---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Sat, Jun 29, 2013 at 1:58 AM
Subject: Phys.org Newsletter Friday, Jun 28
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Sat, Jun 29, 2013 at 1:58 AM
Subject: Phys.org Newsletter Friday, Jun 28
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>
Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for June 28, 2013:
- Microsoft launches prerelease 'Kinect for Windows developer kit program'
- Drilling study finds faults after earthquakes heal faster than previously thought
- Apple proposes combined-input port for space-deprived devices
- TouchCast introduces its interactive video iPad app
- Silicon Valley long has had ties to military, intelligence agencies
- Physicists tease out twisted torques of DNA
- Lionfish found following the current trend
- Searching for objects in turbulent seas
- Boat noise stops fish finding home
- Pollution-fighting algae: Algae species holds potential for dual role as pollution reducer, biofuel source
- This image could lead to better antibiotics
- Scientists discover new mechanism regulating the immune response
- Major changes needed for coral reef survival
- Scientists view 'protein origami' to help understand, prevent certain diseases
The nuclear test monitoring agency, CTBTO, joins forces with a Belgium producer of radioelements for nuclear medicine to reduce radioactive noble gas emissions. By reducing the amount of radioactive xenon released in the production of isotopes for nuclear medicine, it will help the world's nuclear test-ban monitors to focus on detecting atomic explosions.
NASA launches sun-watching satellite from US
(AP)—NASA launched a satellite late Thursday on a mission to explore a little-studied region of the sun and to better forecast space weather that can disrupt communications systems on Earth.
Weekend heat wave to bake western US
(AP)—Tigers at the Phoenix Zoo are getting frozen fish snacks. Temporary cooling stations are popping up. And airlines are monitoring the soaring temperatures as the western U.S. falls into the grips of a dangerous heat wave.
Gaia mapping the stars of the Milky Way
ESA's billion-star surveyor, Gaia, has completed final preparations in Europe and is ready to depart for its launch site in French Guiana, set to embark on a five-year mission to map the stars with unprecedented precision.
Projections of climate change impacts on wheat production uncertain: A call for model improvement
Crop models estimating wheat yields disagree considerably under climate change scenarios. The largest worldwide crop model ensemble study proves that uncertainties in simulated impacts increase with carbon dioxide concentrations and associated warming. It was found that an ensemble model approach currently has advantages over individual crop models when it comes to projections of multiple agroecosystem variables under climate change.
Characterizing forest properties and microclimate using numerical modelling and remote sensing
(Phys.org) —Researchers from Universiti Teknologi MARA conducted a highly innovative study which focuses on understanding the spatio-temporal dynamics of the microclimatic conditions in canopy gaps in forests. Furthermore, the combination of numerical modelling techniques and remote sensing is unique in this context. In this way, the project is extremely well placed to make substantive contributions to both ecological modelling and remote sensing science.
Some Americans are cooling off on global warming
A complaint-worthy winter has led to a drop in the number of Americans who believe that global warming is real, according to a University of Michigan survey.
Robotic probe launcher may transform ocean data collection
Our understanding of the ocean and its variability relies on the tools ocean scientists deploy to collect data. One tool routinely used is the eXpendable BathyThermograph (XBT) probe, which is usually deployed by hand one at a time at sea.
Cattle grazing, clean water compatible on public lands
Cattle grazing and clean water can coexist on national forest lands, according to research by the University of California, Davis.
Project's cropland map of the world to be most detailed ever
(Phys.org) —Data harvested from the sky may give researchers a view into the future of food production while opening insights to the implications of climate change.
Ice mass the size of Greenland overlooked in climate models
Far more of Earth's water was locked up as ice at the height of the last ice age than previously thought, and current climate change models may need to be adjusted to account for it, according to a new study.
Survivor of stellar collision is new type of pulsating star
A team of astronomers from the UK, Germany and Spain have observed the remnant of a stellar collision and discovered that its brightness varies in a way not seen before on this rare type of star. By analysing the patterns in these brightness variations, astronomers will learn what really happens when stars collide. This discovery will be published in the 27 June 2013 issue of the journal Nature.
Climate change threatens forest survival on drier, low-elevation sites
Predicted increases in temperature and drought in the coming century may make it more difficult for conifers such as ponderosa pine to regenerate after major forest fires on dry, low-elevation sites, in some cases leading to conversion of forests to grass or shrub lands, a report suggests.
Major changes needed for coral reef survival
To prevent coral reefs around the world from dying off, deep cuts in carbon dioxide emissions are required, says a new study from Carnegie's Katharine Ricke and Ken Caldeira. They find that all existing coral reefs will be engulfed in inhospitable ocean chemistry conditions by the end of the century if civilization continues along its current emissions trajectory. Their work will be published July 3 by Environmental Research Letters.
Drilling study finds faults after earthquakes heal faster than previously thought
(Phys.org) —A team of Chinese researchers along with representatives from the US and Japan have found that ground fractures along fault lines due to earthquakes appear to heal faster than previously thought. In their paper published in the journal Science, the team reports on data found by boring holes along the fault line responsible for the 2008 Sichuan earthquake in China.
For the first time, researchers investigated enteral nutrition and caloric requirements (CR) among critically ill children in a new report published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This study also showed the value of including registered dietitians in the medical team.
Tackling the complications of childhood cancer treatment
While the diagnosis of any child or teenager with cancer is extremely traumatic, there have been huge advances in treatment; the five-year survival rate is now 80 percent in developed countries. With more young people surviving the disease, it has become increasingly important to understand the impacts treatment could have in later life. A team of European researchers is working with young survivors to establish the facts.
Electronic health record adoption uneven across US
A new study in Health Services Research finds wide geographic variation in the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) by ambulatory health care sites, ranging from a high of 88 percent to a low of just 8 percent.
Dynamic disorders of the upper respiratory tract in warm-blooded and cold-blooded trotter racehorses
(Medical Xpress)—Eric Strand's doctoral research shows that these genetically distinct breeds are predisposed to different types of upper airway problems, and this indicates that certain physical traits can be the cause of different forms of collapse in the upper respiratory tract. Strand has also developed and standardised a new diagnostic treadmill protocol for disorders of this kind, which has resulted in more accurate diagnosis and the discovery of new disorders.
Acid reflux surgery could help prevent rejection in lung transplant patients
A Loyola University Medical Center study suggests that a procedure to treat acid reflux could help prevent chronic rejection in lung transplant patients.
Bipartisan recommendations can strengthen health system
(HealthDay)—Leaders of the Bipartisan Policy Center Health Care Cost Containment Initiative have developed a series of recommendations to strengthen the U.S. health care system, according to a sounding board piece published online June 26 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
As cheerleading evolves, injuries mount
(HealthDay)—Cheerleading is definitely not your grandmother's pastime anymore, injury experts warn, but rather a highly competitive activity that's light on the pom-poms and heavy on risky daredevil acrobatics.
Hospitals seek high-tech help for hand hygiene
(AP)—Hospitals have fretted for years over how to make sure doctors, nurses and staff keep their hands clean, but with only limited success. Now, some are turning to technology—buzzers, lights and tracking systems that remind workers to sanitize and chart those who don't.
Face transplant patient celebrates life in public
(AP)—In the 15 years between a shotgun blast that ravaged the bottom half of Richard Norris' face and the face transplant that ended a hermit-like life for him, the man from rural southwest Virginia faced cruelty from strangers, fought addiction and contemplated suicide.
CA probes hospital deal that led to abortion ban
(AP)—California's top prosecutor is investigating an agreement between an Orange County hospital and Catholic operators that banned elective abortions.
Dendritic cell therapy improves kidney transplant survival, study says
(Medical Xpress)—A single systemic dose of special immune cells prevented rejection for almost four months in a preclinical animal model of kidney transplantation, according to experts at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Their findings, now available in the online version of the American Journal of Transplantation, could lay the foundation for eventual human trials of the technique.
Patients treated with own olfactory ensheathing cells realize neurologic improvement
A team of researchers in Poland who treated three of six paraplegics with spinal cord injury using transplanted olfactory ensheathing cells found that the three treated patients showed neurological improvement and no adverse effects while the three control patients who did not receive transplants saw no improvement.
Final gov't birth control rule for faith groups
(AP)—The Obama administration is making its final offer on a compromise for faith-based nonprofits that object to covering birth control in their employee health plans.
Rare weight lifting injury required surgery
A young, healthy man injured himself so severely while weight lifting that he required surgery and nearly a full week in the hospital to recover. The unusual case report of compartment syndrome to the shoulder will be reported online today in Annals of Emergency Medicine ("An Unusual Complication of Weightlifting: A Case Report").
Cardiac patients given longer prescriptions at discharge more likely to continue taking medication
Elderly cardiac patients prescribed heart medications for 60 days or more after leaving hospital have four times the odds of adhering to the drug regime than patients prescribed the same medications for 30 days, according to research conducted at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) and Women's College Hospital (WCH).
Pa. girl doing well after 2nd lung transplant
(AP)—The parents of a 10-year-old Pennsylvania girl recovering after a double lung transplant say she is taking some breaths on her own.
Half million Malawians on free AIDS drugs: president
Malawi is distributing free AIDS drugs to half a million people after years of nationwide HIV tests by the poor southern African nation, President Joyce Banda said Friday.
UK may OK creating babies with DNA from 3 people
(AP)—Britain may allow a controversial technique to create babies using DNA from three people, a move that would help couples avoid passing on rare genetic diseases, the country's top medical officer says.
Study reveals potential of genetic testing to predict which children will grow out of asthma
New research published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, suggests that genetic risk assessments could be used to predict which children with asthma are likely to grow out of the condition and which will continue having symptoms as they grow older.
Higher genetic risk tied to lifetime asthma suffering
Children with more genetic risks for asthma are not only more likely to develop the condition at a young age, but they are also more likely to continue to suffer with asthma into adulthood. The finding reported by Duke University researchers is one of the latest to come from a 40-year longitudinal study of New Zealanders.
Time is of the essence for reducing the long-term effects of iron deficiency
Iron deficiency is a worldwide problem, especially in developing countries and among infants and pregnant women. In infancy, iron deficiency is associated with poorer cognitive, motor, and social-emotional outcomes. In a new study scheduled for publication in The Journal of Pediatrics, researchers report on a 25-year follow-up of infants studied in Costa Rica for iron deficiency.
Lithium reduces risk of suicide in people with mood disorders
The authors say the drug "seems to reduce the risk of death and suicide by more than 60% compared with placebo" and suggest this review "reinforces lithium as an effective agent to reduce the risk of suicide in people with mood disorders."
Fatty acids found in fish linked to lower risk of breast cancer
The results show that each 0.1 g per day or 0.1% energy per day increment of intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) derived from fish was associated with a 5% reduction in risk. To achieve this risk reduction, intake of oily fish such as salmon, tuna or sardines should be 1-2 portions per person per week.
Identifying Alzheimer's using space software
Software for processing satellite pictures taken from space is now helping medical researchers to establish a simple method for wide-scale screening for Alzheimer's disease.
Artist explores how research is fighting malaria in a new digital artwork (w/ Video)
Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute artist in residence, Deborah Robinson is displaying her malaria-inspired digital artwork at the Anglia Ruskin Gallery. Her exhibition, which runs from 26 June-18 July, explores the cutting-edge research the Institute's Malaria Programme is carrying out to understand and combat the global killer.
High lipid levels call for concern, study finds
A study led by a Simon Fraser University health scientist shows that almost half of Canadians between 18 and 79 years of age have high lipid levels – a condition known as dyslipidemia. It also found that more than 80 per cent of those with the condition are not being treated to recommended levels.
Natural, edible treatment offers promise for diabetics
A potentially revolutionary treatment for diabetics mimics the benefits of major surgery, but achieves the same results without it.
Dramatic rise in hearing aid app downloads
Almost 190 people per day are downloading a mobile app that turns an iPhone into a hearing aid, making it the most downloaded medical app in some countries.
Using computer models to predict more effective therapies
Scientist at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have used a computer simulation for predicting the effectiveness of various combination therapies for colon tumors. The study has been published in the current issue of the professional journal Molecular Systems Biology.
Pancreatic cancer: Tackling the tumour by targeting its surroundings
With fewer than 5 percent of sufferers surviving beyond five years of diagnosis, pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal of all cancers. Late diagnosis is one reason for these statistics, but so is the aggressive nature of the tumour and its resistance to the drugs used during chemotherapy.
Paradis' research could impact seizure treatment
(Medical Xpress)—Suzanne Paradis is interested in synapses, sites of cell-to-cell contact that help neurons communicate. She never planned to research a technique that could affect the treatment of epilepsy. She doubted her experiment to build synapses would work at all, let alone work fast enough to be a potential therapy for seizures.
MEND researchers are ready for human trials of an obesity drug showing dramatic results in mice
As sometimes happens in science, a medication used for one thing turns out to be very good for something else.
New study looks at unintended costs of mandated infertility coverage
The rate of triplet or higher-order multiple births increased by 26 percent between 1996 and 2002 in seven states mandating insurance coverage for infertility treatments, costing an additional $900 million in delivery costs alone, according to a new study by University of Notre Dame economist Kasey Buckles. The study will be published in the July issue of Health Economics.
Can a contact lens help treat glaucoma?
While an undergraduate in biochemistry at McMaster, Michelle Fernandes worked as a researcher for a biotech company. Now a master's candidate in chemical engineering, she credits that co-op work experience with sparking her interest in applied science.
Scientists explore stress, weight loss and our brain
It's not just our imagination: We really do eat differently when we're stressed.vNutritionists at UC Davis and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Western Human Nutrition Research Center are shedding light on the important link between stress, our brain and body weight—discoveries that could help society fight obesity and improve our individual efforts to lose weight and keep it off.
Hispanic and black kids less likely to use medication to control asthma
(Medical Xpress)—Black and Hispanic children with asthma are less likely than White children to use long-term asthma control medications, finds a new study in Health Services Research.
Brain imaging shows how prolonged treatment of a behavioral disorder restores a normal response to rewards
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by abnormal behavioral traits such as inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. It is also associated with impaired processing of reward in the brain, meaning that patients need much greater rewards to become motivated. One of the common treatments for ADHD, methylphenidate (MPH), is known to improve reward processing in the short term, but the long-term effects have remained unclear.
Accurate lung model will allow asthmatics to breathe easy
Curtin University researchers have taken large strides towards revolutionising drug delivery for asthmatics and people with lung diseases, potentially saving thousands of lives and millions of dollars.
FDA approves rixubis for prophylactic tx in hemophilia B
(HealthDay)—Rixubis (coagulation factor IX recombinant) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to prevent routine bleeding episodes in people aged 16 and older with hemophilia B, the agency said in a news release.
Simvastatin blunts benefits of exercise in overweight, obese
(HealthDay)—Cholesterol-lowering therapy with simvastatin reduces the physiological responses to aerobic exercise training in overweight or obese adults who are at increased risk for metabolic syndrome, according to research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Acute migraines more apt to turn chronic with poor treatment
(HealthDay)—People who receive inadequate treatment for acute migraine headaches are more likely to develop chronic migraines, according to a new study.
Pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons may be a viable Parkinson's disease treatment
A team of researchers from Rush University, Yale University, the University of Colorado and the St. Kitts Biomedical Research Foundation transplanted human embryonic stem cells into primate laboratory animals modeled with Parkinson's disease and found "robust survival" of the cells after six weeks and indications that the cells were "well integrated" into the host animals. The study appears as an early e-publication for the journal Cell Transplantation.
Study links cardiac hormone-related inflammatory pathway with tumor growth
(Medical Xpress)—A cardiac hormone signaling receptor abundantly expressed both in inflamed tissues and cancers appears to recruit stem cells that form the blood vessels needed to feed tumor growth, reports a new study by scientists at the University of South Florida Nanomedicine Research Center.
Specialized treatment helps cholesterol patients who suffer side effects from statins
Up to 15 percent of patients who take cholesterol-lowering statin medications experience muscle pain or other side effects, and many patients simply stop taking the drugs.
Type 2 diabetes patients transplanted with own bone marrow stem cells reduces insulin use
A study carried out in India examining the safety and efficacy of self-donated (autologous), transplanted bone marrow stem cells in patients with type 2 diabetes (TD2M), has found that patients receiving the transplants, when compared to a control group of TD2M patients who did not receive transplantation, required less insulin post-transplantation.
HIV, syphilis rise among gay men in Bangkok
Cases of HIV and syphilis among gay men in Bangkok are on the rise, according to data released by US and Thai health authorities on Friday.
Late bedtimes and less sleep may lead to weight gain in healthy adults
A new study suggests that healthy adults with late bedtimes and chronic sleep restriction may be more susceptible to weight gain due to the increased consumption of calories during late-night hours.
Interplay of ecology, infectious disease, wildlife and human health featured at annual conference
West Nile virus, Lyme disease and hantavirus. All are infectious diseases spreading in animals and in people. Is human interaction with the environment somehow responsible for the increase in these diseases?
Pre-existing insomnia linked to PTSD and other mental disorders after military deployment
A new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Naval Health Research Center has shown military service members who have trouble sleeping prior to deployments may be at greater risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety once they return home. The new study, published in the July 2013 edition of the journal SLEEP, found that pre-existing insomnia symptoms conferred almost as a large of a risk for those mental disorders as combat exposure.
Scientists turn muscular dystrophy defect on and off in cells
For the first time, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have identified small molecules that allow for complete control over a genetic defect responsible for the most common adult onset form of muscular dystrophy. These small molecules will enable scientists to investigate potential new therapies and to study the long-term impact of the disease.
Lab team makes unique contributions to the first bionic eye
As part of the multi-institutional Artificial Retina Project, Los Alamos researchers helped develop the first bionic eye. Recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Argus II will help people blinded by the rare hereditary disease retinitis pigmentosa or seniors suffering from severe macular degeneration—diseases that destroy the light-sensing cell in the retina. Los Alamos scientists served as the Advanced Concepts team, focusing on fundamental issues and out-of the box ideas.
Scientists discover new mechanism regulating the immune response
Scientists at an Academy of Finland Centre of Excellence have discovered a new mechanism regulating the immune response that can leave a person susceptible to autoimmune diseases.
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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for June 28, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Large-scale quantum chip validated- Microsoft launches prerelease 'Kinect for Windows developer kit program'
- Drilling study finds faults after earthquakes heal faster than previously thought
- Apple proposes combined-input port for space-deprived devices
- TouchCast introduces its interactive video iPad app
- Silicon Valley long has had ties to military, intelligence agencies
- Physicists tease out twisted torques of DNA
- Lionfish found following the current trend
- Searching for objects in turbulent seas
- Boat noise stops fish finding home
- Pollution-fighting algae: Algae species holds potential for dual role as pollution reducer, biofuel source
- This image could lead to better antibiotics
- Scientists discover new mechanism regulating the immune response
- Major changes needed for coral reef survival
- Scientists view 'protein origami' to help understand, prevent certain diseases
Space & Earth news
Medical isotope producers and the CTBTO join forces to reduce radioxenon emissionsThe nuclear test monitoring agency, CTBTO, joins forces with a Belgium producer of radioelements for nuclear medicine to reduce radioactive noble gas emissions. By reducing the amount of radioactive xenon released in the production of isotopes for nuclear medicine, it will help the world's nuclear test-ban monitors to focus on detecting atomic explosions.
NASA launches sun-watching satellite from US
(AP)—NASA launched a satellite late Thursday on a mission to explore a little-studied region of the sun and to better forecast space weather that can disrupt communications systems on Earth.
Weekend heat wave to bake western US
(AP)—Tigers at the Phoenix Zoo are getting frozen fish snacks. Temporary cooling stations are popping up. And airlines are monitoring the soaring temperatures as the western U.S. falls into the grips of a dangerous heat wave.
Gaia mapping the stars of the Milky Way
ESA's billion-star surveyor, Gaia, has completed final preparations in Europe and is ready to depart for its launch site in French Guiana, set to embark on a five-year mission to map the stars with unprecedented precision.
Projections of climate change impacts on wheat production uncertain: A call for model improvement
Crop models estimating wheat yields disagree considerably under climate change scenarios. The largest worldwide crop model ensemble study proves that uncertainties in simulated impacts increase with carbon dioxide concentrations and associated warming. It was found that an ensemble model approach currently has advantages over individual crop models when it comes to projections of multiple agroecosystem variables under climate change.
Characterizing forest properties and microclimate using numerical modelling and remote sensing
(Phys.org) —Researchers from Universiti Teknologi MARA conducted a highly innovative study which focuses on understanding the spatio-temporal dynamics of the microclimatic conditions in canopy gaps in forests. Furthermore, the combination of numerical modelling techniques and remote sensing is unique in this context. In this way, the project is extremely well placed to make substantive contributions to both ecological modelling and remote sensing science.
Some Americans are cooling off on global warming
A complaint-worthy winter has led to a drop in the number of Americans who believe that global warming is real, according to a University of Michigan survey.
Robotic probe launcher may transform ocean data collection
Our understanding of the ocean and its variability relies on the tools ocean scientists deploy to collect data. One tool routinely used is the eXpendable BathyThermograph (XBT) probe, which is usually deployed by hand one at a time at sea.
Cattle grazing, clean water compatible on public lands
Cattle grazing and clean water can coexist on national forest lands, according to research by the University of California, Davis.
Project's cropland map of the world to be most detailed ever
(Phys.org) —Data harvested from the sky may give researchers a view into the future of food production while opening insights to the implications of climate change.
Ice mass the size of Greenland overlooked in climate models
Far more of Earth's water was locked up as ice at the height of the last ice age than previously thought, and current climate change models may need to be adjusted to account for it, according to a new study.
Survivor of stellar collision is new type of pulsating star
A team of astronomers from the UK, Germany and Spain have observed the remnant of a stellar collision and discovered that its brightness varies in a way not seen before on this rare type of star. By analysing the patterns in these brightness variations, astronomers will learn what really happens when stars collide. This discovery will be published in the 27 June 2013 issue of the journal Nature.
Climate change threatens forest survival on drier, low-elevation sites
Predicted increases in temperature and drought in the coming century may make it more difficult for conifers such as ponderosa pine to regenerate after major forest fires on dry, low-elevation sites, in some cases leading to conversion of forests to grass or shrub lands, a report suggests.
Major changes needed for coral reef survival
To prevent coral reefs around the world from dying off, deep cuts in carbon dioxide emissions are required, says a new study from Carnegie's Katharine Ricke and Ken Caldeira. They find that all existing coral reefs will be engulfed in inhospitable ocean chemistry conditions by the end of the century if civilization continues along its current emissions trajectory. Their work will be published July 3 by Environmental Research Letters.
Drilling study finds faults after earthquakes heal faster than previously thought
(Phys.org) —A team of Chinese researchers along with representatives from the US and Japan have found that ground fractures along fault lines due to earthquakes appear to heal faster than previously thought. In their paper published in the journal Science, the team reports on data found by boring holes along the fault line responsible for the 2008 Sichuan earthquake in China.
Medicine & Health news
Registered dietitians help critically ill children get necessary nutrition for recoveryFor the first time, researchers investigated enteral nutrition and caloric requirements (CR) among critically ill children in a new report published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This study also showed the value of including registered dietitians in the medical team.
Tackling the complications of childhood cancer treatment
While the diagnosis of any child or teenager with cancer is extremely traumatic, there have been huge advances in treatment; the five-year survival rate is now 80 percent in developed countries. With more young people surviving the disease, it has become increasingly important to understand the impacts treatment could have in later life. A team of European researchers is working with young survivors to establish the facts.
Electronic health record adoption uneven across US
A new study in Health Services Research finds wide geographic variation in the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) by ambulatory health care sites, ranging from a high of 88 percent to a low of just 8 percent.
Dynamic disorders of the upper respiratory tract in warm-blooded and cold-blooded trotter racehorses
(Medical Xpress)—Eric Strand's doctoral research shows that these genetically distinct breeds are predisposed to different types of upper airway problems, and this indicates that certain physical traits can be the cause of different forms of collapse in the upper respiratory tract. Strand has also developed and standardised a new diagnostic treadmill protocol for disorders of this kind, which has resulted in more accurate diagnosis and the discovery of new disorders.
Acid reflux surgery could help prevent rejection in lung transplant patients
A Loyola University Medical Center study suggests that a procedure to treat acid reflux could help prevent chronic rejection in lung transplant patients.
Bipartisan recommendations can strengthen health system
(HealthDay)—Leaders of the Bipartisan Policy Center Health Care Cost Containment Initiative have developed a series of recommendations to strengthen the U.S. health care system, according to a sounding board piece published online June 26 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
As cheerleading evolves, injuries mount
(HealthDay)—Cheerleading is definitely not your grandmother's pastime anymore, injury experts warn, but rather a highly competitive activity that's light on the pom-poms and heavy on risky daredevil acrobatics.
Hospitals seek high-tech help for hand hygiene
(AP)—Hospitals have fretted for years over how to make sure doctors, nurses and staff keep their hands clean, but with only limited success. Now, some are turning to technology—buzzers, lights and tracking systems that remind workers to sanitize and chart those who don't.
Face transplant patient celebrates life in public
(AP)—In the 15 years between a shotgun blast that ravaged the bottom half of Richard Norris' face and the face transplant that ended a hermit-like life for him, the man from rural southwest Virginia faced cruelty from strangers, fought addiction and contemplated suicide.
CA probes hospital deal that led to abortion ban
(AP)—California's top prosecutor is investigating an agreement between an Orange County hospital and Catholic operators that banned elective abortions.
Dendritic cell therapy improves kidney transplant survival, study says
(Medical Xpress)—A single systemic dose of special immune cells prevented rejection for almost four months in a preclinical animal model of kidney transplantation, according to experts at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Their findings, now available in the online version of the American Journal of Transplantation, could lay the foundation for eventual human trials of the technique.
Patients treated with own olfactory ensheathing cells realize neurologic improvement
A team of researchers in Poland who treated three of six paraplegics with spinal cord injury using transplanted olfactory ensheathing cells found that the three treated patients showed neurological improvement and no adverse effects while the three control patients who did not receive transplants saw no improvement.
Final gov't birth control rule for faith groups
(AP)—The Obama administration is making its final offer on a compromise for faith-based nonprofits that object to covering birth control in their employee health plans.
Rare weight lifting injury required surgery
A young, healthy man injured himself so severely while weight lifting that he required surgery and nearly a full week in the hospital to recover. The unusual case report of compartment syndrome to the shoulder will be reported online today in Annals of Emergency Medicine ("An Unusual Complication of Weightlifting: A Case Report").
Cardiac patients given longer prescriptions at discharge more likely to continue taking medication
Elderly cardiac patients prescribed heart medications for 60 days or more after leaving hospital have four times the odds of adhering to the drug regime than patients prescribed the same medications for 30 days, according to research conducted at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) and Women's College Hospital (WCH).
Pa. girl doing well after 2nd lung transplant
(AP)—The parents of a 10-year-old Pennsylvania girl recovering after a double lung transplant say she is taking some breaths on her own.
Half million Malawians on free AIDS drugs: president
Malawi is distributing free AIDS drugs to half a million people after years of nationwide HIV tests by the poor southern African nation, President Joyce Banda said Friday.
UK may OK creating babies with DNA from 3 people
(AP)—Britain may allow a controversial technique to create babies using DNA from three people, a move that would help couples avoid passing on rare genetic diseases, the country's top medical officer says.
Study reveals potential of genetic testing to predict which children will grow out of asthma
New research published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, suggests that genetic risk assessments could be used to predict which children with asthma are likely to grow out of the condition and which will continue having symptoms as they grow older.
Higher genetic risk tied to lifetime asthma suffering
Children with more genetic risks for asthma are not only more likely to develop the condition at a young age, but they are also more likely to continue to suffer with asthma into adulthood. The finding reported by Duke University researchers is one of the latest to come from a 40-year longitudinal study of New Zealanders.
Time is of the essence for reducing the long-term effects of iron deficiency
Iron deficiency is a worldwide problem, especially in developing countries and among infants and pregnant women. In infancy, iron deficiency is associated with poorer cognitive, motor, and social-emotional outcomes. In a new study scheduled for publication in The Journal of Pediatrics, researchers report on a 25-year follow-up of infants studied in Costa Rica for iron deficiency.
Lithium reduces risk of suicide in people with mood disorders
The authors say the drug "seems to reduce the risk of death and suicide by more than 60% compared with placebo" and suggest this review "reinforces lithium as an effective agent to reduce the risk of suicide in people with mood disorders."
Fatty acids found in fish linked to lower risk of breast cancer
The results show that each 0.1 g per day or 0.1% energy per day increment of intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) derived from fish was associated with a 5% reduction in risk. To achieve this risk reduction, intake of oily fish such as salmon, tuna or sardines should be 1-2 portions per person per week.
Identifying Alzheimer's using space software
Software for processing satellite pictures taken from space is now helping medical researchers to establish a simple method for wide-scale screening for Alzheimer's disease.
Artist explores how research is fighting malaria in a new digital artwork (w/ Video)
Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute artist in residence, Deborah Robinson is displaying her malaria-inspired digital artwork at the Anglia Ruskin Gallery. Her exhibition, which runs from 26 June-18 July, explores the cutting-edge research the Institute's Malaria Programme is carrying out to understand and combat the global killer.
High lipid levels call for concern, study finds
A study led by a Simon Fraser University health scientist shows that almost half of Canadians between 18 and 79 years of age have high lipid levels – a condition known as dyslipidemia. It also found that more than 80 per cent of those with the condition are not being treated to recommended levels.
Natural, edible treatment offers promise for diabetics
A potentially revolutionary treatment for diabetics mimics the benefits of major surgery, but achieves the same results without it.
Dramatic rise in hearing aid app downloads
Almost 190 people per day are downloading a mobile app that turns an iPhone into a hearing aid, making it the most downloaded medical app in some countries.
Using computer models to predict more effective therapies
Scientist at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have used a computer simulation for predicting the effectiveness of various combination therapies for colon tumors. The study has been published in the current issue of the professional journal Molecular Systems Biology.
Pancreatic cancer: Tackling the tumour by targeting its surroundings
With fewer than 5 percent of sufferers surviving beyond five years of diagnosis, pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal of all cancers. Late diagnosis is one reason for these statistics, but so is the aggressive nature of the tumour and its resistance to the drugs used during chemotherapy.
Paradis' research could impact seizure treatment
(Medical Xpress)—Suzanne Paradis is interested in synapses, sites of cell-to-cell contact that help neurons communicate. She never planned to research a technique that could affect the treatment of epilepsy. She doubted her experiment to build synapses would work at all, let alone work fast enough to be a potential therapy for seizures.
MEND researchers are ready for human trials of an obesity drug showing dramatic results in mice
As sometimes happens in science, a medication used for one thing turns out to be very good for something else.
New study looks at unintended costs of mandated infertility coverage
The rate of triplet or higher-order multiple births increased by 26 percent between 1996 and 2002 in seven states mandating insurance coverage for infertility treatments, costing an additional $900 million in delivery costs alone, according to a new study by University of Notre Dame economist Kasey Buckles. The study will be published in the July issue of Health Economics.
Can a contact lens help treat glaucoma?
While an undergraduate in biochemistry at McMaster, Michelle Fernandes worked as a researcher for a biotech company. Now a master's candidate in chemical engineering, she credits that co-op work experience with sparking her interest in applied science.
Scientists explore stress, weight loss and our brain
It's not just our imagination: We really do eat differently when we're stressed.vNutritionists at UC Davis and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Western Human Nutrition Research Center are shedding light on the important link between stress, our brain and body weight—discoveries that could help society fight obesity and improve our individual efforts to lose weight and keep it off.
Hispanic and black kids less likely to use medication to control asthma
(Medical Xpress)—Black and Hispanic children with asthma are less likely than White children to use long-term asthma control medications, finds a new study in Health Services Research.
Brain imaging shows how prolonged treatment of a behavioral disorder restores a normal response to rewards
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by abnormal behavioral traits such as inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. It is also associated with impaired processing of reward in the brain, meaning that patients need much greater rewards to become motivated. One of the common treatments for ADHD, methylphenidate (MPH), is known to improve reward processing in the short term, but the long-term effects have remained unclear.
Accurate lung model will allow asthmatics to breathe easy
Curtin University researchers have taken large strides towards revolutionising drug delivery for asthmatics and people with lung diseases, potentially saving thousands of lives and millions of dollars.
FDA approves rixubis for prophylactic tx in hemophilia B
(HealthDay)—Rixubis (coagulation factor IX recombinant) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to prevent routine bleeding episodes in people aged 16 and older with hemophilia B, the agency said in a news release.
Simvastatin blunts benefits of exercise in overweight, obese
(HealthDay)—Cholesterol-lowering therapy with simvastatin reduces the physiological responses to aerobic exercise training in overweight or obese adults who are at increased risk for metabolic syndrome, according to research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Acute migraines more apt to turn chronic with poor treatment
(HealthDay)—People who receive inadequate treatment for acute migraine headaches are more likely to develop chronic migraines, according to a new study.
Pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons may be a viable Parkinson's disease treatment
A team of researchers from Rush University, Yale University, the University of Colorado and the St. Kitts Biomedical Research Foundation transplanted human embryonic stem cells into primate laboratory animals modeled with Parkinson's disease and found "robust survival" of the cells after six weeks and indications that the cells were "well integrated" into the host animals. The study appears as an early e-publication for the journal Cell Transplantation.
Study links cardiac hormone-related inflammatory pathway with tumor growth
(Medical Xpress)—A cardiac hormone signaling receptor abundantly expressed both in inflamed tissues and cancers appears to recruit stem cells that form the blood vessels needed to feed tumor growth, reports a new study by scientists at the University of South Florida Nanomedicine Research Center.
Specialized treatment helps cholesterol patients who suffer side effects from statins
Up to 15 percent of patients who take cholesterol-lowering statin medications experience muscle pain or other side effects, and many patients simply stop taking the drugs.
Type 2 diabetes patients transplanted with own bone marrow stem cells reduces insulin use
A study carried out in India examining the safety and efficacy of self-donated (autologous), transplanted bone marrow stem cells in patients with type 2 diabetes (TD2M), has found that patients receiving the transplants, when compared to a control group of TD2M patients who did not receive transplantation, required less insulin post-transplantation.
HIV, syphilis rise among gay men in Bangkok
Cases of HIV and syphilis among gay men in Bangkok are on the rise, according to data released by US and Thai health authorities on Friday.
Late bedtimes and less sleep may lead to weight gain in healthy adults
A new study suggests that healthy adults with late bedtimes and chronic sleep restriction may be more susceptible to weight gain due to the increased consumption of calories during late-night hours.
Interplay of ecology, infectious disease, wildlife and human health featured at annual conference
West Nile virus, Lyme disease and hantavirus. All are infectious diseases spreading in animals and in people. Is human interaction with the environment somehow responsible for the increase in these diseases?
Pre-existing insomnia linked to PTSD and other mental disorders after military deployment
A new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Naval Health Research Center has shown military service members who have trouble sleeping prior to deployments may be at greater risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety once they return home. The new study, published in the July 2013 edition of the journal SLEEP, found that pre-existing insomnia symptoms conferred almost as a large of a risk for those mental disorders as combat exposure.
Scientists turn muscular dystrophy defect on and off in cells
For the first time, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have identified small molecules that allow for complete control over a genetic defect responsible for the most common adult onset form of muscular dystrophy. These small molecules will enable scientists to investigate potential new therapies and to study the long-term impact of the disease.
Lab team makes unique contributions to the first bionic eye
As part of the multi-institutional Artificial Retina Project, Los Alamos researchers helped develop the first bionic eye. Recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Argus II will help people blinded by the rare hereditary disease retinitis pigmentosa or seniors suffering from severe macular degeneration—diseases that destroy the light-sensing cell in the retina. Los Alamos scientists served as the Advanced Concepts team, focusing on fundamental issues and out-of the box ideas.
Scientists discover new mechanism regulating the immune response
Scientists at an Academy of Finland Centre of Excellence have discovered a new mechanism regulating the immune response that can leave a person susceptible to autoimmune diseases.
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