---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 4, 2013 at 12:55 AM
Subject: Phys.org Newsletter Wednesday, Jul 3
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 4, 2013 at 12:55 AM
Subject: Phys.org Newsletter Wednesday, Jul 3
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>
How to print 3D models of your designs
Engineers at COMSOL have been using this exciting technology to print 3D prototypes of their multiphysics designs. See the recent blog post for a video demonstration and tutorial of how you can do the same: http://goo.gl/3VFCk
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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 3, 2013:
- Antifreeze, cheap materials may lead to low-cost solar energy
- Military sonar can alter blue whale behavior
- Princeton researchers create 'bionic ear' (Update)
- First supper is a life changer for lizards
- Evolution's toolkit seen in developing hands and arms
- Researchers challenge long-held assumption of gene expression in embryonic stem cells
- DNA markers in low-IQ autism suggest heredity
- Researchers discover new mechanism for human gene expression
- Identifying the meaning of words with multiple meanings, without using their semantic context
- First comprehensive regulatory map is a blueprint for how to defeat tuberculosis
- Scientists create 'human liver' from stem cells
- Study identifies regions of genome associated with cholera susceptibility in Bangladesh
- Study of mitochondrial DNA ties ancient remains to living descendants
- Animal master-burglars: Cockatoos 'pick' puzzle box locks (w/ Video)
A team of 14 scientists, led by National University of Ireland Galway's Dr Louise Allcock, recently returned to Galway following a three-week deep sea research survey aboard the Marine Institute's RV Celtic Explorer.
On the global water trail
Water is one of humanity's most pressing issues. Do we have enough of it for drinking, for farming or for industry? Too much, in the shape of flooding? Or too little, in the form of drought? The WATCH project, funded by the EU, was designed to give us better answers to questions of water management. Since its completion in 2011, the data has already been downloaded 94 times from Europe but also to the US, Africa and elsewhere. It has been mainly used by scientists, but also by mapping companies, insurers and meteorological organisations, as well as wildlife and environmental groups.
Red Cross cartoon to demystify Pacific climate change
The Red Cross has launched a light-hearted education campaign aimed at those it describes as most vulnerable to climate change: Pacific islanders living on low-lying atolls threatened by rising seas.
NASA image: Forest fires near James Bay, Quebec
At present the forest fires plaguing the area near James Bay in Quebec are causing air quality problems in the area and as far away as Maine. According to CBC News on July 02, 2013, "A smog warning is in effect for most of southwestern Quebec—from Gatineau to Montreal to Drummondville—and a smog advisory has already been effect for eastern Ontario, which was expanded all the way through Toronto and Hamilton. This current advisory is mostly due to smoke that is blowing into the warning areas from an extensive forest fire near James Bay, which has consumed around 250,000 hectares [~617,000 acres] of land so far."
Ocean satellite dies after 11-year mission
A U.S.-French science satellite that tracked rising sea levels for more than a decade and helped forecasters make better weather predictions worldwide has gone dark.
New book finds Gaia Hypothesis implausible
A new book presents the first detailed and comprehensive analysis of the famous Gaia Hypothesis, and finds it to be inconsistent with modern evidence.
Deserts 'greening' from rising CO2
Increased levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) have helped boost green foliage across the world's arid regions over the past 30 years through a process called CO2 fertilisation, according to CSIRO research.
A tale of two cities
Yifang Zhu, an associate professor in the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, and her colleagues are drawing on lessons from Los Angeles and teaming with Peking University scientists to guide policy makers as Beijing grapples with record levels of air pollution.
How climate-friendly is your cup of coffee?
Coffee drinkers are encouraged to buy environmentally-friendly coffee, whether it be certified, organic or shade coffee (grown under the shade of trees that are important habitat for birds), but how effective are these ways of growing coffee at combating climate change?
Inseparable galactic twins
(Phys.org) —Looking towards the constellation of Triangulum (The Triangle), in the northern sky, lies the galaxy pair MRK 1034. The two very similar galaxies, named PGC 9074 and PGC 9071, are close enough to one another to be bound together by gravity, although no gravitational disturbance can yet be seen in the image. These objects are probably only just beginning to interact gravitationally.
After millennia of mining, copper nowhere near 'peak'
New research shows that existing copper resources can sustain increasing world-wide demand for at least a century, meaning social and environmental concerns could be the most important restrictions on future copper production.
UN says 2001-2010 decade shows faster warming trend
Global warming accelerated since the 1970s and broke more countries' temperature records than ever before in the first decade of the new millennium, U.N. climate experts said Wednesday.
NASA satellite sees Dalila become a hurricane in Eastern Pacific
The tropical storm that has been hugging the southwestern coast of Mexico moved toward open ocean and strengthened into a hurricane on July 2. NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Dalila after moving away from the coast and strengthening into a hurricane. Dalila has become the third hurricane of the Eastern Pacific Ocean hurricane season after Barbara and Cosme. As Dalila starts to weaken, a new tropical low appears to be developing to the southeast.
Astronomers gain new knowledge about early galaxies
The early galaxies of the universe were very different from today's galaxies. Using new detailed studies carried out with the ESO Very Large Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope, researchers, including members from the Niels Bohr Institute, have studied an early galaxy in unprecedented detail and determined a number of important properties such as size, mass, content of elements and have determined how quickly the galaxy forms new stars. The results are published in the scientific journal, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Lunar rovers could be engulfed by dust
(Phys.org) —Space agencies around the world have plans to continue the exploration of the Moon in the next two decades, with ever more sophisticated robots paving the way for astronauts to walk on the lunar surface once again. One major issue for these projects is the dust found on the lunar surface, material that is abrasive, sticky and unhealthy to breathe. Now an Anglo-French team of scientists have modelled how this dust will affect any rover vehicles travelling across the surface. They find a serious risk that rovers that move around sunrise and sunset could be engulfed in dust. Professor Farideh Honary of the University of Lancaster will present the new work at the RAS National Astronomy Meeting in St Andrews on Wednesday 3 July.
Magnetic rocks aid oil exploration
A new study has pinpointed the relationship between oil reservoirs and magnetic rocks, which could lead to more accurate oil exploration.
Mars rover Opportunity passes half-way point to next destination
(Phys.org) —NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has driven more than half of the distance needed to get from a site where it spent 22 months to its next destination.
Wales will become the first country in the United Kingdom to adopt an organ and tissue donation scheme based on presumed consent after assembly members voted in favour of a bill on Tuesday.
Britain unveils plans to charge migrants for healthcare (Update)
Britain announced plans on Wednesday to charge migrants hundreds of pounds a year to access its state-run National Health Service (NHS), in a bid to clamp down on so-called health tourism.
Ethicists find UK ban on embryo sex selection 'unjustifiable'
As Europe's leading fertility specialists gather at a conference in London this weekend, a major new publication from leading medical ethicists finds no justification to support the UK's legal ban on sex selection before pregnancy for 'social' reasons.
Women and HIV: A story of racial and ethnic health disparities
The history of women with HIV/AIDS in the United States is really a story of racial and ethnic health disparities.
New study to give insight into the public health risks of antibiotic resistant bacteria
Scientists at Queen Mary, University of London are part of a national study seeking to establish the most significant reservoirs of an antibiotic resistant bacteria known as ESBL-positive E.coli that cause human and animal disease.
Study finds quality interaction eases refugee prejudice
Murdoch University-led research has found that quality interaction, not length of interaction, is the key to reducing anxiety about, and prejudice toward, refugees.
Assisted reproduction for same-sex male couples and single men examined
Elsevier today announced the publication of a recent retrospective study in Reproductive BioMedicine Online to better understand treatment considerations and outcomes for same-sex male couples and single men when using assisted reproduction treatment.
New research demonstrates an increase in NHS productivity
A new study by researchers at the Centre for Health Economics, University of York, reveals the productivity of the NHS in England increased by 3.2 per cent in the first year of the Coalition administration.
Lifesaving HIV treatment could reach millions more people following landmark study
Millions more people could get access to life-saving HIV drug therapy, following a landmark study led by Australian researchers based at the Kirby Institute at the University of New South Wales (UNSW).
Hot flashes take heavier toll on women with HIV
Women with HIV are living longer, so more are entering menopause. As they do, they suffer more severe hot flashes than women without HIV, and their hot flashes take a heavier toll on their quality of life and daily functioning, found researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital. Their study was published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society.
Study confirms adding chemotherapy to surgery improves survival in advanced gastric cancer
For patients with advanced gastric cancer, treatment with chemotherapy after surgery can reduce the risk of cancer related death by 34% over five years compared to surgery alone, researchers said at the 15th ESMO World Congress in Gastrointestinal Cancer.
EULAR issues updated rheumatoid arthritis management recommendations
The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) has released updated recommendations for the management of RA. According to this latest guidance, treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) should be initiated as soon as a diagnosis of RA is made, with the aim of reaching a target of remission or low disease activity in every patient.
White House delays key element of health care law
President Barack Obama's health care law, hailed as his most significant legislative achievement, seems to be losing much of its sweep.
Britain bans herbal drug khat
British Home Secretary Theresa May on Wednesday announced a ban on the herbal stimulant khat, going against the advice of her own experts who said such a move was disproportionate.
Justice: Hospitals to pay $34 million settlement
Fifty-five hospitals in 21 states have agreed to pay $34 million to the U.S. government to settle allegations that they used more expensive inpatient procedures rather than outpatient spinal surgeries to get bigger payments from Medicare.
Moms often talk to children about the results of cancer genetic testing
Mothers commonly talk to their children about genetic test results even if they test positive for a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, which sharply increases a woman's risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. That is among the findings of a new study from Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, which also suggests mothers who don't discuss their test results are unsatisfied with that decision.
A good night's sleep increases the cardiovascular benefits of a healthy lifestyle
A good night's sleep can increase the benefit of exercise, healthy diet, moderate alcohol consumption and non-smoking in their protection against cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to results of a large population follow-up study.(1) Results showed that the combination of the four traditional healthy lifestyle habits was associated with a 57% lower risk of cardiovascular disease (fatal and non-fatal) and a 67% lower risk of fatal events. But, when "sufficient sleep" (defined as seven or more hours a night) was added to the other four lifestyle factors, the overall protective benefit was even further increased - and resulted in a 65% lower risk of composite CVD and a 83% lower risk of fatal events.
Single men, smokers at higher risk for oral human papillomavirus infection, study shows
(Medical Xpress)—Smokers and single men are more likely to acquire cancer-causing oral human papillomavirus (HPV), according to new results from the HPV Infection in Men (HIM) Study. Researchers from Moffitt Cancer Center, the National Cancer Institute, Mexico and Brazil also report that newly acquired oral HPV infections in healthy men are rare and when present, usually resolve within one year.
US delays health care law mandate until 2015
President Barack Obama's administration announced Tuesday it will not enforce part of the federal health care law until 2015, delaying penalties on employers who do not provide health insurance for workers.
Progestin Tx reasonably effective for early endometrial cancer
(HealthDay)—Conservative management with oral progestin can be a reasonable treatment option for many patients with stage 1A endometrial cancer, according to research published in the July issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Activists warn trade pact will keep out generics (Update)
A free trade pact being negotiated by the U.S. and 11 Asia-Pacific nations will impose aggressive intellectual property rules that could restrict access to affordable medicines in developing nations, health activists warned Wednesday.
Costa Rica issues health alert over dengue
Costa Rica on Tuesday declared a health alert due to a dengue fever outbreak which has claimed three lives and infected about 12,000 people so far this year, authorities said.
New research boosts search for cure, AIDS meeting told
Fresh data from several small trials presented at an AIDS conference on Wednesday provides encouraging news in the quest for a cure for HIV, scientists said.
New non-invasive test may detect liver disease earlier
Researchers from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Unit in Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Nottingham will be showing how new tests can detect liver disease at an earlier stage at this year's Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition which opens to the public officially today.
Researchers find new clue to cause of human narcolepsy
(Medical Xpress)—In 2000, researchers at the UCLA Center for Sleep Research published findings showing that people suffering from narcolepsy, a disorder characterized by uncontrollable periods of deep sleep, had 90 percent fewer neurons containing the neuropeptide hypocretin in their brains than healthy people. The study was the first to show a possible biological cause of the disorder.
Protein called FAIM could help doctors to parse which cancer patients will respond to multiple myeloma therapy
A number of drugs exist that can extend the lifespan of people with multiple myeloma (MM), but none of these medicines are curative. Thus, medical researchers continue to search for targets for new drug therapies as well as new ways to predict which particular patients will be most responsive to existing treatment options.
Virology: Seeking solutions to viral migration
Although seldom fatal, persistent infection by chikungunya virus (CHIKV) afflicts patients with joint pain lasting months or even years. This insect-borne virus has received relatively little scientific attention in the 50 years since its initial description in African patients, but researchers in Singapore have now uncovered a host protein that can keep CHIKV in check.
When injected as a hydrogel rather than in solution, an anticancer protein treats liver tumors more effectively
Proteins and other therapeutic compounds injected directly into the blood stream tend to be broken down rapidly by the immune system. Now, researchers in Singapore have demonstrated in mice that the anticancer protein, interferon-α2a (IFN-α2a), can be delivered more effectively to liver tumors when incorporated into an injectable hydrogel.
Study suggests reducing air-polluting PAHs may lower levels of lung cancer deaths
(Medical Xpress)—High emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can be linked to lung cancer deaths in the United States and countries with a similarly high socioeconomic rank, including Canada, Australia, France, and Germany, according to a study by Oregon State University.
Impulsive adolescents more likely to drink heavily
(Medical Xpress)—Scientists at the University of Liverpool have shown that young people who show impulsive tendencies are more prone to drinking heavily at an early age.
Discovery of pathway for deadly cancer could lead to better diagnosis, treatment
(Medical Xpress)—University of Florida Health researchers have discovered a molecular pathway involved in the deadly spread of the most lethal kind of brain cancer.
Challenging the necessity of anti-psychotic drugs
Trials are currently underway to evaluate how the mental health and behaviour of adults with learning disabilities is affected by the gradual withdrawal of their anti-psychotic medication.
Can we use 3-D printing and stem cells to build a bone?
Pioneering techniques aiming to recreate human bone for replacement and repair will be showcased at the Royal Society's annual Summer Science Exhibition which opens to the public today.
Student analyzes the effects of lead exposure in Chinese children
(Medical Xpress)—The exposure of its citizens to dangerous toxins continues to be a concern in China, a newly industrialized nation with a large population and little environmental regulation, but for University of Pennsylvania senior Richard Liu one health risk has been particularly deserving of attention: lead exposure in young children.
Stress-induced overweight: Mechanism for fat distribution discovered
(Medical Xpress)—When someone is suffering from raised stress levels increased amounts of glucocorticoids are secreted. These play a part in becoming overweight. Up until now it has not been clear why fat tissue is formed primarily in the belly as abdominal or visceral fat. Scientists from the Clinical Institute of Laboratory Medicine at the MedUni Vienna have now decoded a mechanism responsible for the distribution of fat.
Immune-boosting colorectal cancer drug shows promise
New data on an emerging treatment that aims to fight colorectal cancer by stimulating the immune system have been presented at the ESMO 15th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer.
Happily married means a healthier ever after
(Medical Xpress)—New BYU research finds that people in happy marriages live less "in sickness" but enjoy more of life "in health."
Saudi records two new deaths from MERS
A Saudi man and a woman have died from the MERS virus, raising the death toll from the SARS-like infection in the kingdom to 36, the health ministry said on Wednesday.
Psychologists proof positive 'side effects' of studying abroad
Spain, France and Great Britain – these are the favourite countries of young Germans who study abroad under the ERASMUS programme. More and more German students consider one or two terms at a university abroad an essential part of their CVs. As a consequence, the number of students who spent some time at a foreign university has more than doubled over the last few years and it is estimated that about a quarter of all German students have gained some form of international experiences.
Researcher warns banned 'fountain of youth drug' may be making a comeback
Despite it being more than 30 years since the "fountain of youth drug" Gerovital H3 was banned in the United States, it may be making a comeback. In an editorial published in this month's Journal of the American Geriatrics Society BUSM researcher Thomas Perls, MD, points out that a few U.S.-based anti-aging and longevity clinics have begun to advertise Gerovital H3 in pill form and as intravenous infusions despite the fact that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned it in 1982.
Shape-shifting disease proteins may explain variable appearance of neurodegenerative diseases
Neurodegenerative diseases are not all alike. Two individuals suffering from the same disease may experience very different age of onset, symptoms, severity, and constellation of impairments, as well as different rates of disease progression. Researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have shown one disease protein can morph into different strains and promote misfolding of other disease proteins commonly found in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other related neurodegenerative diseases.
New research identifies a microRNA that drives both cancer onset and metastasis
A mere 25 years ago, noncoding RNAs were considered nothing more than "background noise" in the overall genomic landscape. Now, two new studies reveal that one of these tiny noncoding molecules – microRNA-22 – plays an outsized role in two types of cancer.
Scientists identify gene that controls aggressiveness in breast cancer cells
In a discovery that sheds new light on the aggressiveness of certain breast cancers, Whitehead Institute researchers have identified a transcription factor, known as ZEB1, that is capable of converting non-aggressive basal-type cancer cells into highly malignant, tumor-forming cancer stem cells (CSCs). Intriguingly, luminal breast cancer cells, which are associated with a much better clinical prognosis, carry this gene in a state in which it seems to be permanently shut down.
Scientists identify genetic cause of 'spongy' skin condition
Scientists have identified the genetic cause of a rare skin condition that causes the hands and feet to turn white and spongy when exposed to water.
Scientists find a novel research model for the study of auto-immune diseases
A team of researchers at the IRCM, led by Dr. Javier M. Di Noia in the Immunity and Viral Infections research division, discovered a novel research model for the study of auto-immune diseases. The Montréal scientists are the first to find a way to separate two important mechanisms that improve the quality of antibodies. This study was featured in a recent issue of The Journal of Immunology.
Research team improves immunization strategies for dengue fever in Thailand
Using a unique data set spanning 40 years of dengue fever incidence in Thailand, an international team led by biostatistician Nicholas Reich at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has for the first time estimated from data that after an initial dengue infection, a person is protected from infection with other strains for between one and three years.
Gateway for metastases: Activated blood platelets enable cancer cells to penetrate blood vessels
Malignant tumours often spread to remote areas of the body. In the majority of cases, metastases formation develops via the blood vascular system. The blood platelets thereby provide invaluable help to the tumour cells in penetrating new organs. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim have identified the P2Y2 receptor molecule on the cells of the blood platelet wall as the gateway that allows the cancer cells to enter the organs. They now aim to prevent the formation of metastases through the targeted blocking of this key molecule.
Researchers identify molecular switch that kick starts formation of arteries
The ability to form blood vessels is one of evolution's crowning achievements, and something that separates vertebrates (animals with a backbone) from the rest of the animal kingdom. The two types of blood vessels, arteries and veins, are formed from the same precursor cell type—endothelial cells—that become committed to an arterial or venous cell fate during embryonic development. Yet precisely what drives this commitment, which is essential for shaping cardiovascular development, has long eluded researchers. Now, scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have identified the molecular signals that direct this process. In so doing, they illustrate how even the most complex of biological systems can be directed by the most subtle shifts in molecular signaling.
Improved outlook for immune-based therapies: Assay identifies T cells most capable of fighting infections and cancers
The idea of fighting infections and even cancers by inducing protective immune responses may now be a step closer to clinical practice. Researchers have removed a major obstacle to widespread use of so-called adoptive transfer therapy, in which a patient receives "killer" immune cells targeting a disease agent. Existing technologies can easily provide T cells that will recognize a specific antigen, but it has been challenging to identify individual cells most likely to succeed in fighting the disease – until now.
Biomarker predicts heart attack risk based on response to aspirin therapy
Aspirin has been widely used for more than 50 years as a common, inexpensive blood thinner for patients with heart disease and stroke, but doctors have little understanding of how it works and why some people benefit and others don't.
People's diets show a sugar-fat seesaw
Research published today shows why people find it hard to follow Government guidelines to cut their fat and sugars intake at the same time - a phenomenon known as the sugar-fat seesaw.
Does being a bookworm boost your brainpower in old age?
New research suggests that reading books, writing and participating in brain-stimulating activities at any age may preserve memory. The study is published in the July 3, 2013, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Post-breast cancer, metformin has no effect on mortality
(HealthDay)—For older women with diabetes and breast cancer, there is no association between metformin use and all-cause or breast cancer-specific mortality, according to a study published online April 30 in Diabetes Care.
Short-term UV radiation linked to odds of juvenile myositis
(HealthDay)—Short-term ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure may contribute to the development of juvenile myositis, according to a study published in the July issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
More than 40 percent of docs report work dissatisfaction
(HealthDay)—Many physicians are dissatisfied and are unlikely to recommend the medical profession to young people, according to a report published by Jackson Healthcare.
Simple ways to prevent fireworks injuries
(HealthDay)—Many Fourth of July fireworks-related injuries could be prevented with some common sense, according to experts who advise people to avoid using fireworks at home—even if they're legal.
The role of noncoding 5S rRNA in protecting the p53 tumor suppressor gene
Researchers of the Cancer Metabolism group at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Catalan Oncology Institute (ICO) and the Division of Hematology-Oncology of the University of Cincinnati, led by George Thomas, have discovered a role for ribosomal 5S RNA in the formation of a complex that regulates the stability of p53. Normally, p53 prevents healthy cells from becoming tumorigenic. It is maintained at low levels when cells function properly and increases when there is a cellular damage.
Complications more likely with emergency gallbladder surgery: study
(HealthDay)—Emergency gallbladder surgery carries a higher risk of complications than planned surgery, a new study finds.
Dodging antibiotic side effects
A team of scientists at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University has discovered why long-term treatment with many common antibiotics can cause harmful side effects—and they have uncovered two easy strategies that could help prevent these dangerous responses. They reported the results in the July 3rd issue of Science Translational Medicine.
New breast cancer test will help more women avoid unnecessary chemotherapy
A new genetic test for one of the most common forms of breast cancer will help doctors better identify those women who should be considered for chemotherapy, and those who can avoid it, say researchers.
Urine test can diagnose, predict kidney transplant rejection
Analysis of three biomarkers in the urine of kidney transplant recipients can diagnose—and even predict—transplant rejection, according to results from a clinical trial sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. This test for biomarkers—molecules that indicate the effect or progress of a disease—offers an accurate, noninvasive alternative to the standard kidney biopsy, in which doctors remove a small piece of kidney tissue to look for rejection-associated damage. The findings appear in the July 4 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Clues about autism may come from the gut
Bacterial flora inhabiting the human gut have become one of the hottest topics in biological research. Implicated in a range of important activities including digestion, fine-tuning body weight, regulating immune response, and producing neurotransmitters affect that brain and behavior, these tiny workers form diverse communities. Hundreds of species inhabit the gut, and although most are beneficial, some can be very dangerous.
Cancer-linked FAM190A gene found to regulate cell division
Johns Hopkins cancer scientists have discovered that a little-described gene known as FAM190A plays a subtle but critical role in regulating the normal cell division process known as mitosis, and the scientists' research suggests that mutations in the gene may contribute to commonly found chromosomal instability in cancer.
Johns Hopkins GI doctors use endoscopy to place transpyloric stent
Physicians at Johns Hopkins say they are encouraged by early results in three patients of their new treatment for gastroparesis, a condition marked by the failure of the stomach to properly empty its contents into the small intestine. In an article published online today in the journal Endoscopy, they describe how the placement of a small metal stent in the stomach can improve life for people who suffer from severe bouts of nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting that accompany the condition.
Maintaining immune balance involves an unconventional mechanism of T cell regulation
New findings from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital reveal an unconventional control mechanism involved in the production of specialized T cells that play a critical role in maintaining immune system balance. The research appears in the current online edition of the scientific journal Nature.
Violent video games don't always reduce subsequent helpfulness
Violent or antisocial video games like Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto do not reliably reduce helpful behaviors in players shortly after playing, according to research published July 3 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Morgan Tear and Mark Nielsen from the University of Queensland, Australia.
2 stem cell patients stop HIV drugs, no virus seen (Update)
Two HIV-positive patients in the United States who underwent bone marrow transplants for cancer have stopped anti-retroviral therapy and still show no detectable sign of the HIV virus, researchers said Wednesday.
Epigenetic changes to fat cells following exercise
Exercise, even in small doses, changes the expression of our innate DNA. New research from Lund University in Sweden has described for the first time what happens on an epigenetic level in fat cells when we undertake physical activity.
DNA markers in low-IQ autism suggest heredity
Researchers are striving to understand the different genetic structures that underlie at least a subset of autism spectrum disorders. In cases where the genetic code is in error, did that happen anew in the patient, perhaps through mutation or copying error, or was it inherited? A new study in the American Journal of Human Genetics finds evidence that there may often be a recessive, inherited genetic contribution in autism with significant intellectual disability.
Researchers discover new mechanism for human gene expression
In a study that could change the way scientists view the process of protein production in humans, University of Chicago researchers have found a single gene that encodes two separate proteins from the same sequence of messenger RNA.
Princeton researchers create 'bionic ear' (Update)
With a 3-D printer, a petri dish and some cells from a cow, Princeton University researchers are growing synthetic ears that can receive—and transmit—sound.
First comprehensive regulatory map is a blueprint for how to defeat tuberculosis
Despite decades of research on the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB), scientists have not had a comprehensive understanding of how the bacterium is wired to adapt to changing conditions in the host. Now, researchers at Stanford University, Seattle BioMed, Boston University and the Broad Institute, Max Planck Institute of Biology in Berlin, Germany, Caprion Proteomics Inc. in Montreal, Canada, Brigham and Woman's Hospital (Harvard University), and Colorado State University have taken the first steps toward a complete representation of the regulatory network for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This map of the network of genes that control the TB bacterium will yield unique insights into how the bacteria survive in the host, and how they can be tackled with new drug interventions.
Study identifies regions of genome associated with cholera susceptibility in Bangladesh
An international research team has used a novel approach to identify genetic factors that appear to influence susceptibility to cholera. The findings by investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the Broad Institute and the International Center for Diarrhœal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) indicate the importance of pathways involved in regulating water loss in intestinal cells and of the innate immune system in the body's response to the bacteria that causes cholera, which affects from 3 to 5 million people each year and causes more than 100,000 deaths.
Scientists create 'human liver' from stem cells
Scientists in Japan said Wednesday they had grown human liver tissue from stem cells in a first that holds promise for alleviating the critical shortage of donor organs.
H7N9 flu peril lies in deep lung infiltration, study reports
The H7N9 bird flu virus is a peril for humans because it replicates deep in the lungs where it can trigger a dangerous response from the immune system, a study said Wednesday.
Exercise reorganizes the brain to be more resilient to stress
Physical activity reorganizes the brain so that its response to stress is reduced and anxiety is less likely to interfere with normal brain function, according to a research team based at Princeton University.
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Engineers at COMSOL have been using this exciting technology to print 3D prototypes of their multiphysics designs. See the recent blog post for a video demonstration and tutorial of how you can do the same: http://goo.gl/3VFCk
***************************************************
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 3, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- A chimp-pig hybrid origin for humans?- Antifreeze, cheap materials may lead to low-cost solar energy
- Military sonar can alter blue whale behavior
- Princeton researchers create 'bionic ear' (Update)
- First supper is a life changer for lizards
- Evolution's toolkit seen in developing hands and arms
- Researchers challenge long-held assumption of gene expression in embryonic stem cells
- DNA markers in low-IQ autism suggest heredity
- Researchers discover new mechanism for human gene expression
- Identifying the meaning of words with multiple meanings, without using their semantic context
- First comprehensive regulatory map is a blueprint for how to defeat tuberculosis
- Scientists create 'human liver' from stem cells
- Study identifies regions of genome associated with cholera susceptibility in Bangladesh
- Study of mitochondrial DNA ties ancient remains to living descendants
- Animal master-burglars: Cockatoos 'pick' puzzle box locks (w/ Video)
Space & Earth news
Marine scientists explore biodiversity and ecosystems in Irish watersA team of 14 scientists, led by National University of Ireland Galway's Dr Louise Allcock, recently returned to Galway following a three-week deep sea research survey aboard the Marine Institute's RV Celtic Explorer.
On the global water trail
Water is one of humanity's most pressing issues. Do we have enough of it for drinking, for farming or for industry? Too much, in the shape of flooding? Or too little, in the form of drought? The WATCH project, funded by the EU, was designed to give us better answers to questions of water management. Since its completion in 2011, the data has already been downloaded 94 times from Europe but also to the US, Africa and elsewhere. It has been mainly used by scientists, but also by mapping companies, insurers and meteorological organisations, as well as wildlife and environmental groups.
Red Cross cartoon to demystify Pacific climate change
The Red Cross has launched a light-hearted education campaign aimed at those it describes as most vulnerable to climate change: Pacific islanders living on low-lying atolls threatened by rising seas.
NASA image: Forest fires near James Bay, Quebec
At present the forest fires plaguing the area near James Bay in Quebec are causing air quality problems in the area and as far away as Maine. According to CBC News on July 02, 2013, "A smog warning is in effect for most of southwestern Quebec—from Gatineau to Montreal to Drummondville—and a smog advisory has already been effect for eastern Ontario, which was expanded all the way through Toronto and Hamilton. This current advisory is mostly due to smoke that is blowing into the warning areas from an extensive forest fire near James Bay, which has consumed around 250,000 hectares [~617,000 acres] of land so far."
Ocean satellite dies after 11-year mission
A U.S.-French science satellite that tracked rising sea levels for more than a decade and helped forecasters make better weather predictions worldwide has gone dark.
New book finds Gaia Hypothesis implausible
A new book presents the first detailed and comprehensive analysis of the famous Gaia Hypothesis, and finds it to be inconsistent with modern evidence.
Deserts 'greening' from rising CO2
Increased levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) have helped boost green foliage across the world's arid regions over the past 30 years through a process called CO2 fertilisation, according to CSIRO research.
A tale of two cities
Yifang Zhu, an associate professor in the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, and her colleagues are drawing on lessons from Los Angeles and teaming with Peking University scientists to guide policy makers as Beijing grapples with record levels of air pollution.
How climate-friendly is your cup of coffee?
Coffee drinkers are encouraged to buy environmentally-friendly coffee, whether it be certified, organic or shade coffee (grown under the shade of trees that are important habitat for birds), but how effective are these ways of growing coffee at combating climate change?
Inseparable galactic twins
(Phys.org) —Looking towards the constellation of Triangulum (The Triangle), in the northern sky, lies the galaxy pair MRK 1034. The two very similar galaxies, named PGC 9074 and PGC 9071, are close enough to one another to be bound together by gravity, although no gravitational disturbance can yet be seen in the image. These objects are probably only just beginning to interact gravitationally.
After millennia of mining, copper nowhere near 'peak'
New research shows that existing copper resources can sustain increasing world-wide demand for at least a century, meaning social and environmental concerns could be the most important restrictions on future copper production.
UN says 2001-2010 decade shows faster warming trend
Global warming accelerated since the 1970s and broke more countries' temperature records than ever before in the first decade of the new millennium, U.N. climate experts said Wednesday.
NASA satellite sees Dalila become a hurricane in Eastern Pacific
The tropical storm that has been hugging the southwestern coast of Mexico moved toward open ocean and strengthened into a hurricane on July 2. NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Dalila after moving away from the coast and strengthening into a hurricane. Dalila has become the third hurricane of the Eastern Pacific Ocean hurricane season after Barbara and Cosme. As Dalila starts to weaken, a new tropical low appears to be developing to the southeast.
Astronomers gain new knowledge about early galaxies
The early galaxies of the universe were very different from today's galaxies. Using new detailed studies carried out with the ESO Very Large Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope, researchers, including members from the Niels Bohr Institute, have studied an early galaxy in unprecedented detail and determined a number of important properties such as size, mass, content of elements and have determined how quickly the galaxy forms new stars. The results are published in the scientific journal, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Lunar rovers could be engulfed by dust
(Phys.org) —Space agencies around the world have plans to continue the exploration of the Moon in the next two decades, with ever more sophisticated robots paving the way for astronauts to walk on the lunar surface once again. One major issue for these projects is the dust found on the lunar surface, material that is abrasive, sticky and unhealthy to breathe. Now an Anglo-French team of scientists have modelled how this dust will affect any rover vehicles travelling across the surface. They find a serious risk that rovers that move around sunrise and sunset could be engulfed in dust. Professor Farideh Honary of the University of Lancaster will present the new work at the RAS National Astronomy Meeting in St Andrews on Wednesday 3 July.
Magnetic rocks aid oil exploration
A new study has pinpointed the relationship between oil reservoirs and magnetic rocks, which could lead to more accurate oil exploration.
Mars rover Opportunity passes half-way point to next destination
(Phys.org) —NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has driven more than half of the distance needed to get from a site where it spent 22 months to its next destination.
Medicine & Health news
Wales votes for 'presumed consent' organ donationWales will become the first country in the United Kingdom to adopt an organ and tissue donation scheme based on presumed consent after assembly members voted in favour of a bill on Tuesday.
Britain unveils plans to charge migrants for healthcare (Update)
Britain announced plans on Wednesday to charge migrants hundreds of pounds a year to access its state-run National Health Service (NHS), in a bid to clamp down on so-called health tourism.
Ethicists find UK ban on embryo sex selection 'unjustifiable'
As Europe's leading fertility specialists gather at a conference in London this weekend, a major new publication from leading medical ethicists finds no justification to support the UK's legal ban on sex selection before pregnancy for 'social' reasons.
Women and HIV: A story of racial and ethnic health disparities
The history of women with HIV/AIDS in the United States is really a story of racial and ethnic health disparities.
New study to give insight into the public health risks of antibiotic resistant bacteria
Scientists at Queen Mary, University of London are part of a national study seeking to establish the most significant reservoirs of an antibiotic resistant bacteria known as ESBL-positive E.coli that cause human and animal disease.
Study finds quality interaction eases refugee prejudice
Murdoch University-led research has found that quality interaction, not length of interaction, is the key to reducing anxiety about, and prejudice toward, refugees.
Assisted reproduction for same-sex male couples and single men examined
Elsevier today announced the publication of a recent retrospective study in Reproductive BioMedicine Online to better understand treatment considerations and outcomes for same-sex male couples and single men when using assisted reproduction treatment.
New research demonstrates an increase in NHS productivity
A new study by researchers at the Centre for Health Economics, University of York, reveals the productivity of the NHS in England increased by 3.2 per cent in the first year of the Coalition administration.
Lifesaving HIV treatment could reach millions more people following landmark study
Millions more people could get access to life-saving HIV drug therapy, following a landmark study led by Australian researchers based at the Kirby Institute at the University of New South Wales (UNSW).
Hot flashes take heavier toll on women with HIV
Women with HIV are living longer, so more are entering menopause. As they do, they suffer more severe hot flashes than women without HIV, and their hot flashes take a heavier toll on their quality of life and daily functioning, found researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital. Their study was published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society.
Study confirms adding chemotherapy to surgery improves survival in advanced gastric cancer
For patients with advanced gastric cancer, treatment with chemotherapy after surgery can reduce the risk of cancer related death by 34% over five years compared to surgery alone, researchers said at the 15th ESMO World Congress in Gastrointestinal Cancer.
EULAR issues updated rheumatoid arthritis management recommendations
The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) has released updated recommendations for the management of RA. According to this latest guidance, treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) should be initiated as soon as a diagnosis of RA is made, with the aim of reaching a target of remission or low disease activity in every patient.
White House delays key element of health care law
President Barack Obama's health care law, hailed as his most significant legislative achievement, seems to be losing much of its sweep.
Britain bans herbal drug khat
British Home Secretary Theresa May on Wednesday announced a ban on the herbal stimulant khat, going against the advice of her own experts who said such a move was disproportionate.
Justice: Hospitals to pay $34 million settlement
Fifty-five hospitals in 21 states have agreed to pay $34 million to the U.S. government to settle allegations that they used more expensive inpatient procedures rather than outpatient spinal surgeries to get bigger payments from Medicare.
Moms often talk to children about the results of cancer genetic testing
Mothers commonly talk to their children about genetic test results even if they test positive for a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, which sharply increases a woman's risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. That is among the findings of a new study from Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, which also suggests mothers who don't discuss their test results are unsatisfied with that decision.
A good night's sleep increases the cardiovascular benefits of a healthy lifestyle
A good night's sleep can increase the benefit of exercise, healthy diet, moderate alcohol consumption and non-smoking in their protection against cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to results of a large population follow-up study.(1) Results showed that the combination of the four traditional healthy lifestyle habits was associated with a 57% lower risk of cardiovascular disease (fatal and non-fatal) and a 67% lower risk of fatal events. But, when "sufficient sleep" (defined as seven or more hours a night) was added to the other four lifestyle factors, the overall protective benefit was even further increased - and resulted in a 65% lower risk of composite CVD and a 83% lower risk of fatal events.
Single men, smokers at higher risk for oral human papillomavirus infection, study shows
(Medical Xpress)—Smokers and single men are more likely to acquire cancer-causing oral human papillomavirus (HPV), according to new results from the HPV Infection in Men (HIM) Study. Researchers from Moffitt Cancer Center, the National Cancer Institute, Mexico and Brazil also report that newly acquired oral HPV infections in healthy men are rare and when present, usually resolve within one year.
US delays health care law mandate until 2015
President Barack Obama's administration announced Tuesday it will not enforce part of the federal health care law until 2015, delaying penalties on employers who do not provide health insurance for workers.
Progestin Tx reasonably effective for early endometrial cancer
(HealthDay)—Conservative management with oral progestin can be a reasonable treatment option for many patients with stage 1A endometrial cancer, according to research published in the July issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Activists warn trade pact will keep out generics (Update)
A free trade pact being negotiated by the U.S. and 11 Asia-Pacific nations will impose aggressive intellectual property rules that could restrict access to affordable medicines in developing nations, health activists warned Wednesday.
Costa Rica issues health alert over dengue
Costa Rica on Tuesday declared a health alert due to a dengue fever outbreak which has claimed three lives and infected about 12,000 people so far this year, authorities said.
New research boosts search for cure, AIDS meeting told
Fresh data from several small trials presented at an AIDS conference on Wednesday provides encouraging news in the quest for a cure for HIV, scientists said.
New non-invasive test may detect liver disease earlier
Researchers from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Unit in Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Nottingham will be showing how new tests can detect liver disease at an earlier stage at this year's Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition which opens to the public officially today.
Researchers find new clue to cause of human narcolepsy
(Medical Xpress)—In 2000, researchers at the UCLA Center for Sleep Research published findings showing that people suffering from narcolepsy, a disorder characterized by uncontrollable periods of deep sleep, had 90 percent fewer neurons containing the neuropeptide hypocretin in their brains than healthy people. The study was the first to show a possible biological cause of the disorder.
Protein called FAIM could help doctors to parse which cancer patients will respond to multiple myeloma therapy
A number of drugs exist that can extend the lifespan of people with multiple myeloma (MM), but none of these medicines are curative. Thus, medical researchers continue to search for targets for new drug therapies as well as new ways to predict which particular patients will be most responsive to existing treatment options.
Virology: Seeking solutions to viral migration
Although seldom fatal, persistent infection by chikungunya virus (CHIKV) afflicts patients with joint pain lasting months or even years. This insect-borne virus has received relatively little scientific attention in the 50 years since its initial description in African patients, but researchers in Singapore have now uncovered a host protein that can keep CHIKV in check.
When injected as a hydrogel rather than in solution, an anticancer protein treats liver tumors more effectively
Proteins and other therapeutic compounds injected directly into the blood stream tend to be broken down rapidly by the immune system. Now, researchers in Singapore have demonstrated in mice that the anticancer protein, interferon-α2a (IFN-α2a), can be delivered more effectively to liver tumors when incorporated into an injectable hydrogel.
Study suggests reducing air-polluting PAHs may lower levels of lung cancer deaths
(Medical Xpress)—High emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can be linked to lung cancer deaths in the United States and countries with a similarly high socioeconomic rank, including Canada, Australia, France, and Germany, according to a study by Oregon State University.
Impulsive adolescents more likely to drink heavily
(Medical Xpress)—Scientists at the University of Liverpool have shown that young people who show impulsive tendencies are more prone to drinking heavily at an early age.
Discovery of pathway for deadly cancer could lead to better diagnosis, treatment
(Medical Xpress)—University of Florida Health researchers have discovered a molecular pathway involved in the deadly spread of the most lethal kind of brain cancer.
Challenging the necessity of anti-psychotic drugs
Trials are currently underway to evaluate how the mental health and behaviour of adults with learning disabilities is affected by the gradual withdrawal of their anti-psychotic medication.
Can we use 3-D printing and stem cells to build a bone?
Pioneering techniques aiming to recreate human bone for replacement and repair will be showcased at the Royal Society's annual Summer Science Exhibition which opens to the public today.
Student analyzes the effects of lead exposure in Chinese children
(Medical Xpress)—The exposure of its citizens to dangerous toxins continues to be a concern in China, a newly industrialized nation with a large population and little environmental regulation, but for University of Pennsylvania senior Richard Liu one health risk has been particularly deserving of attention: lead exposure in young children.
Stress-induced overweight: Mechanism for fat distribution discovered
(Medical Xpress)—When someone is suffering from raised stress levels increased amounts of glucocorticoids are secreted. These play a part in becoming overweight. Up until now it has not been clear why fat tissue is formed primarily in the belly as abdominal or visceral fat. Scientists from the Clinical Institute of Laboratory Medicine at the MedUni Vienna have now decoded a mechanism responsible for the distribution of fat.
Immune-boosting colorectal cancer drug shows promise
New data on an emerging treatment that aims to fight colorectal cancer by stimulating the immune system have been presented at the ESMO 15th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer.
Happily married means a healthier ever after
(Medical Xpress)—New BYU research finds that people in happy marriages live less "in sickness" but enjoy more of life "in health."
Saudi records two new deaths from MERS
A Saudi man and a woman have died from the MERS virus, raising the death toll from the SARS-like infection in the kingdom to 36, the health ministry said on Wednesday.
Psychologists proof positive 'side effects' of studying abroad
Spain, France and Great Britain – these are the favourite countries of young Germans who study abroad under the ERASMUS programme. More and more German students consider one or two terms at a university abroad an essential part of their CVs. As a consequence, the number of students who spent some time at a foreign university has more than doubled over the last few years and it is estimated that about a quarter of all German students have gained some form of international experiences.
Researcher warns banned 'fountain of youth drug' may be making a comeback
Despite it being more than 30 years since the "fountain of youth drug" Gerovital H3 was banned in the United States, it may be making a comeback. In an editorial published in this month's Journal of the American Geriatrics Society BUSM researcher Thomas Perls, MD, points out that a few U.S.-based anti-aging and longevity clinics have begun to advertise Gerovital H3 in pill form and as intravenous infusions despite the fact that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned it in 1982.
Shape-shifting disease proteins may explain variable appearance of neurodegenerative diseases
Neurodegenerative diseases are not all alike. Two individuals suffering from the same disease may experience very different age of onset, symptoms, severity, and constellation of impairments, as well as different rates of disease progression. Researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have shown one disease protein can morph into different strains and promote misfolding of other disease proteins commonly found in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other related neurodegenerative diseases.
New research identifies a microRNA that drives both cancer onset and metastasis
A mere 25 years ago, noncoding RNAs were considered nothing more than "background noise" in the overall genomic landscape. Now, two new studies reveal that one of these tiny noncoding molecules – microRNA-22 – plays an outsized role in two types of cancer.
Scientists identify gene that controls aggressiveness in breast cancer cells
In a discovery that sheds new light on the aggressiveness of certain breast cancers, Whitehead Institute researchers have identified a transcription factor, known as ZEB1, that is capable of converting non-aggressive basal-type cancer cells into highly malignant, tumor-forming cancer stem cells (CSCs). Intriguingly, luminal breast cancer cells, which are associated with a much better clinical prognosis, carry this gene in a state in which it seems to be permanently shut down.
Scientists identify genetic cause of 'spongy' skin condition
Scientists have identified the genetic cause of a rare skin condition that causes the hands and feet to turn white and spongy when exposed to water.
Scientists find a novel research model for the study of auto-immune diseases
A team of researchers at the IRCM, led by Dr. Javier M. Di Noia in the Immunity and Viral Infections research division, discovered a novel research model for the study of auto-immune diseases. The Montréal scientists are the first to find a way to separate two important mechanisms that improve the quality of antibodies. This study was featured in a recent issue of The Journal of Immunology.
Research team improves immunization strategies for dengue fever in Thailand
Using a unique data set spanning 40 years of dengue fever incidence in Thailand, an international team led by biostatistician Nicholas Reich at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has for the first time estimated from data that after an initial dengue infection, a person is protected from infection with other strains for between one and three years.
Gateway for metastases: Activated blood platelets enable cancer cells to penetrate blood vessels
Malignant tumours often spread to remote areas of the body. In the majority of cases, metastases formation develops via the blood vascular system. The blood platelets thereby provide invaluable help to the tumour cells in penetrating new organs. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim have identified the P2Y2 receptor molecule on the cells of the blood platelet wall as the gateway that allows the cancer cells to enter the organs. They now aim to prevent the formation of metastases through the targeted blocking of this key molecule.
Researchers identify molecular switch that kick starts formation of arteries
The ability to form blood vessels is one of evolution's crowning achievements, and something that separates vertebrates (animals with a backbone) from the rest of the animal kingdom. The two types of blood vessels, arteries and veins, are formed from the same precursor cell type—endothelial cells—that become committed to an arterial or venous cell fate during embryonic development. Yet precisely what drives this commitment, which is essential for shaping cardiovascular development, has long eluded researchers. Now, scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have identified the molecular signals that direct this process. In so doing, they illustrate how even the most complex of biological systems can be directed by the most subtle shifts in molecular signaling.
Improved outlook for immune-based therapies: Assay identifies T cells most capable of fighting infections and cancers
The idea of fighting infections and even cancers by inducing protective immune responses may now be a step closer to clinical practice. Researchers have removed a major obstacle to widespread use of so-called adoptive transfer therapy, in which a patient receives "killer" immune cells targeting a disease agent. Existing technologies can easily provide T cells that will recognize a specific antigen, but it has been challenging to identify individual cells most likely to succeed in fighting the disease – until now.
Biomarker predicts heart attack risk based on response to aspirin therapy
Aspirin has been widely used for more than 50 years as a common, inexpensive blood thinner for patients with heart disease and stroke, but doctors have little understanding of how it works and why some people benefit and others don't.
People's diets show a sugar-fat seesaw
Research published today shows why people find it hard to follow Government guidelines to cut their fat and sugars intake at the same time - a phenomenon known as the sugar-fat seesaw.
Does being a bookworm boost your brainpower in old age?
New research suggests that reading books, writing and participating in brain-stimulating activities at any age may preserve memory. The study is published in the July 3, 2013, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Post-breast cancer, metformin has no effect on mortality
(HealthDay)—For older women with diabetes and breast cancer, there is no association between metformin use and all-cause or breast cancer-specific mortality, according to a study published online April 30 in Diabetes Care.
Short-term UV radiation linked to odds of juvenile myositis
(HealthDay)—Short-term ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure may contribute to the development of juvenile myositis, according to a study published in the July issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
More than 40 percent of docs report work dissatisfaction
(HealthDay)—Many physicians are dissatisfied and are unlikely to recommend the medical profession to young people, according to a report published by Jackson Healthcare.
Simple ways to prevent fireworks injuries
(HealthDay)—Many Fourth of July fireworks-related injuries could be prevented with some common sense, according to experts who advise people to avoid using fireworks at home—even if they're legal.
The role of noncoding 5S rRNA in protecting the p53 tumor suppressor gene
Researchers of the Cancer Metabolism group at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Catalan Oncology Institute (ICO) and the Division of Hematology-Oncology of the University of Cincinnati, led by George Thomas, have discovered a role for ribosomal 5S RNA in the formation of a complex that regulates the stability of p53. Normally, p53 prevents healthy cells from becoming tumorigenic. It is maintained at low levels when cells function properly and increases when there is a cellular damage.
Complications more likely with emergency gallbladder surgery: study
(HealthDay)—Emergency gallbladder surgery carries a higher risk of complications than planned surgery, a new study finds.
Dodging antibiotic side effects
A team of scientists at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University has discovered why long-term treatment with many common antibiotics can cause harmful side effects—and they have uncovered two easy strategies that could help prevent these dangerous responses. They reported the results in the July 3rd issue of Science Translational Medicine.
New breast cancer test will help more women avoid unnecessary chemotherapy
A new genetic test for one of the most common forms of breast cancer will help doctors better identify those women who should be considered for chemotherapy, and those who can avoid it, say researchers.
Urine test can diagnose, predict kidney transplant rejection
Analysis of three biomarkers in the urine of kidney transplant recipients can diagnose—and even predict—transplant rejection, according to results from a clinical trial sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. This test for biomarkers—molecules that indicate the effect or progress of a disease—offers an accurate, noninvasive alternative to the standard kidney biopsy, in which doctors remove a small piece of kidney tissue to look for rejection-associated damage. The findings appear in the July 4 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Clues about autism may come from the gut
Bacterial flora inhabiting the human gut have become one of the hottest topics in biological research. Implicated in a range of important activities including digestion, fine-tuning body weight, regulating immune response, and producing neurotransmitters affect that brain and behavior, these tiny workers form diverse communities. Hundreds of species inhabit the gut, and although most are beneficial, some can be very dangerous.
Cancer-linked FAM190A gene found to regulate cell division
Johns Hopkins cancer scientists have discovered that a little-described gene known as FAM190A plays a subtle but critical role in regulating the normal cell division process known as mitosis, and the scientists' research suggests that mutations in the gene may contribute to commonly found chromosomal instability in cancer.
Johns Hopkins GI doctors use endoscopy to place transpyloric stent
Physicians at Johns Hopkins say they are encouraged by early results in three patients of their new treatment for gastroparesis, a condition marked by the failure of the stomach to properly empty its contents into the small intestine. In an article published online today in the journal Endoscopy, they describe how the placement of a small metal stent in the stomach can improve life for people who suffer from severe bouts of nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting that accompany the condition.
Maintaining immune balance involves an unconventional mechanism of T cell regulation
New findings from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital reveal an unconventional control mechanism involved in the production of specialized T cells that play a critical role in maintaining immune system balance. The research appears in the current online edition of the scientific journal Nature.
Violent video games don't always reduce subsequent helpfulness
Violent or antisocial video games like Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto do not reliably reduce helpful behaviors in players shortly after playing, according to research published July 3 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Morgan Tear and Mark Nielsen from the University of Queensland, Australia.
2 stem cell patients stop HIV drugs, no virus seen (Update)
Two HIV-positive patients in the United States who underwent bone marrow transplants for cancer have stopped anti-retroviral therapy and still show no detectable sign of the HIV virus, researchers said Wednesday.
Epigenetic changes to fat cells following exercise
Exercise, even in small doses, changes the expression of our innate DNA. New research from Lund University in Sweden has described for the first time what happens on an epigenetic level in fat cells when we undertake physical activity.
DNA markers in low-IQ autism suggest heredity
Researchers are striving to understand the different genetic structures that underlie at least a subset of autism spectrum disorders. In cases where the genetic code is in error, did that happen anew in the patient, perhaps through mutation or copying error, or was it inherited? A new study in the American Journal of Human Genetics finds evidence that there may often be a recessive, inherited genetic contribution in autism with significant intellectual disability.
Researchers discover new mechanism for human gene expression
In a study that could change the way scientists view the process of protein production in humans, University of Chicago researchers have found a single gene that encodes two separate proteins from the same sequence of messenger RNA.
Princeton researchers create 'bionic ear' (Update)
With a 3-D printer, a petri dish and some cells from a cow, Princeton University researchers are growing synthetic ears that can receive—and transmit—sound.
First comprehensive regulatory map is a blueprint for how to defeat tuberculosis
Despite decades of research on the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB), scientists have not had a comprehensive understanding of how the bacterium is wired to adapt to changing conditions in the host. Now, researchers at Stanford University, Seattle BioMed, Boston University and the Broad Institute, Max Planck Institute of Biology in Berlin, Germany, Caprion Proteomics Inc. in Montreal, Canada, Brigham and Woman's Hospital (Harvard University), and Colorado State University have taken the first steps toward a complete representation of the regulatory network for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This map of the network of genes that control the TB bacterium will yield unique insights into how the bacteria survive in the host, and how they can be tackled with new drug interventions.
Study identifies regions of genome associated with cholera susceptibility in Bangladesh
An international research team has used a novel approach to identify genetic factors that appear to influence susceptibility to cholera. The findings by investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the Broad Institute and the International Center for Diarrhœal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) indicate the importance of pathways involved in regulating water loss in intestinal cells and of the innate immune system in the body's response to the bacteria that causes cholera, which affects from 3 to 5 million people each year and causes more than 100,000 deaths.
Scientists create 'human liver' from stem cells
Scientists in Japan said Wednesday they had grown human liver tissue from stem cells in a first that holds promise for alleviating the critical shortage of donor organs.
H7N9 flu peril lies in deep lung infiltration, study reports
The H7N9 bird flu virus is a peril for humans because it replicates deep in the lungs where it can trigger a dangerous response from the immune system, a study said Wednesday.
Exercise reorganizes the brain to be more resilient to stress
Physical activity reorganizes the brain so that its response to stress is reduced and anxiety is less likely to interfere with normal brain function, according to a research team based at Princeton University.
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