From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Fri, Dec 20, 2013 at 11:24 AM
Subject: Phys.org Newsletter Thursday, Dec 19
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>
Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for December 19, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Graphene origami opens up new spintronics features- Opposing phenomena possible key to high-efficiency electricity delivery
- Electron's shapeliness throws a curve at supersymmetry
- New technique measures mass of exoplanets
- Salty surprise: Ordinary table salt turns into 'forbidden' forms
- Research trio crack RSA encryption keys by listening to computer noise
- Researchers find a cause of aging that can be reversed
- DNA clamp to grab cancer before it develops
- Gene transfer gone wild reveals driving force behind mitochondrial sex
- Scientists decode serotonin receptor at room temperature
- Nutrition influences metabolism through circadian rhythms
- Brain repair after injury and Alzheimer's disease
- Scientists discover how immune cells die during HIV infection; identify potential drug to block AIDS
- The origin of flowers: DNA of storied plant provides insight into the evolution of flowering plants
- Dual catalysts help synthesize alpha-olefins into new organic compounds
Astronomy & Space news
Image: Solar dynamics observatory shows sun's rainbow of wavelengths
This still image was taken from a new NASA movie of the sun based on data from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, showing the wide range of wavelengths – invisible to the naked eye – that the telescope can view. SDO converts the wavelengths into an image humans can see, and the light is colorized into a rainbow of colors.
Eight essential facts about NASA's Deep Space Network
Get to know the Deep Space Network (DSN)-NASA's worldwide radio telescope array that communicates with spacecraft throughout the solar system.
For our future in space, China must aim further than the Moon
A famous picture in the English edition of Newton's "Principia" shows cannon balls being fired from the top of a mountain. If they go fast enough, their trajectory curves downward no more steeply than the Earth curves away underneath it – they go into orbit. This picture is still the neatest way to explain orbital flight. Newton calculated that, for a cannon-ball to achieve an orbital trajectory, its speed must be 18000 miles per hour – far beyond what was then achievable.
NASA's Deep Space Network turns 50
NASA's Deep Space Network, the world's largest and most powerful communications system for "talking to" spacecraft, will reach a milestone on Dec. 24: the 50th anniversary of its official creation.
Bolivia to launch first telecoms satellite—in China
Bolivia will on Friday launch a telecommunications satellite in China, an unprecedented event which the government in La Paz has encouraged citizens to follow via live broadcasts.
Europe launches billion-dollar Milky Way telescope (Update)
The European Space Agency on Thursday launched an advanced telescope designed to detect a billion stars and provide the most detailed map yet of the Milky Way and our place in it.
The rise and fall of galactic cities
(Phys.org) —In the fable of the town and country mice, the country mouse visits his city-dwelling cousin to discover a world of opulence. In the early cosmos, billions of years ago, galaxies resided in the equivalent of urban or country environments. Those that dwelled in crowded areas called clusters also experienced a kind of opulence, with lots of cold gas, or fuel, for making stars.
Asteroid hunter spacecraft returns first images after reactivation
(Phys.org) —NASA's Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE), a spacecraft that made the most comprehensive survey to date of asteroids and comets, has returned its first set of test images in preparation for a renewed mission.
New technique measures mass of exoplanets
To date, scientists have confirmed the existence of more than 900 exoplanets circulating outside our solar system. To determine if any of these far-off worlds are habitable requires knowing an exoplanet's mass—which can help tell scientists whether the planet is made of gas or rock and other life-supporting materials.
Medicine & Health news
AstraZeneca pays $4.1 billion for diabetes buyout (Update)
Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca PLC will buy out Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s stake in their partnership to develop and sell diabetes drugs in a deal worth $4.1 billion—seizing an opportunity to serve the projected explosion of patients suffering from the disease.
Bayer launches 1.9-bn-euro bid for Norway's Algeta
German pharmaceuticals giant Bayer said Thursday it has launched a 1.9-billion-euro ($2.6-billion) bid to buy Norwegian cancer treatment specialist Algeta.
Researcher to grow human cells in space to test treatment for stroke
Abba Zubair, M.D., Ph.D, believes that cells grown in the International Space Station (ISS) could help patients recover from a stroke, and that it may even be possible to generate human tissues and organs in space. He just needs a chance to demonstrate the possibility.
Sixty percent of 12th graders do not view regular marijuana use as harmful
The percentage of high-schoolers who see great risk from being regular marijuana users has dropped dramatically in the past 10 years, according to this year's Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey, which measures drug use and attitudes among the nation's eighth-, 10th-, and 12th-graders. The change in attitudes is reflected in continued high rates of marijuana use in all three grades and could predict higher use in future years, based upon past MTF data (PDF - 204KB) showing an association between softening attitudes and increased use of marijuana.
Clinical trial examines use of human immune system to fight aggressive lung cancer
Researchers at the Cincinnati Cancer Center (CCC) and the UC Cancer Institute are conducting a clinical trial examining a method to stimulate the human immune system to destroy or block the growth of lung cancer cells.
Home dialysis gains momentum
Of the 400,000 people on dialysis in the United States only 6 percent to 7 percent are treated with home dialysis. Yet, patients are significantly more likely to choose home dialysis if they are given that option. Home dialysis is also a more economical treatment option.
Emotions in Parkinson's disease
Is it the disease itself or the treatment that impairs the perception of emotions?
Report reveals new data on access to mental health crisis care in Virginia
A new statewide study gives an objective and detailed review of Virginia's emergency mental health system, sheds light on persistent gaps in available services and illustrates the need for timely access to mental health services, including access to crisis response services and psychiatric beds.
Artificial heart with Norwegian sensor
France is going to test an artificial heart on patients. The heart will contain a Norwegian pressure sensor.
Learning to predict sickle cell crisis and monitor treatment
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have received a $486,000 Doris Duke Foundation award to discover how to predict when sickle cell disease patients will suffer an acute crisis and monitor the effectiveness of treatments.
Monthly appointments with pharmacists improve medication adherence
Patients are more likely to take chronic medications when they meet monthly with pharmacists to coordinate medication schedules and treatments, according to a Virginia Commonwealth University study.
High-dose cytarabine improves outcome in patients with AML in EORTC-GIMEMA AML-12 Trial
Results of the EORTC and GIMEMA (Gruppo Italiano Malattie Ematologiche dell' Adulto) AML-12 Trial appearing in the Journal of Clinical Oncology show that high-dose cytarabine in induction treatment improves outcome of adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In particular, high-dose cytarabine produces higher remission and survival rates than the standard-dose cytarabine in patients younger than age 46 years old.
Keck Medicine physicians become first to implant epilepsy-controlling device
On Dec. 18, Keck Medicine of USC became the world's first medical center to implant a responsive brain device newly approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat epilepsy, with potential to help millions of people worldwide.
FDA says it will delay proposed food safety rules
The Food and Drug Administration will delay sweeping food safety rules proposed earlier this year and revise them to better accommodate farmers and businesses who would be affected.
Government's voluntary approach to improving hospital food is not working, argues expert
As the government announces a review of hospital food, Katharine Jenner, Chair of the Campaign for Better Hospital Food, argues that only by setting legally binding standards for hospital food can it ensure that inpatients get served high quality, nourishing meals.
Inside the Bloomberg public health toolbox
As Mayor Michael Bloomberg's term comes to a close, the latest research conducted by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public indicates that he leaves a legacy of ambitious public health policies from pioneering restrictions on trans fats and smoking to investments in green spaces and bicycle lanes that have improved the health and increased the life expectancy of New Yorkers. The paper takes a behind-the-scenes look at the Bloomberg Administration to evaluate the evidence and build public support for improving health in the city—which also can serve as a blueprint for health policy in cities across the country.
Warfarin increases risk of stroke among atrial fibrillation patients in first 30 days of use
Patients with atrial fibrillation – an irregular and often abnormally fast heartbeat – have nearly double the risk of suffering a stroke in the first 30 days after starting to take the anti-clotting drug warfarin compared to non-users, according to a study of over 70,000 patients.
Angelina Jolie's preventive mastectomy raised awareness, but not knowledge of breast cancer risk
Angelina Jolie heightened awareness about breast cancer when she announced in a New York Times op-ed that she had undergone a preventive double mastectomy. But a new study led by researchers in the University of Maryland School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health reveals that widespread awareness of Jolie's story did not unfortunately translate into increased understanding of breast cancer risk.
Most oncologists experience chemotherapy drug shortages
(HealthDay)—Four out of five doctors who treat cancer were unable to prescribe their medication of choice at least once during a six-month period because of a drug shortage, according to a new survey.
Researchers create tool for studying social networks and health
A team led by Penn State College of Medicine researchers has developed a tool to help scientists study the influence of social networks on health. The team integrated—for the first time—scientific articles on both social networks and physical and online environments, to help scientists better study how to influence people's health through their social interactions.
Older men most likely to link video games with aggression
Video and computer games have seen a huge rise in popularity worldwide. The fact that such games provide an immersive virtual experience has led to public concerns, often articulated in the media, about a possible link between gaming and real world aggression.
'Octopus tentacles' make future operations more flexible
The rigidity of current surgical instruments means it is sometimes only possible to remove part of a brain tumour. Limitations such as these led Professor Paul Breedveld to develop a fundamentally new class of flexible surgical instruments, inspired by the anatomy of octopus tentacles. In his inaugural address on Wednesday 11 December, Prof. Breedveld will include an animation showing how an operation with this new type of instrument will be performed.
Teen smoking continues to decline in 2013
Smoking among teens in grades 8, 10 and 12 continued to decline in 2013—a positive trend since most smokers begin their habit in adolescence— according to the latest survey results from the nationwide Monitoring the Future study.
College students' heavy Internet use shares symptoms of addiction
Young adults who are heavy users of the Internet may also exhibit signs of addiction, say researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology, Duke University Medical Center and the Duke Institute of Brain Sciences in a new study that compares Internet usage with measures of addiction.
One-day self-confidence workshops 'can reduce depression'
One-day cognitive-behavioural therapy self-confidence workshops could be a cost-effective way of reducing depression, according to a new study published today by the British Journal of Psychiatry.
Getting personal with hep B vaccines
Therapeutic vaccines that boost antiviral immunity provide an attractive alternative to drug therapy for people who are infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Yet, the large amount of genetic diversity found in circulating HBV strains has hindered the development of a 'one-size-fits-all' post-exposure vaccine.
RNA and protein molecules join forces to switch on gene networks responsible for brain development
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are one of many RNA subtypes that do not give rise to protein but instead modulate the expression of other genes. Scientists are particularly interested in lncRNAs owing to their prominent role in regulating how embryonic stem cells give rise to mature tissues. Lawrence Stanton and colleagues at the A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore have now demonstrated how one lncRNA's collaboration with a protein partner helps to steer development of the brain.
Researchers uncover impact of mutations in the human genome on cognitive ability
deCODE genetics reported today in the journal Nature that mutations associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia and autism also affect cognition in individuals without the disease or intellectual disability. The research suggests that cognitive abnormalities are fundamental in schizophrenia, yet outward signs of the disease only manifest in a subset of carriers of the mutations.
Personalising treatment in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Researchers in UCD Conway Institute have identified a potential biomarker of rapidly progressive pulmonary fibrosis and pinpointed a defective molecular function as a potential therapeutic target.
Anti-epilepsy drugs can cause inflammations
Physicians at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) have been investigating if established anti-epilepsy drugs have anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory properties – an effect for which these pharmaceutical agents are not usually tested. One of the substances tested caused stronger inflammations, while another one inhibited them. As inflammatory reactions in the brain may be the underlying cause for epileptic disorders, it is vital to take the trigger for the disorder under consideration when selecting drugs for treatment, as the researchers concluded.
Physical inactivity after cardiac surgery linked with substantially higher risk of depression
New research indicates that inactive patients following cardiac surgery have a substantially higher risk of depression and that the number of patients suffering from depression after cardiac surgery is as high as 40%. Investigators recommend that cardiac patients should be assessed for depression and level of physical activity and remain as active as they safely can after surgery to minimize post-operative depression. The results are published in the December issue of the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
New approach could 'trick' MRSA into being less deadly, say scientists
With community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) posing significant health risks and currently causing huge problems in particular in the USA, a paper out this month presents new findings into how the infection responds to antibiotic treatment.
Global stroke risk highlights education as key
The world is facing a stroke epidemic as risk factors increase in low and middle-income countries and the population ages, according to a leading WA neurologist.
Small changes to familiar combo meals can help cut calorie consumption
What would happen if a fast-food restaurant reduces the calories in a children's meal by 104 calories, mainly by decreasing the portion size of French fries? Would children compensate by choosing a more calorie dense entrée or beverage? Researchers at Cornell University, Dr. Brian Wansink and Dr. Andrew Hanks, analyzed transaction data from 30 representative McDonald's restaurants to answer that question.
BCG vaccine more effective than previously thought
The BCG vaccine has been found to be more effective against the most common form of tuberculosis than previously thought, according to a new study in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
A new role for milk: Delivering polyphenols with anti-cancer activity
Polyphenols found in tea manifest anti-cancer effects but their use is limited by poor bioavailability and disagreeable taste. A new study in the Journal of Dairy Science finds that when epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the major extractable polyphenol in green tea and the most biologically active, when diluted in skim milk or other milk complexes remains bioactive and continues to reduce colon cancer cell proliferation in culture at concentrations higher than 0.03 mg of EGCG/mL.
Renegades of cell biology: Why K-Ras gene mutations prove so deadly in cancer
Cells with a mutation in the gene called K-Ras—found in close to 30 percent of all cancers, but mostly those with worst prognosis, such as pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, and lung cancer—behave in ways that subvert the normal mechanisms of cell death, according to a cell-culture study by researchers from Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah.
The first cancer operation room with a navigator is created
The system, presented at Gregorio Marañón Hospital, permits real-time interaction with the body of the patient (with its different tissues and cancer) as well as the radiotherapy applicator used to radiate the area affected by the tumor. This innovation will be used in the surgery of cancers treated with intraoperative radiotherapy in the hope of achieving greater precision in the radiation of potentially cancerous tissues after the removal of the tumor.
Study confirms target of potent chronic leukemia drug
A new study led by researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) helps confirm that a molecule targeted by the experimental drug ibrutinib is critical for the development of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the most common form of adult leukemia.
Texting may be good for your health
New University of Michigan research says that a simple tool right in your back pocket may help decrease your risk for type 2 diabetes: Text messages on your phone.
MRI method for measuring MS progression validated
New imaging research from Western University (London, Canada) has demonstrated that a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) approach called quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) can be an important tool for diagnosing and tracking the progression of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases. QSM provides a quantitative way to measure myelin content and iron deposition in the brain -important factors in the physiology of MS. The research led by Ravi Menon, PhD, a scientist at Western's Robarts Research Institute, is published in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Young killer cells protect against infectious mononucleosis
More than 90 percent of all adults are carriers of the oncogenic Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). Primary infection with this herpes virus as a young child is generally not linked to any symptoms, and usually offers life-long protection from its cancer-causing effect. However, for people who do not become infected with the virus until adolescence, the infection often leads to infectious mononucleosis (commonly known as glandular fever).
Congenital heart disease causes hypoglycaemia
In a new study, scientists from University of Copenhagen document a connection between congenital arrhythmia and the bodies' ability to handle sugar. The results can be of vital importance for patients with the disease and for the future treatment of diabetes. The new study has just been published in the scientific journal Diabetes.
Management of atrial fibrillation still suboptimal in Europe
Results for a pilot registry on the management and treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) in Europe were presented yesterday by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). AF is the commonest cardiac rhythm disorder and each of us have a one-in-four lifetime risk of developing it. Statistics show that oral anticoagulant use has increased, but new oral anticoagulant (NOAC) use is still low. Authors also concluded that compliance with treatment guidelines for patients with the lowest and higher stroke risk scores remains suboptimal.
Living at home with dementia
Most people with dementia who live at home have multiple unmet health and welfare needs, any number of which could jeopardize their ability to remain home for as long as they desire, new Johns Hopkins research suggests.
Chewing gum is often the culprit for migraine headaches in teens
Teenagers are notorious for chewing a lot of gum. The lip smacking, bubble popping, discarded gum stuck to the sole give teachers and parents a headache.
Research linking autism symptoms to gut microbes called 'groundbreaking'
A new study showing that feeding mice a beneficial type of bacteria can ameliorate autism-like symptoms is "groundbreaking," according to University of Colorado Boulder Professor Rob Knight, who co-authored a commentary piece about the research appearing in the current issue of the journal Cell.
Suicide is widely deemed immoral because it 'taints the soul,' study shows
Suicide is a major public health issue; it takes the lives of more than a million people each year. It is also widely believed to be immoral. Why do people so commonly believe it is wrong for people to take their own lives? According to a study by researchers at Boston College and Boston University, people – even non-religious people – make this moral judgment because they believe suicide taints the purity of a person's soul. Their findings are reported in Issue 130 of the journal Cognition.
New method to detect genetic defects in egg cells could double the success rate of IVF
Infertility affects up to 15 percent of couples around the world, and in vitro fertilization (IVF) is one way to treat this common condition. A study published by Cell Press December 19th in the journal Cell reveals a safe, accurate, and low-cost method to select genetically normal embryos for the IVF procedure and thereby increase a couple's chance of producing a healthy child.
African-American women must eat less or exercise more to lose as much weight as caucasians
African-American women may need to eat fewer calories or burn more than their Caucasian counterparts to lose a comparable amount of weight, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in a study published online today in the International Journal of Obesity.
Breaking the cycle of obesity, inflammation and disease
Researchers at University of Michigan have illuminated an aspect of how the metabolic system breaks down in obesity. The findings provide additional evidence that a drug entering clinical trials at the university could reverse obesity, Type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease in humans.
New gene responsible for cleft lip and palate syndrome identified
An international team led by researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden has identified a new gene related to the Van der Woude syndrome, the most common syndrome with cleft lip and palate. The study is published in the scientific periodical American Journal of Human Genetics and can lead the way to improved genetic diagnostic of individuals and families with orofacial clefts.
The cost of antibiotic drugs for children—a comparison of two countries
The 2009 costs of antibiotics covered by private insurance companies in the U.S. for children younger than 10 years old were estimated to be more than five times higher than the costs in the United Kingdom (U.K.), which are covered by a government universal health plan. These results, from Boston University's Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program, are a follow up of an ongoing comparison of prescription drug costs between the U.S. and U.K. The initial results reported on relative drug costs in 2005. The current updated results appear online in the journal Pharmacotherapy.
With sinus study, researchers find that harmless members of microbiome spark immune reaction
Saint Louis University researchers have analyzed the microbiomes of people with chronic rhinosinusitis and healthy volunteers and found evidence that some chronic sinus issues may be the result of inflammation triggered by an immune response to otherwise harmless microorganisms in the sinus membranes.
Researchers show the power of mirror neuron system in learning and language understanding
Anyone who has tried to learn a second language knows how difficult it is to absorb new words and use them to accurately express ideas in a completely new cultural format. Now, research into some of the fundamental ways the brain accepts information and tags it could lead to new, more effective ways for people to learn a second language.
How cells remodel after UV radiation
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues in The Netherlands and United Kingdom, have produced the first map detailing the network of genetic interactions underlying the cellular response to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
H. pylori vaccine shows promise in mouse studies
Researchers from Southern Medical University in Guangdong, Guangzhou, China, have developed an oral vaccine against Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria responsible for peptic ulcers and some forms of gastric cancer, and have successfully tested it in mice. The research is published ahead of print in the journal Clinical and Vaccine Immunology.
Report finds contamination in most chicken sold in US
Almost all of the raw chicken sold in the US contains potentially harmful bacteria such as salmonella and E.coli, according to an analysis by Consumer Reports published Thursday.
New study shows that more than half of consumers will choose a health-care plan that costs too much
Right now, many consumers are signing up for healthcare via the new health insurance exchanges set up by the federal and state governments. Using simulated exchanges modeled on the design of the actual exchanges, alarming new research from Columbia Business School suggests that more than 80% of consumers may be unable to make a clear–eyed estimate of their needs and will unknowingly choose a higher cost plan than needed.
In addiction, meditation is helpful when coupled with drug and cognitive therapies
Using a computational model of addiction, a literature review and an in silico experiment, theoretical computer scientist Yariv Levy and colleagues suggest in a new paper this week that rehabilitation strategies coupling meditation-like practices with drug and behavior therapies are more helpful than drug-plus-talk therapy alone when helping people overcome addiction.
Anxiety linked to higher long-term risk of stroke
The greater your anxiety level, the higher your risk of having a stroke, according to new research published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.
Saving dollars while helping babies: Nurse home visits for infants save $3 for every $1 spent
As healthcare costs continue to balloon, a new Duke study points to a surprising avenue for potential savings: nurse home visits. For every $1 spent on nurse home visiting for newborns, $3 were saved in healthcare costs. The home visiting program more than paid for itself within the infants' first six months of life.
Many people with diabetes still lose vision, despite availability of vision-sparing treatment
Despite recent advances in prevention and treatment of most vision loss attributed to diabetes, a new study shows that fewer than half of Americans with damage to their eyes from diabetes are aware of the link between the disease and visual impairment, and only six in 10 had their eyes fully examined in the year leading up to the study.
The black-white infant mortality gap: Large, persistent and unpredictable
The unobservable factors that underpin the infant mortality gap between blacks and whites have persisted for more than 20 years and now appear to play a larger role than the observable factors, according to a new study by Michigan State University researchers.
Inadequate pregnancy weight gain a risk factor for infant mortality
Women who do not gain enough weight during pregnancy are at increased risk of losing their baby in its first year of life, according to a new study by researchers in the University of Maryland School of Public Health (UMD SPH). This study examined the relationship between gestational weight gain, mothers' body mass index (BMI) before and during pregnancy, and infant mortality rates. One-quarter of the more than 159,000 women in the study gained too little weight during pregnancy, and these mothers were more likely to give birth to babies who died in infancy than the women who gained a normal or even excessive amount of weight during pregnancy.
Lactation consultant visits spur breastfeeding among women who usually resist it
In two separate clinical trials, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found that periodic meetings with a lactation consultant encourages women traditionally resistant to breastfeeding to do so, at least for a few months—long enough for mother and child to gain health benefits. The results of the trials were published online today in American Journal of Public Health.
Amino acid's increase is suspected in diabetes
Elevated levels of an amino acid, tyrosine, alter development and longevity in animals and may contribute to the development of diabetes in people, new research from the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio indicates. This line of study could potentially lead to a novel way to prevent or treat the disease. The research is reported this week in PLOS Genetics.
Protein links liver cancer with obesity, alcoholism, and hepatitis
Obesity, alcoholism, and chronic hepatitis all increase the risk of getting liver cancer, which is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Obesity in particular is driving a significant increase in liver cancer in the United States. These three health problems also increase cellular stress in the liver, but until now it has not been clear if there is a direct biological link between cellular stress and the development of liver cancer.
First genetic model of a human jaw fusion defect known as syngnathia
The face you critiqued in the mirror this morning was sculpted before you were born by a transient population of cells called neural crest cells. Those cells spring from neural tissue of the brain and embryonic spinal cord and travel throughout the body, where they morph into highly specialized bone structures, cartilage, connective tissue, and nerve cells.
Researchers generate kidney tubular cells from stem cells
Researchers have successfully coaxed stem cells to become kidney tubular cells, a significant advance toward one day using regenerative medicine, rather than dialysis and transplantation, to treat kidney failure. The findings are published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).
Most women on dialysis—even those who lack interest in sex—are satisfied with their sex lives
Among women on long-term hemodialysis, many are sexually inactive, but sexual dysfunction is considerably less common than previously reported, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). The findings suggest that efforts to assess and treat sexual dysfunction among women on dialysis likely require one-on-one discussions between physicians and patients to identify those women who truly suffer from this problem and who wish to consider treatment options.
Essential factor for Lyme disease transmission identified
Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, hitchhikes in ticks for dissemination to mammalian hosts—including humans. An article in the 19 December issue of PLOS Pathogens identifies HrpA, an RNA helicase, as a crucial player in the transmission from ticks to mammals.
New ways to promote fitness for urban girls proposed by nursing professor
Most people know that one of the keys to reducing or preventing health problems is to get more exercise, but determining how to best integrate physical activity into their daily lives—and having access to exercise programs—remains a significant hurdle to clear on the path to a healthier lifestyle.
Bullying in academia more prevalent than thought, scholar says
Bullying isn't only a problem that occurs in schools or online among young people. It can happen anywhere to anyone, and a Rutgers–Camden nursing scholar is shedding some light on how it is becoming increasingly common in academia.
Saving fertility not priority at most cancer centers
Infertility is consistently listed as one of the most distressing long-term side effects of cancer treatment for adolescents and young adults. Yet the leading National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers—which should be leaders in fertility preservation—aren't doing an adequate job of helping patients protect their fertility, reports a new Northwestern Medicine® study.
US researchers withhold data in botulism study
American health researchers have discovered the first new strain of botulism in four decades, but decided to withhold publishing the genetic code because of bioterrorism concerns.
Americans still eat too much salt, CDC says
(HealthDay)—Americans' love of salt has continued unabated in the 21st century, putting people at risk for high blood pressure, the leading cause of heart attack and stroke, U.S. health officials said Thursday.
Teens who 'Sext' don't dwell on consequences
(HealthDay)—"Sexting"—sending out sexually explicit text messages or photos by cellphone—is fairly common among teens, a new Belgian study finds. And peer pressure, the search for romance and trust that the recipient will respond positively seem to be the key factors driving sexts.
Old-age specialists may boost recovery among injured seniors
(HealthDay)—Seniors who suffer an injury are more likely to regain their independence if they consult a geriatric specialist during their hospital stay, researchers report.
Stent to treat pancreatic cysts approved
(HealthDay)—The Axios Stent and Delivery System has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat infected pancreatic cysts that won't drain on their own and could become life threatening, the FDA said in a news release.
Pre-op depression linked to narcotic use before spinal Sx
(HealthDay)—For patients undergoing spinal surgery for a structural lesion, preoperative depression and anxiety are associated with increased preoperative narcotic use, according to a study published in the Dec. 1 issue of Spine.
Maternal vitamin D tied to risk of small for gestational age
(HealthDay)—Maternal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration is associated with the risk of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) offspring, according to a study published online Dec. 6 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Gene polymorphism linked to cardiac morbidity, mortality
(HealthDay)—The functional nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (rs6318) of the 5HTR2C gene is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease mortality and morbidity, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in PLOS ONE.
Travel is the best medicine, study finds
Traveling keeps you young. Or at least healthier.
French Revolution's 'monster' gets modern diagnosis
Depending on what you read, Maximilien de Robespierre was a defender of the poor and downtrodden—"the Incorruptible" who defended the values of the French Revolution to the end.
Antidepressant use during pregnancy not linked to autism
(HealthDay)—Despite some concerns to the contrary, children whose moms used antidepressants during pregnancy do not appear to be at increased risk of autism, a large new Danish study suggests.
Two-way traffic in the spinal cord
The progress a baby makes in the first year of life is amazing: a newborn can only wave its arms and legs about randomly, but not so long after the baby can reach out and pick up a crumb from the carpet. What happens in the nervous system that enables this change from random waving to finely coordinated movement? Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology in Martinsried near Munich, working with colleagues from New York and Philadelphia, have described a new type of nerve cell in mice which provides a valuable insight into this developmental phenomenon. During embryonic development, the projections from these cells grow from the spinal cord towards the brain. They may pave the way for other nerve cells which control voluntary movement and which only grow from the brain into the spinal cord after birth.
Mouse study shows potential for gene therapy in Alport syndrome, an inherited kidney disease
(Medical Xpress)—A new study in mice suggests that gene therapy one day may be a viable treatment for Alport syndrome, an inherited disease that leads to kidney failure. The research, by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is available online in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
New evidence that computers change the way we learn
People who use computers regularly are constantly mapping the movements of their hand and computer mouse to the cursor on the screen. Now, researchers reporting in Current Biology on December 19 have shown that all that pointing and clicking (the average computer user performs an impressive 7,400 mouse clicks per week) changes the way the brain generalizes movements.
Brain connections may explain why girls mature faster
As we grow older, our brains undergo a major reorganisation reducing the connections in the brain. Studying people up to the age of 40, scientists led by Dr Marcus Kaiser and Ms Sol Lim at Newcastle University found that while overall connections in the brain get streamlined, long-distance connections that are crucial for integrating information are preserved.
Brain repair after injury and Alzheimer's disease
Researchers at Penn State University have developed an innovative technology to regenerate functional neurons after brain injury, and also in model systems used for research on Alzheimer's disease. The scientists have used supporting cells of the central nervous system, glial cells, to regenerate healthy, functional neurons, which are critical for transmitting signals in the brain.
Nutrition influences metabolism through circadian rhythms
A high-fat diet affects the molecular mechanism controlling the internal body clock that regulates metabolic functions in the liver, UC Irvine scientists have found. Disruption of these circadian rhythms may contribute to metabolic distress ailments, such as diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.
Scientists discover how immune cells die during HIV infection; identify potential drug to block AIDS
Research led by scientists at the Gladstone Institutes has identified the precise chain of molecular events in the human body that drives the death of most of the immune system's CD4 T cells as an HIV infection leads to AIDS. Further, they have identified an existing anti-inflammatory drug that in laboratory tests blocks the death of these cells—and now are planning a Phase 2 clinical trial to determine if this drug or a similar drug can prevent HIV-infected people from developing AIDS and related conditions.
Cocaine, meth response differ between two substrains of 'Black 6' laboratory mouse
Researchers including Jackson Laboratory Professor Gary Churchill, Ph.D., have found a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) difference in cocaine and methamphetamine response between two substrains of the C57BL/6 or "Black 6" inbred laboratory mouse, pointing to Cyfip2 as a regulator of cocaine response with a possible role in addiction.
TB bacteria mask their identity to intrude into deeper regions of lungs
TB-causing bacteria appear to mask their identity to avoid recognition by infection-killing cells in the upper airways. The bacteria call up more permissive white blood cells in the deeper regions of the lungs and hitch a ride inside them to get into the host's body.
Cancer therapy is 2013 breakthrough: Science journal
A way of fighting cancer that turns the body's immune cells into targeted tumor killers was named the breakthrough of the year by the US journal Science on Thursday.
Biologists find clues to a parasite's inconsistency
Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite related to the one that causes malaria, infects about 30 percent of the world's population. Most of those people don't even know they are infected, but a small percentage develop encephalitis or ocular toxoplasmosis, which can lead to blindness.
Researchers find a cause of aging that can be reversed
Researchers have discovered a cause of aging in mammals that may be reversible.
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