From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Wed, May 29, 2013 at 2:06 AM
Subject: Phys.org Newsletter Tuesday, May 28
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>
Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for May 28, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Metallic-to-semiconducting nanotube conversion greatly improves transistor performance- Uncertainty revisited: Novel tradeoffs in quantum measurement
- Physics team entangles photons that never coexisted in time
- Researchers find 400 year old Ice Age plants in Arctic able to grow anew as glaciers retreat
- BPA affects sex-based behavior in mice
- Optimal stem cell reprogramming through sequential protocols
- Kitchen drawers, nano-capsules scoop invention awards
- For pundits, it's better to be confident than correct: Twitter analysis shows how 'yelling' attracts followers
- Diamonds, nanotubes find common ground in graphene
- Shape-shifting nanoparticles flip from sphere to net in response to tumor signal
- Scientists find possible solution to an ancient enigma
- Einstein's 'spooky action' common in large quantum systems, mathematicians find
- Men, women lie about sex to match gender expectations
- Diseases can rapidly evolve to become more—or less—virulent, according to songbird study
- Preventing 'traffic jams' in brain cells
Space & Earth news
Analysis of weathering of solid waste incineration ash evaluated by indices for natural rock
Incineration treatment of municipal solid waste generates inorganic ash. The question arises as to whether waste incineration ash is converted to natural soil after it is disposed in landfill sites? And importantly, if so, how long would take?
US journalist wins Norwegian environmental prize
US environmentalist, author and journalist Bill McKibben on Tuesday won Norway's Sophie Prize for environmental and sustainable development, the last time the award will be given due to lack of funds, organisers said.
Southern California ozone pollution declining in recent decades
Many studies have documented the decline in ozone pollution and its precursors in the Los Angeles air basin over the past several decades.
Southern Ocean is less efficient at exporting carbon than thought
The Southern Ocean is a major source of gas exchange between the atmosphere and the ocean, accounting for almost 20 percent of global ocean carbon dioxide (CO2) uptake.
Measuring isotope variability in water vapor over Southern California
Variations in the ratios of different isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in water have long been used to trace water cycle processes, and the isotopic composition of water vapor in the atmosphere is known to change with weather events.
Models without volcanic forcing underestimate sea level rise
Volcanic eruptions spew sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, which tends to block incoming sunlight, sometimes cooling the planet for several years. This cooling leads to a decrease in the heat stored in the ocean and thus in the rate of ocean thermal expansion and sea level rise. These effects can be seen in simulations that include variations in volcanic aerosol.
Chile, Argentina evacuate on Copahue volcano alert
(AP)—Chile and Argentina are evacuating nearly 3,000 people after officials issued a red alert for the increasingly active Copahue volcano bordering the two countries.
How many planets are in the solar system?
I'm just going to warn you, this is a controversial topic. Some people get pretty grumpy when you ask: how many planets are in the Solar System? Is it eight, ten, or more?
Study explores atmospheric impact of declining Arctic sea ice
There is growing recognition that reductions in Arctic sea ice levels will influence patterns of atmospheric circulation both within and beyond the Arctic. New research in the International Journal of Climatology explores the impact of 2007 ice conditions, the second lowest Arctic sea ice extent in the satellite era, on atmospheric circulation and surface temperatures.
US urges conservation as Colorado River hit by drought
As a regional drought tightens its grip on the Colorado River, water agency officials, environmentalists, farmers and Indian tribal leaders from the seven states that depend on the river for survival are expected to gather Tuesday for a "moving forward" meeting called by federal officials.
Study explores 100 year increase in forestry diseases
As ash dieback disease continues to threaten common ash trees across Europe, new research in the Journal of Quaternary Science explores the historic impact of forest diseases to discover if diseases played a significant factor in vegetation change.
QE2 asteroid to fly by Earth from safe distance
An asteroid more than 1½ miles long will zoom past Earth this week from a far-off distance.
Fast-sinking jellyfish could boost the oceans' uptake of carbon dioxide
Increasing numbers of gelatinous plankton might help in mitigating the CO2 problem. In field and laboratory experiments scientists from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel has shown that dead jellyfish and pelagic tunicates sink much faster than phytoplankton and marine snow remains. Jellies are especially important because they rapidly consume plankton and particles and quickly export biomass and carbon to the ocean interior.
NASA sees developing tropical cyclone near southwestern Mexico
NASA's Aqua satellite captured an image of System 92E, a tropical low pressure area that is ripe for development into a tropical depression and tropical storm, as it continues to develop near to southwestern Mexico.
International trio takes off for space station (Update)
An international trio blasted off Wednesday on top of a Russian Soyuz rocket for the International Space Station with a busy schedule full of space walks and a docking with a pioneering US cargo craft.
Microplastic pollution prevalent in lakes too
EPFL researchers have detected microplastic pollution in one of Western Europe's largest lakes, Lake Geneva, in large enough quantities to raise concern. While studies in the ocean have shown that these small bits of plastic can be harmful to fish and birds that feed on plankton or other small waterborne organisms, the full extent of their consequences in lakes and rivers is only now being investigated. The study, which is being extending under a mandate by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, was published in the latest issue of the journal Archives des Sciences.
Scientists find possible solution to an ancient enigma
The widespread disappearance of stromatolites, the earliest visible manifestation of life on Earth, may have been driven by single-celled organisms called foraminifera.
Medicine & Health news
African Americans experience longer delays between diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer
Among men with prostate cancer, African Americans experience longer treatment delays after being diagnosed than Caucasians. That is the finding of an analysis published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The study suggests that efforts are needed to reduce racial disparities in prostate cancer care in order to provide earlier treatment for African Americans.
'Preferred retinal location' may aid rehabilitation in patients with central vision loss
Perceptual learning techniques may provide a useful new approach to rehabilitation in patients with central vision loss—taking advantage of visual plasticity that persists even in old age, according to a special article in the June issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry.
Developing human organs and body parts in the lab
Tissue engineering is making a huge impact in the world of science with artificial scaffold structures, in which new cells are encouraged to grow. This means that the nanostructure of tissues in the body can be mimicked, so that human organs and body parts can be developed in the laboratory.
Epilepsy discrimination still rife
People with epilepsy continue to face high rates of stigma and discrimination, particularly in the workplace, according to Flinders University disability expert Dr Michelle Bellon.
Preventive dentist visits may not help save on kids' teeth costs
It may seem logical that taking children to the dentist for regular preventive check-ups will lead to fewer pricy restorative procedures like filling a cavity. But new findings from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) published online in Pediatrics show the opposite.
Analysis of medical images improved for study of psychotic disorders
A team of researchers from the UPNA/NUP-Public University of Navarre has developed new superresolution and segmentation methods for magnetic resonance images so that they can be applied to the structural study of psychosis. The aim is to be able to identify the differences that are produced in specific parts of the brain in psychotic patients with respect to their healthy relatives or other people.
AstraZeneca to pay about $260M for Omthera Pharma (Update)
British drugmaker AstraZeneca PLC plans to spend about $260 million on Omthera Pharmaceuticals Inc., a specialty drug developer with only 14 employees but has a potential treatment for patients who have high levels of fats called triglycerides in their blood.
Long-term benefits of selective dorsal rhizotomy in children with spastic cerebral palsy
Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is a surgical procedure used to treat spasticity in some children with spastic cerebral palsy. This procedure appears to be effective, but for how long? Researchers from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, set out to find the answer to this question by studying data from the McGill University Rhizotomy Database on 102 pediatric patients with long-term follow-up. The researchers found that, in the majority of children with spastic cerebral palsy, the benefits of SDR last throughout adolescence and into early adulthood. Details on the study findings are reported and discussed in "Long-term functional benefits of selective dorsal rhizotomy for spastic cerebral palsy. Clinical article," by Dr. Roy W. R. Dudley and colleagues, published today online, ahead of print, in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics.
Unique US-Chinese lab to head off H7N9 outbreak and future threats
The Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health (CII) and the National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention (NIVDC) within the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention will open a Joint Research Laboratory for Pathogen Discovery to conduct surveillance, identify new infectious microbes, establish novel platforms for diagnostics, and develop drugs and vaccines to treat diseases in humans and animals.
Researchers provide rationale for use of targeted immunotherapy in sarcomatoid lung carcinomas
Sarcomatoid carcinomas of the lung include rare subtypes of poorly differentiated non–small-cell lung carcinomas of high grade and aggressive behavior. The biology of these neoplasms is poorly understood and these tumors are aggressive and resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The identification of actionable molecular targets for such infrequent and aggressive diseases is critical for design of new clinical trials. Programmed death-1 (PD-1) is a co-inhibitory inducible receptor present on T-cells and macrophages. Tumor cells with increased programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) are believed to escape immunity through activation of PD-1/PD-L1 pathway and suppression of effector-immune responses.
Digital chest tomosynthesis possible lung cancer screening tool
Most lung cancers are detected when patients become symptomatic and have late-stage disease. However, recently, computed tomography (CT) screening for lung cancer has been reported to reduce lung cancer mortality. Since the National Lung Screening Trial's results showed a 20 percent reduction in lung cancer-specific deaths in those patients who had screening performed with chest CT, the use of CT screening for lung cancer has been gaining favor. However, CT is associated with the disadvantages of high radiation dosage and cost.
Disabled patients who can't afford their meds come to the ER more
Disabled Medicare patients under the age of 65 who don't take their prescription medications because of cost concerns are more likely to have at least one emergency department visit during a one-year period. The results of a new study are published online today in Annals of Emergency Medicine ("The Relationship Between Emergency Department Use and Cost-Related Medication Nonadherence Among Medicare Beneficiaries").
New safety test predicts reactions to novel drugs and cosmetics
A simple lab-based skin test which eliminates the risk of adverse reactions to new drugs, cosmetics and household chemicals has been developed by a Newcastle University, UK team.
Spine function improves following cell replacement therapy with fetal human stem cells
Human foetal stem cell grafts improve both motor and sensory functions in rats suffering from a spinal cord injury, according to research published this week in BioMed Central's open access journal Stem Cell Research and Therapy. This cell replacement therapy also improves the structural integrity of the spine, providing a functional relay through the injury site. The research gives hope for the treatment of spinal cord injuries in humans.
Women more at risk than men of smoking, drinking, study says
Women who smoke and drink heavily are at a higher risk of early death than men who do the same, a study said Tuesday.
New approach may allow faster spinal anesthesia for cancer patients at end of life
For patients with uncontrolled pain from terminal cancer, a new approach to calculating initial dosage may allow a quicker start of spinal analgesia—and less time in the hospital, according to a study in the June issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).
Synthetic drug use rapidly rising in Europe, report finds
New synthetic psychoactive substances are making their way into Europe where the Internet is becoming a big challenge in the fight against illicit drugs, the continent's drug agency warned Tuesday.
Explaining Schwarzenegger: Men, biceps and the politics of getting what you want
This weekend I gained a grudging appreciation for Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Governator, not the Terminator. Having watched Arnie's political rise and fall from afar, he always seemed an odd chimera. Lines he'd delivered as the Terminator retrofitted to an ideology he'd borrowed from somebody else. A kind of populist piss-take exploiting name recognition among cinema-going-yet-politically-comatose voters.
Lab charts age-related changes in Alzheimer's mice
Scientists at the University of Kentucky recently performed a comprehensive characterization of age-related behavioral changes in an important mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.
Pen on the pulse: A better way to measure blood pressure
(Medical Xpress)—In a world-first study, researchers from The University of Queensland are using innovative pulse-reading technology to measure blood pressure to reduce cardiovascular disease.
Boys prefer foods endorsed by sports celebs, study finds
Boys are more likely to choose unhealthy foods with on-pack endorsements by sports stars than those without, a new study of primary school-aged children has found.
Research shows copper destroys norovirus
New research from the University of Southampton shows that copper and copper alloys will rapidly destroy norovirus - the highly-infectious sickness bug. The virus can be contracted from contaminated food or water, person-to-person contact, and contact with contaminated surfaces, meaning surfaces made from copper could effectively shut down one avenue of infection.
Families with low socioeconomic position underrepresented, survey finds
Several scientific papers with results from one of Europe's largest health surveys of young children with focus on overweight and obesity, the IDEFICS study, have been published the last years. Research at the Nordic School of Public Health NHV reveals that some types of families seem to be underrepresented in the health survey. This knowledge can prove to be valuable when the data is interpreted and can contribute to efficient actions for improved child health.
White Mountains hikers often underprepared
Hikers in New Hampshire's White Mountain National Forest often hit the trail less prepared than they should be, according to a study that gauged readiness by how many of 10 essential items the hikers brought along.
French victim of SARS-like virus dies (Update)
France's first victim of a SARS-like virus, which the 65-year-old man is thought to have contracted in Dubai, has died, health officials said Tuesday.
Confirmed cases of H7N9 bird flu drug resistance: study (Update)
Laboratory tests have revealed resistance in some H7N9 bird flu patients to the only available treatment, said virologists who unveiled "concerning" study results on Tuesday.
New findings may help overcome hurdle to successful bone marrow transplantation
Blood diseases such as leukemia, multiple myeloma, and myelodysplasia can develop from abnormal bone marrow cells and a dysfunctional bone marrow microenvironment that surrounds these cells. Until now, researchers have been unable to replace the cells that make up the bone marrow microenvironment. Researchers reporting in the May 28 issue of the Cell Press journal Developmental Cell have found that eliminating a gene in the cells found in this microenvironment causes them to die, therefore enabling donor cells to replace them. In addition to providing a better understanding of the bone marrow microenvironment, the findings could help improve bone marrow transplant therapy for patients who need it.
Psychotherapy's benefits for depression
Treatments for depression that don't involve antidepressant drugs but rather focus on different forms of talking therapy (referred to as psychotherapeutic interventions) are all beneficial, with no one form of therapy being better than the others, according to a study by international researchers published in this week's PLOS Medicine.
Colon cancer screening: Immunological tests are superior
Tests for hidden traces of blood ("occult blood") in the stool provide clues to colon cancer or precancerous lesions. For over 40 years, an enzymatic detection method has been used to detect the diseases. Now immunological tests have also become available. Epidemiologists from the German Cancer Research Center compared the two methods and have proven the superiority of immunological tests. They detect more than twice as many cancer cases and deliver fewer false positive results.
Major effort to stave off hantavirus at Yosemite National Park
Sisters Lauren Scott and Patrice Fambrini stood near the check-in desk of Curry Village, a quaint collection of tents and cabins in Yosemite National Park, and considered the merits of their lodgings.
Tobacco companies are not public health stakeholders
When assessing information presented by the tobacco industry, the US regulator, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and regulatory bodies in other countries, should be aware that they are dealing with companies with a long history of intentionally misleading the public. They therefore should actively protect their public-health policies on smoking from the commercial interests of the tobacco industry and not consider the industry as a stakeholder, concludes a study by experts from the US and Germany published in this week's PLOS Medicine.
Domestic violence and perinatal mental health
Women who have mental health disorders around the time of birth are more likely to have previously experienced domestic violence, according to a study by UK researchers published in this week's PLOS Medicine.
Childhood bullying increases the propensity to self-harm during adolescence
A new study has proven that being bullied during childhood directly increases the likelihood of self- harm in late adolescence.
Researchers ID genetic marker for sporadic breast cancer
Medical researchers at the University of Alberta have pinpointed a genetic marker for sporadic breast cancer – one of a handful identified to date in Caucasians.
Scientists identify possible KRAS downstream target for pancreatic cancer therapy
While the mutated KRAS oncogene is associated with many cancers, it has not yet been successfully targeted by a therapeutic agent. Scientists are trying to find another way to target the gene by blocking signals from another protein downstream.
New ruthenium complexes target cancer cells without typical side effects
A team of UT Arlington researchers has identified two ruthenium-based complexes they believe could pave the way for treatments that control cancer cell growth more effectively and are less toxic for patients than current chemotherapies.
Research highlights the increasing problem of prescription drug abuse among youth
Young people are increasingly turning to prescription drugs to get high. Research out of the University of Cincinnati sheds new light on what could increase or lower that risk.
Art appreciation is measureable
Is it your own innate taste or what you have been taught that decides if you like a work of art? Both, according to an Australian-Norwegian research team.
Soda and illegal drugs cause similar damage to teeth
Addicted to soda? You may be shocked to learn that drinking large quantities of your favorite carbonated soda could be as damaging to your teeth as methamphetamine and crack cocaine use. The consumption of illegal drugs and abusive intake of soda can cause similar damage to your mouth through the process of tooth erosion, according to a case study published in the March/April 2013 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).
Unique omega-3 source effective at reducing exercise-induced asthma symptoms, study finds
An Indiana University study has found that a unique omega-3 supplement derived from the New Zealand green-lipped mussel significantly improved lung function and reduced airway inflammation in asthmatics who experience exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, also called exercise-induced asthma.
Simple 'frailty' test predicts death, hospitalization for kidney dialysis patients
Johns Hopkins scientists report that a 10-minute test for "frailty" first designed to predict whether the elderly can withstand surgery and other physical stress could be useful in assessing the increased risk of death and frequent hospitalization among kidney dialysis patients of any age.
Changing gut bacteria through diet affects brain function, study shows
UCLA researchers now have the first evidence that bacteria ingested in food can affect brain function in humans. In an early proof-of-concept study of healthy women, they found that women who regularly consumed beneficial bacteria known as probiotics through yogurt showed altered brain function, both while in a resting state and in response to an emotion-recognition task.
Five new SARS-like virus case in Saudi Arabia
The Saudi health ministry said on Tuesday it has recorded five new cases of a deadly SARS-like virus in the east of the oil-rich kingdom.
First-ever enterovirus 71 vaccine protects young children
The first enterovirus 71 (EV71) vaccine candidate to reach phase 3 clinical testing provides young Chinese children with significant protection against disease caused by EV71, a growing public-health threat which has caused over 6 million cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease and 2,000 deaths worldwide over the last decade, according new research published Online First in The Lancet.
Engineered stem cell advance points toward treatment for ALS
Transplantation of human stem cells in an experiment conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison improved survival and muscle function in rats used to model ALS, a nerve disease that destroys nerve control of muscles, causing death by respiratory failure.
Family studies suggest rare genetic mutations team up to cause schizophrenia
Using a novel method of analyzing genetic variations in families, researchers at Johns Hopkins have found that individually harmless genetic variations affecting related biochemical processes may team up to increase the risk of schizophrenia. They say their findings, reported May 28 in Translational Psychiatry, bring some clarity to the murky relationship between genetics and schizophrenia, and may lead to a genetic test that can predict which medications will be effective for individual patients.
Study shows emotional contagion increases in Alzheimer's patients
(Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers working at the University of California's Memory and Aging Center has found that emotional contagion appears to increase in a linear progression with patients who have Alzheimer's disease (AD). In their paper published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team says their findings indicate that emotional contagion grows stronger in patients with both the precursor Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and full-blown AD.
Researchers identify novel class of drugs for prostate cancers
A new study on prostate cancer describes a novel class of drugs developed by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers that interrupts critical signaling needed for prostate cancer cells to grow.
Men, women lie about sex to match gender expectations
People will lie about their sexual behavior to match cultural expectations about how men or women should act – even though they wouldn't distort other gender-related behaviors, new research suggests.
Preventing 'traffic jams' in brain cells
Imagine if you could open up your brain and look inside. What you would see is a network of nerve cells called neurons, each with its own internal highway system for transporting essential materials between different parts of the cell.
Small molecule could have big impact on cancer
Dr. Jung-Mo Ahn, associate professor of chemistry at The University of Texas at Dallas, has designed and synthesized a novel small molecule that might become a large weapon in the fight against prostate cancer.
Picking up a second language is predicted by ability to learn patterns
Some people seem to pick up a second language with relative ease, while others have a much more difficult time. Now, a new study suggests that learning to understand and read a second language may be driven, at least in part, by our ability to pick up on statistical regularities.
Scientists advance understanding of brain receptor; may help fight neurological disorders
For several years, the pharmaceutical industry has tried to develop drugs that target a specific neurotransmitter receptor in the brain, the NMDA receptor. This receptor is present on almost every neuron in the human brain and is involved in learning and memory. NMDA receptors also have been implicated in several neurological and psychiatric conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia and depression.
BPA affects sex-based behavior in mice
(Medical Xpress)—Bisphenol A (BPA) is a common chemical found in household plastics. Previous studies on rodents show that BPA exposure is associated with problems with brain and behavioral development. There is evidence that, in human children, exposure to BPA adversely affects neurological development and emotional regulation and leads to increased aggression. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Frances Champagne and her team at Columbia University in New York reveal that mice exposed to BPA when in the womb experience sex-based epigenetic changes that affect brain tissue development and sex-specific behaviors.
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