From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Fri, Dec 6, 2013 at 2:04 AM
Subject: Phys.org Newsletter Thursday, Dec 5
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>
Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for December 5, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Getting to know you: Directed evolution allows pathobiology-free antibody determination- Scientists predict coreless vortex in ultracold atoms
- Listening to the inner voice
- JILA team develops 'spinning trap' to measure electron roundness
- Nonlinear light-generating zero-index metamaterial created
- Slippery fault unleashed destructive Tohoku-Oki earthquake and tsunami
- Astronomers discover planet that shouldn't be there
- Emerging bird flu strain is still poorly adapted for infecting humans, study reports
- Team creates brand associations by mining millions of images from social media
- Ancient 'fig wasp' lived tens of millions of years before figs
- Proteins' passing phases revealed
- SolarCity to back up solar with Tesla batteries
- New method of DNA editing allows synthetic biologists to unlock secrets of a bacterial genome
- Scientists describe how mosquitoes are attracted to humans
- Membrane enzymes 'stop and frisk' proteins indiscriminately
Astronomy & Space news
Satellite cooling system breakthrough
Scientists and engineers at the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center (ATC) have developed the lightest satellite cryocooler, (cooling system) ever built. The breakthrough is seen as a game-changer in the design of affordable, advanced-technology flight systems, as it costs up to ten thousand dollars a pound for a satellite to orbit the Earth.
Image: Pioneer 10's groundbreaking approach to Jupiter
On Dec. 4, 1973, NASA's Pioneer 10 spacecraft sent back images of Jupiter of ever-increasing size. The most dramatic moment was after closest approach and after the spacecraft was hidden behind Jupiter. Here, images gradually build up into a very distorted crescent-shaped Jupiter. "Sunrise on Jupiter," a team member said. The giant planet crescent gradually decreased in size as the spacecraft sped away out of the Jovian system.
Autopsy of a space disaster turns failure to success
On September 18 this year, far above the Arctic Circle at Norway's Andoya Rocket Range, the SCRAMSPACE hypersonic scramjet flight experiment was about to launch. Three and a half years of intense effort by a small team of young scientists and engineers – including myself – had gone into this moment. Millions of dollars of investment were at stake. The international aerospace community and the broader public were watching in anticipation.
Venus visible in the daytime sky
Here's a feat of visual athletics to amaze your friends with this week. During your daily routine, you may have noticed the daytime Moon hanging against the azure blue sky. But did you know that, with careful practice and a little planning, you can see Venus in the broad daylight as well?
Martian laser surpasses 100,000 zaps
(Phys.org) —The ChemCam laser instrument aboard NASA's Curiosity rover fired its 100,000th shot recently, chronicling its adventures on Mars with a coffee-table-book's worth of spectral data that might rival snapshots gathered during a long and satisfying family vacation here on Earth. ChemCam zaps rocks with a high-powered laser to determine their composition and carries a camera that can survey the Martian landscape.
New instrument continues gathering Sun's effects on the Earth
Maintaining a record of solar measurements is important in understanding the sun's effect on Earth and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA), Total solar irradiance Calibration Transfer Experiment, or TCTE, is now providing that information.
NASA Goddard planetary instruments score a hat trick
Planetary instruments from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., hit the trifecta on Dec. 4, running three experiments of the same kind at different places in space.
NASA begins search for what is left of Comet ISON
Just prior to its closest approach to the sun on November 28, Comet ISON went through a major heating event, and likely suffered a major disruption. At this time, scientists are not sure how much of the comet survived intact. We may be seeing emission from rubble and debris in the comet's trail, along its orbit, or we may be seeing the resumption of cometary activity from a sizable nucleus-sized chunk of ISON.
Space scientist suggests mission to Venus might help explain origin of the Moon
(Phys.org) —Robin Canup, a space scientist with the Southwest Research Institute in Colorado has published a Comment piece in the journal Nature proposing that a mission to Venus be considered to help better understand the development of our moon. She suggests that current theories that describe how the moon came about rely too heavily on Mars data, which could be obscuring the real story. Tim Elliot and Sarah Stewart offer their own opinions on the matter in a companion News & Views piece in the same journal.
Taking the pulse of a supermassive black hole
(Phys.org) —Rare heartbeat-like pulsations detected from a supermassive black hole may grant scientists better insight into these exotic objects, according to two University of Alabama astronomers who co-authored a recent scientific article on the discovery.
Ice on Ceres: 'An Interesting Paradox'
As NASA's Dawn mission draws closer to its encounter with the dwarf planet Ceres in early 2015, excitement continues to mount for scientists looking forward to what the satellite might observe. Britney Schmidt, of the George Institute of Technology, and Nicole Gugliucci of CosmoQuest, recently hosted a Google+ Hangout titled 'Ceres: Great Expectations' to discuss the upcoming visit to the nearest dwarf planet in the solar system.
A naked eye nova erupts in Centaurus
If you live in the southern hemisphere, the southern sky constellation of Centaurus may look a little different to you tonight, as a bright nova has been identified in the region early this week.
What happened to comet ISON?
Astronomers have long known that some comets like it hot. Several of the greatest comets in history have flown close to the sun, puffing themselves up with solar heat, before they became naked-eye wonders in the night sky.
Astronomers discover planet that shouldn't be there
An international team of astronomers, led by a University of Arizona graduate student, has discovered the most distantly orbiting planet found to date around a single, sun-like star. It is the first exoplanet – a planet outside of our solar system – discovered at the UA.
Medicine & Health news
Pediatric infectious disease chief authors new vaccination guideline for immunocompromised patients
A new guideline released Thursday by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) notes that most people with compromised immune systems are especially vulnerable to illness and should receive the flu shot and other vaccinations. The guideline, entitled "Clinical Practice Guideline for the Vaccination of the Immunocompromised Host," was authored by Lorry G. Rubin, MD, director of the pediatric infectious diseases at Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York in New Hyde Park, NY, and professor of pediatrics at the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, and will be published online Thursday in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Calif. couple conceives rare identical triplets
Doctors at a Northern California hospital say a couple has given birth to a rare set of naturally conceived identical triplets.
Abortion covered in most health plans for Congress
A lawmaker says abortion is covered in 90 percent of the insurance plans being offered to members of Congress and their staff under President Barack Obama's health care law.
US drugs firm Mylan completes $1.75 bln India buyout
US generic drug specialist Mylan said Thursday it had completed its $1.75 billion acquisition of a unit of India's Strides Arcolab, boosting its presence in the high-growth injectable drugs market.
Revolutionary imaging technique for pediatric spine patients
For the first time, pediatric spinal patients in upstate New York have access to new imaging technology that dramatically decreases their radiation exposure while producing more precise images with better information for orthopaedic specialists. The EOS® machine is especially useful for pediatric patients with scoliosis or long-bone issues and have to undergo multiple scans over their lifetime.
Hong Kong steps up border health checks over bird flu
Hong Kong authorities have stepped up border health checks after the city reported its first human case of the potentially deadly H7N9 bird flu, officials said Thursday.
Research combats the stomach flu
More than 21 million cases of the stomach flu, caused by Norovirus, are reported every year in the United States.
Liver transplant survival rates lower in black than white pediatric patients
Novel research reveals racial and socioeconomic disparities among pediatric liver transplant patients. Findings published in Liver Transplantation, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society, indicate that graft and patient survival was higher in white children than minorities.
Obama hopes youth not discouraged by health woes
President Barack Obama says he hopes young people don't get discouraged by how hard it has been to implement health care reform.
Studies assess impact of IOM report on nursing reforms
Two new studies by researchers at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS) examine how well hospitals and other health care facilities are doing when it comes to a call to reform the nursing profession. A 2010 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report warned that the nursing profession must change or it would not be able to meet the growing demands that are emerging as a result of health reform, new technologies and an aging population.
Added benefit of saxagliptin as monotherapy is not proven
The drug saxagliptin (trade name: Onglyza) has been approved also as monotherapy in Germany since July 2013 for certain adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is an option when drug treatment is needed, but the drug metformin is not tolerated or cannot be used.
New IOM report assesses oversight of clinical gene transfer protocols
In most cases, human gene transfer research is no longer novel or controversial enough to require additional review from the National Institutes of Health's Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee, known as RAC, says a new report by the Institute of Medicine. Patient safety is always paramount, the report says, but most individual RAC reviews no longer provide benefits beyond the existing regulatory and oversight framework and may be impeding scientific advancement with unnecessary administrative burdens.
Researchers identify fundamental differences between human cancers and genetically engineered mouse models of cancer
Researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA have taken a closer look at existing mouse models of cancer, specifically comparing them to human cancer samples. These genetically engineered mouse models (which usually either overexpress a cancer-causing gene—or "oncogene"—or carry a deletion for a "tumor suppressor" gene) have been extensively used to understand human cancer biology in studies of drug resistance, early detection, metastasis, and cancer prevention, as well as for the preclinical development of novel targeted therapeutics.
Acute kidney injury may be more deadly than heart attacks
Acute kidney injury, a condition that is common but often asymptomatic, may be more deadly than a heart attack, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). The findings suggest that follow-up and surveillance may be critical to protect the health of individuals who develop this form of kidney damage.
HIV can infect transplanted kidneys in HIV-positive recipients with undetectable virus
HIV can infect transplanted kidneys in HIV-positive recipients even in the absence of detectable virus in the blood, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The study's investigators also developed a simple urine test to diagnose such infections.
Most female journalists have experienced intimidation, abuse
(HealthDay)—Almost 65 percent of women journalists report having experienced intimidation, threats, or abuse related to their work, according to a report published by the International Women's Media Foundation and the International News Safety Institute (INSI).
RI researchers validate tool for pain assessment in patients following cardiac surgery
How do you measure the pain of a patient who can't communicate? A Rhode Island Hospital researcher studied an observational pain scale in cardiac surgery patients, and found that the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT) provided an accurate measure of a patient's pain level. The study by Sandra Linde, RN, is the first study conducted in Rhode Island Hospital's Clinical Nurse Scholar program, in which direct care nurses are mentored to serve as principal investigators. The paper is published in the American Journal of Critical Care.
Fed site gives unusable Medicaid data
People filling out insurance applications on the federal marketplace may learn they're eligible for Medicaid and their information is being sent to state officials to sign them up. However, states are getting unusable information because of technical problems with the website.
Drug induces morphologic, molecular and clinical remissions in myelofibrosis
Imetelstat, a novel telomerase inhibiting drug, has been found to induce morphologic, molecular and clinical remissions in some patients with myelofibrosis a Mayo Clinic study has found. The results were presented today at the 2013 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting in New Orleans.
Large differences in cancer survival between European countries still remain despite major improvements in cancer diagno
Cancer survival still varies widely between European countries despite major improvements in cancer diagnosis and treatment during the first decade of the 21st century, according to the latest EUROCARE-5 reports covering over 50% of the adult and 77% of the childhood population of Europe.
Social ties more important than biology when it comes to teen sleep problems
Medical researchers point to developmental factors, specifically the decline of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, as an explanation for why children get less sleep as they become teenagers. But a new study suggests that social ties, including relationships with peers and parents, may be even more responsible for changing sleep patterns among adolescents.
Cancer drug Xeloda linked to severe skin reactions, official reports
A drug used to treat advanced breast and colorectal cancers has been linked to sometimes fatal skin reactions in patients, its Swiss manufacturer and Canadian health officials said Wednesday.
Dementia cases to treble worldwide by 2050 (Update)
The number of people suffering from dementia worldwide is set to explode in the coming decades as the population ages, trebling by 2050, according to a study released Thursday.
New diagnostics for ovarian syndrome
(Medical Xpress)—Having multiple ovarian follicles is the leading cause of infertility in America, with wider implications for cancer, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndromes, hormonal imbalance and mental health. Yet we may be going about its diagnosis wrongly, report Cornell researchers.
Socioeconomic status key risk for premature births
(Medical Xpress)—Women who live in poorer areas, are older mothers, smokers or are Aboriginal have a higher risk of having a preterm baby, according to a University of Sydney study published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.
Pig kidneys for transplantation could help thousands of patients with kidney failure
(Medical Xpress)—Kidney failure patients in the not-too-distant future may have a new option that sidesteps the current organ shortage, lengthy wait and potential rejection: Grow your own.
India's blood pressure skyrockets
Hypertension is skyrocketing in India, with rural-to-urban migrants at especially high risk. Hypertension will be a key theme at the 65th Annual Conference of the Cardiological Society of India (CSI), which takes place during 5-8 December in Bangalore, India, and features a collaborative programme with the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
Effectiveness of antiviral nasal spray confirmed
Marinomed Biotechnologie GmbH today announced that new clinical data confirmed the effectiveness of a Carragelose®-based nasal spray in the therapy of common cold. The data, generated in collaboration with researchers from the Department of Otolaryngology at the Medical University of Vienna, were published in the international medical journal Respiratory Research. Regular use of the innovative product, which for the first time addresses the causes of common cold through its antiviral activity, significantly reduces the duration of common cold symptoms and leads to a significant decrease in the viral load in the nasal wash of patients.
Longest ECG ever measured non-invasively
Patients suffering from cardiac diseases may rapidly become emergencies. Then, seconds decide about life and death. However, many cardiac diseases are announced several months before. Symptoms are simply overlooked. A long-term ECG may help. A sensor belt developed at KIT for the first time allows to document cardiac activity of a patient over a long term all around the clock for up to six months. The sensor belt is now presented by the researchers at the Medica trade fair in Düsseldorf.
Calorie under-reporting affects national obesity data
A new study in New Zealand analysing national nutrition data has revealed discrepancies between official reported figures for energy intake and the population's growing body size, which could have serious implications for future efforts to fight bulging waistlines.
Simple eye test diagnoses multiple sclerosis
(Medical Xpress)—As you step outdoors into the bright sunshine, your pupils automatically contract. Scientists from the Australian Centre of Excellence in Vision Science (ACEVS) based at The Australian National University (ANU) are making use of how this 'pupil reflex' is connected to the brain as a potential new way of testing the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS).
Brighter light yields greater alertness
Do you sometimes feel tired when you're working in the office during the day? If so, some extra light could help. Research at TU/e shows that people immediately have more energy and feel alerter if there's more light. The effect is greatest when you're feeling mentally tired. In addition, people performed better on an attention task. Many earlier studies have showed similar effects among people working at night, but the effects during daytime have hardly been investigated.
What rural Appalachia eats
Very little salad. An overabundance of potatoes. Mountains of rice, white bread and other boxed starches, as well as dried beans, sweet potatoes, cornbread and collard greens.
Masturbation actually has health benefits
Conduct an Internet search for "masturbation," and you will find hundreds, if not thousands, of slang phrases for the act.
'Bio pen' allows surgeons to design customised implants
A handheld 'bio pen' developed in the labs of the University of Wollongong (UOW) will allow surgeons to design customised implants on-site and at the time of surgery.
Rheumatism treatment effective even when the use of biological agents is slightly delayed
The immediate use of a biological agent associated with more side effects and higher costs in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis yields no better results than a less aggressive plan with the delayed use of biological agents where necessary. These are the findings of a study, led by Josef Smolen, Director of the Clinical Department of Rheumatology at the Medical University of Vienna, which has now been published in the highly respected journal The Lancet.
Changes to prenatal screening for Down syndrome suggested
Western Australian researchers say the inclusion of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) into the current Down syndrome screening program would increase detection rates, reduce invasive diagnostic testing and as a result fewer unaffected foetuses would be lost.
Distribution of photoreceptors in the retina of mice
Guppies, hyenas and mice share one particular retinal specialization in their eye: Photoreceptors ("cones") sensitive to 'green' light are largely located in the top half of the eye, whereas cones sensitive to 'blue' light dominate the bottom half. Since the lens inverts the image as it enters the eye this arrangement seems to make intuitive sense: blue light from the sky is detected by the blue cones, while the greenish light from the ground falls onto the green cones. Scientists led by Thomas Euler at the Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience at the University of Tübingen have investigated this retinal specialization in mice.
Physical activty combats sedentary desk jobs
Office workers can rest assured – as long as you are physically active, your desk job won't kill you.
Alcohol during pregnancy causes impaired social skills in children
A recent study published in Child Neuropsychology has found that drinking alcohol while pregnant means your child is more likely to develop issues with social skills as they grow older.
International study finds lower-dose IUDs are safe and effective
In a finding that could expand the use of one of the most effective forms of birth control, two intrauterine contraceptive systems that had lower doses of the contraceptive hormone, levonorgestrel, were found to be safe and effective in preventing pregnancies, according to an international study that included researchers at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed).
Activating pathway could restart hair growth in dormant hair follicles
A pathway known for its role in regulating adult stem cells has been shown to be important for hair follicle proliferation, but contrary to previous studies, is not required within hair follicle stem cells for their survival, according to researchers with the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. A new study, published in Cell Stem Cell, identifies a molecular pathway that can be activated to prompt hair growth of dormant hair follicles, or blocked to prevent growth of unwanted hair.
Researchers identify new target to treat psoriasis
Sanford-Burnham scientists have identified the B and T Lymphocyte Attenuator (BTLA) inhibitory receptor as a key factor in limiting inflammatory responses, particularly in the skin. The study, published online today in Immunity, provides clarity on how T cells get fired up to protect against pathogens, and then cool down to restore immune homeostasis.
Research identifies promising tool for cardiac stem cell grafting
New research by University of Vermont Associate Professor of Medicine Jeffrey Spees, Ph.D., and colleagues has identified a new tool that could help facilitate future stem cell therapy for the more than 700,000 Americans who suffer a heart attack each year. The study appeared online in Stem Cells Express.
Pulsatile blood flow unmasks new migraine features
With every heartbeat, the blood is sent to all our peripheral tissues, generating changes in pulsatile perfusion. Using these pulsatile changes as a source of information, researchers at the University of Eastern Finland have developed a new method of 2D mapping of microcirculation, called BPI (Blood Pulsation Imaging). The aim is to use the pulsatile vascular changes detected with BPI for diagnostic purposes.
Database tracks toxic side effects of pharmaceuticals
Sometimes the cure can be worse than the disease. Pharmaceutical drugs are known for their potential side effects, and an important aspect of personalized medicine is to tailor therapies to individuals to reduce the chances of adverse events. Now researchers from North Carolina State University have updated an extensive toxicology database so that it can be used to track information about therapeutic drugs and their unintentional toxic effects.
Cardiac patients benefit from home-based high intensity training
Rapid rehabilitation is a must after a heart attack or other cardiovascular event. Different forms of exercise as a part of rehabilitation have been examined by researchers, including high-intensity interval training (85-95 % of maximum heart rate), which has proved to be both a good and efficient form of rehabilitation.
Study points to differences in high-school crack, powder cocaine use
The use of crack and powder cocaine both varies and overlaps among high school seniors, researchers at New York University and NYU Langone Medical Center have found. Their findings, which appear in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, point to the need to take into account both common and different at-risk factors in developing programming and messaging to stem cocaine use.
Recurring memory traces boost long-lasting memories
While the human brain is in a resting state, patterns of neuronal activity which are associated to specific memories may spontaneously reappear. Such recurrences contribute to memory consolidation—i.e. to the stabilization of memory contents. Scientists of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the University of Bonn are reporting these findings in the current issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.
When it comes to peer pressure, teens are not alone
and when they do, they like to have company. Teens are five times likelier to be in a car accident when in a group than when driving alone, and likelier to commit a crime or drink alcohol when with a group of peers.
Gentler heart surgery remains without signs of dementia
Aortic valve stenosis is the most frequent heart valve defect of older people in Europe – the cause is usually increasing calcification of this important valve. In patients at high and excessive risk, conventional cardiac surgery is often no therapeutic option. For these patients, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) remains the only opportunity. However, this procedure often leads to a crumbling and spreading of valvular calcium deposits and consecutive occlusion of smallest blood vessels of the brain. Conceivably, this so called "microembolisation", could lead to impairment of mental performance. In a long-term study, cardiologists at the Heart Center of the Bonn University Medical Center were able to exclude significant cognitive impairment for the majority of patients undergoing TAVI.
Large-scale erythrocyte production method established using erythrocyte progenitor cells
By transducing two genes (c-MYC and BCL-XL) into iPS cells and ES cells, a Kyoto University research team led by Prof. Koji Eto at CiRA has succeeded in producing erythrocyte progenitor cells with almost unlimited ability to replicate in vitro, which they then differentiated successfully into mature erythrocytes. Although these erythrocytes consisted mostly of fetal-type hemoglobin, they were confirmed to have oxygen-carrying capacity and to have circulatory capacity following transfusion into mice. This technology is expected to contribute to a more reliable transfusion system by offering a new option that allows a stable supply of erythrocytes to be produced without depending on the availability of donor blood. The findings of the research team have been published in the online edition of the Stem Cell Reports.
New study explains why promising dementia drugs failed in clinical trials
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people, yet there currently are no effective drugs to stop, slow or prevent disease progression. A study online December 5th in the ISSCR's journal Stem Cell Reports, published by Cell Press, provide interesting clues on why non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which have successfully treated molecular signs of Alzheimer's disease in cell and animal models, eventually failed in clinical studies. Whereas the compounds worked in non-neuronal cells lines typically used in pharmaceutical drug screening, the authors found that human neurons are resistant to this class of drugs.
Scientists accelerate aging in stem cells to study age-related diseases like Parkinson's
Stem cells hold promise for understanding and treating neurodegenerative diseases, but so far they have failed to accurately model disorders that occur late in life. A study published by Cell Press December 5th in the journal Cell Stem Cell has revealed a new method for converting induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into nerve cells that recapitulate features associated with aging as well as Parkinson's disease. The simple approach, which involves exposing iPSC-derived cells to a protein associated with premature aging called progerin, could enable scientists to use stem cells to model a range of late-onset disorders, opening new avenues for preventing and treating these devastating diseases.
More alcohol and traffic laws mean fewer traffic deaths, study concludes
States with a higher number of alcohol- and traffic-related laws have a lower proportion of traffic deaths than do states with fewer such laws on the books, a study by researchers at New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development has found.
How our vision dims: Chemists crack the code of cataract creation
Groundbreaking new findings by UC Irvine and German chemists about how cataracts form could be used to help prevent the world's leading cause of blindness, which currently affects nearly 20 million people worldwide.
Tracking exercise as vital sign associated with weight loss and better glucose control for patients
Asking patients about their exercise habits was associated with weight loss in overweight patients and improved glucose control for patients with diabetes, according to a recently published study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Electrical brain stimulation may evoke a person's 'will to persevere'
What gives some people the ability to persevere through difficult situations that others may find insurmountable? The answer is no doubt a complicated one that may be beyond our full understanding, but new research publishing online December 5 in the Cell Press journal Neuron provides some intriguing insights. The study pinpoints a region of the brain that, when stimulated, causes an individual to anticipate a challenge and possess a strong motivation to overcome it.
US eliminated measles for 10 years, but risks remain
Measles has all but disappeared from the United States for the past decade but risks a comeback due to a growing number of parents who refuse to vaccinate children, experts said Thursday.
Why combination drug treatment ineffective in cancer clinical trials
Medical researchers at the University of Alberta have discovered that combination drug therapy didn't work well in clinical trials for cancer patients because one drug was making the other drug ineffective.
US stroke deaths declining due to improved prevention, treatment
Stroke deaths in the United States have declined dramatically in recent decades due to improved treatment and prevention, according to a scientific statement published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.
Eating healthy vs. unhealthy diet costs about $1.50 more per day
The healthiest diets cost about $1.50 more per day than the least healthy diets, according to new research from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). The finding is based on the most comprehensive examination to date comparing prices of healthy foods and diet patterns vs. less healthy ones.
Single microRNA powers motor activity
New research from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai shows that microRNA-128 is one of the strongest regulators of nerve cell excitability and motor activity, and that it does so by adjusting an entire neuronal signaling pathway. Published online Dec. 6 in the journal Science, the preclinical study suggests that developing new drugs for treatment-refractory epilepsy that target the microRNA signaling pathway might prove beneficial for patients with severe epilepsy, including the epilepsy of infancy. MicroRNAs are non-coding RNAs that regulate the translation or degradation of messenger RNA, the essential building blocks for proteins in the cell.
Further doubt cast on benefit of vitamin D supplementation for disease prevention
A comprehensive review of the evidence suggests that low vitamin D levels are not a cause but a consequence of ill health, casting strong doubt on the value of vitamin D supplements to protect against acute and chronic disorders such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and even death.
US pregnancy rates continue to fall
(HealthDay)—Pregnancy rates continue to decline in the United States, a federal report released Thursday shows.
Why do we need prescriptions for contraception?
Women using the contraceptive pill currently require a prescription from a doctor and to return once a year to renew it. But recent research suggests the relative safety of this oral contraceptive means we should consider making it more freely available.
Stripped mobile phone camera turned into a mini-microscope for low-cost diagnostics
Microscopy, being relatively easy to perform at low cost, is the universal diagnostic method for detection of most globally important parasitic infections. Methods developed in well-equipped laboratories are, however, difficult to maintain at the basic levels of the health care system due to lack of adequately trained personnel and resources.
CARING Criteria shows one year death risk at time of hospital admission
A University of Colorado Cancer Center study recently published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine validates a prognostic tool that determines risk of death within a year of hospital admission, helping doctors match treatments to patients' values and goals of care.
Quadriplegics at risk for serious sleep breathing disorder
There are over a million people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) in the United States alone with an estimated 11,000 new cases every year. Furthermore, it is estimated that there are, at least, 100,000 veterans with SCI, making the VA the largest integrated health care system in the world for SCI care. But despite this large prevalence, researchers are still discovering all the various ways that SCI affect those with this condition beyond the obvious paralysis. For example, researchers have long known that SCI patients are significantly more likely than people without SCI to have conditions that cause disordered breathing during sleep. These include central sleep apnea, a serious condition in which patients' breathing stops periodically during sleep due to faulty signals from the brain. However, it's been unknown whether the level of injury has any correlation with the risk of sleep-disordered breathing.
Europe is big threat to resurgence of measles in US, experts say
A resurgence of measles in Europe was blamed Thursday for a spike in cases in the United States, raising concern about parents' refusal to vaccinate children against the highly contagious virus.
Vaginally administered ED medication may alleviate menstrual cramping
Women with moderate to severe menstrual cramps may find relief in a class of erectile dysfunction drugs, according to a team of researchers led by Penn State College of Medicines Richard Legro.
Prostate cancer biomarker may predict patient outcomes
Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the University of Alberta in Canada have identified a biomarker for a cellular switch that accurately predicts which prostate cancer patients are likely to have their cancer recur or spread.
Stomach 'clock' tells us how much to eat
(Medical Xpress)—University of Adelaide researchers have discovered the first evidence that the nerves in the stomach act as a circadian clock, limiting food intake to specific times of the day.
Meditation induces gene expression changes
(Medical Xpress)—With evidence growing that meditation can have beneficial health effects, scientists have sought to understand how these practices physically affect the body.
Heads or tails? Random fluctuations in brain cell activity may determine toss-up decisions
(Medical Xpress)—Life presents us with choices all the time: salad or pizza for lunch? Tea or coffee afterward? How we make these everyday decisions has been a topic of great interest to economists, who have devised theories about how we assign values to our options and use those values to make decisions.
Eat more vegetables for a healthy glow
(Medical Xpress)—Research published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters has found that yellower skin tones resulting from a fruit and vegetable rich diet can make us more attractive.
Coffee or beer? The choice could affect your genome
Coffee and beer are polar opposites in the beverage world. Coffee picks you up, and beer winds you down.
Gene found to be crucial for formation of certain brain circuitry
Using a powerful gene-hunting technique for the first time in mammalian brain cells, researchers at Johns Hopkins report they have identified a gene involved in building the circuitry that relays signals through the brain. The gene is a likely player in the aging process in the brain, the researchers say. Additionally, in demonstrating the usefulness of the new method, the discovery paves the way for faster progress toward identifying genes involved in complex mental illnesses such as autism and schizophrenia—as well as potential drugs for such conditions. A summary of the study appears in the Dec. 12 issue of Cell Reports.
Probiotic therapy alleviates autism-like behaviors in mice
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is diagnosed when individuals exhibit characteristic behaviors that include repetitive actions, decreased social interactions, and impaired communication. Curiously, many individuals with ASD also suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) issues, such as abdominal cramps and constipation.
Brain cancer cells hide while drugs seek
A team of scientists, led by principal investigator Paul S. Mischel, MD, a member of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, has found that brain cancer cells resist therapy by dialing down the gene mutation targeted by drugs, then re-amplify that growth-promoting mutation after therapy has stopped.
Cancer mutation likely trigger of scleroderma
Johns Hopkins scientists have found evidence that cancer triggers the autoimmune disease scleroderma, which causes thickening and hardening of the skin and widespread organ damage.
Vaccine study reveals link between immunity and cells' starvation response
One of the most effective vaccines in history has been the yellow fever vaccine, which was developed in the 1930s and has been administered to more than 500 million people.
A genetic defect protects mice from infection with Influenza viruses
A new study published in the scientific journal PLOS Pathogens points out that mice lacking a protein called Tmprss2 are no longer affected by certain flu viruses. The discovery was made by researchers from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig in collaboration with colleagues from Göttingen and Seattle.
Dyslexia may be due to faulty brain wiring, study says (Update)
A roadblock in the brain makes reading difficult for people with dyslexia, a new study suggested Thursday, contradicting long-held opinion.
Listening to the inner voice
(Medical Xpress)—Perhaps the most controversial book ever written in the field of psychology, was Julian Janes' mid-seventies classic, "The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind." In it, Jaynes reaches the stunning conclusion that the seemingly all-pervasive and demanding gods of the ancients, were not just whimsical personifications of inanimate objects like the sun or moon, nor anthropomorphizations of the various beasts, real and mythical, but rather the culturally-barren inner voices of bilaterally-symmetric brains not yet fully connected, nor conscious, in the way we are today.
Emerging bird flu strain is still poorly adapted for infecting humans, study reports
Avian influenza virus H7N9, which killed several dozen people in China earlier this year, has not yet acquired the changes needed to infect humans easily, according to a new study by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI). In contrast to some initial studies that had suggested that H7N9 poses an imminent risk of a global pandemic, the new research found, based on analyses of virus samples from the Chinese outbreak, that H7N9 is still mainly adapted for infecting birds, not humans.
Getting to know you: Directed evolution allows pathobiology-free antibody determination
(Medical Xpress)—Precise detection of specific antibodies is fundamental in diagnosing a wide range of diseases – and testing for antibodies using known antigens is used extensively to diagnose infectious and autoimmune diseases. That being said, developing reagents that test of such antibodies – and antibody identification itself – have historically been a very difficult undertaking. Recently, however, scientists at University of California, Santa Barbara have developed the antibody diagnostics via evolution of peptides (ADEPt) method for simultaneously discovering both antibody disease biomarkers and reagents that accurately detect them. In addition, ADEPt may provides a means of potentially developing effective diagnostic tests where none exist, as well as for identifying environmental disease-related factors.
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