From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Wed, May 15, 2013 at 2:03 AM
Subject: Phys.org Newsletter Tuesday, May 14
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>
Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for May 14, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Quantum dot LED approaches theoretical maximum efficiency- Making gold green: New non-toxic method for mining gold
- New principle may help explain why nature is quantum
- Simulations show early farming might have caught on due to development of property rights
- Study of alligator dental regeneration process may lead to tooth regeneration in humans
- Team uncovers fundamental property of astatine, rarest atom on Earth
- Gut microbe battles obesity
- Realtime map shows Wikipedia changes worldwide
- Scientists announce development of wheat strain that produces 30% greater yields
- Wireless signals could transform brain trauma diagnostics
- Three X-class flares in 24 hours
- Engineered biomaterial could improve success of medical implants
- Research helps paint finer picture of massive 1700 earthquake
- NASA develops key to cosmic carbon's molecular evolution
- New technique helps robotic vehicles find their way
Space & Earth news
New tool helps farmers nip nitrogen losses
A new tool helps farmers feed crops only as much as they really need.
Researchers develop new index to diagnose causes of water scarcity
The methodology has been tested in Ebro river basin and can lead to conclusions about the reliability and vulnerability of systems to water scarcity, as well as to diagnose their possible causes and to propose solutions.
NRL's MIGHTI slated for launch on ICON mission
A Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) instrument designed to study the Earth's thermosphere is part of a satellite mission that NASA has selected to move forward into development (Phase B), with launch expected in 2017. The NRL Space Science Division (SSD) developed Michelson Interferometer for Global High-resolution Thermospheric Imaging (MIGHTI) satellite instrument is part of NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) mission.
NOAO: A Kepler's Dozen: Thirteen Stories about Distant Worlds that Really Exist
For centuries, humans have pondered what life on other planets beyond our solar system might be like. With the launch of the Kepler Spacecraft in 2009 we now have evidence for the widespread existence of such planets. Kepler's discovery of hundreds of planet candidates around other stars has inspired a new book that combines both science and science fiction: A Kepler's Dozen: Thirteen Stories about Distant Worlds that Really Exist. This anthology is co-edited by David Lee Summers (author of The Pirates of Sufiro and editor of Space Pirates) and Dr. Steve Howell (Kepler Project Scientist).
Microbes capture, store, and release nitrogen to feed reef-building coral
Microscopic algae that live within reef-forming corals scoop up available nitrogen, store the excess in crystal form, and slowly feed it to the coral as needed, according to a study published in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology. Scientists have known for years that these symbiotic microorganisms serve up nitrogen to their coral hosts, but this new study sheds light on the dynamics of the process and reveals that the algae have the ability to store excess nitrogen, a capability that could help corals cope in their chronically low-nitrogen environment.
US budget cuts pare real-time volcano monitoring (Update)
Scientists monitoring Alaska's volcanoes have shut down stations that track eruptions in real time and put off repairing seismic equipment due to U.S. budget cuts—moves that could delay getting vital information to pilots and emergency planners.
Australian continent takes a big drink
(Phys.org) —Devastating at the time, the major floods of 2011 have since brought a vital benefit by recharging Australia's depleted reserves of underground water.
Satellites see double jeopardy for Southern California fire season
(Phys.org) —New insights into two factors that are creating a potentially volatile Southern California wildfire season come from an ongoing project using NASA and Indian satellite data by scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.; and Chapman University, Orange, Calif.
Taking X-rays of CO2
As CO2 levels in the Earth's atmosphere top 400 parts per million, options such as storing the greenhouse gas in porous sandstone rock formations found in abundance on the sea floor are of increasing interest. But how do we know if CO2 can be safely injected into spongy sandstone, and that once it is there, that it will stay there?
Scientists find extensive glacial retreat in Mount Everest region
(Phys.org) —Researchers taking a new look at the snow and ice covering Mount Everest and the national park that surrounds it are finding abundant evidence that the world's tallest peak is shedding its frozen cloak. The scientists have also been studying temperature and precipitation trends in the area and found that the Everest region has been warming while snowfall has been declining since the early 1990s.
Cooling ocean temperature could buy more time for coral reefs
(Phys.org) —Limiting the amount of warming experienced by the world's oceans in the future could buy some time for tropical coral reefs, say researchers from the University of Bristol.
Where, when will thunderstorms strike Colorado's Front Range, adjacent Great Plains?
To better predict where and when spring thunderstorms rip across Colorado's Front Range and the adjacent Great Plains, researchers are launching a major field project this week with high-flying aircraft and fine-grained computer simulations.
Historic carbon peak soon to become global average, WMO says
After seeing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere surpass a historic threshold last week, the world should brace for the new peak level to soon become the global annual average, the World Meteorological Organization warned Tuesday.
Mexican volcano rumbles, but residents shrug it off
Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano has blown steam for days, prompting authorities to prepare for possible evacuations, but residents are used to their towering neighbor's rumblings and keep going to work without fear.
Three-man space crew returns safely to Earth (Update)
A Soyuz space capsule with a three-man crew returning from a five-month mission to the International Space Station landed safely Tuesday on the steppes of Kazakhstan.
Three X-class flares in 24 hours
The sun emitted a third significant solar flare in under 24 hours, peaking at 9:11 p.m. EDT on May 13, 2013. This flare is classified as an X3.2 flare. This is the strongest X-class flare of 2013 so far, surpassing in strength the two X-class flares that occurred earlier in the 24-hour period.
NASA develops key to cosmic carbon's molecular evolution
(Phys.org) —Scientists at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., now have the capability to systematically investigate the molecular evolution of cosmic carbon. For the first time, these scientists are able to automatically interpret previously unknown infrared emissions from space that come from surprisingly complex organic molecules, called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are abundant and important across the universe.
Research helps paint finer picture of massive 1700 earthquake
(Phys.org) —In 1700, a massive earthquake struck the west coast of North America. Though it was powerful enough to cause a tsunami as far as Japan, a lack of local documentation has made studying this historic event challenging.
Medicine & Health news
Digital mammography cancer detection rates may vary significantly
Digital direct radiography (DR) is significantly more effective than computed radiography (CR) at detecting breast cancer, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology.
Angelina Jolie says she had double mastectomy
Angelina Jolie says that she has had a preventive double mastectomy after learning she carried a gene that made it extremely likely she would get breast cancer.
Vermont House passes aid-in-dying bill
The Vermont House has approved a measure that would allow doctors to provide lethal medication to terminally ill patients seeking to end their own lives.
Women have more options for breast cancer surgery (Update 2)
One of the world's most glamorous women had an operation that once was terribly disfiguring—removal of both breasts. But new approaches are dramatically changing breast surgeries, whether to treat cancer or to prevent it as Angelina Jolie just chose to do. As Jolie said, "the results can be beautiful."
WHO calls on France to stay calm amid SARS-like virus scare
The World Health Organisation on Monday called on people in France, where two confirmed cases of the new SARS-like virus were recorded at the weekend, to stay calm and not overburden hospitals for fear of the deadly virus to allow for proper treatment of those actually infected.
Higher prices for MS drug help drug firm Merck
(AP)—Higher prices for its multiple sclerosis drug Rebif helped German pharmaceutical and high-tech materials company Merck KGaA post a 54 percent rise in first-quarter profit.
What stands out on a label?
With nearly 400,000 items in every grocery store (Food Marketing Institute), there are hundreds of different ways a packaged food can be labeled. Editor A. Elizabeth Sloan gathers statistics about what language on food labels consumers are looking for in the May 2013 issue of Food Technology magazine.
Food scientists strive for sodium reduction
In the May issue of Food Technology magazine published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), Associate Editor Karen Nachay writes about how food manufacturers are trying to overcome formulation challenges to develop better-tasting, low- and reduced-sodium products.
SMEs a presence in the medical world in developing cancer treatment
Cancer treatment is one of the most important areas of research in the medical world today. With research predominately conducted in large pharmaceutical research organisations, it is rather significant to hear of small medium enterprises (SMEs) developing their own innovative treatment for cancer.
Asthma study finds children being stigmatised in India
Chidren with asthma in India are being prevented from receiving effective treatment by a range of widely-held myths and misconceptions, says a University of Sydney study.
Free testosterone drives cancer aggressiveness, study finds
What is the reason for the widely reported fact that men are more likely than women to die of cancer? New evidence from population studies suggests that free testosterone could be a key driver of cancer aggressiveness in a broad range of solid tumors and sarcomas, not just gender-specific cancers, according to researchers at the Danbury Hospital Research Institute. The conclusions, published in PLOS One, are based on analyses of about 1.2 million cases from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database.
The future of Plan B
The Obama administration and federal courts are wrangling over changes to the regulations governing access to emergency contraceptives. The administration supports new rules that would allow girls as young as 15 to purchase the drug without a prescription, while a New York judge has ordered it be made available to anyone, regardless of age. With those changes pending, Northeastern University news office asked Todd Brown, vice chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences, to explore the issue.
What to know about the new bird flu virus
Earlier this month, the U.S. government declared that the emerging H7N9 bird flu "poses a significant potential for a public health emergency." The virus, a relative of other bird flus we've seen previously like H1N1 and H5N1, originated in China and results in a severe respiratory infection and, in some cases, death. While the virus is not, at this time, transmissible between humans, researchers believe that just a few genetic mutations could change that. Network scientist Alessandro Vespignani, the Sternberg Family Distinguished University Professor of physics, computer science, and health sciences, is mapping the disease's progression in his lab. We asked him to discuss the pandemic potential of the virus and explain how this strain differs from those in the past.
Researchers provide prospective on low-dose radiation biology controversy
A review of the current issues in low-dose radiation research authored by two radiation biologists from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is the cover story of the May 2013 issue of Radiation Research. The review, by Laboratory Fellow Dr. William F. Morgan and retired PNNL scientist Dr. William J. Bair, highlights critical areas of controversy in low-dose radiation biology, and suggests areas of future research to address these issues.
Primary care physicians vital to complete care of prostate cancer patients
Androgen deprivation therapy is a common and effective treatment for advanced prostate cancer. However, among other side-effects, it can cause significant bone thinning in men on long-term treatment. A new study¹ by Vahakn Shahinian and Yong-Fang Kuo from the Universities of Michigan and Texas respectively, finds that although bone mineral density testing is carried out on some men receiving this therapy, it is not routine. They did note, however, that men were significantly more likely to be tested when they were being cared for by both a urologist and a primary care physician. Their paper² appears in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Crack user study finds critical need for intervention
A Brazilian investigative team, collaborating with a Simon Fraser University researcher, is citing an urgent need for targeted interventions among young crack users in cities throughout Brazil, identified as the world's biggest crack market, and further research to better address the problem.
Surgery can dramatically reduce genetic cancer risk
Women whose genes put them at a high risk of contracting breast cancer can dramatically reduce the danger by having a double mastectomy—but not eliminate it altogether, experts say.
EU court finds Swiss assisted-suicide laws vague (Update)
An elderly Swiss woman who would rather end her life now than decline further in health found sympathy Tuesday from the European Court of Human Rights, which called on the Swiss to clarify their laws on so-called passive assisted suicide.
Researcher searches for global views of nurses' end-of-life care for patients
Nurses will use extreme measures to save their patients and parents; but if they were dying, they prefer less aggressive ones for themselves, according to results from an international survey on nurses' end-of-life preferences.
Can breastfeeding protect against ADHD?
Breastfeeding has a positive impact on the physical and mental development of infants. A new study suggests that breastfeeding may protect against the development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) later in childhood. The study is reported in Breastfeeding Medicine.
First analysis of dental therapists finds increase in access for children, low-income adults
A new report assessing the economic viability of services provided by practicing midlevel dental providers in the U.S. shows that they are expanding preventive dental care to people who need it most: children and those who can't afford care. At the same time, they are providing that care at a reduced cost to the dental practice. The report, released today by Community Catalyst, determined that midlevel dental providers currently practicing in Alaska and Minnesota cost their employers 27 and 29 percent respectively of the revenue they generate.
New program successful in reducing service and substance use among frequent health care users
A program co-led by St. Michael's Hospital could be the next widely used model to treat patients who are frequent users of the health care system and have severe addictions, often complicated by homelessness and mental health problems.
Studies support population-based efforts to lower excessive dietary sodium intakes
Recent studies that examine links between sodium consumption and health outcomes support recommendations to lower sodium intake from the very high levels some Americans consume now, but evidence from these studies does not support reduction in sodium intake to below 2,300 mg per day, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.
New study explores providers' perceptions of parental concerns about HPV vaccination
A new Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) study has found that low-income and minority parents may be more receptive to vaccinating their daughters against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), while white, middle-class parents are more likely to defer the vaccination. The findings appear online in the May issue of the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved.
Prosecutor urges 4-year sentence for faulty breast implants
A French prosecutor on Tuesday called for the founder of a firm whose faulty breast implants sparked a global health scare to be given a four-year prison sentence on fraud charges.
Local community group activities may help reduce neonatal mortality in Vietnam
Community groups in rural Vietnam comprised of local health workers, politicians and laywomen (Maternal and Newborn Health Groups) set up to tackle challenges to maternal and neonatal health may reduce the neonatal death rate after three years and increase antenatal care attendance, according to a study by researchers from Sweden and Vietnam published in this week's PLOS Medicine.
What is the role of double-stranded RNA in antiviral host defense systems?
Animals, insects, and plants use a variety of sensing mechanisms to detect invading pathogens such as viruses. One complex and effective antiviral defense system they share is based on recognition of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), often produced when a virus invades a host cell. New information leading to a clearer understanding of the mechanisms underlying viral dsRNA sensing is presented in a comprehensive Review article published in Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research.
ASPS supports new legislation to ensure women are aware of all breast cancer treatment options
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) today announced its strong support of the "Breast Cancer Patient Education Act" (S. 931). This bipartisan legislation is being introduced today, coinciding with National Women's Health Week, in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Leonard Lance (R-NJ) and Donna Christensen, M.D. (D-VI) and in the United States Senate by Sens. Roy Blunt (R-MO), Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and David Vitter (R-LA).
FDA approves genetic test for lung cancer drug
The Food and Drug Administration says it approved a genetic test from Roche to help doctors identify patients who can benefit from a lung cancer drug made by Genentech.
Implementation research and child diarrhea
While considerable recent progress has been made against childhood diarrheal diseases, the number of children dying from diarrhoea remains unacceptably high.
Mental health and NCDs
Non-communicable diseases (NCD) and mental disorders each constitute a huge portion of the worldwide health care burden, and often occur together, so they should be addressed together. These are the conclusions of the third article in a series published in PLOS Medicine that provides a global perspective on integrating mental health.
Living close to major road may impair kidney function
Living close to a major road may impair kidney function—itself a risk factor for heart disease and stroke—and so help contribute to the known impact of air pollution on cardiovascular risk, suggests research published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
A handful of pathogens are causing most diarrhoeal deaths and illness in children worldwide and should be targeted
New research in The Lancet reports that just four pathogens—rotavirus, Cryptosporidium, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli producing heat-stable toxin, and Shigella—are causing most cases of moderate-to-severe diarrhoea among children living in the poorest countries of the world.
Brain-imaging study links cannabinoid receptors to post-traumatic stress disorder
In a first-of-its-kind effort to illuminate the biochemical impact of trauma, researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center have discovered a connection between the quantity of cannabinoid receptors in the human brain, known as CB1 receptors, and post-traumatic stress disorder, the chronic, disabling condition that can plague trauma victims with flashbacks, nightmares and emotional instability. Their findings, which appear online today in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, will also be presented this week at the annual meeting of the Society of Biological Psychiatry in San Francisco.
The search for an early biomarker to fight atherosclerosis
The Journal of the American Heart Association published the conclusive results from a study directed by Dr. Éric Thorin of the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI), which suggests for the first time that a blood protein contributes to the early development of atherosclerosis.
Saudi detects four new SARS-like cases
Four more cases of the deadly coronavirus have been detected in Saudi Arabia, the health ministry said, raising the number of people infected from the SARS-like virus in the kingdom to 28, including 15 fatalities.
Social considerations not accounted for in DSM-5
(HealthDay)—Social and population variations in mental diagnosis are not accounted for in the newly revised fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), according to an editorial published in the May issue of Health Affairs.
WHO revises up death toll from SARS-like virus
The World Health Organization on Tuesday revised up the death toll from the SARS-like coronavirus from 18 to 20 worldwide, but said the two additional fatalities in Saudi Arabia were old cases.
Substance use, aggression linked in new study focused on Latino youth
(Medical Xpress)—Are high school age students who show aggression toward their peers more likely to consume alcohol, tobacco and marijuana? A new study of Latino adolescents in Kansas City, Mo., confirms this idea. But the linkage to substance use is strongest with a particular type of aggression that researchers dub "proactive."
Alzheimer's markers predict start of mental decline
(Medical Xpress)—Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have helped identify many of the biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease that could potentially predict which patients will develop the disorder later in life. Now, studying spinal fluid samples and health data from 201 research participants at the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, the researchers have shown the markers are accurate predictors of Alzheimer's years before symptoms develop.
Study questions if bed rest prevents prematurity
New research is raising fresh concern that an age-old treatment for troubled pregnancies—bed rest—doesn't seem to prevent premature birth, and might even increase that risk.
Study finds genetic risk factor for knee osteoarthritis
(Medical Xpress)—A newly published paper reports that individuals with radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) who had a specific pattern of gene variations in the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene (IL1RN), which is involved in controlling inflammation, were more likely to progress to severe disease than those without the gene variations.
Racial minorities live on the front lines of heat risk, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—Some racial groups are more likely to bear the brunt of extreme heat waves because of where they live, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.
Researcher helps give children with autism the chance to communicate
Research by Victoria University PhD education graduand Larah van der Meer highlights the importance of understanding the communication preferences of children with developmental disabilities such as autism.
India announces low-cost rotavirus vaccine (Update)
The Indian government announced Tuesday the development of a new low-cost vaccine proven effective against a diarrhea-causing virus that is one of the leading causes of childhood deaths across the developing world.
Effective vaccination against borreliosis possible
"Borreliosis" or "Lyme disease" is caused by the bacterium "Borrelia burgdorferi". In Austria approximately 16,000 people fall ill with borreliosis annually following a tick bite. Roughly every fifth tick in Austria carries the pathogen. Borreliosis can be treated effectively with antibiotics, however a prophylactic vaccination is not available. In a current multicentre study, in which the MedUni Vienna participated, the reliable effectiveness of a possible vaccine against borreliosis has now been proved.
Medical myth: Flatlining patients can be shocked back to life
Beep….beep……….beep……….beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. "We're losing him. Out of my way, nurse!" The quick-thinking young doctor charges the defibrillator paddles and places them on the chest of the lifeless patient, whose cardiac monitor is showing a straight green line. The patient gets a huge dose of electricity; his back arches and his limp body lifts up off the bed with the shock.
Flu in pregnancy may quadruple child's risk for bipolar disorder
Pregnant mothers' exposure to the flu was associated with a nearly fourfold increased risk that their child would develop bipolar disorder in adulthood, in a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The findings add to mounting evidence of possible shared underlying causes and illness processes with schizophrenia, which some studies have also linked to prenatal exposure to influenza.
A new 'on' signal for inflammation
(Medical Xpress)—Inflammation is an important response in the body - it helps you to kill off invaders such bacteria that could cause a harmful infection. But if it's chronic or uncontrolled, inflammation can also cause trouble in conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and a potentially fatal immune reaction to infection called sepsis.
Fish oil may stall effects of junk food on brain
Data from more than 180 research papers suggests fish oils could minimise the effects that junk food can have on the brain, a review by researchers at the University of Liverpool has shown.
Hysterectomy does not increase risk of cardiovascular disease
Having a hysterectomy with or without ovary removal in mid-life does not increase a woman's risk of cardiovascular disease compared to women who reach natural menopause, contrary to many previously reported studies, according to research published online today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Turkish womb transplant woman's pregnancy terminated
Doctors have terminated the pregnancy of a 23-year-old Turkish woman who was the first ever to receive a uterus transplant from a dead donor, a hospital in southern Turkey said on Tuesday.
Human disease leptospirosis identified in new species, the banded mongoose, in Africa
(Medical Xpress)—The newest public health threat in Africa, scientists have found, is coming from a previously unknown source: the banded mongoose. Leptospirosis, the disease is called. And the banded mongoose carries it.
A better way to prevent child abuse
New research at The University of Nottingham is calling for changes to a government scheme which engages community nurses in the prevention of child abuse and neglect in the home as part of a maternal and child health care programme.
One in 10 South Africans HIV positive
One in ten South Africans is HIV positive but AIDS-related deaths are falling as ramped-up treatment begins to have an impact, the country's official statistics agency said Tuesday.
New drug enhances radiation treatment for brain cancer in preclinical studies
A novel drug may help increase the effectiveness of radiation therapy for the most deadly form of brain cancer, report scientists at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center. In mouse models of human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the new drug helped significantly extend survival when used in combination with radiation therapy.
Passenger car drivers are more likely to die in crashes with SUVs, regardless of crash ratings
Most consumers who are shopping for a new car depend on good crash safety ratings as an indicator of how well the car will perform in a crash. But a new University at Buffalo study of crashes involving cars and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) has found those crash ratings are a lot less relevant than vehicle type.
What impacts whether African Americans call 9-1-1 immediately for stroke symptoms?
African-Americans know the signs of stroke, but concerns about medical cost, ambulance response time and unfamiliarity with the need for prompt hospital care impacted whether they called 9-1-1 immediately.
Dual chamber defibrillators pose higher risk of complications
A device commonly used to treat dangerous heart rhythms may cause more issues for patients than a simpler version of the same device. The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) prevents sudden cardiac death by detecting irregularities and delivering an electrical jolt to restart the heart.
No significant change seen in overall smokeless tobacco use among US youths
Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. Declines in smoking among youths were observed from the late 1990s. "However, limited information exists on trends in smokeless tobacco use among U.S. youths," writes Israel T. Agaku, D.M.D., M.P.H., of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, and colleagues.
Study evaluates long-term effectiveness of surgery for pelvic organ prolapse
Results after seven years of follow-up suggest that women considering abdominal sacrocolpopexy (surgery for pelvic organ prolapse [POP]) should be counseled that this procedure effectively provides relief from POP symptoms; however, the anatomic support deteriorates over time; and that adding an anti-incontinence procedure decreases, but does not eliminate the risk of stress urinary incontinence, and mesh erosion can be a problem, according to a study in the May 15 issue of JAMA.
Getting a grip on sleep
All mammals sleep, as do birds and some insects. However, how this basic function is regulated by the brain remains unclear. According to a new study by researchers from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute, a brain region called the lateral habenula plays a central role in the regulation of REM sleep. In an article published today in the Journal of Neuroscience, the team shows that the lateral habenula maintains and regulates REM sleep in rats through regulation of the serotonin system. This study is the first to show a role of the lateral habenula in linking serotonin metabolism and sleep.
Male testosterone levels increase when victorious in competition against rivals, but not friends
Sporting events can bring a community together, such as when the Louisville Cardinals won the NCAA championship and University of Louisville campus was filled with camaraderie. They also can fuel bitter rivalries, such as the long-standing animosity between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs. A University of Missouri study has found that testosterone levels during group competition are modulated depending on the relationships among the competitors and may be related to the formation of alliances in warfare.
Trying to be happier works when listening to upbeat music
The song, "Get Happy," famously performed by Judy Garland, has encouraged people to improve their mood for decades. Recent research at the University of Missouri discovered that an individual can indeed successfully try to be happier, especially when cheery music aids the process. This research points to ways that people can actively improve their moods and corroborates earlier MU research.
Saudi detects six new SARS-like cases
Saudi Arabia has detected six new cases of the deadly coronavirus, the health ministry said, raising the number of people infected from the SARS-like virus in the kingdom to 30, half of them fatalities.
Classification system would help spinal deformity care
(HealthDay)—The management of adult spinal deformity (ASD) and selection of optimal fusion levels is incompletely defined, according to a review article published in the April issue of The Spine Journal.
Cognitive health info from doctors found to be lacking
(HealthDay)—Communication between patients and physicians regarding activities that may be beneficial to maintaining cognitive functioning during aging may be lacking, according to a study published online April 18 in Preventing Chronic Disease.
Hospital hypoglycemia rates up in black men with diabetes
(HealthDay)—Home diabetes regimens partially explain the increased risk of having a hypoglycemia event during hospitalization among older African-American men with diabetes, according to a study published in the April issue of Clinical Diabetes.
Guidelines issued to prevent infection with dental work
(HealthDay)—Practitioners might consider discontinuing prophylactic antibiotics for patients with prosthetic implants undergoing dental procedures, and these patients should be encouraged to maintain appropriate oral hygiene, according to clinical practice guidelines approved by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and published in the April 17 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
Non-communicable diseases account for half of adult female deaths in rural Bangladesh
While global attention has for decades been focused on reducing maternal mortality, population-based data on other causes of death among women of reproductive age has been virtually non-existent. A study conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that non-communicable diseases accounted for 48 percent of 1,107 investigated female deaths in rural Bangladesh between 2002 and 2007. The findings lend urgency to review global health priorities to address neglected and potentially fatal non-communicable diseases affecting rural women in South Asia. The study is published in the May 2013 edition of the British Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Massage therapy shown to improve stress response in preterm infants
It seems that even for the smallest of people, a gentle massage may be beneficial. Newborn intensive care units (NICUs) are stressful environments for preterm infants; mechanical ventilation, medical procedures, caregiving activities and maternal separation create these stressful conditions.
Cardio and weight training reduces access to health care in seniors
Forget apples – lifting weights and doing cardio can also keep the doctors away, according a new study by researchers at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute.
Nearly 50 percent increase in ICU admissions, new study says
A study released today by George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS) researchers offers an in-depth look at hospitals nationwide and admissions to intensive care units (ICU). The study, published in the journal Academic Emergency Medicine, finds a sharp increase—nearly 50 percent—in ICU admissions coming from U.S. emergency departments.
Asymptomatic carriage of M. pneumoniae common in children
The bacterium M. pneumoniae is carried at high rates in the upper respiratory tracts of healthy children and usual diagnostic tests cannot differentiate between such asymptomatic carriage and actual respiratory tract infection, according to a study by Dutch researchers published in this week's PLOS Medicine.
ECO: Industry-funded reviews query sweet drink, obesity tie
(HealthDay)—Reviews that are funded by industry tend to find the evidence weak for a causal link between sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and the increasing prevalence of obesity, while other reviews consider the evidence well founded, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the European Congress on Obesity, held from May 12 to 15 in Liverpool, U.K.
ECO: Distilled water doesn't up resting energy expenditure
(HealthDay)—Drinking 500 ml of purified water is not associated with increases in resting energy expenditure (REE), according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the European Congress on Obesity, held from May 12 to 15 in Liverpool, U.K.
Benefit of cycle helmet laws to reduce head injuries still uncertain, new study claims
The benefit of helmet legislation to reduce admissions to hospital for head injuries is "substantially uncertain," concludes a study published in BMJ today.
Scientists develop drug that slows Alzheimer's in mice
A drug developed by scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, known as J147, reverses memory deficits and slows Alzheimer's disease in aged mice following short-term treatment. The findings, published May 14 in the journal Alzheimer's Research and Therapy, may pave the way to a new treatment for Alzheimer's disease in humans.
Study IDs key protein for cell death, offers way to kill cancer cells by forcing them into programmed-death pathway
When cells suffer too much DNA damage, they are usually forced to undergo programmed cell death, or apoptosis. However, cancer cells often ignore these signals, flourishing even after chemotherapy drugs have ravaged their DNA.
Newly described type of immune cell and T cells share similar path to maturity, according to new study
(Medical Xpress)—Labs around the world, and a core group at Penn, have been studying recently described populations of immune cells called innate lymphoid cells (ILCs). Some researchers liken them to foot soldiers that protect boundary tissues such as the skin, the lining of the lung, and the lining of the gut from microbial onslaught. They also have shown they play a role in inflammatory disease, when the body's immune system is too active.
White matter imaging provides insight into human and chimpanzee aging
(Medical Xpress)—The instability of "white matter" in humans may contribute to greater cognitive decline during the aging of humans compared with chimpanzees, scientists from Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University have found.
Same musicians: Brand new tune
A small ensemble of musicians can produce an infinite number of melodies, harmonies and rhythms. So too, do a handful of workhorse signaling pathways that interact to construct multiple structures that comprise the vertebrate body. In fact, crosstalk between two of those pathways—those governed by proteins known as Notch and BMP (for Bone Morphogenetic Protein) receptors—occurs over and over in processes as diverse as forming a tooth, sculpting a heart valve and building a brain.
Wireless signals could transform brain trauma diagnostics
New technology developed at the University of California, Berkeley, is using wireless signals to provide real-time, non-invasive diagnoses of brain swelling or bleeding.
Gut microbe battles obesity
(Medical Xpress)—Akkermansia muciniphila is one of the many microbes that live in our intestines. This bacterium, which feeds on the intestine's mucus lining, comprises between 3 and 5 percent of the gut microbes of healthy mammals. There is an inverse correlation between body weight and abundance of A. muciniphila in mice and humans. In a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Patrice Cani of the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium and his colleagues reveal that levels of this bacterium are very low in mice genetically predisposed to obesity. Restoring Akkermansia to normal levels leads to fat reduction and reduced insulin resistance.
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