive food fraud across the European Union, with almost one in 20 meals marketed as beef likely to be tainted with horse, the European Commission said Tuesday.
New model of how brain functions are organized may revolutionize stroke rehab
(Medical Xpress)—A new model of brain lateralization for movement could dramatically improve the future of rehabilitation for stroke patients, according to Penn State researcher Robert Sainburg, who proposed and confirmed the model through novel virtual reality and brain lesion experiments.
Vitamin A could prevent the spread of prostate cancer
(Medical Xpress)—Vitamin A could help treat and prevent the spread of prostate cancer, according to research published today (Monday, April 15th) in Oncogenesis.
New therapy holds promise for aggressive breast cancers
Australian researchers have developed a new therapy to treat a common and aggressive form of breast cancer and stop the disease spreading, with a 100% success rate reported in mice.
Forage longer for berries, study on age-related memory decline suggests
Like birds which stop foraging too early on a berry-laden bush, a new study suggests older people struggle to recall items because they flit too often between 'patches' in their memories.
Experiencing existential dread? Tylenol may do the trick
Thinking about death can cause us to feel a sort of existential angst that isn't attributable to a specific source. Now, new research suggests that acetaminophen, an over-the-counter pain medication, may help to reduce this existential pain.
New kidney cancer subtypes discovered
Researchers with the Institute of Urologic Oncology and the Department of Urology at UCLA have classified kidney cancer into several unique subtypes, a finding that will help physicians tailor treatment to individual patients and that moves cancer care one step closer to personalized medicine.
Impact of portion size on overeating is hard to overcome
People given large servings of food eat more than those given smaller servings, even after they have been taught about the impact of portion size on consumption, research from the University of New South Wales shows.
Study shows a quarter of patients discharged from hospitals return to ERs within 30 days
A study led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Boston University School of Medicine has found that nearly one quarter of patients may return to the emergency department within 30 days of being discharged from a hospitalization. None of these emergency room visits that do not lead to subsequent admission are included in calculating hospital readmission rates, which are a key focus of health care cost containment and quality improvement efforts. The findings are published in Annals of Emergency Medicine.
Lack of consensus among health care providers in identifying sepsis poses threat to treatment
Though the toll of sepsis is known to be enormous – it is estimated to cost the U.S. health care system $24.3 billion each year, and is the nation's third-leading killer, behind heart disease and cancer – the true magnitude of incidence of and death from the illness remains unknown. There is substantial variability in these numbers, depending on the method used to identify the condition in patients treated at hospital across the United States, according to a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The authors say these discrepancies limit the potential to improve treatment for the condition.
Fun activities can improve language learning, academics reveal
Playing simple games using words and pictures can help people to learn a new language with greater ease, researchers from The University of Nottingham have shown.
Transcription factors regulating blood oxygen linked to melanoma metastases
Researchers at the University of North Carolina have discovered that transcription factors regulating the levels of oxygen in the blood also play a role in the spread of the skin cancer melanoma.
Better coordination necessary to reduce hospital readmission rates
Achieving widespread reductions in preventable hospital readmissions among Medicare beneficiaries may take longer than many health care professionals originally anticipated, according to researchers at Penn State, the Weill Cornell Medical College and the University of Pennsylvania.
Spread of breast cancer linked to kisspeptins which normally inhibit metastasis
KISS 1 is a metastasis-suppressor gene which helps to prevent the spread of cancers, including melanoma, pancreatic and ovarian cancers to name a few. But new research from Western University's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry shows that kisspeptins –peptide products of KISS1, actually make some breast cancers worse, with a higher tumor grade and metastatic potential. The research is published online in the journal Endocrinology.
Survived cancer? Now look out for cardiovascular risks
Many people survive their cancers, but end up dying of cardiovascular disease (CVD). New research from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center finds that CVD risk factors may be overlooked during survivorship care.
Can computer-based decision support control health care costs?
William M. Tierney, M.D. focuses on the potential of electronic medical systems and computer-based decision support to control healthcare costs in "Controlling costs with computer-based decision support: a hammer, a scalpel or an illusion?" published online in JAMA Internal Medicine on April 15.
New study finds digoxin safe despite recent reports
A study published today in the European Heart Journal found no evidence that digoxin increases mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), the opposite of results just published by another group in the same journal analyzing the same data.
Aerobic exercise may protect cognitive abilities of heavy drinkers, study finds
Aerobic exercise may help prevent and perhaps even reverse some of the brain damage associated with heavy alcohol consumption, according to a new University of Colorado Boulder study.
Negative fathering plus barroom drinking are a dangerous mix, lead to aggression
Alcohol-related aggression is estimated to be involved in half of all assaults globally. In addition, alcohol-related aggression is most likely to occur among young males and usually at a bar or other licensed venue. While it is clear that drinking and heavy binge drinking can lead to male-to-male alcohol-related aggression (MMARA), this study is the first to examine the role of the father-son relationship in MMARA, finding that negative fathering is particularly influential.
Patients with surgical complications provide greater hospital profit-margins
Privately insured surgical patients who had a complication provided hospitals with a 330% higher profit margin than those without a complication, according to new research from Ariadne Labs, a joint center for health system innovation at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), Boston Consulting Group, Texas Health Resources, and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Medicare patients with a complication produced a 190% higher margin. The findings mean that, for hospital managers, efforts to reduce surgical complications could result in substantially worsened financial performance.
Routine EKG finding could signal serious heart problem
A common test that records the heart's electrical activity could predict potentially serious cardiovascular illness, according to a UC San Francisco-led study.
Adoption of healthy lifestyle low by individuals with CVD
Among patients with a coronary heart disease or stroke event from countries with varying income levels, the prevalence of healthy lifestyle behaviors (such as regular physical activity, eating a healthy diet, and not smoking) was low, with even lower levels in poorer countries, according to a study in the April 17 issue of JAMA.
Migraines in childhood and adolescence associated with having colic as an infant
In a study including children and adolescents 6 to 18 years of age, those who have experienced migraine headaches were more likely to have had colic as an infant, according to a study in the April 17 issue of JAMA.
Outcomes for treating heart failure with cell therapy, high-dose ultrasound
Treatment that consisted of shock wave (procedure using high-dose ultrasound)-mediated preconditioning of the target heart tissue prior to administration of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells was associated with significant, albeit modest improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (a measure of how well the left ventricle of the heart pumps with each contraction) after 4 months in patients with chronic postinfarction heart failure, according to a study in the April 17 issue of JAMA. The results, which require confirmation in larger trials, demonstrate the potential for this type of therapy to reduce adverse clinical events in these chronically ill patients.
Memory, the adolescent brain and lying: The limits of neuroscientific evidence in the law
Brain scans are increasingly able to reveal whether or not you believe you remember some person or event in your life. In a new study presented at a cognitive neuroscience meeting today, researchers used fMRI brain scans to detect whether a person recognized scenes from their own lives, as captured in some 45,000 images by digital cameras. The study is seeking to test the capabilities and limits of brain-based technology for detecting memories, a technique being considered for use in legal settings.
Multicenter study confirms low testosterone in 84 percent of lung cancer patients taking crizotinib
A previous study by the University of Colorado Cancer Center reported the common side effect of low testosterone in men treated with the recently approved lung cancer agent, crizotinib. A new study published this week in the journal Cancer confirms this finding in a multi-national sample, details the mechanism of reduced testosterone, and provides promising preliminary evidence that widely available hormone replacement therapies can alleviate this side effect in many patients.
Three cancer scientists awarded $500K Nmedical prize
Three scientists at universities in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Oregon whose research has helped transform cancer treatment will share one of the richest prizes in medicine and biomedical research.
Death toll hits 16 in China bird flu outbreak
H7N9 bird flu has claimed two more lives in Shanghai, Chinese state media said on Tuesday, bringing the death toll from the disease to 16.
Molecular signaling in early placenta formation gives clues to causes of pregnancy complications
Understanding the molecular control of placenta formation, the organ which enables fetal growth, is critical in diagnosing and treating related pregnancy complications. A group of scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, and the University of Calgary, Canada has revealed a molecular feedback loop that governs the earliest steps of placenta formation in mice, which is known to mimic placenta formation in humans. Their findings are published April 16 in the open access journal PLOS Biology.
Prophylactic sodium bicarbonate infusion and acute kidney injury after open heart surgery
Contrary to the positive findings of a previous pilot study, administration of a sodium bicarbonate-based infusion to induce urinary alkalinization during and after surgery does not reduce the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) and may even cause harm in patients undergoing open heart surgery.
Common pregnancy conditions risk future diabetes
Two common conditions in pregnancy may be risk factors for future diabetes according to a Canadian study of over one million women published in this week's PLOS Medicine.
Fearing abuse, FDA blocks generic OxyContin
Federal health regulators will require generic versions of the best-selling painkiller OxyContin to include recent formulation changes designed to make the pill harder to abuse.
What really makes us fat? Article questions our understanding of the cause of obesity
If we are to make any progress in tackling the obesity crisis, we have to look again at what really makes us fat, claims an article published in this week's BMJ.
Circumcision alters penis microbiome, could explain HIV protection
Circumcision drastically alters the microbiome of the penis, changes that could explain why circumcision offers protection against HIV and other viral infections. In a study to be published on April 16 in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, researchers studied the effects of adult male circumcision on the types of bacteria that live under the foreskin before and after circumcision. By one year post-procedure, the total bacterial load in that area had dropped significantly and the prevalence of anaerobic bacteria, which thrive in locations with limited oxygen, declined while the numbers of some aerobic bacteria increased slightly.
Haiti cholera mutations could lead to more severe disease: Strain is evolving to be more like virulent 1800s cholera
The cholera strain that transferred to Haiti in 2010 has multiple toxin gene mutations that may account for the severity of disease and is evolving to be more like an 1800s version of cholera, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study.
Researchers devise X-ray approach to track surgical devices, minimize radiation exposure
Researchers from North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) have developed a new tool to help surgeons use X-rays to track devices used in "minimally invasive" surgical procedures while also limiting the patient's exposure to radiation from the X-rays.
Mum and dad equally good at recognising baby's cry, study finds
French researchers on Tuesday dealt a blow to folklore that says mothers are better than fathers in recognising their baby's cry.
Methods to repair kidney cells, assess kidney function on the horizon
Researchers may have found a way to block kidney-destroying inflammation and help damaged kidney cells recover.
Why some stress is good for you? Acute stress primes the brain to do better on memory tasks two weeks later
(Medical Xpress)—Overworked and stressed out? Look on the bright side. Some stress is good for you.
Genetic markers linked to the development of lymphedema in breast cancer survivors
A new UCSF study has found a clear association between certain genes and the development of lymphedema, a painful and chronic condition that often occurs after breast cancer surgery and some other cancer treatments.
Scientists pinpoint brain's area for numeral recognition
Scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine have determined the precise anatomical coordinates of a brain "hot spot," measuring only about one-fifth of an inch across, that is preferentially activated when people view the ordinary numerals we learn early on in elementary school, like "6" or "38."
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