From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Wed, Jul 31, 2013 at 2:01 AM
Subject: Phys.org Newsletter Tuesday, Jul 30
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>
Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 30, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Patient, heal thyself: Functional blood vessels regenerated in vivo from human induced pluripotent stem cells- New study shows frozen mummy Inca children given coca and alcohol before sacrifice
- Cane toad pioneers speed up invasions
- Computer scientists develop 'mathematical jigsaw puzzles' to encrypt software
- Researchers overcome technical hurdles in quest for inexpensive, durable electronics and solar cells
- Lifelike cooling for sunbaked windows: Adaptable microfluidic circulatory system could cut air-conditioning costs
- In mice, diabetes drug metformin tied to longer, healthier lives
- Researchers create sub-10-nanometer graphene nanoribbon patterns
- Team makes breakthrough in solar energy research
- Hot flashes? Thank evolution
- Volkswagen stops academics from revealing car hack
- To infinity and beyond: Teleporting humans into space
- Researchers identify cause of LED 'efficiency droop'
- Simulations aiding study of earthquake dampers for structures
- Santa's workshop not flooded—but lots of melting in the Arctic
Space & Earth news
NASA sees Tropical Storm Flossie near Hawaii
NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Tropical Storm Flossie as it neared Hawaii.
NASA keeping an eye on Dorian's remnants
NASA and NOAA satellites continue to keep a close eye on the remnants of Tropical Storm Dorian as they make their way through the eastern Caribbean Sea.
Image: Cloud streets over the Bering Sea
In early April 2013, clouds stretched in parallel rows for hundreds of kilometers over the Bering Sea. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite captured this natural-color image of the phenomenon on April 7, 2013.
Damaging volcanic ash stays well beyond welcome
Volcanic ash can become a multimillion-dollar nightmare, lingering in the skies, getting into engines and damaging aircraft.
New maps show the way for rangeland management
A new tool for guiding decisions about rangeland restoration is now available, thanks to mapping innovations developed by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
A life spent in the wettest place on earth
Deep in India's northeast, villagers use grass to sound-proof their huts from deafening rain, clouds are a familiar sight inside homes and a suitably rusted sign tells visitors they are in the "wettest place on earth".
Thai firm understating oil slick fallout: Greenpeace
Environmentalists accused a Thai energy firm on Tuesday of understating the extent of a major pipeline leak as the navy warned the oil slick might reach the mainland.
BP says oil spill compensation fund running out
British energy giant BP admitted on Tuesday that its $20 billion (15 billion euro) fund to compensate victims of the 2010 US oil spill disaster has almost run out of cash.
Sequestration and fuel reserves
A technique for trapping the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide deep underground could at the same be used to release the last fraction of natural gas liquids from ailing reservoirs, thus offsetting some of the environmental impact of burning fossil fuels. So says a paper to be published in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology.
Satellite shows ex-Tropical Storm Dorian's remnants elongated
Former Tropical Storm Dorian has been hanging around the Caribbean Sea for a couple of days, and appears stretched out on satellite imagery.
NASA sees little rainfall in Tropical Depression Flossie
Tropical Storm Flossie weakened as it interacted with the Hawaiian Islands and became a depression. NASA's TRMM satellite saw mostly light rain and one isolated area of heavy rainfall within the storm after it weakened. All watches and warnings were dropped for the Hawaiian Islands on July 30.
A NASA infrared baby picture of Tropical Depression 7E
Tropical Depression 7E formed in the Eastern Pacific Ocean during the morning of July 30, and a NASA satellite was overhead to get an infrared baby picture. NASA's Aqua satellite passed over the depression and saw strong, but fragmented thunderstorms around the center.
GOES-R satellite magnetometer boom deployment successful
The GOES-R Magnetometer Engineering Development Unit made an important development in the construction of the spacecraft recently after completing a successful boom deployment test at an ATK facility in Goleta, Calif.
Masses of plastic particles found in Great Lakes
Already ravaged by toxic algae, invasive mussels and industrial pollution, North America's Great Lakes now confront another potential threat that few had even imagined until recently: untold millions of plastic litter bits, some visible only through a microscope.
Hubble eyes a mysterious old spiral
This striking cosmic whirl is the center of galaxy NGC 524, as seen with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
Perseid fireballs
In astronomy, there's nothing quite like a bright meteor streaking across the glittering canopy of a moonless night sky. The unexpected flash of light adds a dash of magic to an ordinary walk under the stars.
Dual radar storm analysis technique works even with one, research says
(Phys.org) —Scientists may be able to better study how supercell thunderstorms work by using the data from just one Doppler radar unit and an analysis technique called synthetic dual-Doppler (SDD) that normally requires two, according to research done by a doctoral candidate at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH).
New link could battle greenhouse gas emissions
The discovery of a new form of microbial life that can consume the potent greenhouse gas methane has earned University of Queensland (UQ) researchers a place in the prestigious journal Nature.
No rest for the tornado
(Phys.org) —Do tornadoes take the weekends off? Researchers from NC State University examined the question of the connection between tornado frequency and aerosol pollution, and found that any link between the two is tenuous at best.
Laser communications set for Moon mission
An advanced laser system offering vastly faster data speeds is now ready for linking with spacecraft beyond our planet following a series of crucial ground tests. Later this year, ESA's observatory in Spain will use the laser to communicate with a NASA Moon orbiter.
Atmospheric rivers linked to severe precipitation in Western Europe
Atmospheric rivers, narrow bands of enhanced water vapor transport in the atmosphere, have been associated with extreme rainfall and flooding in some areas, especially western North America. Lavers and Villarini now show that atmospheric rivers are also responsible for a significant number of days of high precipitation in Western Europe.
Radio waves carry news of climate change
The ionosphere, one of the regions of the upper atmosphere, plays an important role in global communications. Ionized by solar radiation, this electricity-rich region is used for the transmission of long wave communications, such as radio waves. Now Prof. Colin Price of Tel Aviv University's Department of Geophysical, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, working alongside PhD candidate Israel Silber, has discovered that the radio waves reflecting back to Earth from the ionosphere offer valuable news on climate change as well.
Space station OPALS points to ramped up returns for research
It is a good thing that nobody ever told the International Space Station that it is considered rude to point. Scientists plan to ignore this much touted rule of manners when using the orbiting research platform to host a technology investigation to "point" back to Earth to improve data return communication capabilities from space.
Capturing black hole spin could further understanding of galaxy growth
Astronomers have found a new way of measuring the spin in supermassive black holes, which could lead to better understanding about how they drive the growth of galaxies.
Chandra sees eclipsing planet in X-rays for first time
For the first time since exoplanets, or planets around stars other than the sun, were discovered almost 20 years ago, X-ray observations have detected an exoplanet passing in front of its parent star.
The Sun's ripple effect
A new study co-authored by Boston University astronomers indicates that a bow shock (a dynamic boundary between the Sun's heliosphere and the interstellar medium) is highly likely. These findings challenge recent predictions that no such bow shock would be encountered.
Planetary 'runaway greenhouse' more easily triggered, research shows
(Phys.org) —It might be easier than previously thought for a planet to overheat into the scorchingly uninhabitable "runaway greenhouse" stage, according to new research by astronomers at the University of Washington and the University of Victoria published July 28 in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Santa's workshop not flooded—but lots of melting in the Arctic
(Phys.org) —Santa's workshop at the North Pole is not under water, despite recent reports. A dramatic image captured by a University of Washington monitoring buoy reportedly shows a lake at the North Pole. But Santa doesn't yet need to buy a snorkel.
Cracking how life arose on Earth may help clarify where else it might exist
Does life exist elsewhere or is our planet unique, making us truly alone in the universe? Much of the work carried out by NASA, together with other research agencies around the world, is aimed at trying to come to grips with this great and ancient question.
Medicine & Health news
Most ward nurses say time pressures force them to 'ration' care
Most ward nurses say they are forced to ration care, and not do or complete certain aspects of it—including adequate monitoring of patients—because they don't have enough time, indicates research published online in BMJ Quality & Safety.
Female deaths much less likely to be reported to coroner in England and Wales
Doctors in England and Wales are much less likely to report a woman's death to a coroner than they are a man's, reveals research published online in the Journal of Clinical Pathology.
Panel backs lung cancer screening for some smokers
Government advisers have endorsed lung cancer screening for the first time. They say certain current and former heavy smokers should get annual CT scans, a type of X-ray, to cut their chances of dying of the disease.
Tomosynthesis reduces breast cancer screening recall rate
Digital tomosynthesis is an effective tool for reducing the recall rate in breast cancer screening, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology.
Some women with abnormal breast lesions may avoid surgery
Surgery is not always necessary for women with a type of breast tissue abnormality associated with a higher risk of cancer, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. Researchers said that periodic imaging and clinical exam are effective in these patients when radiology and pathology findings are benign and concordant, or in agreement.
Poland's 1st face transplant patient goes home (Update 2)
Poland's first face transplant patient was discharged from the hospital Tuesday, speaking with some effort at a press conference just 11 weeks after the extensive surgery that saved his life.
North Carolina governor signs abortion rules bill
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory on Monday signed into law a measure directing state officials to regulate abortion clinics based on the same standards as those for outpatient surgical centers, a change that critics say will force most to close.
Doctors urged to talk to patients about parking cellphones
Family physicians regularly counsel patients about medical risks associated with heart disease, stroke, diabetes and smoking, and a team from the University of Alberta wants to add cellphone use and driving to the discussion.
To make new friends, walk the dog
Dog-walking is one of the top five ways to meet new people, according to research at The University of Western Australia.
Offspring of mothers stressed during pregnancy with a passive stress coping style more prone to obesity
Research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB), the foremost society for research into all aspects of eating and drinking behavior, shows that passively coping offspring of mothers stressed during their pregnancy were at risk to develop obesity and type 2 diabetes.
A maternal junk food diet alters development of opioid pathway in the offspring
Research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB), the foremost society for research into all aspects of eating and drinking behavior, shows that eating a junk-food diet during pregnancy changes the development of the opioid signalling pathway in the baby's brain and permanently alters the way this system operates after birth.
Taste preference changes in different life stages of rats
Research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB), the foremost society for research into all aspects of eating and drinking behavior, found that aging elicits changes in taste preferences and that such changes appear to be independent of taste nerve activity.
Pfizer 2Q mixed, maintains 2013 outlook
Pfizer's second-quarter net income more than quadrupled, helped by the sale of its animal health business. The world's second-largest drugmaker beat Wall Street's earnings expectations, though revenue continued to decline as patents expire on drugs that had once been blockbusters for the company.
Merck 2Q profit tumbles on charges, lower revenue (Update)
Drugmaker Merck & Co.'s second-quarter profit fell by half as generic competition slashed revenue from several older medicines and sales of its top drug barely budged.
How superbug spreads among regional hospitals: A domino effect
A moderate increase in vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) at one hospital can lead to a nearly 3 percent increase in VRE in every other hospital in that county, according to a study in the August issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).
Breast reduction surgery found to improve physical, mental well-being
Breast reduction surgery produces measurable improvements in several important areas of health and quality of life, reports a study in the August issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
Diabetes testing strips recalled for potential false readings
(HealthDay)—Certain diabetes blood sugar testing strips are being recalled by their maker, Nova Diabetes Care, because they may give users false, abnormally high readings, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Pfizer to pay $491M to resolve drug marketing case (Update)
The U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday that drugmaker Pfizer Inc. will pay almost $491 million to resolve an investigation into illegal marketing of the organ transplant drug Rapamune by a company Pfizer later acquired.
Amgen 2Q net dips on higher research, other costs
Biotech drugmaker Amgen Inc. says its second-quarter profit dipped 1 percent as higher spending on research, production and other items offset rising sales.
Gov't: Medicare drug premiums inching up for 2014
The Obama administration says the average monthly premium for Medicare prescription drug plans will inch up by $1 next year, to $31.
Hospital screening tool for suicide risk among self-harmers should be ditched
A screening tool used in general hospitals to detect suicide risk among patients who have self harmed should be ditched, concludes a study published online in Emergency Medicine Journal.
Do certain parts of the brain stay young?
(Medical Xpress)—New research at the University of Adelaide is looking at how the human brain ages, which could lead to insights into how to repair the brain when it's damaged by stroke or traumatic brain injury.
Requiring some patients to get mental health treatment saves money
Mandating outpatient treatment for certain people with severe mental illness, while controversial, results in substantial cost savings by cutting hospitalizations and increasing outpatient care, according to a financial analysis led by researchers at Duke Medicine.
Childhood economic status affects substance use among young adults
Children who grow up in poverty are more likely than wealthier children to smoke cigarettes, but they are less likely to binge drink and are no more prone to use marijuana, according to researchers at Duke Medicine.
Making a change: Status quo bias in health decision making
Medical noncompliance—or failure to follow the doctor's orders—is estimated to increase healthcare costs in the US by $100 billion per year. Patients sometimes opt not to take medicines, for instance, because the side effects are unbearable or the dosing regimens are too complicated. But medical noncompliance may also stem from sheer inertia—the tendency to stay in the current state, even when that state is undesirable.
Disabled children treated more harshly in developing world
Children with disabilities receive harsher punishment across the developing world, according to a new study based on interviews with nearly 46,000 caregivers in 17 low- to middle-income countries.
Methamphetamine increases susceptibility to deadly fungal infection
Methamphetamine use can make a person more susceptible to the lung infection cryptococcosis, according to a study published in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
Contemplation increases willingness to follow up with the doctor
Some studies of at-risk populations suggest that up to half of the people tested for HIV never return to the doctor's office to find out their test results. While many of these people may simply forget to return or deem the results unimportant, it is likely that a portion of people don't return because they don't want to know the results.
Fewer states holding alcohol retailers responsible for harms from illegal service
Fewer states are holding alcohol retailers liable for harms caused by customers who were served illegally, according to a new report from researchers at Alcohol Policy Consultations and the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Published online by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the legal research study documents the gradual erosion of commercial host liability (also referred to as dram shop liability) from 1989 to 2011.
Researchers aim to create virtual speech therapist
Researchers are working to create a virtual speech therapist for patients who have lost their language skills due to a stroke or other head trauma.
Docs order too many narcotics, pricey scans for back pain, study says
(HealthDay)—Many doctors ignore guidelines about the treatment of back pain and instead turn to extensive use of scans like MRIs and the most addictive types of painkillers, new research finds.
ASCO issues recommendations for promoting tobacco control
(HealthDay)—The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has updated the 2003 recommendations on tobacco cessation and control; the policy statement has been published online July 29 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Genetic risk score linked to increased risk of diabetes
(HealthDay)—A genetic risk score based on 46 gene variants linked to type 2 diabetes is associated with increases in the risk of type 2 diabetes and declines in glucose control and beta-cell function, according to a study published online July 8 in Diabetes.
No change in HPV vaccine coverage for teen girls in 2012
(HealthDay)—In 2012 there was little increase in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among teenage girls, according to a report published in the July 26 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Histopathology not needed with tympanomastoidectomy
(HealthDay)—The clinical utility of histopathologic evaluation of cholesteatoma cysts is low in patients undergoing tympanomastoidectomy for chronic otitis media, according to research published online July 9 in The Laryngoscope.
Violent psychopaths can show empathy, study shows
Hannibal Lecter can probably feel for his victims, but only if you ask him. A brain-imaging study of 18 violent, psychopathic criminals in the Netherlands, the largest such study undertaken, suggests they can summon empathy when prompted.
Unnecessary ward moves - bad for patients, bad for healthcare systems
Unnecessary ward moves are becoming increasingly common and have adverse consequences both for patients and for hospitals, according to researchers from the University of Dundee.
Are we cutting umbilical cords too soon after birth?
The most common surgical procedure in the world today – one that every human alive today has undergone – is the clamping and cutting of the umbilical cord at birth. The need for clamping and cutting the cord is not in dispute but how soon after birth this should occur is now being questioned.
Growing uncertainty about breast cancer screening
When they were introduced over 20 years ago, national breast screening programs were a milestone in public health. They were based on evidence from randomised trials that screening saved lives. But there are now serious doubts about what these programs can and have achieved.
Friendships reduce risky behaviors in homeless youth
Homeless young women may be at greater risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) than homeless young men because of the structure of their social groups and friendships, according to new research from UC San Francisco.
Discovery one step closer to treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy
(Medical Xpress)—A University of Alberta researcher has pinpointed a mutation that brings the medical community another step closer to treating those who suffer from a fatal type of muscular dystrophy.
Virtue rewarded: Helping others at work makes people happier
Altruists in the workplace are more likely to help fellow employees, be more committed to their work and be less likely to quit, new research by UW-Madison's La Follette School of Public Affairs shows. And these workplace altruists enjoy a pretty important benefit themselves—they are happier than their fellow employees.
A smart way of using testosterone to prevent muscle wasting
New Australian research suggests that a small dose of testosterone directed solely to the liver stimulates protein synthesis, likely preventing muscle loss and wasting, and potentially promoting muscle growth. The researchers believe they have developed a safe and effective treatment for men and women, that could prevent the muscle wasting associated with many chronic diseases and with ageing.
Fetal 'programming' of sweet taste's elicited pleasure
Research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB), the foremost society for research into all aspects of eating and drinking behavior, suggests that feeding behavior and preferences may be shaped very early during development, even during fetal life.
Stress early in life leads to adulthood anxiety and preference for 'comfort foods'
Research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB), the foremost society for research into all aspects of eating and drinking behavior, suggests that exposure to stress in the first few days of life increases stress responses, anxiety and the consumption of palatable "comfort" foods in adulthood.
How to learn successfully even under stress
Whenever we have to acquire new knowledge under stress, the brain deploys unconscious rather than conscious learning processes. Neuroscientists at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum have discovered that this switch from conscious to unconscious learning systems is triggered by the intact function of mineralocorticoid receptors. These receptors are activated by hormones released in response to stress by the adrenal cortex. The team of PD Dr Lars Schwabe from the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, together with colleagues from the neurology department at the university clinic Bergmannsheil, reports in the journal Biological Psychiatry.
Pilot clinical study into iPS cell therapy for eye disease starts in Japan
RIKEN is pleased to announce the launch of a pilot study to assess the safety and feasibility of the transplantation of autologous induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell sheets in patients with exudative (wet-type) age-related macular degeneration. This study, led by Masayo Takahashi M.D., Ph. D. of the Laboratory for Retinal Regeneration, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, and conducted in collaboration with the Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation with support from the Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, has been approved to proceed following review by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and is scheduled to open patient recruitment on August 1, 2013.
Researchers uncover how a potent compound kills prostate cancer cells
One major hallmark of cancer cells is their ability to survive under stressful conditions. A new study spearheaded by researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute reveals how a promising anticancer compound called SMIP004 specifically kills prostate cancer cells by compromising their ability to withstand environmental stress. The study, recently published in Oncotarget, uncovers novel mechanisms of anticancer activity and could lead to the development of more effective therapies for advanced and hard-to-treat forms of prostate cancer, as well as other types of cancer.
Technique filters cancer where chemo can't reach
(Medical Xpress)—A cancer therapy that removes malignant cells from a patient's cerebrospinal fluid may soon be available to prevent metastases and decrease complications of cancers involving the brain, according to Penn State medical researchers.
St. Michael's reports second known case of patient developing synesthesia after brain injury
About nine months after suffering a stroke, the patient noticed that words written in a certain shade of blue evoked a strong feeling of disgust. Yellow was only slightly better. Raspberries, which he never used to eat very often, now tasted like blue – and blue tasted like raspberries.
Psychotherapy via the Internet as good as if not better than face-to-face consultations
Does psychotherapy via the Internet work? For the first time, clinical researchers from the University of Zurich have studied whether online psychotherapy and conventional face-to-face therapy are equally effective in experiments. Based on earlier studies, the Zurich team assumed that the two forms of therapy were on a par. Not only was their theory confirmed, the results for online therapy even exceeded their expectations.
Getting to the heart of mistaken exclusion of black athletes from sports participation
Screening guidelines used to detect possible heart conditions in athletes, which are based on data from white athletes, can lead to misdiagnosis and disqualification of healthy black athletes, finds new research.
Study: Taxing sugary beverages not a clear cut strategy to reduce obesity
Taxing sugary beverages may help reduce calories, but the health benefits may be offset as consumers substitute other unhealthy foods, according to a joint study by researchers at RTI International, Duke University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Inhalable gene therapy may help pulmonary arterial hypertension patients
The deadly condition known as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which afflicts up to 150,000 Americans each year, may be reversible by using an inhalable gene therapy, report an international team of researchers led by investigators at the Cardiovascular Research Center at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Severe low blood sugar occurs often in patients with Type 2 diabetes
Patients with diabetes who take certain types of medications to lower their blood sugar sometimes experience severe low blood sugar levels, whether or not their diabetes is poorly or well controlled, according to a new study by Kaiser Permanente and Yale University School of Medicine. The finding, published in the current online issue of Diabetes Care, challenges the conventional wisdom that hypoglycemia is primarily a problem among diabetic patients with well-controlled diabetes (who have low average blood sugar levels).
Exercise may be the best medicine for Alzheimer's disease
New research out of the University of Maryland School of Public Health shows that exercise may improve cognitive function in those at risk for Alzheimer's by increasing the efficiency of brain activity associated with memory. Memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease is one of the greatest fears among older Americans. While some memory loss is normal and to be expected as we age, a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, signals more substantial memory loss and a greater risk for Alzheimer's, for which there currently is no cure.
Full body illusion is associated with a drop in skin temperature
Researchers from the Center for Neuroprosthetics at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Switzerland, show that people can be "tricked" into feeling that an image of a human figure—an "avatar"—is their own body. The study is published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.
Study shows combination stroke therapy safe and effective
The combination of the clot-busting drug tPA with an infusion of the antiplatelet drug eptifibatide dissolves blood clots safely and more quickly than tPA alone, a study led by University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers has found.
Appeals court: NYC's big-soda ban unconstitutional (Update)
New York City's crackdown on big, sugary sodas is staying on hold. New York's effort to cap soda portions has drawn national attention, including from diet companies lauding it as a groundbreaking step in America's war on extra weight and late-night TV hosts ribbing Bloomberg as a nutrition nanny.
Spondylolisthesis sx improves pediatric health related-QOL
(HealthDay)—In pediatric patients with high-grade spondylolisthesis, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) improves significantly after surgery, especially in patients with low baseline HRQOL scores, according to a study published in the July issue of The Spine Journal.
Functional issues up in siblings of children with disability
(HealthDay)—Siblings of children with disability have higher levels of parent-reported functional impairment compared to siblings of typically developing children, according to research published online July 29 in Pediatrics.
New approach to treating venomous snakebites could reduce global fatalities
A team of researchers led by Dr. Matt Lewin of the California Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with the Department of Anesthesia at the University of California, San Francisco, has pioneered a novel approach to treating venomous snakebites—administering antiparalytics topically via a nasal spray. This new, needle-free treatment may dramatically reduce the number of global snakebite fatalities, currently estimated to be as high as 125,000 per year. The team demonstrated the success of the new treatment during a recent experiment conducted at UCSF; their results have been published in the medical journal Clinical Case Reports.
A new model can predict a woman's risk of breast, ovarian and womb cancer
The probability (absolute risk) of a woman developing breast, ovarian, and endometrial (womb) cancer can all be predicted using easily obtainable information on known risk factors for these cancers, according to a study by US researchers published in this week's PLOS Medicine.
Reducing drug costs for patients could improve outcomes for high blood pressure
Expanding health insurance coverage and reducing drug costs that are paid by patients (drug co-payments) in countries without universal free healthcare, such as the United States, may improve the treatment, and control of high blood pressure (hypertension, a condition which affects one billion people worldwide and leads to 7.5 million deaths), according to a study by UK and Canadian researchers published in this week's PLOS Medicine.
New definition of chronic kidney disease labels one in eight adults as sick
A new definition of chronic kidney disease labels over 1 in 8 adults and around half of people over 70 years of age as having the disease. Yet low rates of kidney failure suggest many of those diagnosed will never progress to severe disease.
Reprogramming patients' cells offers powerful new tool for studying, treating blood diseases
First produced only in the past decade, human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are capable of developing into many or even all human cell types. In new research, scientists reprogrammed skin cells from patients with rare blood disorders into iPSCs, highlighting the great promise of these cells in advancing understanding of those challenging diseases—and eventually in treating them.
How many extra calories add up to obesity for kids?
(HealthDay)—Overweight kids may be consuming far more calories than their doctors or parents realize, a new study suggests.
One in five kids may 'outgrow' asthma
(HealthDay)— As many as one in five youngsters with asthma may grow out of the respiratory condition as they age, new research indicates.
Study finds evidence of nerve damage in around half of fibromyalgia patients
About half of a small group of patients with fibromyalgia – a common syndrome that causes chronic pain and other symptoms – was found to have damage to nerve fibers in their skin and other evidence of a disease called small-fiber polyneuropathy (SFPN). Unlike fibromyalgia, which has had no known causes and few effective treatments, SFPN has a clear pathology and is known to be caused by specific medical conditions, some of which can be treated and sometimes cured. The study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers will appear in the journal Pain and has been released online.
Pond scum holds dangers for people, pets
(HealthDay)—Blue-green algae is found in lakes and ponds across the United States and is a threat to both people and pets, an expert warns.
Human cells respond in healthy, unhealthy ways to different kinds of happiness
Human bodies recognize at the molecular level that not all happiness is created equal, responding in ways that can help or hinder physical health, according to new research led by Barbara L. Fredrickson, Kenan Distinguished Professor of psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Your eyes are half a billion years old
Look after your eyes – they are at least half a billion years old, and a good deal older than your brain. The eyes are one of our most remarkable and precious organs, yet their origins have been shrouded in mystery until quite recently, explains Professor Trevor Lamb of The Vision Centre and Australian National University, who has devoted more than 30 years to investigating their secrets.
In mice, diabetes drug metformin tied to longer, healthier lives
(HealthDay)—A new study in mice hints that the widely used diabetes drug metformin might have life-extending benefits beyond its effects on diabetes.
Patient, heal thyself: Functional blood vessels regenerated in vivo from human induced pluripotent stem cells
(Medical Xpress)—Vasculogenesis – the process of blood vessel formation through a de novo production of endothelial cells (ECs, or those forming a thin layer lining the interior surface of blood and lymphatic vessels) – is a vital tool in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and, in particular, the battle against vascular disease, the leading cause of mortality in the United States. (More than one in three Americans (36.9%) suffer from heart disease, and by 2030, an estimated 116 million people in the United States (40.5%) will have some form of cardiovascular disease.) More specifically, generating functional, long-lasting vasculogenic cells is a key but elusive component in human induced pluripotent stem (hiPS) research. Recently, however, researchers at Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital successfully generated endothelial cells from healthy donors' hiPS cells to form stable functional blood vessels in vivo. Moreover, they developed an appr! oach to generate mesenchymal precursor cells (MPCs, or multipotent stromal, or connective tissue, cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types including perivascular cells – another component of vessel wall) from hiPS cells in parallel, and also generated functional blood vessels in vivo using these endothelial and multipotent stromal derived cells from the same hiPS cell line. Beyond this, and in terms of clinical translation, the team successfully generated ECs and MPCs from Type 1 Diabetic patient-derived hiPS cell lines and also used them to generate blood vessels in vivo.
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