From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Fri, May 31, 2013 at 2:07 AM
Subject: Phys.org Newsletter Thursday, May 30
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>
Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for May 30, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Meta-transmitarray offers unprecedented control of light on subwavelength scales- A new kind of chemical 'glue'
- Researchers build two versions of new most accurate clock ever
- Researchers find similarities in the way birds and babies learn to 'talk'
- Stanford Lab developing new kinds of robot aircraft (w/ Video)
- New mathematical model links space-time theories
- Researchers calculate radiation exposure associated with journey to Mars
- An electrical switch for magnetism (w/ Video)
- Research identifies links between genetic variants and educational attainment
- Carnegie Mellon tracking algorithm inspired by Harry Potter's Marauder's map (w/ video)
- Brain makes its own version of Valium, researchers find
- WISE mission finds lost asteroid family members
- Team solves the origin of the Moon's 'mascons' mystery
- First-ever high-resolution images of a molecule as it breaks and reforms chemical bonds
- Why animals compare the present with the past
Space & Earth news
Discovery of subfossil wood opens new research avenues
A Sunday walk led to the discovery of a subfossil forest which has remained intact for over 13,000 years in the Zurich clay, opening new doors for Central European dendrochronology.
Estonia eager to teach world about oil shale
Home to the creators of Skype and the first country to use online voting, Estonia relishes its image as a technological pioneer. But the tiny East European country's most far-reaching economic achievement could come from how it has learned to squeeze oil from a rock.
NASA image: Farmland fires in Angola
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite detected hundreds of fires burning in Angola on May 24, 2013. The fires are outlined in red. Most of the fires burn in grass or cropland.
Chile president gives nod to huge gold mine
Chile's visiting president said Thursday that Canadian firm Barrick Gold can resume operations at its massive gold mine in Chile as long as environmental rules are followed.
Company seeking money to build space telescope
A U.S. company that wants to send robots into space to mine precious metals from asteroids has found another way to use the expensive technology it's developing for its space venture.
New ET detection method leads to quest for world's largest telescope
Until recently, one of the ultimate mysteries of the universe—how many civilizations may exist on planets orbiting other stars in the Milky Way Galaxy—relied on the possibility of detecting intelligent beings by radio signals. Now a team of astronomers, engineers, and physicists from the University of Hawaii, the University of Freiburg, and elsewhere has proposed a new and powerful technique to search for intelligent life.
Expert points to need for baselines in climate change research
A milestone was reached last Friday as scientists determined that concentrations of carbon dioxide nudged up to 400 parts per million.
Road block: Fixing aquatic ecosystem connectivity doesn't end with dams
(Phys.org) —Over the last several years, state agencies and environmental nonprofit organizations have targeted dam removal as a way to quickly improve the health of aquatic ecosystems. Dams keep migratory fish from swimming upriver to spawn, block nutrients from flowing downstream, and change the entire hydrology of a watershed. From an ecosystem perspective, taking down a dam and returning a river to a more natural flow seems like a no-brainer.
Deep refuges 'can help save our reefs'
(Phys.org) —Marine scientists from Australia and the USA today called for global efforts to protect deeper coral reefs as insurance against the widespread destruction of shallow reefs and their fish stocks now taking place around the world.
Why are dying stars in 47 Tucanae cooling off so slowly?
The Hubble Space Telescope is going to be used to settle an argument. It's a conflict between computer models and what astronomers are seeing in a group of stars in 47 Tucanae.
Finding a safe perch: New research on white perch has implications for consumption advisories
White perch are a popular catch in the Delaware River and Delaware Bay, but contaminants can make the fish unsafe to eat. Officials advise against eating white perch caught north of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal and limiting consumption of those from south of the canal.
Forest and soil carbon is important but does not offset fossil fuel emissions
Leading world climate change experts have thrown cold water on the idea that planting trees can offset carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels.
Scientists discover that rainforests take the heat
South American rainforests thrived during three extreme global warming events in the past, say paleontologists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in a new report published in the Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Science. No tropical forests in South America currently experience average yearly temperatures of more than 84 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius). But by the end of this century, average global temperatures are likely to rise by another 1 F (0.6 C), leading some scientists to predict the demise of the world's most diverse terrestrial ecosystem.
Gemini captures Comet ISON hurtling toward uncertain destiny with the Sun
(Phys.org) —A new series of images from Gemini Observatory shows Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) racing toward an uncomfortably close rendezvous with the Sun. In late November the comet could present a stunning sight in the twilight sky and remain easily visible, or even brilliant, into early December of this year.
Another amazing ALMA result
Observations with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have revealed some of the most distant and actively star forming galaxies in our universe, thanks to an effect called gravitational lensing, which magnifies the images of these distant galaxies.
NASA sees Hurricane Barbara quickly weaken to a depression
Tropical Storm Barbara strengthened into a hurricane just before it made landfall late on May 29, and after landfall it weakened into a tropical depression. NASA satellite imagery showed that cloud tops warmed and thunderstorms became more fragmented around the storm's center after Barbara made landfall.
NASA's MMS team assembles final observatory
On May 20, 2013, the Magnetospheric Multiscale, or MMS, mission team at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., reached an unprecedented milestone. The team mated the instrument and spacecraft decks to form the fourth and final MMS observatory. This is the first time Goddard has simultaneously engineered this many observatories, or spacecraft, for a single mission.
Landsat 8 satellite begins watch
NASA transferred operational control Thursday of the Landsat 8 satellite to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in a ceremony in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Climate: Carbon 'offsets' rise 4% in 2012
Trade in carbon offsets, a voluntary means of reducing one's footprint in global-warming gases, rose by four percent in volume terms last year as the market price of carbon collapsed, a report said on Thursday.
Pacaya volcano erupts in Guatemala
Guatamala's Pacaya volcano erupted early Thursday, sending volcanic material more than 400 meters in the air, authorities said.
Cassini finds hints of activity at Saturn moon Dione
(Phys.org) —From a distance, most of the Saturnian moon Dione resembles a bland cueball. Thanks to close-up images of a 500-mile-long (800-kilometer-long) mountain on the moon from NASA's Cassini spacecraft, scientists have found more evidence for the idea that Dione was likely active in the past. It could still be active now.
Ancient Egyptians accessorized with meteorites
Researchers at The Open University (OU) and The University of Manchester have found conclusive proof that Ancient Egyptians used meteorites to make symbolic accessories.
Ancient streambed found on surface of Mars
Rounded pebbles on the surface of Mars indicate that a stream once flowed on the red planet, according to a new study by a team of scientists from NASA's Curiosity rover mission, including a University of California, Davis, geologist. The study will be published in the May 31 issue of the journal Science.
Global warming caused by chlorofluorocarbons, not carbon dioxide, new study says
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are to blame for global warming since the 1970s and not carbon dioxide, according to new research from the University of Waterloo published in the International Journal of Modern Physics B this week.
Water-rock reaction may provide enough hydrogen 'food' to sustain life in ocean's crust or on Mars
A chemical reaction between iron-containing minerals and water may produce enough hydrogen "food" to sustain microbial communities living in pores and cracks within the enormous volume of rock below the ocean floor and parts of the continents, according to a new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder.
WISE mission finds lost asteroid family members
(Phys.org) —Data from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) have led to a new and improved family tree for asteroids in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Researchers calculate radiation exposure associated with journey to Mars
On November 26, 2011, the Mars Science Laboratory began a 253-day, 560-million-kilometer journey to deliver the Curiosity rover to the Red Planet. En route, the Southwest Research Institute-led Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) made detailed measurements of the energetic particle radiation environment inside the spacecraft, providing important insights for future human missions to Mars.
Team solves the origin of the Moon's 'mascons' mystery
A mystery of the moon that imperiled astronauts and spacecraft on lunar missions has been solved by a Purdue University-led team of scientists as part of NASA's GRAIL mission.
Medicine & Health news
Enrollment in US medical colleges is increasing
(HealthDay)—Enrollment in U.S. medical colleges is increasing, but there is concern about the adequacy of training opportunities, according to a report published by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
Impacts of caregiving on the health and quality of life of European carers
The impact that providing informal care to close relatives has on people's health and quality of life depends on where they live and their cultural and social background, according to research published today by the Centre for Health Economics, University of York.
Researchers examind equine-assisted learning
Researchers in the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture recently completed one of the first studies to explore how working with horses can develop emotional intelligence in humans. UK Center for Leadership Development researchers, Patricia Dyk and Lissa Pohl, collaborated with UK HealthCare nurse researchers, Carol Noriega, Janine Lindgreen and Robyn Cheung on the two-year study, titled "The Effectiveness of Equine Guided Leadership Education to Develop Emotional Intelligence in Expert Nurses."
Florida man donates 100 gallons of blood
(AP)—A South Florida man has reached a rare milestone. He's donated 100 gallons of blood.
Atlas of palliative care across Europe unveiled
The standard of palliative care provided for those approaching the end of their lives varies greatly, according to the first comprehensive European overview of the service.
Cardiovascular disease: Insight into the UK's biggest killer
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the UK, accounting for a third of all fatalities through illnesses such as stroke and heart disease.
Mystery solved: Why people on dialysis have increased risk of heart attack
Patients with advanced kidney disease who are undergoing hemodialysis are known to be highly susceptible to heart attacks and other cardiovascular complications, and now scientists likely know why. New research findings published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology show that uremic toxins, which are not removed by hemodialysis, increase heart attack risk. The same scientists also have found what can reduce this risk: an oral adsorbent called "AST-120."
New agent inhibits HCV replication in mouse models—no resistance seen
Treatments against hepatitis C virus have only been partially successful. A major problem is that antivirals generate drug resistance. Now Seong-Wook Lee of Dankook University, Yongin, Republic of Korea and his collaborators have developed agents that bind to the business end of a critical protein, disabling it so successfully that no resistance has arisen. The research is published in the June 2013 issue of the Journal of Virology.
Gender, race, and HIV therapy: Insights from the GRACE study
Enrollment of women in clinical trials of new anti-HIV drugs is extremely low, representing only about 15% of all treatment-experienced patients. For women of color it is even lower. Why women, and especially women of color, are so poorly represented in HIV drug trials is the focus of an important article in AIDS Patient Care and STDs, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.
Soccer training improves heart health of men with type 2 diabetes
A new study from the Copenhagen Centre for Team Sport and Health at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, demonstrates that soccer training improves heart function, reduces blood pressure and elevates exercise capacity in patients with type 2 diabetes. Soccer training also reduces the need for medication.
New York City successfully locates HIV-positive patients 'lost to follow-up'
Public health officials in New York City have launched a successful program to locate HIV-positive patients who have been "lost to follow-up" and reconnect them with treatment services, reports a study published in AIDS, official journal of the International AIDS Society.
Virginia's 'hybrid' surveillance strategy aided response to contaminated steroid outbreak
An innovative "hybrid" surveillance strategy—highlighted by close cooperation between public health officials and clinical partners—helped Virginia mount an efficient and effective response to the ongoing outbreak of fungal meningitis and other infections, according to a report in the July/August issue of Journal of Public Health Management and Practice .
Young breast cancer patients often opt for mastectomy
A new study of young women with breast cancer has found that most chose to have a mastectomy rather than a surgical procedure that would conserve the breast, researchers will report at the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, May 31-June 4, in Chicago.
The inside story behind the approval of the gene therapy drug Glybera
The scientists who led the team that developed Glybera, the first gene therapy drug approved for use in the Western world, provide a fascinating first-person account of their pioneering work in Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. In addition, an in-depth Review reveals the inside story of the European regulatory review and approval of Glybera, chock full of twists and turn, politics, and intrigue, reviews and critiques the groundbreaking drug's path to the marketplace appears in in Human Gene Therapy Clinical Development. Both articles are available on the Human Gene Therapy website.
Johns Hopkins surgeons among the first in the country to perform a robotic single-site hysterectomy
Two Johns Hopkins gynecologic surgeons are among the first in the nation to perform a robotic hysterectomy using a single, small incision.
Administration: 'Obamacare' to offer more choices
(AP)—The White House says insurance companies are showing interest in providing coverage under the new health care law, a development likely to increase market competition and give uninsured people more choices than they now have. Many of the 14 million people who currently buy their own insurance plans could also benefit.
Nestle to boost study of harmful food infections
(AP)—Nestle SA, the world's biggest food and drink company, is boosting research to tackle the threat of ever-stronger strains of bacteria and germs in food manufacturing.
Health groups protest new Camel magazine ads
The American Heart Association, American Lung Association and several other health groups are asking at least two state attorneys to investigate a new Camel cigarette ad campaign.
Meta-analysis confirms common painkillers increase risk of heart problems and death but suggests size of these risks can
NSAIDs have been the cornerstone in managing pain in people with inflammatory disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, and are some of the most commonly used drugs worldwide. Earlier research has linked their use with an increased risk of serious gastrointestinal complications, while a new generation of NSAIDs (coxibs) developed to reduce these gastrointestinal side effects have come under scrutiny for increasing the risk of heart attacks and death.
Poor sleep linked to PTSD after heart attack
Clinicians have long speculated that poor sleep may be a mechanism involved in the higher risk of further cardiac events or death among those with post-traumatic stress disorder following a heart attack, but the association between PTSD and sleep after a heart event has been unknown.
Study helps explain growing education gap in mortality among US white women
Less-educated white women were increasingly more likely to die than their better-educated peers from the mid-1990s through the mid-2000s, according to a new study, which found that growing disparities in economic circumstances and health behaviors—particularly employment status and smoking habits—across education levels accounted for an important part of the widening mortality gap.
Most docs OK with medical marijuana, survey says
(HealthDay)—Three-quarters of doctors who responded to a survey about medical marijuana said they would approve the use of the drug to help ease pain in an older woman with advanced breast cancer.
Billions can be saved with pharmacy benefit management
(HealthDay)—Efficient pharmacy benefit management, including increasing use of generic drugs and negotiation of market-based pharmacy dispensing fees, could save Medicaid programs billions of dollars nationwide in the next 10 years, according to a report prepared by the Menges Group and sponsored by the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association.
Transparency key to improving value care for patients
(HealthDay)—In order to ensure the provision of higher quality care and cost control in a post-Affordable Care Act health care system, data on price, utilization, and quality should be made publicly available unless there is a compelling publicly-acceptable justification for keeping it confidential, according to a study published online May 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
ASC: Rapid BP lowering tx no better for intracerebral bleed
(HealthDay)—For patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage and elevated systolic blood pressure, intensive, rapid blood pressure lowering treatment is not associated with a significant reduction in death or severe disability at 90 days compared with guideline-recommended treatment, according to a study published online May 29 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with presentation at the annual European Stroke Conference, held from May 28 to 31 in London.
Man relapsed after treatment for meningitis tied to tainted injections
(HealthDay)—Since the start of last year's outbreak of fungal meningitis cases linked to tainted steroid injections, federal health officials have recommended three to six months of antifungal therapy to combat potentially fatal infections.
Weight loss might ease psoriasis, study hints
(HealthDay)—People with psoriasis who lose weight could experience some relief from the symptoms of their chronic skin disease, according to a small new study.
New treatment for stroke set to increase chances of recovery
University of Leicester researchers have contributed to a landmark study which has revealed a new way to treat strokes caused by bleeding inside the brain.
Statin therapy may reduce risk of osteoarthritis
(Medical Xpress)—Regular use of cholesterol-lowering medicines calledstatins may reduce a person's chances of developing the degenerative joint disease osteoarthritis, UK scientists have found.
New flu strains prompt review of current research, call to redouble flu fight
Despite numerous medical advances over the past century, the flu—a seasonal rite of passage for many around the world—still remains deadly and dangerous. An estimated 150,000 to 200,000 are hospitalized from influenza annually just in the United States, and between 30,000 to 50,000 die from this infection. The flu takes a heavy financial toll as well, leading countries to lose billions in direct medical costs, loss of productivity, and loss of life. In April of this year, a new flu strain known as H7N9, thought to have the potential to cause a pandemic, emerged in China. This novel strain's high mortality rate, more than 20 percent, has led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue predictions of hospitalizations, deaths, and economic impacts several times higher than those caused by the typical seasonal flu.
Make sound visual to help treat 'r' speech errors in children, researcher says
If you've heard rabbit sound like wabbit, and your name is Robert, not Wobeht, it's possible that you're on the receiving end of one of the most challenging and treatment-resistant speech sound disorders, misarticulation of /r/. Research by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders has shown that approximately 10 percent of preschool and elementary school-aged children are affected by speech sound disorders.
Researchers find dying cells essential to muscle development and repair
Dying cells play an unexpected and vital role in the creation of muscle fibers, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have determined. The finding could lead to new ways to battle conditions such as muscular dystrophy, facilitate healing after surgery and benefit athletes in their efforts to recover more quickly.
93 percent of homicides of US law enforcement officers result from firearms
While occupational homicides continue to decline in the U.S., law enforcement remains one of the deadliest jobs in America. A new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health The report found documents that 93 percent of homicides of law enforcement officers between 1996 and 2010 were committed with firearms. Among those homicides, 10 percent were committed using the officer's own service weapon. The findings, published May 30 by the journal BMJ Injury Prevention, could help develop new procedures to reduce risk to officers.
Indians with arthritis have increased risk of heart disease
(Medical Xpress)—Research at the University of Liverpool and the AB Rheumatology Clinic, Hyderabad, has shown that Indian people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.
Interventional stroke therapy needs further study in clinical trials, researchers say
Devices snaked into the brain artery of a patient experiencing a stroke that snatch and remove the offending clot, or pump a dissolving drug into the blockage, should primarily be used within a clinical trial setting, say a team of vascular neurologists at Mayo Clinic in Florida.
Latinos disproportionately sterilized for decades in California
(Medical Xpress)—Patients with Spanish surnames in California psychiatric institutions and homes for the developmentally disabled were disproportionately sterilized at rates ranging between 20 to 30 percent in the last century, according to a new University of Michigan study.
Study shows link between weight gain during infancy and risk factors for heart disease
(Medical Xpress)—Weight gain during infancy is directly linked to increased risks of obesity, high blood pressure and arterial wall thickening later in life, and the best way to avoid this is to breastfeed, according to University of Sydney research published online in the journal, Pediatrics.
Strimmers are worse than motorway traffic
Motorway maintenance workers are exposed to various harmful emissions. Surprisingly, motorised hand-held tools such as strimmers and chainsaws, rather than motorway traffic, are responsible for the highest emissions of particulate matter. These are the conclusions of a study supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).
Averting the devastating effects of stroke
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers at the University of Connecticut Health Center are studying ways to prevent the devastating injuries to the body caused by stroke, a leading cause of serious long-term disability.
The learning gap experienced by malnourished children
Oxford University researchers have measured the learning gap experienced by five-year old children who are stunted through malnourishment. They are tracking the long-term effects on their schooling and later prospects in the jobs market.
Startle disease: Further key gene variants discovered
Research funded by children's charity Action Medical Research has uncovered new gene variants in startle disease, a rare condition in newborn babies. Understanding the genetic causes should lead to new genetic tests and is vital to ensure that babies get the correct treatment.
Epigenetic biomarkers may predict if a specific diet and exercise regimen will work
Would you be more likely to try a diet and exercise regimen if you knew in advance if it would actually help you lose weight? Thanks to a new report published in the June 2013 issue of The FASEB Journal, this could become a reality. In the report, scientists identify five epigenetic biomarkers in adolescents that were associated with a better weight loss at the beginning of a weight loss program. Not only could this could ultimately help predict an individual's response to weight loss intervention, but it may offer therapeutic targets for enhancing a weight loss program's effects.
Acne pill benefits outweigh blood clot risk, EU body says
An EU medicines watchdog on Thursday endorsed the safety of acne drug Diane-35, also widely used as a contraceptive, despite protests from France, which has suspended its use.
A newly discovered hormone makes ovaries grow
A newly discovered hormone produced by the eggs of human females may improve the effectiveness of current fertility treatments for women and possibly lead to entirely new treatments altogether. According to new research published in the June 2013 issue of The FASEB Journal, researchers from Stanford and Akira University in Japan identified a new hormone called "R-spondin2" that promotes follicle development and stimulates ovary growth.
TCE exposure linked to increased risk of some cancers
Trichloroethylene (TCE) exposure has possible links to increased liver cancer risk, and the relationship between TCE exposure and risks of cancers of low incidence and those with confounding by lifestyle and other factors need further study, according to a study published May 30 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Immune system to fight brain tumors
Research at Lund University in Sweden gives hope that one of the most serious types of brain tumour, glioblastoma multiforme, could be fought by the patients' own immune system. The tumours are difficult to remove with surgery because the tumour cells grow into the surrounding healthy brain tissue. A patient with the disease therefore does not usually survive much longer than a year after the discovery of the tumour.
New discovery permits rapid diagnosis and treatment of sepsis
Despite numerous advances in treating infections and disease, effective treatments for sepsis remain elusive. A new discovery published in the June 2013 issue of The FASEB Journal not only could help health care providers predict who is more and less likely to develop sepsis, but it also opens the doors to new therapies that actually address the root cause of the problem, rather than just managing the symptoms. This also has the potential to benefit patients suffering from influenza and other viral infections, as well as chronic inflammatory diseases such as periodontal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
New gene delivery method: Magnetic nanoparticles
Stent angioplasty saves lives, but there often are side effects and complications related to the procedure, such as arterial restenosis and thrombosis. In the June 2013 issue of The FASEB Journal, however, scientists report that they have discovered a new nanoparticle gene delivery method that may overcome current limitations of gene therapy vectors and prevent complications associated with the stenting procedure. Specifically, this strategy uses stents as a platform for magnetically targeted gene delivery, where genes are moved to cells at arterial injury locations without causing unwanted side effects to other organs. Additionally, magnetic nanoparticles developed and characterized in the study also protect genes and help them reach their target in active form, which also is one of the key challenges in any gene therapy.
Interleukin-22 protects against post-influenza bacterial superinfection
Researchers from the Pasteur Institute, Lille, France have shown in a mouse model that interleukin-22 protects against bacterial superinfections that can arise following influenza. Their research is published in the June 2013 issue of the Journal of Virology.
Twitter a popular source for vaccination information, debate
Twitter is a popular source for receiving and sharing new information about vaccines, and also a basically reliable one, according to a study published in the June issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).
Omega-3 fatty acids may help heal a broken heart
Procedures like angioplasty, stenting and bypass surgery may save lives, but they also cause excessive inflammation and scarring, which ultimately can lead to permanent disability and even death. A new research report appearing in The FASEB Journal, shows that naturally derived compounds from polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3s) may reduce the inflammation associated with these procedures to help arteries more fully and completely heal.
Study uncovers cost of resiliency in kids
Children living in poverty who appear to succeed socially may be failing biologically. Students able to overcome the stress of growing up poor are labeled "resilient" because of their ability to overcome adversity, but University of Georgia researchers found this resiliency has health costs that last well into adulthood.
Women may have natural defense against common STD
(HealthDay)—Women appear to have a natural defense against the world's most common sexually transmitted infection, a new study says.
Do diet changes help ADHD children?
Dylan Jerrell was having a tough time in kindergarten. The energetic, outgoing Bigfoot fan was easily frustrated, and he responded to challenges with disruptive meltdowns. He wouldn't hit anyone, but he'd break down and cry or yell at his teachers. For a week in mid-September, he was in the principal's office every single day. His mom, Jacqueline Fellows, considered home schooling. His pediatrician offered medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Low doses of marijuana component can protect brain against injury
Though marijuana is a well-known recreational drug, extensive scientific research has been conducted on the therapeutic properties of marijuana in the last decade. Medical cannabis is often used by sufferers of chronic ailments, including cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder, to combat pain, insomnia, lack of appetite, and other symptoms.
Fast-food restaurants near schools affect black and Hispanic students more than white and Asian ones
When their schools are near fast-food restaurants, black and Hispanic adolescents are more likely to be overweight and receive less benefit from exercise than Asian or white students, according to a study published in the current issue of Journal of Public Policy & Marketing. The study underscores the importance of understanding how adolescents respond to fast-food availability near school.
Pedometer program helps motivate participants to sit less, move more
Indiana University researchers found that a simple program that uses pedometers to monitor how much people move throughout the day was effective at increasing physical activity, decreasing sitting time, a particular problem for office workers, and helping participants drop some pounds.
Nerve stimulation helps with overactive bladder
Beaumont Health System research finds that symptoms of overactive bladder, or OAB, were reduced in those who received tibial nerve stimulation. The three-year results published in the June issue of The Journal of Urology show participants with urinary frequency, urgency and involuntary loss of urine maintained significant improvement in their symptoms.
Rheumatoid arthritis patients not taking their medications as prescribed
A new study conducted in an ethnically diverse and predominantly low income population found that only one-fifth of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients had an overall adherence rate to prescribed oral medications at 80% or greater. Findings published today in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), indicate that less than two thirds of medication regimens for non-biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) were correctly followed by RA patients.
Nursing study finds women less at risk than men for health-care-associated infections
A new study from Columbia University School of Nursing supports a growing body of evidence that women are less likely to contract bloodstream or surgical site infections than their male counterparts.
Minority children drink more sugary fruit juice than their white peers
While there has been a steep decline in kids' consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in California, African-American and Latino children may be replacing soda with 100 percent fruit juice while their white peers are not, according to a new study from UC San Francisco.
Researchers discover new weapon in fight against cervical cancer
Scientists at the University of Leeds have found a way to target and destroy a key protein associated with the development of cervical and other cancers.
Double dose of antiviral drug offers no added benefit in severe influenza
Giving double doses of the antiviral drug oseltamivir, or Tamiflu, offers no clinical or virological advantages over a standard dose for patients admitted to hospital with severe influenza infection, according to a randomised trial published today and funded by the Wellcome Trust, US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Singapore National Medical Research Council.
Healthy lifestyle choices mean fewer memory complaints, poll finds
(Medical Xpress)—Research has shown that healthy behaviors are associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, but less is known about the potential link between positive lifestyle choices and milder memory complaints, especially those that occur earlier in life and could be the first indicators of later problems.
Gene sequencing project finds new mutations to blame for a majority of brain tumor subtype
(Medical Xpress)—The St. Jude Children's Research Hospital – Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project has identified mutations responsible for more than half of a subtype of childhood brain tumor that takes a high toll on patients. Researchers also found evidence the tumors are susceptible to drugs already in development.
Neuroscientists get yes-no answers via brain activity
(Medical Xpress)—Western researchers have used neuroimaging to read human thought via brain activity when they are conveying specific 'yes' or 'no' answers.
Malaria's severity reset by mosquito
(Medical Xpress)—For the first time, researchers have proven that the way in which malaria is transmitted to the host affects how severe the resulting infection will be.
Study suggests gut metagenome link to Type 2 diabetes
(Medical Xpress)—A team made up of researchers from Sweden and Denmark has found evidence of a possible link between gut metagenome and Type 2 diabetes. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the team describes how they compared the faecal metagenome of 145 European women with varying degrees of glucose intolerance against healthy individuals. In so doing, they found noticeable differences that suggest gut metagenomes might be a marker for Type 2 diabetes.
Researchers identify novel approach to create red blood cells, platelets in vitro
A study led by Boston University School of Medicine has identified a novel approach to create an unlimited number of human red blood cells and platelets in vitro. In collaboration with Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) and Boston Medical Center (BMC), the researchers differentiated induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells into these cell types, which are typically obtained through blood donations. This finding could potentially reduce the need for blood donations to treat patients requiring blood transfusions and could help researchers examine novel therapeutic targets to treat a variety of diseases, including sickle cell disease.
Ketamine cousin rapidly lifts depression without side effects
GLYX-13, a molecular cousin to ketamine, induces similar antidepressant results without the street drug side effects, reported a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) that was published last month in Neuropsychopharmacology.
Brain makes its own version of Valium, researchers find
Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found that a naturally occurring protein secreted only in discrete areas of the mammalian brain may act as a Valium-like brake on certain types of epileptic seizures.
Research identifies links between genetic variants and educational attainment
A multi-national team of researchers has identified genetic markers that predict educational attainment by pooling data from more than 125,000 individuals in the United States, Australia, and 13 western European countries.
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