From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Sat, Jul 13, 2013 at 1:56 AM
Subject: Phys.org Newsletter Friday, Jul 12
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>
Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 12, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Interplanetary precision laser could reach to Mars and beyond- Researchers develop 3-D display with no ghosting for viewers without glasses
- Telescopic contact lens could improve eyesight for the visually impaired
- Researchers discover flat worms retain memories even after decapitation
- Researchers discover simple coating technique using tannic acid and iron
- Daydreaming simulated by computer model
- Supercomputers help microfluidics researchers make waves at the microscopic level
- Link between quantum physics and game theory found
- Interspecies transplant works in first step for new diabetes therapy
- Lab-on-a-chip technology gets a flexible upgrade
- New theory uncovers cancer's deep evolutionary roots
- Unique route to stem cells: Designer proteins developed to deliver stem cells
- Visualizing a memory trace
- Multinational effort underway to build synthetic yeast using artificial chromosomes
- Third drive of Curiosity's long trek covers 135 feet
Space & Earth news
Ivory Coast turns to brute force to save forests
It was a brutal end to a long-term problem. Faced with the dilemma of trying to save a protected forest, which had become home to thousands of people, the Ivory Coast government turned to force.
Arctic exploration provides window on future climate change
Climate model projections show that the Arctic Ocean will be completely ice-free by the summer by 2060. However, the record lows in sea ice extent of 2007 and 2012 demonstrated that these projections were too optimistic and some scientists think that we might see and ice free Arctic within this or the next decade. This momentous transformation will undoubtedly have important consequences for our climate, but opinions to the extent of the severity of this change vary.
Combining global climate models for more accurate forecasting
The EU-funded ENSEMBLES ('Ensemble-based Predictions of Climate Changes and their Impacts') project has made a significant contribution towards achieving better climate risk forecasts. By combining different global climate models and by generating samples of the future state of the earth system, scientists should have a better idea of what our climate will be like in five, ten or even two decades from now.
Social media to help farmers deal with climate change
Whether farmers believe in climate change or not – 66 percent do – their actions show that they are adapting to global warming, according to panelists at a July 8 discussion on campus.
Space station ocean imager available to more scientists
The International Space Station is expanding the use of its Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO) instrument to more Earth scientists and environmental researchers.
Nature valued from space
Satellites show how we can promote economic development in an environmentally sustainable manner by putting a price on nature's resources.
More crops per drop
A solution is much needed to fight droughts and preserve crops. Researchers have now developed a device capable of checking the humidity in the soil, and releasing irrigation water as needed – just enough without wasting it. Scientists working under the EU funded research project FLOW-AID have worked hand-in-hand with farmers in six countries to test the system and exchange their knowledge.
Smoke from Canada Observed in Europe
This summer, Canada is experiencing unusually extensive wildfires. This week alone, 341 new forest fires have consumed a total area of 616,000 hectares. The smoke clouds produced by the fires in Canada have now reached Europe. In the EU research project Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate (MACC-II), in which researchers from Forschungszentrum Jülich are playing a leading role, an integrated system for data analysis and modelling is used to provide daily forecasts of the global atmospheric concentration of pollutants. Smoke and trace gas emissions can be determined based on satellite data of the Canadian wildfires. The MACC-II model system then calculates how these pollutants are transported and chemically transformed.
Precision irrigation for ornamental plant
A prototype of precise irrigation system tested in Italy for ornamental plants nurseries as water shortage puts pressure on growers
Technology could curtail astronaut conflict
Scientists aim to equip manned crews to Mars with innovative devices that keep track of social interactions and provide instant feedback when conflict and other troubles regarding teamwork emerge.
Airborne observatory records outer space in unprecedented detail
(Phys.org) —Soaring at 41,000 feet in the air, a team of Ithaca College physics students and a professor recently took photos from a flying observatory to help discover what makes up our universe.
NASA, industry test additively manufactured rocket engine injector
(Phys.org) —NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne of West Palm Beach, Fla., recently finished testing a rocket engine injector made through additive manufacturing, or 3-D printing.
Carbon dioxide stored in Marcellus Shale wells could also boost gas production
(Phys.org) —Marcellus Shale and other natural gas plays are considered valuable for what can be extracted from them, but what if they could also be valuable and environmentally helpful after they are been depleted?
How often do stars explode as exceptionally bright supernovae?
It is not yet clear what gives rise to supernovae with a peak brightness many times the average, so-called superluminous supernovae (SLSNe), but since they are observable from further away than normal supernovae, a better understanding of these events might also make them a valuable additional 'standard candle' for distance measurements in the Universe. Using survey data from the ROTSE-IIIb telescope at the McDonald Observatory (Texas, US) that covered 500 square degrees of sky, a small team of international researchers – including CAASTRO member Dr Fang Yuan (ANU) – has now calculated the volumetric rate of SLSNe.
Researchers estimate over two million deaths annually from air pollution
Over two million deaths occur each year as a direct result of human-caused outdoor air pollution, a new study has found.
Third drive of Curiosity's long trek covers 135 feet
(Phys.org) —NASA's Mars rover Curiosity drove 135 feet (41 meters) on Tuesday, July 9, the third drive of a journey of many months from the "Glenelg" area to Mount Sharp.
Medicine & Health news
A hidden epidemic: Street children show high levels of drug use
Drug use is common among street children, posing serious threats to both their health and their chances for reintegration into society. It's difficult to reduce drug use among street children without a good understanding of the problem, and up to now the research has been confined mainly to local studies with inconsistent results. Today, Addiction has published a systematic review of 50 studies of drug use among street children in 22 countries, shedding new light on the magnitude of the problem, the causes and health consequences of drug use among street children, and areas where new research is badly needed.
Irish deputies back abortion in limited cases
Irish lawmakers voted early Friday to back controversial new legislation that will allow abortion in limited cases, after the death last year of an Indian woman due to complications from her pregnancy.
US adults value health care provider skill evaluation
(HealthDay)—Most adults feel that health care providers who treat them should adhere to a recertification program, including passing examinations, attending educational programs, and undergoing certification, regardless of time in practice, according to a report published by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) and the Citizen Advocacy Center.
Japan heatwave kills 12
A severe heatwave that hit Japan a week ago has claimed at least a dozen lives, reports said Friday.
Shoulder surgery may make sense for young patients
Arthroscopic bankart repair surgery is a cost-effective approach for patients suffering their first shoulder dislocation, according to research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL.
Range of motion may be a predictor for elbow injuries in Major League Baseball pitchers
Certain elements of a pitcher's throwing mechanics can increase the risk for elbow injuries, according to information presented by researchers at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting today in Chicago, IL.
Corticosteroid injections may help injured NFL players return to play sooner
Corticosteroid injections may speed-up the return time for National Football League (NFL) players suffering high ankle sprains, according to research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL. Players treated with these injections typically returned 40% faster or approximately 10 days earlier than those not receiving the same treatment.
Stress fracture risks may be modifiable
Programs to improve movement patterns may help prevent stress fractures in athletes and military personnel, say researchers presenting their work today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL.
New tool for early detection of language disorders
The GADES tool was developed as a result of a research conducted by the group Telematic Systems for the Information and Knowledge Society of the Telecommunication School at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. This tool allows us to automate the process of detection of language disorders and can help the work of pediatricians in Primary Care for early detection of these disorders and be able to refer to the specialist (neurologist, educator, psychologist, speech therapist or rehabilitation).
Researchers develope novel bicycle saddle that prevents chafing, pain and other damage associated with genital area
Researchers at the University of Alicante have developed a novel bicycle saddle that prevents chafing, pain and other damage associated with the genital area as impotence and prostatitis.
Supporting children of mental health patients
A study in Norway has found that health professionals caring for people with mental illness have difficulty providing follow-up services to the children of these patients. The law in the country has changed to mandate follow-up care for children, and health professionals believe it is a good thing, but struggle to overcome organisational and professional barriers.
Why, when the cancer tie is clear, do people still sunbathe?
Jenna Hoffman thinks that people, herself included, generally look better with a tan - "better than bright white," she says.
Artifact suppression and analysis of brain activities with EEG signals
Electroencephalography is a test to measure the electrical activity of the brain generated by scalp surface after being picked up by metal electrodes and conductive media.
Most patients are willing to donate eyes to research, but few do
Far more people are willing to donate their eyes to research than actually are registered to donate, according to a study led by a Michigan State University student.
Ireland approves 'life-saving' abortions for first time
Irish lawmakers on Friday overwhelmingly approved abortion for the first time in limited cases where the mother's life is at risk, in a vote that revealed deep divisions in the predominantly Catholic nation.
Women at risk of developing postpartum psychosis need close monitoring, says new review
There are clear risk factors for postpartum psychosis that all women should be asked about antenatally to ensure early recognition and prompt treatment of the condition, says a new review published today (12 July) in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist (TOG).
Gang members found to suffer unprecedented levels of psychiatric illness
Young men who are gang members suffer unprecedented levels of psychiatric illness, placing a heavy burden on mental health services, according to new research led by Queen Mary, University of London.
Injecting iron supplement lets scientists track transplanted stem cells
A new, noninvasive technique for tracking stem cells after transplantation—developed by a cross-disciplinary team of radiologists, chemists, statisticians and materials scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine—could help surgeons determine whether a procedure to repair injured or worn-out knees is successful.
Female childhood cancer survivors at increased risk of infertility
New research published in The Lancet Oncology shows that although women who survive childhood cancer are at an increased risk of infertility, if they have clinical infertility they still have a good likelihood of going on to conceive; about two thirds of them get pregnant, a rate similar to the rate of pregnancy seen in non-cancer survivors with clinical infertility.
China island centenarians claim secret of long life
The elderly residents of one Chinese county have endured invasion, civil war and famine, and many live in unheated concrete shacks on only a few dollars a day. But they are apparently among the longest-lived people on earth.
Teen health, mental health has declined in last decade
(HealthDay)—Adolescents' self-rated health and mental health worsened over the last decade, according to a study published July 3 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preventing Chronic Disease.
Health care technology blossoms in hospitals, clinics
A slip of paper at the nurses' station indicated a certain medication dose was due for a patient. Dallas Fulton knew better. Actually, his hand-held computer knew better.
Melanoma drug holding up well after further testing
Merck's late-stage melanoma drug, lambrolizumab, continues to show great promise in shrinking the deadly tumors, particularly when taken at the highest dosage offered in trials, according to a study published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
UAE announces first case of MERS-virus infection
Health authorities in the UAE have announced that an 82-year-old man has been diagnosed with the MERS coronavirus infection, the first case to be recorded in the Gulf state.
Suicides hit all-time high in Singapore in 2012
Suicides in Singapore hit an all-time high of 487 in 2012 as more young people bogged down by stress and relationship woes took their own lives, a charity group dealing with the problem said Friday.
Study finds potential markers for severity of childhood arthritis
(Medical Xpress)—Children who suffer from arthritis could one day receive more targeted treatment thanks to potential markers for the severity of the disorder discovered by researchers at the University of Adelaide and Women's and Children's Hospital.
New study on US health an urgent call to action
(Medical Xpress)—The American Heart Association today says a new study, "The State of U.S. Health, 1990-2010: Burdens of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors" released in The Journal of the American Medical Association is a wake-up call for our nation.
Researcher invents on-field 'hammy' tester
QUT has invented an on-field hamstring muscle tester that could save elite sports clubs hundreds of millions of dollars in lost player time.
Student researchers track emerging tick-borne disease
Collecting tick specimens is easy—you drag a white piece of canvas over the right piece of ground, then turn it over. Voila—ticks!
Singing could be a cost-effective way to improve the health of people with degenerative lung disease
Ground breaking research, carried out by Canterbury Christ Church University, has found that group singing can improve the health and quality of life of people living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Researchers offer new insights on cancer cell signaling
(Medical Xpress)—A pair of studies by a team of University of Notre Dame researchers led by Crislyn D'Souza-Schorey, professor of biological sciences, sheds light on a biological process that is activated across a vast range of malignancies.
Marital status reduces risk of death from HIV/AIDS for men
(Medical Xpress)—At the height of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s men who were married were significantly less likely to die of HIV/AIDS than their divorced or otherwise single counterparts, according to a University of California, Riverside analysis of new mortality data for that era.
Britain shelves plain cigarette pack plans
Britain on Friday announced it had postponed plans to introduce plain packaging on cigarettes, saying it was waiting to see the results of a similar move in Australia.
Poverty rate still high among US children, report says
(HealthDay)—Poverty rates remain high among children in the United States and continue to affect their health, education and safety, a new federal report shows.
FDA sets new limits on arsenic in apple juice
Parents who have been fretting over the low levels of arsenic found in apple juice can feel better about buying one of their kids' favorite drinks.
Fighting Alzheimer's disease with protein origami
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive degenerative brain disease most commonly characterized by memory deficits. Loss of memory function, in particular, is known to be caused by neuronal damage arising from the misfolding of protein fragments in the brain. Now, a group of researchers led by Mizuo Maeda of the RIKEN Bioengineering Laboratory, and including researchers from the Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute, has found that the human protein prefoldin can change the way these misfolded protein aggregates form and potentially reduce their toxic impact on the brains of Alzheimer's patients.
Heart failure: New treatment option makes heart 'softer'
Heart failure with concomitant pulmonary hypertension is a growing health problem with a high mortality rate, above all in older people. The cardiologist Diana Bonderman from the University Department of Internal Medicine II at the MedUni Vienna, as the author of a multinational phase II study, has demonstrated the effectiveness of a substance that sticks to the so-called nitric oxide pathway and makes the heart "softer". This demonstrably ensures a clearly improved quality of life. Heart failure is regarded as a "new" common disease; according to expert estimates, in Austria there are around 250,000 people suffering from this condition.
Brain region implicated in emotional disturbance in dementia patients
A study by researchers at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) is the first to demonstrate that patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) lose the emotional content/colour of their memories. These findings explain why FTD patients may not vividly remember an emotionally charged event like a wedding or funeral.
Exploring gender dimensions of treatment programmes for neglected tropical diseases in Uganda
Males and females face different challenges in accessing treatment for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), according to a new study from researchers at the University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Uganda Ministry of Health and Imperial College London. The study, published by PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases on July 11, explores the role of gender in access to treatment in the Uganda National Neglected Tropical Disease Control Program.
With weekly exercise, time trumps frequency
(HealthDay)—Good news for weekend warriors: The number of times you exercise in a week isn't as important as getting the recommended 150 minutes of physical activity, a new study finds.
Just cutting back on smoking may not boost lifespan
(HealthDay)—In recent years, researchers have suggested that smokers can boost their lifespans by cutting down instead of quitting.
Review identifies risk factors for comitant strabismus
(HealthDay)—Risk factors for strabismus include low birth weight, prematurity, retinopathy of prematurity, smoking during pregnancy, anisometropia, hyperopia, and genetic factors, according to a review published online July 11 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Report shows some improvements in child well-being
(HealthDay)—Preterm births are continuing to decline and smoking levels are at their lowest ever, but obesity has remained stable and diet quality still falls short of recommendations, according to the federal government's annual statistical report on the well-being of the nation's children and youth.
Phone call OK instead of visit for routine post-op follow-up
(HealthDay)—A telephone visit can be safely substituted for the standard clinic visit as postoperative follow-up for certain types of ambulatory surgery, and most patients report a high degree of satisfaction, according to research published online on July 10 in JAMA Surgery.
Smoker status not linked to poor outcome in spine surgery
(HealthDay)—Smoking, by itself, is not associated with adverse outcomes in elective spinal surgery, but current smokers with more than 60 pack-years are more likely to die within 30 days of surgery than never smokers, according to research published in the July 1 issue of Spine.
Patients benefit from primary care wellness program
(HealthDay)—Patients benefit from the Americans In Motion-Healthy Interventions (AIM-HI) approach to promoting physical activity, healthy eating, and emotional well-being regardless of whether or not family medicine practice office staff use the tools, according to a study published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
Physicians frustrated by third-party interference
(HealthDay)—Third-party interference is the most commonly cited key frustration for physicians, according to the results of a survey published in Physicians Practice.
FDA approves new drug for advanced lung cancer
(HealthDay)—A new drug to treat advanced lung cancer has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Raising adopted children, how parents cooperate matters more than gay or straight
A new study by psychology researchers suggests that whether parents are gay, lesbian or straight, how well they work together as a couple and support each other in parenting is linked to fewer behavior problems among their adopted children and is more important than their sexual orientation.
Daydreaming simulated by computer model
(Medical Xpress)—Scientists have created a virtual model of the brain that daydreams like humans do.
Visualizing a memory trace
In mammals, a neural pathway called the cortico-basal ganglia circuit is thought to play an important role in the choice of behaviors. However, where and how behavioral programs are written, stored and read out as a memory within this circuit remains unclear. A research team led by Hitoshi Okamoto and Tazu Aoki of the RIKEN Brain Science Institute has for the first time visualized in zebrafish the neuronal activity associated with the retrieval of long-term memories during decision making.
Interspecies transplant works in first step for new diabetes therapy
(Medical Xpress)—In the first step toward animal-to-human transplants of insulin-producing cells for people with type 1 diabetes, Northwestern Medicine scientists have successfully transplanted islets, the cells that produce insulin, from one species to another. And the islets survived without immunosuppressive drugs.
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