From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 2:01 AM
Subject: Phys.org Newsletter Monday, Jun 17
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>
Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for June 17, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- A robot that runs like a cat (w/ Video)- 3-D printing artificial bone
- Decoding Rett syndrome: New pieces to the puzzle
- New drug reverses loss of brain connections in Alzheimer's disease
- Voices may not trigger brain's reward centers in children with autism, research shows
- Four microphones, computer algorithm enough to produce 3-D model of simple, convex room
- Predators affect the carbon cycle, researchers show
- Artificial sweetener a potential treatment for Parkinson's disease
- Quality of waking hours determines ease of falling sleep
- Is there an invisible tug-of-war behind bad hearts and power outages?
- People attribute minds to robots, corpses that are targets of harm
- Bullfrogs may help spread deadly amphibian fungus, but also die from it
- 'Chemical architects' build materials with potential applications in drug delivery and gas storage
- Final curtain for Europe's deep-space telescope
- Illinois-Intel partnership leads to prototype for debugging innovations
Space & Earth news
China to hold local leaders responsible for air quality
China has pledged to hold local government leaders responsible for improving air quality, officials said, after heavy smog across China earlier this year stoked social discontent.
China seen facing uphill struggle against pollution
China's newly announced measures to combat pollution by slashing emissions from major polluting industries and holding local officials responsible could take 18 years to bring air quality within acceptable standards, analysts said Monday.
Compelling new evidence shows Mount Isa mine emissions are contaminating the city, cause of childhood lead poisoning
Despite upgrades to technology and ore management techniques, new and compelling research shows that the combined effects of historic and contemporary emissions are the definitive cause of environmental lead contamination in the city of Mount Isa.
NASA image: Bushfires in north of Western Australia
According to the Australian Government Bureau of Meterology, "In the warm, dry and sunny winter and spring, when grasses are dead and fuels have dried, northern Australia becomes most susceptible to bushfires. Intense high-pressure systems over South Australia producing strong southeast to northeast winds increase the risk of bushfires."
Study identifies travel choices for a smaller carbon footprint
The study, published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology by researchers at IIASA and Center for International Climate and Environmental Research (CICERO) calculates the climate impact for passenger trips of 500-1000 km—typical distances for business or holiday trips. It shows that while air travel continues to have the biggest climate impact per distance travelled, the choices that people make about how they drive or take public transport make a big difference in how much they contribute to climate change.
First risk assessment of shale gas fracking to biodiversity
Fracking, the controversial method of mining shale gas, is widespread across Pennsylvania, covering up to 280,000 km² of the Appalachian Basin. New research in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences explores the threat posed to biodiversity including pollution from toxic chemicals, the building of well pads and pipelines, and changes to wetlands.
How useful is fracking anyway? Study explores return of investment
The value of a fuel's long-term usefulness and viability is judged through its energy return on investment; the comparison between the eventual fuel and the energy invested to create it. The energy return on investment (EROI) study published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology finds that shale gas has a return value which is close to coal.
Second Atlantic season tropical depression forms
Tropical Depression 2 formed in the western Caribbean Sea during the early afternoon hours (Eastern Daylight Time) on June 17. NOAA's GOES-13 satellite captured an image of the storm as it consolidated enough to become a tropical depression while approaching the coast of Belize. NOAA's GOES-13 satellite sits in a fixed orbit and monitors the weather in the eastern half of the continental United States and the Atlantic Ocean. NASA's GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland uses the data from GOES-13 and creates imagery.
Most coal must stay in ground to save climate
Most fossil fuels must remain in the ground because burning them will unleash changes that will "challenge the existence of our society", a new Australian government agency report warned Monday.
New study reveals chemical transformations of ambient organic aerosols
Deciphering the molecular composition of organic aerosols, or OA, in the atmosphere is essential for understanding how these complex aerosols transform and impact the environment and climate forcing. The chemical composition of OA influences how atmospheric radiation is absorbed. For example, the presence of nitrogen-containing organic compounds (NOC) in OA may have a profound effect on its light-absorption properties, affecting how OA influences regional haze and Earth's climate. OA sources, their atmospheric transformation, and radiative effects are core sources of uncertainty in today's atmospheric climate models. At present, the understanding of OA composition is limited to the extent that their impact cannot be accurately predicted and mitigated.
Six-legged miners strike gold
Termites and ants are stockpiling gold in their mounds, new CSIRO research has found.
Details of Yuri Gagarin's tragic death revealed
On the morning of April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin lifted off aboard Vostok 1 to become the first human in space, spending 108 minutes in orbit before landing via parachute in the Saratov region of the USSR. The soft-spoken and well-mannered Gagarin, just 27 years old at the time, became an instant hero, representing the success of the Soviet space program (Alan Shepard's shorter, suborbital flight happened less than a month later) to the entire world. Gagarin later went on to become a director for the Cosmonaut Training Center and was preparing for a second space flight. Tragically, he was killed when a MiG-15 aircraft he was piloting crashed on March 27, 1968.
Earth-passing asteroid is 'an entirely new beast'
On the last day of May 2013 asteroid 1998 QE2 passed relatively closely by our planet, coming within 6 million kilometers… about 15 times the distance to the Moon. While there was never any chance of an impact by the 3 km-wide asteroid and its surprise 750 meter satellite, astronomers didn't miss out on the chance to observe the visiting duo as they soared past as it was a prime opportunity to learn more about two unfamiliar members of the Solar System.
Jet stream changes cause climatically exceptional Greenland Ice Sheet melt
(Phys.org) —Research from the University of Sheffield has shown that unusual changes in atmospheric jet stream circulation caused the exceptional surface melt of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) in summer 2012.
NASA announces eight new astronauts, half are women
The US space agency announced the appointment of eight new astronauts on Monday, and a record half of NASA's first astronaut class since 2009 are women.
Plan for modified European rocket gets backing
Two major figures in the European space industry on Monday backed plans to modify the Ariane 5 rocket to help it shoot larger satellites into orbit.
Scientists turn to the streets for help in monitoring waterways
A project that asks hikers, fishermen, birdwatchers, school kids and nature-lovers of all stripes to monitor stream levels is expanding from its home base in Western New York to three new states: Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin.
NASA satellite sees developing tropical depression near Philippines
System 91W appears ripe to become Tropical Depression 4 in the next couple of days as it continues moving north and parallels the east coast of the Philippines. NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of the developing low pressure area as it passed overhead in space on June 17.
NASA image: Pyrocumulus cloud billows from New Mexico fire
On June 12, 2013, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite captured this image of the Silver fire burning east of Silver City, New Mexico. In addition to producing gray smoke plumes, the fire spawned a pyrocumulus cloud—a tall, cauliflower-shaped cloud that billowed up above the smoke.
New 'embryonic' subduction zone found
(Phys.org) —A new subduction zone forming off the coast of Portugal heralds the beginning of a cycle that will see the Atlantic Ocean close as continental Europe moves closer to America.
Hubble spots a very bright contortionist
(Phys.org) —The contorted object captured by Hubble in this picture is IRAS 22491-1808, also known as the South America Galaxy. It is an ultra-luminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) that emits a huge amount of light at infrared wavelengths. The reason for this intense infrared emission lies in an episode of strong star formation activity, which was set off by a collision between two interacting galaxies.
Final curtain for Europe's deep-space telescope
The deep-space telescope Herschel took its final bow on Monday, climaxing a successful four-year mission to observe the birth of stars and galaxies, the European Space Agency (ESA) said.
Submarine springs reveal how coral reefs respond to ocean acidification
Ocean acidification due to rising carbon dioxide levels will reduce the density of coral skeletons, making coral reefs more vulnerable to disruption and erosion, according to a new study of corals growing where submarine springs naturally lower the pH of seawater.
Predators affect the carbon cycle, researchers show
A new study shows that the predator-prey relationship can affect the flow of carbon through an ecosystem. This previously unmeasured influence on the environment may offer a new way of looking at biodiversity management and carbon storage for climate change.
Study finds the sweet spot—and the screw-ups—that make or break environmental collective actions
Sustainability programs are a Goldilocks proposition – some groups are too big, some are too small, and the environment benefits when the size of a group of people working to save it is just right.
Medicine & Health news
HIV prevention among female sex workers in India reduces HIV and syphilis
HIV prevention programs for female sex workers in India reduce rates of syphilis, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), a University of Toronto study has found.
Towards the 'holy grail' of anticoagulant drugs
A new spin-out company from the University of Cambridge and Addenbrooke's Hospital, XO1 Ltd, has raised $11 million in funding to develop a new anticoagulant drug which has the potential to save millions of lives by preventing heart attacks and strokes without causing bleeding.
Trusted voice of doctors is key to viability of health care cost-control reforms
(Medical Xpress)—While many Americans deeply mistrust government, and are generally suspicious of health insurance companies and the pharmaceutical industry, they overwhelmingly trust physicians and view them as faithful agents of patient interests, reports a new study based on online surveys of more than 5,000 Americans.
New biomarker to help detect early stage cancer
The earlier cancer is detected, the more successful treatment is likely to be. Yet while this is a key message behind many public health campaigns, detection methods are still being improved.
British South Asians five times more likely than white people to suffer severe depression following cancer diagnosis
The first study of its kind to investigate depression following cancer diagnosis among British white people and South Asians in the UK has discovered that South Asians are five times more likely to be severely depressed.
Academies urge new measures against drug-resistant bacteria
Fewer and fewer antibiotics are available for an increasing number of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult to treat infected patients successfully. The Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Hamburg and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina addressed this issue in their joint statement, "Antibiotics Research: Problems and Perspectives" in January 2013. The paper is now available in English, just in time when the topic is on the agenda of the G8 summit. The academies list eight recommendations that show ways to prevent the further spread of antibiotic resistance and to develop urgently needed antibiotics.
3Qs: Supreme Court rules human genes can't be patented
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a unanimous decision Thursday that naturally occurring human genes can't be patented. The case centered on Myriad Genetics Inc.'s patents on popular breast and ovarian cancer tests. These tests were also recently thrust into the global spotlight when actress Angelina Jolie revealed she underwent a double mastectomy after such a test found her at higher risk for developing breast cancer. In the case, Myriad argued that the DNA it isolated for its cancer tests were patentable, but the court ruled otherwise. The court did, however, rule that synthetically created genetic material, called "complementary" DNA or "cDNA," can be patented. We asked Michael Bennett, an associate professor in the School of Law who studies patent law and whose research interests lie at the nexus of law and emerging technologies, to examine the impact of the ruling.
Explainer: Why does female fertility decline?
Former Olympic swimmer Lisa Curry has announced she will undergo fertility treatment to try to have a baby with her partner of three years. News reports say doctors estimate she has less than a 10% chance of success.
Elan holders OK buyback, vote down three deals (Update)
Shareholders of Irish drugmaker Elan Corp. PLC have potentially ended a takeover bid from Royalty Pharma by voting in favor of an Elan share buyback plan.
Fewer mental health patients facing delayed discharge from hospital
Two studies a decade apart in England show fewer mental health inpatients are experiencing delayed discharge from hospital, although finding accommodation on discharge is a greater problem.
Infections increase risk of mood disorders
New research shows that every third person who is diagnosed for the first time with a mood disorder has been admitted to hospital with an infection prior to the diagnosis. The study is the largest of its kind to date to show a clear correlation between infection levels and the risk of developing mood disorders.
US: 'Pay to delay' generic drugs can be illegal (Update)
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that deals between pharmaceutical corporations and their generic drug competitors, which government officials say keep cheaper forms of medicine off the market, can be sometimes be illegal and therefore challenged in court.
Certain types of graft-versus-host disease may increase risk of death, researcher says
Joseph Pidala, M.D., M.S., assistant member of the Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant and Immunology programs at Moffitt Cancer Center, and colleagues from the Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease Consortium have determined that certain gastrointestinal and liver-related types of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) are associated with worsened quality of life and death.
Testosterone therapy improves sexual function after uterus and ovary removal
High doses of testosterone significantly improve sexual function among women who have had their uterus and ovaries surgically removed, a clinical study demonstrates. The results were presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Insulin resistance linked to weaker bones
Reduced effectiveness of the hormone insulin, or insulin resistance, is associated with weakened bones, a clinical study shows. The results were presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Impaired heart function among obese children may help predict later disease
Impaired heart function among obese children and adolescents may be an indicator of future heart disease, a new clinical trial finds. The results were presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Whole body vibration therapy increases bone strength
A treatment known as whole body vibration therapy significantly increases bone strength among adolescents with cerebral palsy, a new clinical trial from New Zealand shows. The results were presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Drug combination promotes weight loss in polycystic ovary syndrome
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, lost significantly more weight when they took two drugs that are traditionally used to treat diabetes, rather than either drug alone, a study from Slovenia demonstrates. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
'Gene signature' test diagnoses benign thyroid growths
A new genetic test accurately and consistently diagnoses benign growths, or nodules, on the thyroid gland, according to a study from Chile. The results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Exposure to BPA in developing prostate increases risk of later cancer
Early exposure to BPA (bisphenol A) – an additive commonly found in plastic water bottles and soup can liners – causes an increased cancer risk in an animal model of human prostate cancer, according to University of Illinois at Chicago researcher Gail Prins. Prins presented her findings at the ENDO 2013 meeting in San Francisco June 17.
Teaching and safety-net hospitals show variations in quality and outcomes of care
Teaching hospitals with a higher intensity of physician-training activity achieve lower mortality rates, but higher hospitalization readmission rates for key medical diagnoses, reports a study in the July issue of Medical Care.
Drugs used to treat heart failure and high blood pressure may help decrease obesity
A type of drug normally used to treat heart failure and high blood pressure helped prevent weight gain and other complications related to a high-fat diet in an animal study. The results were presented today at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Dietary supplement linked to increased muscle mass in the elderly
A supplemental beverage used to treat muscle-wasting may help boost muscle mass among the elderly, according to a new study. The results were presented today at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Being overweight linked to excess stress hormones after eating
Overweight and obese men secrete greater amounts of stress hormones after eating, which may make them more susceptible to disease, a new observational study finds. The results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Mobile health devices can improve health care access in developing countries, remote regions
Mobile health technology has substantial potential for improving access to health care in the developing world and in remote regions of developed countries, states an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Scouring the genome of adenoid cystic carcinoma
Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a slow-growing and often fatal malignancy that can occur at multiple organ site, but is most frequently found in the salivary glands. The primary treatment is surgical removal; however, the majority of patients develop metastatic disease.
Timeline reforms increase initiation speed of NCI sponsored clinical trials
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and investigators have reduced the deadlines for initiation of trials with the goal of reaching more patients in need of new treatments, according to a study published June 17 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Multidisciplinary initiative reduces airway infection in pediatric intensive care patients
An initiative that combines a multidisciplinary health care approach with a range of preventive measures could cut the rate of a common airway infection among children in intensive care by more than half, a new study suggests. The research, led by a team at Nationwide Children's Hospital, appears in the June issue of the journal Pediatric Critical Care Medicine.
Businessman tries his luck at building pot brand
(AP)—The plans of a former Microsoft manager to create the "Starbucks of Pot" are worrying other activists who pushed for the legalization of marijuana in Washington state.
High-fat diet during pregnancy contributes to offspring's increased weight
Exposure to a high-fat diet in the womb and after birth can permanently change the cells in the brain that control food intake, predisposing monkeys to overeating and an increased preference for fatty and sugary foods, a new study finds. The results were presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Directed in vitro technique may increase insulin resistance among offspring
A special type of in vitro fertilization, or IVF, may increase the risk for insulin resistance among children conceived in this way, according to a new study from Greece. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Sibling aggression, often dismissed, linked to poor mental health
"It's not fair!" " "You're not the boss of me." "She hit me!" "He started it." Fights between siblings – from toy-snatching to clandestine whacks to being banished from the bedroom – are so common they're often dismissed as simply part of growing up. Yet a new study from researchers at the University of New Hampshire finds that sibling aggression is associated with significantly worse mental health in children and adolescents. In some cases, effects of sibling aggression on mental health were the same as those of peer aggression.
Study finds racial and ethnic disparities in usage of specialty services for children with autism
A study from investigators at MassGeneral Hospital for Children (MGHfC) found that African-American or Hispanic children diagnosed with autism were significantly less likely than white children to have received subspecialty care or procedures related to conditions that often accompany autism spectrum disorders. While previous studies have documented that minority children with autism tend to be diagnosed at a later age than white children, this report – which will appear in the July issue of Pediatrics and has been released online – is the first to describe disparities in the use of specialty services in gastroenterology, psychiatry or psychology.
Saudi announces four new deaths from MERS virus (Update)
Four people have died from the MERS virus in Saudi Arabia, bringing the death toll from the SARS-like virus in the kingdom to 32, the health ministry said on its website Monday.
IQ link to baby's weight gain in first month
(Medical Xpress)—New research from the University of Adelaide shows that weight gain and increased head size in the first month of a baby's life is linked to a higher IQ at early school age.
'Flawed data' driving hospital emergency department policy, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—Measures taken to ease the pressure on overcrowded hospital emergency departments have been based on flawed data which wrongly blames general practice patients for clogging the system, according to a study by emergency specialists from The University of Western Australia.
Disease-carrying mosquitos pack twice the punch
An international team of researchers from the University of Notre Dame's Eck Institute for Global Health and Imperial College London has recently published its work on a malaria-filaria co-transmission model, where the same mosquito transmits both diseases together. Found in large areas of sub-Saharan Africa, one mosquito genus, Anopheles, carries both the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and the microfilarial worm Wuchereria bancrofti, which causes lymphatic filariasis, which can develop into elephantiasis.
Study finds immigrants account for only 1.4 percent of US medical spending
A study by a University of Nebraska Medical Center researcher revealed that unauthorized immigrants have lower health care expenditures compared to legal residents, naturalized citizens and U.S. natives.
From the mouths of babes: The truth about toddler talk
(Medical Xpress)—The sound of small children chattering has always been considered cute – but not particularly sophisticated. However, research by a Newcastle University expert has shown their speech is far more advanced than previously understood.
Confused parents ignore precautionary food allergy labels
Parents of children with a history of the potentially life-threatening allergic reaction anaphylaxis often ignore precautionary labels on foods because they find them unhelpful and confusing, research from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute has found.
Dementia a growing concern for China and the world
An ECU researcher is one of the lead authors of the first study analysing the increase in prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia in China.
Vitamin D deficiency may raise allergy and asthma risk in obese children, teens
One reason why obese children and teenagers are more likely to have hard-to-control asthma and allergies may be vitamin D deficiency, a new study finds. Results of the study will be presented Tuesday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Healthy, full-term babies use a different stress hormone than their mother
A University of Calgary researcher has identified how a steroid hormone may indicate infant distress during labour and delivery. The study, published by PLOS ONE this month, suggests that a full-term, healthy baby preferentially secretes a different stress hormone than its mother does. That stress hormone, corticosterone, has not been previously studied in human development.
Medical intervention in transgender adolescents appears to be safe and effective
Hormone treatment to halt puberty in adolescents with gender identity disorder does not cause lasting harm to their bones, a new study finds. The results were presented today at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Estrogen replacement therapy helps reduce anxiety in anorexia nervosa
Estrogen replacement therapy is associated with a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms among girls with anorexia nervosa, a new clinical trial finds. The results will be presented today at The Endocrine Society's Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Researchers find a possible treatment for one of the main symptoms of premature aging disease
HGPS is a rare genetic disease that affects one in every 4-8 million births. The disease is caused by a spontaneous mutation in one of the two copies (alleles) of the gene LMNA, which codes for lamin A, a protein important for the integrity and function of the envelope surrounding the cell nucleus. The mutation causes incorrect processing of the messenger RNA for lamin proteins, resulting in the synthesis of an anomalous protein, called progerin.
Abnormalities in new molecular pathway may increase breast cancer risk
A new molecular pathway involving the gene ZNF365 has been identified and abnormalities in that pathway may predict worse outcomes for patients with breast cancer, according to data published in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Bariatric surgery restores nerve cell properties altered by diet
Understanding how gastric bypass surgery changes the properties of nerve cells that help regulate the digestive system could lead to new treatments that produce the same results without surgery, according to Penn State College of Medicine scientists, who have shown how surgery restores some properties of nerve cells that tell people their stomachs are full.
Study finds babies witnessing violence show aggression later in school
Aggression in school-age children may have its origins in children 3 years old and younger who witnessed violence between their mothers and partners, according to a new Case Western Reserve University study.
Drug boosts fat tissue's calorie-burning ability in lab
A drug that mimics the activity of thyroid hormone significantly increases the amount of energy burned by fat tissue and promotes weight loss, an animal study of metabolism finds. The results were presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Blocking overactive receptor in Alzheimer's recovers memory loss and more
A new study shows that memory pathology in older mice with Alzheimer's disease can be reversed with treatment. The study by researchers from the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital - The Neuro, at McGill University and at Université de Montréal found that blocking the activity of a specific receptor in the brain of mice with advanced Alzheimer's disease (AD) recovers memory and cerebrovascular function. The results, published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation in May, also suggest an underlying mechanism of AD as a potential target for new therapies.
Weight loss drug added to diet and exercise improves blood sugar control
The new weight loss drug lorcaserin (Belviq) appears to improve blood sugar control in nondiabetic, overweight individuals, independent of the amount of weight they lose, a new study finds. The results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Skipping breakfast may make obese women insulin resistant
Overweight women who skip breakfast experience acute, or rapid-onset, insulin resistance, a condition that, when chronic, is a risk factor for diabetes, a new study finds. The results, which were presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco, suggest that regularly skipping breakfast over time may lead to chronic insulin resistance and thus could increase an individual's risk for type 2 diabetes.
Short-term antidepressant use, stress, high-fat diet linked to long-term weight gain
Short-term use of antidepressants, combined with stress and a high-fat diet, is associated with long-term increases in body weight, a new animal study finds. The results were presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Adolescents' high-fat diet impairs memory and learning
A high-fat diet in adolescence appears to have long-lasting effects on learning and memory during adulthood, a new study in mice finds. The results were presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Excessive salt consumption appears to be bad for your bones
A high-salt diet raises a woman's risk of breaking a bone after menopause, no matter what her bone density is, according to a new study that will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Source of tumor growth in aggressive prostate cancer found
Researchers have discovered a molecular switch that explains, at least in part, how some fast-growing prostate cancers become resistant to hormone treatment, a new study conducted in human cell cultures and mice finds. The results were presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Whooping cough can be deadly for infants, but 61 percent of adults don't know their vaccine status
Cases of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, are on the rise in the U.S., recently reaching their highest level in 50 years. The disease can be serious or even fatal to newborns who have not yet received vaccinations.
Prenatal exposure to BPA affects fat tissues in sheep
New research suggests that fetal exposure to the common environmental chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, causes increased inflammation in fat tissues after birth, which can lead to obesity and metabolic syndrome. Results of the animal study were presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
BPA linked to a common birth defect in boys
A new study links fetal exposure to a common chemical pollutant, bisphenol A (BPA), to defects of a testicular hormone in newborn boys with undescended testicles. The results, which were presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco, suggest yet another potential harmful effect of BPA, which is widely used in many plastics, liners of food cans and dental sealants.
Vitamin D supplementation may delay precocious puberty in girls
Vitamin D supplementation may help delay early onset of puberty in girls, a new clinical study finds. The results were presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Exposure to low doses of BPA linked to increased risk of prostate cancer in human stem cells
Exposing developing tissue to low levels of the plastic bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA, is linked to a greater incidence of prostate cancer in tissue grown from human prostate stem cells, a new study finds. The results were presented Monday, June 17, at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Chemical in antibacterial soap fed to nursing rats harms offspring
A mother's exposure to triclocarban, a common antibacterial chemical, while nursing her babies shortens the life of her female offspring, a new study in rats finds. The results were presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Too little sleep may trigger the 'munchies' by raising levels of an appetite-controlling molecule
Insufficient sleep may contribute to weight gain and obesity by raising levels of a substance in the body that is a natural appetite stimulant, a new study finds. The results were presented today at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Weight loss improves memory and alters brain activity in overweight women
Memory improves in older, overweight women after they lose weight by dieting, and their brain activity actually changes in the regions of the brain that are important for memory tasks, a new study finds. The results were presented today at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Medical assessment in the blink of an eye
Have you ever thought that you knew something about the world in the blink of an eye? This restaurant is not the right place for dinner. That person could be The One. It turns out that radiologists can do this with mammograms, the x-ray images used for breast cancer screening. Cytologists, who screen micrographic images of cervical cells to detect cervical cancer, have a similar ability. A new study, published in Springer's journal Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, takes a closer look at the skill these specialists have.
Gene variants may play role in obesity
(HealthDay)—Two new studies offer some solace to those who can't control their weight despite diet and exercise by providing more evidence that genetics may play a role in obesity.
Eating behaviors of preschoolers may be related to future risk of heart disease
Eating behaviours of preschoolers may be associated with risk of cardiovascular disease in later life, suggests a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
New alternative to surgery lets doctors remove suspicious polyps, keep colon intact
Millions of people each year have polyps successfully removed during colonoscopies. But when a suspicious polyp is bigger than a marble or in a hard-to-reach location, patients are referred for surgery to remove a portion of their colon—even if doctors aren't sure whether the polyp is cancerous or not.
Rare genomic mutations found in 10 families with early-onset, familial Alzheimer's disease
Although a family history of Alzheimer's disease is a primary risk factor for the devastating neurological disorder, mutations in only three genes – the amyloid precursor protein and presenilins 1 and 2 – have been established as causative for inherited, early-onset Alzheimer's, accounting for about half of such cases. Now Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers have discovered a type of mutation known as copy-number variants (CNVs) – deletions, duplications, or rearrangements of human genomic DNA – in affected members of 10 families with early-onset Alzheimer's. Notably, different genomic changes were identified in the Alzheimer's patients in each family.
Study identifies protein essential for normal heart function
A study by researchers at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Department of Pharmacology at the University of California, San Diego, shows that a protein called MCL-1, which promotes cell survival, is essential for normal heart function.
Elderly benefit from using implantable defibrillators
The elderly may benefit from implantable cardioverter defibrillators as much as younger people, according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.
One step closer to vaccine for common respiratory disease
Young children and the elderly are especially susceptible to respiratory syncytial virus. The three-dimensional structure of respiratory syncytial virus has been solved by an international team from Finland and Switzerland.
Study of dietary intervention examines proteins in brain
The lipidation states (or modifications) in certain proteins in the brain that are related to the development of Alzheimer disease appear to differ depending on genotype and cognitive diseases, and levels of these protein and peptides appear to be influenced by diet, according to a report published Online First by JAMA Neurology, a JAMA Network publication.
Naturally occurring hormone induces egg maturation
The naturally occurring hormone kisspeptin effectively induces egg maturation during infertility treatment, according to a clinical in vitro fertilization (IVF) study. The results were presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Testosterone therapy may help improve pain in men with low testosterone
Testosterone therapy is associated with decreased pain perception in men with low testosterone levels related to opioid (narcotic) pain relievers (analgesics), a new study finds. The results were presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Animal thyroid extract as effective as T4 in treating hypothyroidism
Desiccated thyroid extract (DTE), derived from crushed preparations of animal thyroid glands, is a safe and effective alternative to standard T4 therapy in hypothyroid patients, a new study finds. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Rotavirus vaccine given to newborns in Africa is effective
Mayo Clinic and other researchers have shown that a vaccine given to newborns is at least 60 percent effective against rotavirus in Ghana. Rotavirus causes fever, vomiting and diarrhea, which in infants can cause severe dehydration. In developed nations, the condition often results in an emergency room visit or an occasional hospitalization, but is rarely fatal. In developing countries, however, rotavirus-related illness causes approximately 500,000 deaths per year. The findings appear this week in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Testosterone improves verbal learning and memory in postmenopausal women
Postmenopausal women had better improvement in verbal learning and memory after receiving treatment with testosterone gel, compared with women who received sham treatment with a placebo, a new study found. Results were presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Investigational drug improves sleep disorder among the blind
An investigational new drug significantly improved a common and debilitating circadian rhythm sleep disorder that frequently affects people who are completely blind, a multicenter study finds. The results were presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Obesity associated with hearing loss in adolescents
Obese adolescents are more likely than their normal-weight counterparts to have hearing loss, according to results of a new study. Findings showed that obese adolescents had increased hearing loss across all frequencies and were almost twice as likely to have unilateral (one-sided) low-frequency hearing loss. The study was recently e-published by The Laryngoscope, a journal published by the American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society.
Preventing eggs' death from chemotherapy
Young women who have cancer treatment often lose their fertility because chemotherapy and radiation can damage or kill their immature ovarian eggs, called oocytes. Now, Northwestern Medicine scientists have found the molecular pathway that can prevent the death of immature ovarian eggs due to chemotherapy, potentially preserving fertility and endocrine function.
New medication treats drug-resistant prostate cancer in the laboratory
A new drug called pyrvinium pamoate inhibits aggressive forms of prostate cancer that are resistant to standard drugs, according to a study conducted in an animal model. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Parental cultural attitudes and beliefs associated with child's media viewing and habits
Differences in parental beliefs and attitudes regarding the effects of media on early childhood development may help explain increasing racial/ethnic disparities in child media viewing/habits, according to a study by Wanjiku F. M. Njoroge, M.D., of Seattle Children's Hospital and the University of Washington, Seattle, and colleagues.
Eating more red meat associated with increased risk of Type 2 diabetes
Eating more red meat over time is associated with an increased risk of type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a follow-up of three studies of about 149,000 U.S. men and women, according to a report published Online First by JAMA Internal Medicine.
Study details age disparities in HIV continuum of care
Age disparities exist in the continuum of care for patients with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) with people younger than 45 years less likely to be aware of their infection or to have a suppressed viral load, according to a report published Online First by JAMA Internal Medicine.
Study examines Hispanic youth exposure to food, beverage TV ads
Hispanic preschoolers, children and adolescents viewed, on average about 12 foods ads per day on television in 2010, with the majority of these ads appearing on English-language TV, whereas fast-food represented a higher proportion of the food ads on Spanish-language television, according to a study published Online First by JAMA Pediatrics.
FDA approves new silicone breast implants
(HealthDay)—MemoryShape breast implants have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for breast augmentation in women 22 and older, and for breast reconstruction, the FDA said Friday.
Neurological testing limited in diagnosing disc herniation
(HealthDay)—Neurological testing procedures have limited diagnostic accuracy for detecting disc herniation with suspected radiculopathy, according to a review and meta-analysis published in the June issue of The Spine Journal.
Initiating statins linked to increased risk of T2DM
(HealthDay)—Initiating statin therapy is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, which is not explained by differential survival, according to a study published in the May issue of Diabetes Care.
Scientists find promising biomarker for predicting HPV-related oropharynx cancer
Researchers have found that antibodies against the human papillomavirus (HPV) may help identify individuals who are at greatly increased risk of HPV-related cancer of the oropharynx, which is a portion of the throat that contains the tonsils.
Researchers demonstrate use of stem cells to analyze causes, treatment of diabetes
A team from the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute and the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center of Columbia University has generated patient-specific beta cells, or insulin-producing cells, that accurately reflect the features of maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY).
Community-based programs may help prevent childhood obesity
When it comes to confronting childhood obesity, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health conclude that community-based approaches are important. A systematic review of childhood obesity prevention programs found that community-based intervention programs that incorporate schools and focus on both diet and physical activity are more effective at preventing obesity in children. The results of the study appear online in Pediatrics.
Missing enzyme linked to drug addiction
A missing brain enzyme increases concentrations of a protein related to pain-killer addiction, according to an animal study. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Safety review of bone growth product ushers in new era of data sharing
A Yale project involving the independent review of a bone growth product's safety has yielded results, which are published in the June 18 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. The findings are part of the Yale University Open Data Access (YODA) Project's novel partnership with Medtronic, Inc., to study and release all of the company's clinical trial research data on recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2).
Obesity leads to brain inflammation, and low testosterone makes it worse
Low testosterone worsens the harmful effects of obesity in the nervous system, a new study in mice finds. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
'Undruggable' may be druggable: A new target for cancer drug development
Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) researchers have identified in the most aggressive forms of cancer a gene known to regulate embryonic stem cell self-renewal, beginning a creative search for a drug that can block its activity.
More patients getting lab-grown body parts
By the time 10-year-old Sarah Murnaghan finally got a lung transplant last week, she'd been waiting for months, and her parents had sued to give her a better chance at surgery. Her cystic fibrosis was threatening her life, and her case spurred a debate in the U.S. on how to allocate scarce donor organs for transplant.
Observation is safe, cost-saving in low-risk prostate cancer
Many men with low-risk, localized prostate cancers can safely choose active surveillance or "watchful waiting" instead of undergoing immediate treatment and have better quality of life while reducing health care costs, according to a study by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital.
Average UK salt content of packaged bread has fallen 20 percent in a decade
The average salt content of packaged bread sold in the UK has fallen by 20 per cent over the past decade. But salt levels still vary widely, indicating that further targets are required, finds research published in the online only journal BMJ Open.
Managing seasonal allergies
(HealthDay)—Although spring arrived late this year in parts of the United States, the summer allergy season will still be strong, according to a sinus expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Statins plus certain antibiotics may set off toxic reaction, study says
(HealthDay)—Doctors should avoid ordering certain antibiotics for older patients who take cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, such as Lipitor, Canadian researchers say.
Psychiatric disorders linked to a protein involved in the formation of long-term memories
Researchers have discovered a pathway by which the brain controls a molecule critical to forming long-term memories and connected with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Fast-acting virus targets melanoma in mice
(Medical Xpress)—Yale researchers eradicated most melanoma tumors by exposing them to a fast-acting virus, they report in the June 15 edition of the Journal of Virology.
Changes to cartilage linked to bone cancer offers a possible new diagnostic approach
(Medical Xpress)—For the first time, researchers from The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and UCL Cancer Institute, have linked a gene central to the production of cartilage, COL2A1, to the development of a common type of bone cancer. Their discovery may act as an important way to diagnose this type of cancer in the future, improving patient care.
Researchers find platelets play a collaborative role in eradicating blood borne bacteria
(Medical Xpress)—A team of Canadian researchers has found that platelets in mice liver collaborate with special types of white blood cells to help capture bacteria. In their paper published in the journal Nature Immunology, the team reports that they found platelet collaboration while conducting microscopy studies of Kupffer cells.
Slow and steady wins the baggage search
Next time you're doing a slow burn in security screening at the airport, calm yourself with the assurance that a more deliberate baggage scanner may do a better job.
People attribute minds to robots, corpses that are targets of harm
As Descartes famously noted, there's no way to really know that another person has a mind—every mind we observe is, in a sense, a mind we create. Now, new research suggests that victimization may be one condition that leads us to perceive minds in others, even in entities we don't normally think of as having minds.
New compound excels at killing persistent and drug-resistant tuberculosis
An international team led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University has identified a highly promising new anti-tuberculosis compound that attacks the tuberculosis (TB) bacterium in two different ways.
Quality of waking hours determines ease of falling sleep
The quality of wakefulness affects how quickly a mammal falls asleep, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report in a study that identifies two proteins never before linked to alertness and sleep-wake balance.
Decoding Rett syndrome: New pieces to the puzzle
(Medical Xpress)—Rett Syndrome is a neurological disorder that affects about 1 in 10,000 girls. Back in 1992, University of Edinburgh researcher Adrian Bird discovered that the protein, MeCP2, plays a major role in the disease. The story of MeCP2 is in many ways a microcosm of human genetics. It has become the showcase gene for many complex epi-genetic phenomena including X-linked inactivation, DNA methylation, and genomic imprinting. These gender-specific bargaining chips provide compatibility in an evolutionary system where sex-chromosome provisioning is inherently assymetric. In two new papers, one in Nature and the the other in Nature Neuroscience, Bird and collaborator Michael Greenberg, show how mutations found in Rett Syndrome affect the interaction of MeCP2 with a key regulatory protein known as NCoR.
Voices may not trigger brain's reward centers in children with autism, research shows
In autism, brain regions tailored to respond to voices are poorly connected to reward-processing circuits, according to a new study by scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
New drug reverses loss of brain connections in Alzheimer's disease
The first experimental drug to boost brain synapses lost in Alzheimer's disease has been developed by researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. The drug, called NitroMemantine, combines two FDA-approved medicines to stop the destructive cascade of changes in the brain that destroys the connections between neurons, leading to memory loss and cognitive decline.
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