RxPG News : Latest Research

Study identifies a genetic risk factor for persistent pain

Thu, 02 May 2013 23:03:26 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) A new study led by University of North Carolina School of Medicine researchers is the first to identify a genetic risk factor for persistent pain after traumatic events such as motor vehicle collision and sexual assault.

In addition, the study contributes further evidence that persistent pain after stressful events, including motor vehicle collisions and sexual assaults, has a specific biological basis. A manuscript of the study was published online ahead of print by the journal Pain on April 29.

"Our study findings indicate that mechanisms influencing chronic pain development may be related to the stress response, rather than any specific injury caused by the traumatic event," said Samuel McLean, MD, MPH, senior author of the study and assistant professor of anesthesiology. "In other words, our results suggest that in some individuals something goes wrong with the body's 'fight or flight' response or the body's recovery from this response, and persistent pain results."

The study assessed the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, a physiologic system of central importance to the body's response to stressful events. The study evaluated whether the HPA axis influences musculoskeletal pain severity six weeks after motor vehicle collision (MVC) and sexual assault. Its findings revealed that variation in the gene encoding for the protein FKBP5, which plays an important role in regulating the HPA axis response to stress, was associated with a 20 percent higher risk of moderate to severe neck pain six weeks after a motor vehicle collision, as well as a greater extent of body pain. The same variant also predicted increased pain six weeks after sexual assault.

"Right now, if an someone comes to the emergency department after a car accident, we don't have any interventions to prevent chronic pain from developing," McLean said. Similarly, if a woman comes to the emergency department after sexual assault, we have medications to prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease, but no treatments to prevent chronic pain. This is because we understand what causes pregnancy or infection, but we have no idea what the biologic mechanisms are that cause chronic pain. Chronic pain after these events is common and can cause great suffering, and there is an urgent need to understand what causes chronic pain so that we can start to develop interventions. This study is an important first step in developing this understanding."

"In addition, because we don't understand what causes these outcomes, individuals with chronic pain after traumatic events are often viewed with suspicion, as if they are making up their symptoms for financial gain or having a psychological reaction," McLean said. "An improved understanding of the biology helps with this stigma," McLean said

New research helps place modern temperatures into a more complete statistical framework

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Harvard researchers are adding statistical nuance to our understanding of how modern and historical temperatures compare.

Through developing a statistical model of Arctic temperature and how it relates to instrumental and proxy records derived from trees, ice cores, and lake sediments, Martin Tingley, a research associate in Harvard's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Peter Huybers, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, have shown that the warmest summers in the last two decades are unprecedented in the previous six centuries. Their work is described in an April 11 paper published in

Most effective PTSD therapies are not being widely used, researchers find

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Post-traumatic stress disorder affects nearly 8 million adults in any given year, federal statistics show. Fortunately, clinical research has identified certain psychological interventions that effectively ameliorate the symptoms of PTSD. But most people struggling with PTSD don't receive those treatments, according to a new report published in

Center for Pharmaceutical Advancement and Training Inauguration Event

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) To: Reporters and producers in the areas of public health, pharmacy, manufacturing, government, and international and economic development.

Why: Serious public health issues related to poor quality medicines have been linked to lack of capacity building (technical and regulatory) in countries with limited resources. As the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) increases its global role with partners around the world to help ensure the quality of medicines, CePAT will strive to build human resource capacity in pharmaceutical quality control by developing local talent to serve as technical experts in their countries. CePAT aims to be the start of a transformative, global initiative towards equipping national and local regulatory authorities and officers, quality assurance and quality control professionals, manufacturers, and others in the pharmaceutical industry with knowledge and skills to promote access to quality medicines.

What: CePAT grand opening event.

American College of Physicians unveils tools to improve acute coronary syndrome care

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) April 12, 2013 -- The American College of Physicians (ACP) today unveiled two evidence-based interventions and two videos to improve the health outcomes of patients in the first year following an initial acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event such as heart attack and unstable angina (chest pain or discomfort but no part of the heart muscle dies), the most common indications of ACS.

About five million patients in the U.S. are at risk for ACS and approximately 134,000 die from it every year. ACS results in almost 1.2 million hospitalizations annually with 70 percent of those from heart attack and 30 percent from unstable angina.

ACP's Initiative on Acute Coronary Syndrome aims to bridge the communication gap between clinicians and patients in the home or hospital. Because care in the 12 months after an initial ACS event is so important, the initiative focuses on improving health outcomes in the first year utilizing four key interventions suited to the varied needs of patients and clinicians: a patient guide, a clinician support tool, and two videos.

These easy-to-understand, straightforward materials in multiple formats will facilitate communication between clinicians and patients, helping to prevent instances of and improve treatment of heart attack and unstable angina, said David L. Bronson, MD, FACP, president, ACP.

Reactivating memories during sleep

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) EVANSTON, Ill. --- Why do some memories last a lifetime while others disappear quickly?

A new study suggests that memories rehearsed, during either sleep or waking, can have an impact on memory consolidation and on what is remembered later.

The new Northwestern University study shows that when the information that makes up a memory has a high value (associated with, for example, making more money), the memory is more likely to be rehearsed and consolidated during sleep and, thus, be remembered later.

Also, through the use of a direct manipulation of sleep, the research demonstrated a way to encourage the reactivation of low-value memories so they too were remembered later.

Delphine Oudiette, a postdoctoral fellow in the department of psychology at Northwestern and lead author of the study, designed the experiment to study how participants remembered locations of objects on a computer screen. A value assigned to each object informed participants how much money they could make if they remembered it later on the test.

The pay-off was much higher for some of the objects than for others, explained Ken Paller, professor of psychology at Northwestern and co-author of the study. In other words, we manipulated the value of the memories -- some were valuable memories and others not so much, just as the things we experience each day vary in the extent to which we'd like to be able to remember them later.

When each object was shown, it was accompanied by a characteristic sound. For example, a tea kettle would appear with a whistling sound. During both states of wakefulness and sleep, some of the sounds were played alone, quite softly, essentially reminding participants of the low-value items.

Participants remembered the low-value associations better when the sound presentations occurred during sleep.

We think that what's happening during sleep is basically the reactivation of that information, Oudiette said. We can provoke the reactivation by presenting those sounds, therefore energizing the low-value memories so they get stored better.

The research poses provocative implications about the role memory reactivation during sleep could play in improving memory storage, said Paller, director of the Cognitive Neuroscience Program at Northwestern. Whatever makes you rehearse during sleep is going to determine what you remember later, and conversely, what you're going to forget.

Many memories that are stored during the day are not remembered.

We think one of the reasons for that is that we have to rehearse memories in order to keep them. When you practice and rehearse, you increase the likelihood of later remembering, Oudiette said. And a lot of our rehearsal happens when we don't even realize it -- while we're asleep.

Paller said selectivity of memory consolidation is not well understood. Most efforts in memory research have focused on what happens when you first form a memory and on what happens when you retrieve a memory.

The in-between time is what we want to learn more about, because a fascinating aspect of memory storage is that it is not static, Paller said. Memories in our brain are changing all of the time. Sometimes you improve memory storage by rehearsing all the details, so maybe later you remember better -- or maybe worse if you've embellished too much.

The fact that this critical memory reactivation transpires during sleep has mostly been hidden from us, from humanity, because we don't realize so much of what's happening while we're asleep, he said.

Secrets of bacterial slime revealed

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Newcastle University scientists have revealed the mechanism that causes a slime to form, making bacteria hard to shift and resistant to antibiotics.

When under threat, some bacteria can shield themselves in a slimy protective layer, known as a biofilm. It is made up of communities of bacteria held together to protect themselves from attack.

Biofilms cause dental plaque and sinusitis; in healthcare, biofilms can lead to life threatening and difficult to treat infections, particularly on medical implants such as catheters, heart valves, artificial hips and even breast implants. They also they coat the outside of ships and boats polluting the water.

Publishing in

Johns Hopkins experts to present genetics advances at international meeting this weekend

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Johns Hopkins genetics researchers Aravinda Chakravarti, Ph.D., and David Valle, M.D., will each present at the joint conference of the Human Genome Meeting 2013 and the 21st International Congress of Genetics. The conference, which will take place in Singapore April 13-18, 2013, will focus on the genetics and genomics of world health and sustainability. Chakravarti and Valle are the former and current director, respectively, of the Johns Hopkins University McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine.

Both Chakravarti and Valle will speak at the conference's Mendelian Genetic Diseases session, to be held on April 13 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. local time. Chakravarti will relate his findings about Hirschsprung's disease, an inherited intestinal disorder that, he has found, can be caused by a number of different rare genetic variations. Valle will speak about the work of the Baylor-Johns Hopkins Center for Mendelian Genetics, a four-year, National Institutes of Health-funded search for the culprits behind single-gene diseases usually called Mendelian disorders.

On April 18 at 8:30 a.m., Chakravarti will chair a plenary discussion in which he will reflect on progress in genomics since the sequencing of the human genome 10 years ago, focusing on the areas of ethical issues, identifying disease genes and understanding gene mechanisms.Related stories:

Cheers to better beer and disease resistance

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) For the first time in nearly a century drinkers will be able to taste beer made from Chevallier, the classic heritage barley from the Victorian period.

Old varieties are a rich source of new genes, and scientists at the John Innes Centre revived Chevallier from the institute's Genetic Resources Unit as part of a barley improvement project. Historic records indicate that the variety produced premium quality malt and good yields.

Disappearing nannies force parents to accept their duties

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Large helpers (nannies) in a cichlid fish allow the dominant male and female to reduce their personal contribution to their offspring and territory, according to new research published today in

CO2 removal can lower costs of climate protection

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) According to the analysis, carbon dioxide removal could be used under certain requirements to alleviate the most costly components of mitigation, but it would not replace the bulk of actual emissions reductions.

Asbestos exposure, asbestosis, and smoking combined greatly increase lung cancer risk

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) The chances of developing lung cancer associated with asbestos exposure, asbestosis and smoking are dramatically increased when these three risk factors are combined, and quitting smoking significantly reduces the risk of developing lung cancer after long-term asbestos exposure, according to a new study.

Scientists map elusive 3-D structure of telomerase enzyme, key actor in cancer, aging

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Like finally seeing all the gears of a watch and how they work together, researchers from UCLA and UC Berkeley have, for the first time ever, solved the puzzle of how the various components of an entire telomerase enzyme complex fit together and function in a three-dimensional structure.

The creation of the first complete visual map of the telomerase enzyme, which is known to play a significant role in aging and most cancers, represents a breakthrough that could open up a host of new approaches to fighting disease, the researchers said.

Everyone in the field wants to know what telomerase looks like, and there it was. I was so excited, I could hardly breathe, said Juli Feigon, a UCLA professor of chemistry and biochemistry and a senior author of the study. We were the first to see it.

The scientists report the positions of each component of the enzyme relative to one another and the complete organization of the enzyme's active site. In addition, they demonstrate how the different components contribute to the enzyme's activity, uniquely correlating structure with biochemical function.

The research appears April 11 in the print edition of the journal

Are 4 antenatal visits enough?

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Reanalysis of the World Health Organization's Antenatal Care Trial (WHOACT) shows that there is an increased risk of fetal death at between 32 and 36 weeks for women who have a reduced antenatal care package, finds research published in BioMed Central's open access journal

Research shows promise for microwave ablation to relieve painful bone and soft-tissue tumors

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) April 11, 2013, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- First-of-its-kind research presented today showed microwave ablation (MWA) therapy cut pain in half for patients with painful bone and soft-tissue tumors and took less time to complete than radiofrequency ablation. Pain relief lasted over 4 months on average and up to 15 months in some patients, according to results reported at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine.

Approximately 10,600 new cases of soft-tissue sarcoma and 2,570 new cases of bone sarcoma were diagnosed in the United States in 2009, according to statistics published through the American Cancer Society. Managing the often-significant pain related to the tumors can be difficult. MWA is a relatively new therapy that has been applied to the management of various tumors, including those located in the liver, adrenal gland, thyroid and kidney, but had not yet been described for this indication, the study authors said.

Experimental study suggests bone-marrow grafts show promise for some sufferers of low-back pain

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) April 11, 2013, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- A new study suggests that the type of bio-cellular grafts increasingly used by surgeons to repair damaged tissue may be useful for treating low-back pain (LBP). However, not all sufferers responded equally to the novel therapy. Results reported today at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine ranged from complete pain relief to no improvement.

The procedure involved injecting a concentrated form of bone-marrow cellular aspirate into lumbar discs in patients with clinical and objective evidence of disc degeneration. The results were reported in a poster authored by researchers from the Columbia Interventional Pain Center in Columbia, Mo., and the Bluetail Medical Group in Chesterfield, Mo.

The results of our case review are encouraging, said Donald J. Meyer, MD, PhD, the study's primary author. Currently, when conservative treatment measures fail, therapeutic options are limited for individuals with back pain due to disc degeneration. Many resort to disc surgery or spinal fusion with mediocre results. Our goal is to help develop a safe, natural method to boost the body's own capacity to heal discogenic pain.

The practice of using autologous grafts, in which material is transferred from within the same individual's body, has evolved beyond the simple use of platelet-rich plasma to encompass cellular bone-marrow concentrate and cells drawn from body fat, the study authors explained. Intrigued by the technique's possibilities in treating LBP, the team retrospectively examined data for 22 consecutive patients treated at Columbia Interventional Pain Center in Columbia, Mo., over 18 months. Patients had LBP lasting an average of 4 years along with evidence confirming degenerative disc changes via CT scan or MRI. Some patients also complained of leg pain.

Patients were informed of the study's experimental nature and gave informed consent. During the procedure, investigators harvested 60 cc iliac bone-marrow aspirate and concentrated it in a centrifuge to obtain bone-marrow aspirate cellular concentrate (BMAC). They then injected BMAC into each affected lumbar disc annulus using a 22-gauge Chiba needle under fluoroscopy. This was followed by the injection of an additional small amount of BMAC immediately external to the annulus. A maximum of 2 discs were treated.

At 5-24 months following treatment, patients reported changes in back pain ranging from complete pain relief to no improvement. No patient reported a worsening of pain, and no complications occurred. All subjects who experienced pain relief also reported significant improvement in activity tolerance or a reduction in pain medication use, or both.

A future prospective study is warranted, the authors concluded, to examine whether biologic autograft treatment may provide a safe and effective therapy for lumbar discogenic pain.

Poster 203 - Lumbar Disc Biologic Autograft Injection of Bone Marrow Concentrate for Treatment of Low Back Pain: Retrospective Review of 22 Consecutive Cases

Soy-based compound may reduce tumor cell proliferation in colorectal cancer

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Research on a soy-based treatment for colorectal cancer, a promising agent in ovarian cancer, and a new drug target for advanced prostate cancer was presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 2013 Annual Meeting. The meeting took place April 6-10, 2013 in Washington, DC.

Study suggests dexmedetomidine before surgery reduced remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) April 11, 2013, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- Surgical patients who demonstrated heightened pain sensitivity, or hyperalgesia, induced by high doses of a synthetic opioid had their symptoms alleviated by co-treatment with dexmedetomidine, according to new research. Study investigators, who presented their results today at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, concluded that dexmedetomidine may be a new and effective treatment option for opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH).

OIH refers to increased pain sensitivity due to high-dose or prolonged opioid exposure. Dexmedetomidine is an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist that is believed, based on prior research, to reduce pain and opioid requirements after surgery (Blaudszun et al, Anesthesiology 2012;116(6):1312-22). In the current study, OIH was induced by high doses of remifentanil, which is an ultra short-acting synthetic opioid used during surgery as an adjunct to anesthesia and to relieve pain.

High-dose remifentanil can induce hyperalgesia, which is marked by a decreased mechanical hyperalgesia threshold, enhanced pain intensity, shorter time to first postoperative analgesic requirement and greater morphine consumption, said Kim Yeon-Dong, MD, lead study author and a clinical professor of anesthesiology and pain medicine at Wonkwang University Hospital in Iksan City, South Korea. Dexmedetomidine infusion efficiently alleviated these symptoms.

Patients treated with dexmedetomidine reported less pain, used less post-surgical morphine, and went longer before requesting medication for pain relief than patients treated with placebo. They also reported fewer adverse opioid-related effects, including nausea.

The research was conducted on 90 patients who underwent laparoscopically-assisted vaginal hysterectomy. Patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 research groups, each of which received either dexmedetomidine or placebo saline 15 minutes before surgery. During surgery, all patients received a remifentanil infusion.

Research examines effects of opioids on patients with sickle cell disease

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) April 11, 2013, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) sought to shed light on the biopsychosocial and spiritual effects of taking prescribed opioids to treat noncancer pain. Such questions have received little examination and impact the challenging decision of when and how to use opioids, the study authors wrote in a scientific poster presented today at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. They found that taking opioids had many and diverse consequences for patients in terms of biological, psychological, social and spiritual functioning.

The multi-phase study, using primarily semi-structured, qualitative interviews and some quantitative components, gathered data from 21 African-American adults with sickle cell disease (SCD). SCD is an inherited blood disorder, and pain is a primary symptom. The average age of participants was 36 years old, and their demographic and socioeconomic statuses varied.

Wally R. Smith, MD, served as senior author on the study, and Abdulkhaliq Alsalman, MS, was lead author and Dr. Smith's graduate student at VCU located in Richmond, Va.

From my research in pharmacotherapy, I realized that there was a paucity of research available about pain management and the chronic use of opioids in SCD, Mr. Alsalman said. Also, I have personal experiences with family and friends who have chronic pain. I saw the impacts of their pain and concomitant opioid use. I saw the need to describe not only multiple individual effects of opioid use, but also a holistic picture of opioid use on patients' daily lives.

Using recorded interviews, resultant effects of prescribed opioids were first transcribed then classified into 1 of 5 effect domains: biological, psychological, social, spiritual and miscellaneous. Further, within each domain, effects were categorized as either negative or positive. However, not all patients interpreted effects as uniformly positive or negative. Different patients sometimes gave opposite interpretations and terms to the same effect. Effects mostly interpreted as negative included social withdrawal and feelings of guilt. Positive effects included independence from pain and avoidance of pity or sympathy. Divergent effects were reported on relationships, productivity in school or work, mood, social and spiritual commitments, outlook and demeanor.

We found divergent effects of prescribed opioids in various domains among SCD patients, which likely modulate subsequent opioid taking behavior, the authors wrote. In all types of effects, biological effects appeared to be mediators of more indirect effects which led to alterations in subsequent opioid taking behavior. For example, respondents noted opioid-induced drowsiness or inability to concentrate, which led to avoidance of prescribed opioids for even severe pain when patients had pressing family, work or religious obligations. These effects were in turn sometimes viewed as positive (e.g., ability to complete required duty), sometimes as negative (e.g., uncontrolled pain resulting in hospitalization).

The data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Grounded theory is common to social sciences and assumes almost no knowledge and the need to generate hypotheses. It draws on empirical data, which is then used to generate hypotheses or build a new theory.

Questions surrounding opioid use are significant for SCD patients. Virginia Smith, FNP, and research coordinator, stated, I have provided care for cancer patients in their homes and for sickle cell patients in the hospital and the clinic. I have observed that patients with cancer usually experience pain, especially unrelenting or unrelieved pain, for a few weeks or months. However, for sickle cell patients, pain is a life-long journey. One of their fears is that the pain medications at some point will not continue to be effective in relief of their pain.

Armed with this research, the team is building and validating a quantitative survey that catalogs the above effects, with the goal of an adequate appreciation of the various consequences of prescribed opioids. The quantification of effects is expected to help guide prescribing decisions and rigorous testing of new hypotheses that may challenge current models of opioid-taking behavior.

Prescribed opioids may be overused in the eyes of some physicians or underused in the eyes of others, Dr. Smith said. We uncovered the need to describe and anticipate both underuse and overuse, linked to biopsychosocial-spiritual effects. We believe our research will facilitate better doctor-patient communication, raise providers' cultural sensitivity to patients' preferences, center prescribing behavior around patients' rather than providers' needs and, ultimately, improve quality of life for patients.

Full range of treatment settings and their effects on radiofrequency heat lesion size

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) April 11, 2013, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- Changing the parameters used to deliver radiofrequency (RF) treatment greatly affects the size of the resulting heat lesion, researchers reported today in a study expected to deliver greater precision and more treatment options in interventional pain management. Results were presented at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine.

This is the most comprehensive study of radiofrequency heat lesion size for pain management to date, said the study's lead author, Eric Cosman Jr., PhD, scientific director of Cosman Medical in Burlington, Mass. I hope these data suggest new and improved methods for physicians treating chronic pain syndromes.

Previous study in the field has tended to examine only a few parameters, leaving many questions unanswered. For instance, how does lesion size depend on active tip length, cannula diameter, set temperature and lesion time? What combination of those parameters can predictably and efficiently create lesions suited to the anatomical target? Are there lessons to be learned for placement technique? And, in general, how does one facilitate treatment and improve patient outcomes?

High-dose opioids disturb hormones long-term, but mental and physiologic function improves

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) April 11, 2013, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- Half of patients on high-dose, long-term opioid therapy had hormonal disturbances or signs of inflammation, while 100 percent reported improved pain control and mental outlook, new research shows. The results, reported today at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, present rare data on the effects of opioids beyond 10 years. Most clinical trials that examine opioid use are of short duration, and little is known about long-term outcomes, particularly in patients who suffer from noncancer pain.

The 40 patients included in the study were evaluated between July and October 2012. Each had been taking a high dose of opioid therapy, defined as more than 100 mg equivalence of morphine a day, for 10 or more years. Each complained of constant, debilitating pain that was classified as intractable, which is defined in California as incurable by any known means. They had tried many non-opioid methods to try to control their pain. Every patient in the study also suffered from severe insomnia.

The patients were tested for serum cortisol, pregnenolone, corticotropin (ACTH), testosterone, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP).

In addition, each patient took 2 written questionnaires. One measured improvements to 17 physiologic functions, including reading, hearing, concentration, memory, driving, sleep, movement, dressing and libido. The other questionnaire asked about depression, hopelessness and quality of life before and during opioid treatment.

All 40 patients reported improvements in depression, hopelessness and quality of life and sustained pain control that accompanied a stable opioid dosage. In addition, all patients reported improvements in at least 1 physiologic function. Categories in which at least 20 patients noted improvements were concentration (27 or 67.5 percent), walking (25 or 62.5 percent), appetite (20 or 50 percent) and movement (31 or 77.5 percent). Seventeen or 62.5 percent of patients reported improvements to sleeping.

Eight patients (20 percent) had hormonal suppression as follows: ACTH in 2 (5 percent), cortisol in 3 (7.5 percent), testosterone in 2 (5 percent) and pregnenolone in 4 (10 percent) of patients. Three patients (7.5 percent) had one or more serum elevations of a hormone as follows: ACTH in 1 (2.5 percent), cortisol in 2 (5 percent) and pregnenolone in 1 (2.5 percent). Nine patients (22.5 percent) had an elevated CRP or ESR.

The high-dose opioid patients studied here greatly improved many physiologic functions and mental outlook, Forest Tennant, MD, PhD, study author and medical director of Veract Intractable Pain Clinic in West Covina, concluded, writing in a scientific poster. Despite these improvements, 12 (30 percent) of patients had an elevated serum hormone level, an inflammatory marker, or both, suggesting the presence of an on-going painful, inflammatory process.

In addition, he wrote, the observed hormonal suppression was a significant complication.

Such findings are noteworthy as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and some states mull limits to opioid prescribing as a means to halt a rising tide of prescription drug abuse and overdose deaths. An FDA panel held a two-day public hearing in February to gather stakeholder testimony as it weighs labeling changes for opioid dosage, indication and treatment duration for noncancer pain.

Web-based tools found to enhance recruitment and prescreening for clinical pain trials

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) April 11, 2013, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- Researchers are suggesting new ways to use existing Internet tools to recruit more study participants for clinical pain trials and to increase the likelihood they will remain throughout the study period. An innovative website allowed recruiters to reach out broadly to target and recruit potential subjects and to avoid many of the common difficulties of pain research, according to results presented today at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine.

Research is important to establish which therapies are safe and effective for pain and which patients might benefit most from them. But clinical pain trials are plagued by low response rates in the early stages and high dropout rates once studies commence. Failure to attract and maintain the appropriate sample size can compromise results and waste valuable resources.

With this in mind, the research team set out to enhance recruitment during a multi-center trial to study women who suffer from vulvar pain. Using funding provided through the National Institutes of Health, they designed a recruitment website that offered multiple methods for attracting and interacting with potential subjects.

The goal was a one-stop shopping site to address informational needs, recruitment into the clinical trial and follow-up of patients who suffer from the painful disorder. Containing these functions within a single website, linked to a secure database, offers a significant advantage, according to the researchers.

Despite the deeply personal and traumatic nature of vulvodynia, women suffering from it are a highly engaged target population that we can reach out to, said Ian Brooks, PhD, director of the Office of Biomedical Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tenn., and an author on the study. Everyone uses the Internet to look for information nowadays, and our website is designed to provide them this information at the same time as screening them for our clinical trial.

The site contains prescreening questionnaires and informational videos specifically tailored to communicate to the target audience. The website also links to the main, Web-based data coordinating center for the trial. The system generates automatic emails, alerting research staff when a potential subject registers on the website, and allows study coordinators to view accrued applicant information. Web analytics collect data on keyword searches, geographic location, bounce-rate and time-on-page, which allows the researchers to constantly tailor and refine the site. Applicants' personal information is securely stored and only viewable by the appropriate research staff.

The researchers described a number of advantages to their method. Using Web-based technology allows the team to reach greater numbers of more diverse potential subjects across the state. The site also offers many ways for potential subjects to communicate with study coordinators. Eligible subjects may choose to provide their information through the website or they may call or email the data coordinator in their area. Further, the potential subjects can be prescreened on a few major eligibility criteria before ever setting foot in a research center. Finally, the enhanced recruitment method is expected to be more cost effective than conventional recruitment.

Dr. Brooks said that the technology behind the website is easy to implement, and the current system could be used as a guide for other researchers running similar clinical trials. His group hopes to make the data coordinating system and recruiting website combination available as a standalone tool in the near future.

University of Houston engineering researcher's theories to be tested in space

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) A University of Houston chemical and biomolecular engineering professor's theories on crystal formation will be tested aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Professor Peter Vekilov received a grant from NASA to study how proteins in a liquid solution nucleate, or form crystals. While researchers understand how crystals grow, they want to know more about how they transform from liquid to crystal.

Vekilov discovered in 2004 that before forming a crystal, proteins in a solution come together in dense droplets, where they possibly begin to unfold into the shape they have when crystalized.

Experimental study suggests bone-marrow grafts show promise for some sufferers of low-back pain

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

Study: Pain improves during first year but mental-health problems linger

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) April 11, 2013, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- Veterans who sustained major limb injuries during combat reported little improvement in symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental-health problems up to 2 years post injury, according to research presented today. In contrast, pain showed the most improvement 3-6 months after acute hospitalization, and then leveled off after 1 year. The investigative team, led by Rollin M. Gallagher, MD, MPH, reported results during a poster session at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine.

Our research confirms that chronic daily pain, including neuropathic pain, continues to be a burden for limb-injured servicemen, that post-traumatic stress is a far more prominent feature of recovery than in other chronic pain populations, and that returning to meaningful role functioning in their lives is challenging for many, said Dr. Gallagher, deputy national program director for pain management in the Department of Veterans Affairs and clinical professor of psychiatry and anesthesiology at the University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia VA Medical Center.

The researchers said surprisingly few studies have examined short- and long-term pain-related and behavioral-health outcomes in returning military personnel with major limb trauma.

The difficulty lies in developing an effective methodology that not only enables investigators to classify in detail the nature and severity of injuries and to characterize psychosocial and initial treatment variables, but that also enables investigators to evaluate the longitudinal outcomes of wounded warriors as they seek to recover in geographically dispersed localities, Dr. Gallagher said.

Using a longitudinal study design, researchers conducted phone interviews with 277 combat-injured military service personnel every 3 months for 2 years, beginning after their initial hospitalization for acute care. Participants had sustained major injuries to extremities and were recruited from major military hospitals, primarily by on-site research staff. Initial evaluation and follow-up interviews were conducted at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, adapting the training and methodology of the Behavioral Health Laboratory for telephone evaluation.

The mean age of participants was 28 years old, 49.1% were married and 43.1% had some college education. Their injuries were as follows: 83.2% suffered lower extremity (LE) injury, 33.5% LE amputation, 8.9% bilateral LE amputation, 48.7% upper extremity (UE) injury and 8.9% UE amputation.

Respondents answered questions designed to measure multiple outcomes related to pain and behavioral health. Tools for measurement included the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), Neuropathic Pain Scale (NPS), Treatment Outcomes in Pain Survey (TOPS) and VA Behavioral Health Laboratory. Institutional Review Boards from the Philadelphia VA, University of Pennsylvania, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and Brooke Army Medical Center approved the study.

ACP and FSMB encourage doctors to 'pause before posting' and not 'friend' patients in policy paper

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) April 11, 2013 -- The creation and use of information online and the widespread use of the Internet offer exciting new opportunities for patient care, but also require physicians to consider how to best protect patient interests and apply principles of professionalism to online settings, the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) said today in a newly released policy paper, Online Medical Professionalism: Patient and Public Relationships.

Digital communications and social media use continue to increase in popularity among the public and the medical profession, said Phyllis Guze, MD, FACP, chair, Board of Regents, ACP. This policy paper provides needed guidance on best practices to inform standards for the professional conduct of physicians online.

Published online today at

Sea mammals find US safe harbor

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) In 1972, a U.S. Senate committee reported, Many of the great whales which once populated the oceans have now dwindled to the edge of extinction, due to commercial hunting. The committee also worried about how tuna fishing was accidentally killing thousands of dolphins, trapped in fishing gear. And they considered reports about seal hunting and the decline of other mammals, including sea otters and walruses.

In October of that year, Congress passed the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Four decades later, new research shows that the law is working.

Not only has the act successfully prevented the extirpation of any marine mammal population in the United States in the forty years since it was enacted, write University of Vermont conservation biologist Joe Roman and his colleagues in a new report, but also, the current status of many marine mammal populations is considerably better than in 1972.

Their study, published online on March 22, in the

Molecular hub links obesity, heart disease to high blood pressure

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Obesity, heart disease, and high blood pressure (hypertension) are all related, but understanding the molecular pathways that underlie cause and effect is complicated.

A new University of Iowa study identifies a protein within certain brain cells as a communications hub for controlling blood pressure, and suggests that abnormal activation of this protein may be a mechanism that links cardiovascular disease and obesity to elevated blood pressure.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, and hypertension is a major cardiovascular risk factor, says Kamal Rahmouni, Ph.D., UI associate professor of pharmacology and internal medicine, and senior study author. Our study identifies the protein called mTORC1 in the hypothalamus as a key player in the control of blood pressure. Targeting mTORC1 pathways may, therefore, be a promising strategy for the management of cardiovascular risk factors.

The hypothalamus is a small region of the brain that is responsible for maintaining normal function for numerous bodily processes, including blood pressure, body temperature, and glucose levels. Signaling of mTORC1 protein in the hypothalamus has previously been shown to affect food intake and body weight.

The new study, which was published April 2 in the journal

New techniques reduce the complications of spinal cord stimulator implant

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) April 11, 2013, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- Two innovative techniques in the placement of an implanted spinal cord stimulator (SCS) are expected to reduce common complications at the implant site, according to new research revealed today. Results from a case series highlighted an advanced lead anchoring technique and the emerging technology of using large single-port introducers, which enable placement of multiple neurostimulation leads through a single needle-entry point.

Neurostimulation leads are used in SCS therapy for the management of chronic pain. The researchers presented their findings at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine.

The single-port introducers have revolutionized the field by allowing multiple lead arrays and paddle leads to be placed through a single percutaneous port, said Daniel A. Fung, MD, lead study author. The anchoring technique secures and deeply buries the anchors.

Dr. Fung explained that the new approach addresses the two most common complications of SCS systems -- lead migration and anchor site pain. In contrast, conventional anchoring technique attempts to secure leads subcutaneously (i.e., under the skin) to connective tissue or the supraspinal ligament using bulky anchors.

Often the anchor will be palpable under the skin and can cause discomfort. Also, if not anchored securely to strong tissue, it is easy for the sutures to come loose, which could result in lead migration, Dr. Fung said. Some patients have stimulators removed due to pain at the anchor site despite good coverage of their usual pain. Thus the decrease in anchor site pain should help decrease the need for spinal cord stimulator revisions or removals.

Older people may be at greater risk for alcohol impairment than teens, according to Baylor Study

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) An acute dose of alcohol may cause greater impairment in coordination, learning and memory in the elderly than in young people, according to a study by Baylor University.

Individual donation amounts drop when givers are in groups

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) In December of last year the New York Post published images of a man about to be killed by a train while several bystanders did little to help him. Numerous studies have provided evidence that people are less likely to help when in groups, a phenomenon known as the bystander effect. Those studies examined situations where only one person was needed to take action to help another. A University of Missouri anthropologist recently found that even when multiple individuals can contribute to a common cause, the presence of others reduces an individual's likelihood of helping. This research has numerous applications, including possibly guiding the fundraising strategies of charitable organizations.

In our study, individuals who didn't want to share money tended to influence others to not share money, said Karthik Panchanathan, assistant professor of anthropology in the College of Arts and Science. We don't know what psychological mechanism caused that, but perhaps potential givers did not want to be 'suckers,' who gave up their money while someone else got away with giving nothing. Selfish behavior in others may have given individuals an opportunity to escape any moral obligation to share that they might have felt.

Panchanathan's study may illuminate how fund-raising campaigns can be influenced by social factors. Aid organizations already make use of this by emphasizing the personal aspect of charity donations. For example, advertisements pleading for donations to end hunger will often show a single famine-stricken child's face and emphasize the impact of an individual's donation on the life of a particular child by sending thank-you letters from that child.

In the bystander effect, if an individual thinks they are the only one who can help, they are more likely to help, said Panchanathan. Under some circumstances, this also means the victim is more likely to be helped.

Charities and other fundraising operations can learn from the MU study by noting the influence that an individual's attitude can have on others and on the effect that group size can have on generosity.

Panchanathan's study was divided into three separate experiments. In each experiment, givers were allotted money that they could either give to a recipient or keep for themselves. No reason was given for why they should share their money.

Experiment 1: No communication was allowed among givers. Givers were either solitary or in groups of two or three. The solitary givers donated the largest average amount of money compared to all other groups in every version of the experiment. Recipients went home with nearly twice as much when there was only one giver compared to when there were 2 or 3 givers.

Experiment 2: Each member of a pair of givers could see what the other had donated, but couldn't directly communicate with them.

Experiment 3: Pairs of givers could send text messages to each other and discuss how much money to donate. This situation resulted in the largest number of pairs donating nothing.

Communication among givers and knowledge of others' donation amounts increased the variability in the quantity of money given, said Panchanathan. We had hypothesized that the ability to reason with the other givers would have encouraged more equitable distribution of money, but instead we found that it resulted in some groups giving very little and others giving significantly more.

Participants in the experiments answered a set of questions that classified them as either pro-self or pro-social. Pro-self individuals tended to prefer keeping all of the money for themselves, whereas pro-socials were more likely to give enough money to result in an even distribution of wealth. However in experiment 3, when a pro-self person was paired with a pro-social individual, the arguments of the pro-self person tended to overwhelm those of the pro-social individual.

The pro-socials caved to the pro-selfs, said Panchanathan. Generally, people who started off refusing to give anything would not budge. If one person gave nothing, their partner would tend to reduce the amount they gave, even if that partner had originally argued for giving a larger sum.

Australia and Singapore join forces to tackle emerging infectious diseases

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) 1. The fight against a number of significant infectious diseases in the Asia-Pacific region has been given a boost through a new research collaboration between the National Health and Medical Research Council in Australia (NHMRC) and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore.

2. Joint funding of S$4.5 million (AUD$3.5 million) will support five research teams based in Australia and Singapore working on research projects that will address infectious diseases including tuberculosis, dengue fever and influenza.

3. These diseases were identified as significant threats to public health in the Asia Pacific region at the A*STAR-NHMRC Joint Symposium 2012 on Combating Emerging Infectious Diseases through Integrative Technology Approaches held last year.

4. Infectious diseases affect the health and productivity of hundreds and thousands of people in Australia and around the region each year. This collaboration demonstrates Australia's capacity to join other world-leading research bodies and achieve much more than if countries tried to tackle these issues individually NHMRC CEO, Professor Warwick Anderson said.

5. The theme of infectious diseases is a topical and timely one. Our experience in the past decade with SARS, avian flu and H1N1 has taught us that in an increasingly connected world, understanding and managing emerging infectious diseases are a matter of highest priority for all countries. By partnering with our colleagues from Australia, we will be able to develop new approaches to better combat these threats to this region and the world, said A*STAR Chairman, Mr Lim Chuan Poh.

6. Tuberculosis (TB) is second only to HIV/AIDS as the greatest killer worldwide due to a single infectious agent. Multi-drug resistant TB is present in virtually all countries.

7. Dr. Sarah Dunstan of the University of Melbourne and Associate Professor Teo Yik Ying of the National University of Singapore (NUS) will receive AU$379,279 and S$477,580 to provide knowledge critical for the design of treatments and vaccines for tuberculosis.

8. In working with our colleagues from Australia, we hope to demonstrate the capability that Singapore has in terms of using genomic technology to understand, to monitor, and ultimately to develop further treatments and effective healthcare policies for any infectious disease, Associate Professor Teo said.

9. Our project is important for the insights it will provide on how the host and the bacteria interact to cause TB disease. Understanding this interaction is crucial to drive developments in vaccine and drug design. With the ever-increasing connectivity between countries, new vaccines and therapeutics would not only greatly impact the control efforts in the TB high burden countries within our region, but also provide protection against TB resurfacing in Singapore and Australia due to travel and migration, Dr Dunstan added.

10. Professor Jamie Rossjohn of Monash University and Dr. Lucia Mori of A*STAR's Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN) will receive AU$329,673 and S$393,000 to develop new strategies targeting tuberculosis (TB).

11. Since 2007, the number of new reported TB cases in Singapore has increased by 22%, reaching 1,533 in 2011. The emergence of multi-drug-resistant TB is a serious public health challenge. Together with the Australian scientists, we are embarking on a multi-disciplinary approach to study how immune cells combat TB infection and develop new TB vaccines, Dr. Mori said.

12. The project, forged from a strong Singapore-Australian alliance, will provide important biomedical insight into how lipid reactive T-cells play a role in combating TB infection, Professor Rossjohn added.

13. About half of the world's population is now at risk of dengue. The infection causes flu-like illness, and occasionally develops into a potentially lethal complication. There is no vaccine.

14. Professor Cameron Simmons of University of Melbourne and Dr. Khor Chiea Chuen of A*STAR's Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) will receive AU$304,673 and S$483,000 to work on predicting patients at risk of severe dengue.

15. Said Dr. Khor, The funding of this project is very timely as it will help us understand more about the mechanisms of Dengue infection in this part of the world. Only by improving our understanding can we attempt to use the new knowledge to help patients, Dr. Khor said.

16. Dengue is major public health problem across much of the tropical world and we're delighted to be teaming with our colleagues in Singapore to address major knowledge gaps in understanding why some dengue patients develop severe, life-threatening complications, Professor Simmons added.

17. Professor Ken Shortman of The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Dr. Sylvie Alonso of the National University of Singapore (NUS) will receive AU$382,653 and S$445,200 to develop improved vaccines against virus diseases such as dengue, hand foot and mouth disease and influenza.

18. This project is a true collaborative effort between two teams that bring together complementary expertises. This is a unique opportunity for us to contribute to cutting-edge vaccine technology and to support Singapore's efforts in fighting against infectious diseases that represent a major public health threat to the Asia Pacific region, Dr Alonso said.

19. This project should initiate a fruitful collaboration between the basic research teams at the Walter and Eliza Hall and Burnet Institutes in Melbourne and the team at the National University of Singapore involved with development of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases. It represents an important step in bridging the gap between an exciting laboratory finding and its application to improved vaccines for human application. It will provide training and initiate collaboration between younger scientists in Singapore and Australia. It will assess if the new approach of targeting vaccines to dendritic cells can lead to improved vaccines against emerging infectious diseases, Professor Shortman added.

20. Influenza occurs every year in every country, seasonally and sporadically, killing between 250,000 and 500,000 people and causing severe illness in several million more.

21. Dr. Aeron Hurt of Melbourne Health and Dr. Sebastian Maurer-Stroh of A*STAR's Bioinformatics Institute (BII) will receive AU$374,673 and S$406,620 to work on the provision of better treatments for patients with drug-resistant influenza viruses.

22. This project is unique as it combines computational models and predictions with experimental testing which is a smart and cost-effective way of addressing critical healthcare questions, Dr. Maurer-Stroh said.

23. The project outcomes will aid the Singaporean and Australian response to future influenza epidemics and pandemics, potentially saving many lives by enabling improved and appropriate use of the anti-influenza drugs, Dr Hurt added.

'Unknown' neurological disorder often incorrectly diagnosed

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) The very serious hereditary disease HDLS was discovered in 1984 in Sweden. Many HDLS patients are still incorrectly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, MS or Parkinson's disease, but researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have now developed a more certain diagnosis method - and are seeking to find a treatment for the unknown neurological disorder.

In 1984, Sahlgrenska Professor Oluf Andersen for the first time described a new, hereditary and very serious neurological disease that was given the name hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy with spheroids, usually abbreviated HDLS.

The disease has been perceived as very uncommon. However, a HDLS international consortium with headquarter at the Mayo Clinic in collaboration with the researcher Christina Sundal at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, and her research colleagues have now succeeded in identifying the genetic mutation, called CSF1R, that is believed to cause the disease.

The discovery, which is presented in a dissertation at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, has resulted in a new gene test that has led to more than 100 new cases of HDLS being confirmed in the U.S. and Japan in recent months.

In Sweden, HDLS has to-date been limited to one single family, which currently consists of 166 individuals of which 15 have been diagnosed with HDLS. There are many unreported cases, and since the Swedish family was found negative for the CSF1R gene mutation Dr. Christina Sundal and her research team are still doing genetic testing to find additional gene mutation that are causative for the Swedish family. Results of this analysis will soon be published.

Since knowledge of the disease is limited among doctors, patients with HDLS are often incorrectly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, MS or atypical Parkinson's disease, and a study is now under way where 100 Swedish MS patients are undergoing genetic analysis to see if their disease is actually HDLS.

The basic Swedish research has been followed up internationally - most successfully by researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Florida, who have now gathered information and samples from HDLS families around the world. In 2011, Christina Sundal, a doctoral student at the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, was invited to the Mayo Clinic to conduct research on HDLS.

Christina Sundal is now presenting her dissertation, which shows that the symptoms and characteristic changes of HDLS can be distinguished on magnetic resonance images of the brain. Together with the discovery of the CSF1R gene mutation, this has revolutionized the possibilities of making the right diagnosis and developing future treatments.

Our research has shown that HDLS is often incorrectly diagnosed. We hope that the disease will now be easier to identify, and that it will eventually be possible to use the CSF1R gene mutation to develop new medicines that can treat both HDLS and other similar neurodegenerative diseases, says Christina Sundal.

The 36-year-old researcher, raised in Bergen, Norway, is now being given the responsibility to lead the continued HDLS research at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

I hope that our research will lead us to find a treatment in the future that can stop this disease, which is very devastating and strikes many families hard, says Christina Sundal.

Gabriel Hortobagyi honored for mentoring minority researchers

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) WASHINGTON, DC -- Gabriel Hortobagyi, M.D., professor in the Department of Breast Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, will receive the Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship from the American Association for Cancer Research and its Minorities in Cancer Research membership group.

Internationally recognized for his clinical and translational contributions to the field of breast cancer research, Hortobagyi will receive the honor at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013 April 4-6 in Washington, D.C. His lecture focused on the importance of team science and cooperative group trials to further advance translation of basic science into progress for patients.

The AACR-MICR Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship was established in 2006 to recognize an outstanding scientist who has made meritorious contributions to the field of cancer research and who has, through leadership or by example, furthered the advancement of minority investigators in cancer research.

I'm humbled by the AACR and their Minorities in Cancer Research colleagues. To be recognized for furthering the advancement of minority investigators in cancer research is truly an honor -- all of us share a mutual dedication to breast cancer care and feel that there has never been a more exciting time for the field, Hortobagyi says. I had the distinct pleasure of knowing Jane Cooke Wright. Her myriad scientific contributions and unwavering commitment to mentoring young scientists, especially African American women, are still impactful in cancer research and the community at large.

Hortobagyi, who holds the Nellie B. Connally Chair in Breast Cancer, is the past-chair of the Department of Breast Medical Oncology and has been a member of MD Anderson's faculty since 1976. He is widely recognized for developing combined therapies for previously inoperable breast tumors, improving multidisciplinary treatment for patients with all stages of the disease and conducting clinical trials to develop treatment regimens that have become standard practices for managing breast cancer.

Dr. Hortobagyi is well-known for his groundbreaking research, his outstanding patient care and leadership in the field and at MD Anderson, said Waun Ki Hong, M.D., head of MD Anderson's Division of Cancer Medicine and vice provost of clinical research. We're proud to see him recognized for his success as a dedicated, diligent mentor to young investigators.

The lectureship is named in honor of Jane Cooke Wright, M.D., a pioneer in clinical cancer chemotherapy research who recently passed away at the age of 93. Wright, a member of the AACR since 1954, became the highest ranking black woman at a nationally recognized medical institution in 1967. She was elected this year into the inaugural class of the Fellows of the AACR Academy.

Early in his career, Hortobagyi conducted a landmark study that gave chemotherapy before surgery to breast cancer patients with locally advanced tumors that had not spread to other parts of the body. The study concluded that most large tumors could be reduced by at least 50 percent with the preoperative chemotherapy and then removed surgically. He also:

Johns Hopkins experts debate ethics of changing health-care system

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Experts from across disciplines at Johns Hopkins will hold a symposium on Thursday, April 11, 2013 to discuss changes to medical ethics paradigms as proposed by their own bioethics colleagues in a recent, groundbreaking publication.

The labels 'research' and 'practice' are poor proxies for what should be our central moral concerns, and they no longer serve the purpose they did three or four decades ago, wrote an interdisciplinary team led by Johns Hopkins bioethicists in a Hastings Center Report special report earlier this year, Ethical Oversight of Learning Healthcare Systems. Current guidelines and policy for oversight of research with human subjects were drafted by a national commission in the 1970s, in response to public outcry over questionable research, including the now-infamous Tuskegee Syphilis Study.

Ruth R. Faden, director of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, and Nancy E. Kass, the Berman Institute's deputy director for public health, will present their new ethical concept to colleagues in an effort to foster internal dialogue on the ethical foundation of a 'learning healthcare system,' as defined by the Institute of Medicine.

Our framework challenges previous thinking in research and clinical ethics by calling for an ethical obligation on the part of clinicians, administrators, payors and purchasers to conduct research to improve health care quality and value, and on patients to contribute to such research, says Faden.

Far too often, doctors do their best but simply don't have the information to tell them which approaches or treatments work best, and patients are suffering for that lack of knowledge, says Kass. Her and Faden's presentations at the symposium will be followed by a panel discussion with Daniel Ford, Vice Dean for Clinical Investigation in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Jodi Segal, co-director of the Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Peter Terry, professor of medicine.

We're finding that patients are both under-protected from risks in medical treatment and over-protected from low-risk quality-improvement research, bringing progress to a dangerous stalemate that is costing lives, Kass and Faden's team wrote in the Hastings Center Report.

The ethics symposium is presented jointly by the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR), the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics and The Center for Health Services and Outcomes Research (CHSOR). It will be held on the Johns Hopkins East Baltimore medical campus, from 8:00-10:00 AM on Thursday, April 11, 2013. To attend please contact Leah Ramsay at

Forum tackles the rising costs, challenges and diminished outcomes associated with treating obese patients for orthopaedic conditions

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) The obesity epidemic in America and its impact on musculoskeletal health, as well as related treatment outcomes and costs, was discussed during the AAOS Now forum, Obesity, Orthopaedics and Outcomes, at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) at McCormick Place in Chicago.

From 1960 to 2000, the rate of obesity more than doubled in the United States, said Frank B. Kelly, MD, AAOS Now editorial board member and forum moderator. By 2010, more than 72 million of U.S. adults were obese, and no state had an obesity rate of less than 20 percent. These statistics include children, of whom one in three is considered obese in the United States.

An adult or child with a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. An adult or child with a BMI of 30 or greater is considered obese.

In orthopaedics, evidence is mounting that a high BMI can cause or exacerbate musculoskeletal conditions, such as osteoarthritis, and diminish treatment outcomes. For example, being overweight increases the risk of wound infection, pulmonary complications, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), myocardial infarction (MI) and other complications following orthopaedic surgery.

Elena Losina, PhD, associate professor of orthopaedic surgery at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston cited poor nutrition, often due to a high-fat diet, overeating and/or excessive eating out; physical inactivity; psychological problems; lack of willpower and metabolic or endocrine disorders as leading causes of weight gain.

Overall, when combined with inactivity, a high BMI can cut life expectancy by as much as seven years, said Dr. Losina.

The impact of obesity on health care spending also is significant, resulting in $215 billion in increased medical expenditures each year, according to a 2010 report by the Brookings Institution. By 2030, health care costs attributed to overweight and obesity are predicted to account for 16 to 18 percent of total U.S. healthcare costs, said Dr. Kelly.

Dr. Losina explained that each additional kilogram (kg) of body mass increases the compressive load on the knee by roughly 4 kg. Therefore, even a relatively small loss in weight can have a tremendous impact. For example, a patient who loses 10 pounds in body weight will diminish the load/pressure on their knees by 50 pounds.

A high BMI is associated with more than 60 related medical conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease and sleep apnea. A high BMI also affects fasting blood glucose levels, which in turn, are associated with a higher risk of surgical site infections, said William M. Mihalko, MD, PhD, professor and JR Hyde Chair at the Campbell Clinic department of orthopaedics and biomedical engineering at the University of Tennessee. Overweight and obese patients with sleep apnea who receive regional anesthesia before surgery have higher complication rates following orthopaedic surgery.

New political science book analyzes civil-military relations in 4 countries

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Mutual respect and shared responsibility are the keys to strong civil-military relations, according to a new book by a Kansas State University political scientist.

Dale Herspring, university distinguished professor of political science, offers a new approach to relationships between military members and civilians in Civil-Military Relations and Shared Responsibility: A Four-Nation Study. It is Herspring's 13th book and will be published April 26 by Johns Hopkins University Press.

The book is a four-nation study of military and civilian relationships in the U.S., Russia, Germany and Canada. Herspring has extensively researched the U.S., Russia and Germany, and focuses this book on civil-military relations after World War II.

Nobody has ever tried to compare four countries using three languages and doing an in-depth analysis of each one of them, Herspring said.

The book is a provocative approach to evaluating civil-military relations, according to its description. Herspring argues that shared responsibility is the best type of relationship between civilians and the military. He notes that in the past, there was a tendency to juxtapose the two groups.

Generally the feeling is that the military is on one side and the civilians are on the other side, Herspring said. My argument is that trying to separate the civilian from the military makes no sense.

Herspring saw firsthand what happened when the two groups are separated. He spent 23 years working for and supervising military officers in the U.S. State Department, worked two tours in the Pentagon and spent two years on the House Armed Services Committee. He served 33 years in the U.S. Navy, both on active and reserve duty.

Rather than juxtaposing the two groups, the civilians are in charge, Herspring said. That is very clear. It's up to the civilians to decide what kind of relationship they want.

Herspring said the civilians determine the relationship based on how they treat the military. Civilians can ignore and pay no attention to the military, but military members and officials tend to remain quiet when they are ignored or disrespected. As a result, senior military officials won't voice their opinions and civilians deprive themselves of expert advice.

Civilians make better national security decisions when they respect military culture, Herspring said. In a respectful situation, generals and admirals feel free to offer their advice. Military officials know that civilians will listen to them and consider their views, but still make their own decisions. Even if the decisions go against military advice, the military officials will know that the civilians still listened to their views.

Although the military cultures are slightly different in each of the four countries, Herspring uses case studies to show that in situations where the military is respected, civil-military relations are smooth and the civilians receive solid advice.

If you look at the leaders of these four countries, when they have respected the military and taken the military seriously, they have a very good relationship, Herspring said.

Civil-Military Relations and Shared Responsibility: A Four-Nation Study will be available in bookstores and online.

Sea level rise: Jeopardy for terrestrial biodiversity on islands

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Terrestrial species on low-lying islands and coastal regions are vulnerable to sea level rise due to climate-change, the most vulnerable species being endemics with limited ranges and rare species that are endangered already. That is the key message of a study by Florian Wetzel and colleagues of the Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology (KLIVV) of the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna) and Walter Jetz of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University, USA.

The new study is the first of its kind in terms of geographic scope as it covers the entire Southeast Asian and Pacific region with more than 12,000 islands and the distribution of more than 3,000 vertebrate species (birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals). It is also the first study to use data in the high spatial resolution of 90 metres to address this problem. Compared to previous research the predictions therefore are particularly accurate. The high data quality with which we were able to work constitutes a quantum leap of precision, explains co-author Helmut Beissmann of KLIVV.

The model calculations show how islands and atolls in the study region will lose large parts of their land area and also that some islands will even become completely submerged. Wetzel and his colleagues predict that even with a sea level rise of one metre which is expected within the current century, one per cent of the land mass of the study area will be lost on average. Many Pacific islands lie only a few metres above sea level today, and a sea level rise of just one meter would translate into a loss of close to four per cent of their land area. What was surprising to find was the enormous variation in the vulnerability of different island groups. Some Pacific atolls stand to lose one third of their land area with sea level rise of just one meter, and the species living there would be seriously at risk, explains study author Florian Wetzel. In contrast, other volcanic island groups and their resident species will incur area losses of just a few per cent.

Should sea level rise reach six metres by 2500, Pacific islands could lose 14.5 per cent of their current land area and the overall loss for the region would average around 9.3 per cent, which is a significant loss of habitat. Some of the islands will become completely submerged and even with a rise of one metre, 14.7 per cent of all islands in the study area would disappear under water. However, it is important to note that only very small islands will be completely inundated. This enormous number of entire islands lost is the most stunning result of our study, says Dustin Penn, head of KLIVV and co-author of the study.

Without birds, will Guam's forests look like Swiss cheese?

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) HOUSTON -- (April 8, 2013) -- Ecologists and students from Rice University and the University of Guam will begin an ambitious four-year study this summer to examine how the loss of birds on Guam may be thinning the island's forests as fewer seeds are spread into open gaps.

The invasive brown tree snake has wiped out virtually all birds on the tiny Pacific island. With funding from the National Science Foundation, a Rice-led research team will examine how the loss of fruit-eating birds affects the distribution of 16 tree species in Guam's forests.

There's a concern that Guam's forests may become filled with open areas and start to look more like Swiss cheese than a closed canopy forest, said Haldre Rogers, the principal investigator (PI) on the new grant. That's because small birds eat a lot of the small seeds, and quite a few of the pioneer trees -- the ones that grow best in open gaps with full sunlight -- are small-seeded. Without birds to move their seeds to these sunny spots in the forest, these quick-growing trees may be less likely to germinate or grow to their full size.

Rogers, a Huxley Fellow in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Rice, said it's possible that the loss of birds on Guam is already changing the island's tree populations. Some pioneer tree species that are common on nearby islands are very rare in Guam's intact forests. Rogers and grant co-PI Amy Dunham, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, will go to Guam this summer with undergraduates Jazz Silva and Jeffrey Brown to begin setting up long-term experiments.

The team, which will eventually include a postdoctoral research fellow living on the island, will conduct a series of tests on shade-tolerance of each of the study's 16 tree species in order to predict the impact of losing dispersal to treefall gaps on these species.

For tree species that are shade tolerant, maybe losing birds doesn't matter that much because they don't need to get to the sunny gaps, Rogers said. But for the ones that are highly shade intolerant, if their chances of reaching gaps are low because of bird loss, and they can't get a foothold outside the gaps because it is too dark, we would expect to see their populations decline.

Even more concerning than the local decline of some tree species is the possibility that bird loss may change the overall structure of the forest. If seeds from the quick-growing pioneer trees cannot make it to the treefall gaps, then the seedlings that do establish are likely to be slow-growing trees that take a long time to grow tall enough to fill the gap. If gaps stay open longer, there will be more gaps on the landscape, and a hot, open, sunny forest rather than a cool, dark one. Rogers has already found that there are more than twice as many treefall gaps -- areas devoid of trees -- in forests on Guam than on nearby islands, providing some support to this idea.

Seed-dispersing animals are being lost in a lot of the world's tropical forests right now, but most of the attention so far has been focused on the large-bodied dispersers, the larger primates, mammals and birds that tend to get overhunted first. Hardly anyone is thinking about what happens if you lose small birds, which are much more numerous.

To test how the loss of small birds is affecting Guam's forests, the research team will create new treefall gaps by cutting down individual trees in different areas of Guam's forests and in the forests on two nearby islands that still have birds. Then, the team will examine which seedlings take root in each plot and how long the gaps take to completely fill in on Guam compared with the nearby islands with birds.

Dunham, a tropical ecologist who studies the effects of species loss and species invasions on ecosystems, will spearhead the team's efforts to develop an ecological model that shows how Guam's forests may be relevant for other ecosystems where seed dispersing species are at-risk.

There are numerous theories about community assembly in which seed dispersal plays an important role, and animals involved in seed-dispersal are in decline in a lot of tropical forests around the world right now, Dunham said. It's very important to understand the implications of those declines. The situation on Guam -- which is tragic -- provides us with a unique opportunity to see what happens when all seed-dispersal services provided by animals are lost from an entire ecosystem.

The loss of Guam's birds is one of the 20th century's most infamous ecological disasters. The brown treesnake was accidentally introduced on the island around the time of World War II. By the 1980s, the snakes had wiped out 10 of the island's 12 native bird species. The last of Guam's native birds survive in a few small areas that are protected by intense snake-trapping.

Last September, Rogers and colleagues published one of the first studies to examine the ecological effects of Guam's lost forest birds. Since many birds eat spiders and compete with them for insect prey, the study investigated whether the loss of Guam's birds had led to an increase in spider populations. The study -- the fourth most-accessed paper ever published in the journal

American Cancer Society awards new research and training grants

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) The American Cancer Society, the largest non-government, not-for-profit funding source of cancer research in the United States, has awarded 175 national research and training grants totaling $79,073,250 for fiscal year 2013. The grants will fund investigators at 93 institutions across the United States; 164 are new grants while 11 are renewals of previous grants. The grants will go into effect July 1, 2013.

Among those newly awarded is Stephen J. Meltzer, MD, of Johns Hopkins University, who will receive a prestigious American Cancer Society Clinical Research Professorship. Dr. Meltzer received the grant award for his pioneering work in the field of esophageal cancer; a cancer whose incidence is increasing in the U.S.

For more than 65 years, the American Cancer Society has funded research and training of health professionals to investigate the causes, prevention, and early detection of cancer, as well as new treatments, cancer survivorship, and end of life support for patients and their families. Since its founding in 1946, the American Cancer Society's extramural research grants program has devoted more than $3.9 billion to cancer research and has funded 46 researchers who have gone on to win the Nobel Prize.

Below are highlights of new grants.

Stephen J. Meltzer, MD, of Johns Hopkins University is being awarded a prestigious American Cancer Society Clinical Research Professorship. Dr Meltzer is researching molecular biomarkers that can not only detect Barrett's esophagus but can also determine in which people the condition is likely to progress to esophageal cancer. The current test for Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous condition, is gastrointestinal endoscopy, an invasive procedure too expensive for general screening. Detecting the disorder can facilitate early detection of esophageal cancer, which is most often detected in advanced stages.

Timothy C. Hallstrom, PhD, of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, is studying the genetic mechanism that causes retinoblastoma, a rare cancer of the eye in infants. Dr. Hallstrom is investigating a cellular protein that regulates cell growth to identify the mechanism by which the protein controls cell death. His work could serve as the basis for genetic therapies to halt growth of cancer cells in retinoblastoma and other tumors.

Rene L. Galindo, MD, PhD, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, focuses her research on childhood cancer. She is particularly interested in rhabdomyosarcoma, an aggressive cancer of the body's soft tissues. Survival is poor among children with this disease, and those who do survive can have life-long disfigurements that result from surgery and chemotherapy. Dr. Galindo is investigating the mechanism by which an abnormal gene converts a normal cell into a cancer cell with the goal of developing therapies to prevent this process.

Tatiana Kalin, MD, PhD, of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is researching a new approach to combating the progression of lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in in the United States. She is exploring how a particular cell protein called FoxM1, which is abundant in lung cancer and many other cancers, causes a cancer to grow and spread to other organs. Her research will increase understanding of how lung cancer progresses at the molecular level, paving the way for therapies that target the disease at this most basic stage.

Nicholas Marshall, PhD, of the University of Texas at Austin, is studying a cell protein called kynurenine that enhances cancer cell growth and suppresses the body's immune system. Various studies have shown that the higher the level of kynurenine in the blood, the poorer the prognosis for a person with cancer. Dr. Marshall is working on a technology to degrade kynurenine to inhibit tumor production and strengthen the immune system.

Alec Kimmelman, MD, PhD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is seeking new treatments for pancreatic cancer, one of the most deadly of human cancers. The disease is currently highly resistant to all available treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation. Nearly all pancreatic cancers have cellular mutations that activate a cell protein called the Kras oncogene. Dr. Kimmelman is studying what triggers this oncogene to cause cancer. Such an understanding is basic to development of effective treatment of this disease.

Russell Kent Pachynski, MD, of Stanford University is investigating how the human immune system can be stimulated and manipulated to eradicate cancer. Dr. Pachynski is interested in targeting cancer at the cellular level to increase the cell's immune response. He is studying the role that a cell protein called chemerin plays in producing immunity to cancer, and he has demonstrated in experiments in mice that tumors exposed to chemerin grow more slowly and are significantly smaller. His studies could serve as the basis for development of immunotherapies to treat many different types of cancer.

Hongbo Chi, PhD, of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is researching the role that a protein called mTOR plays in regulating human T-cell growth and function. T-cells are the body's disease-fighting agents. Dr. Chi is focusing on how mTOR functions and maintains T-cell equilibrium and how disruption of this equilibrium from mutations in mTOR can lead to many cancers, including T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. His goal is to translate his research into new cancer treatments.

Marina K. Holz, PhD, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine is focusing her research on ways to improve treatment of the nearly 60% of all breast cancers that are estrogen receptor-positive. Current endocrine therapies, such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors, are effective treatments for only about half of these cancers. Dr. Holz is studying how a cell-growth regulator, mTOR, can be combined with endocrine therapies to create more broadly effective treatments for this most common breast cancer.

Zhongsheng You, PhD, of Washington University School of Medicine is studying a type of DNA mutation called a double-strand break that can lead to cancer. Most human cancers are caused by DNA mutations, but the body's cells normally repair themselves when breaks occur. When this self-repair doesn't happen, cancer can develop. Dr. You seeks to understand the processes by which the body monitors DNA mutations and repairs them. A fundamental understanding of these processes is vital to development of effective treatments.

Bird flu mutation study offers vaccine clue

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Scientists have described small genetic changes that enable the H5N1 bird flu virus to replicate more easily in the noses of mammals.

So far there have only been isolated cases of bird flu in humans, and no widespread transmission as the H5N1 virus can't replicate efficiently in the nose. The new study, using weakened viruses in the lab, supports the conclusions of controversial research published in 2012 which demonstrated that just a few genetic mutations could enable bird flu to spread between ferrets, which are used to model flu infection in humans.

Researchers say the new findings could help to develop more effective vaccines against new strains of bird flu that can spread between humans.

Knowing why bird flu struggles to replicate in the nose and understanding the genetic mutations that would enable it to happen are vital for monitoring viruses circulating in birds and preparing for an outbreak in humans, said Professor Wendy Barclay, from the Department of Medicine at Imperial College London, who led the study.

The studies published last year pointed to a mechanism that restricts replication of H5N1 viruses in the nose. We've engineered a different mutation with the same effect into one of the virus proteins and achieved a similar outcome. This suggests that there is a common mechanism by which bird flu could evolve to spread between humans, but that a number of different specific mutations might mediate that.

Bird flu only rarely infects humans because the human nose has different receptors to those of birds and is also more acidic. The Imperial team studied mutations in the gene for haemagglutinin, a protein on the surface of the virus that enables it to get into host cells. They carried out their experiments in a laboratory strain of flu with the same proteins on its surface as bird flu, but engineered so that it cannot cause serious illness.

The research found that mutations in the H5 haemagglutinin enabled the protein to tolerate higher levels of acidity. Viruses with these mutations and others that enabled them to bind to different receptors were able to replicate more efficiently in ferrets and spread from one animal to another.

The results have important implications for designing vaccines against potential pandemic strains of bird flu. Live attenuated flu vaccines (LAIV) might be used in a pandemic situation because it is possible to manufacture many more doses of this type of vaccine than of the killed virus vaccines used to protect against seasonal flu. LAIV are based on weakened viruses that don't cause illness, but they still have to replicate in order to elicit a strong immune response. Viruses with modified haemagglutinin proteins induced strong antibody responses in ferrets in this study, suggesting that vaccines with similar modifications might prove more effective than those tested previously.

We can't predict how bird flu viruses will evolve in the wild, but the more we understand about the kinds of mutations that will enable them to transmit between humans, the better we can prepare for a possible pandemic, said Professor Barclay.

The research was funded by the Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust and published in the

Final chapter to 60-year-old blood group mystery

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Researchers have uncovered the gene at the root of a human blood group that has remained a mystery for the past 60 years. They showed that a genetic deletion on this gene is responsible for the lack of this blood group in some people.

With the discovery of the gene behind the Vel blood group, medical scientists can now develop a more reliable DNA test to identify people who lack this group. This will reduce the risk of severe, and sometimes life threatening, destruction of the Vel-positive donor red blood cells in patients with antibodies against Vel.

The genetic basis of nearly all 34 blood group systems has been resolved over the past century, but identification of the underlying gene of the Vel blood group has withstood persistent attempts since it was first identified 60 years ago. It is estimated that one in 5000 people are Vel-negative, and routine blood transfusions for patients with antibodies against Vel can lead to kidney failure and even death.

This is really exciting as it shows how the power of modern genomics technologies can directly benefit patient care, says Professor Willem Ouwehand , who heads one of the NHS Blood and Transplant research teams at both the University of Cambridge and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. This is also a milestone in blood group genetics and the end of long and astounding journey of discoveries in blood group genetics which started with Landsteiner from Austria and Fisher, Coombs and Morgan from England.

The discovery by the team would not have been possible without the colleagues from the blood transfusion services of Denmark, England and the Netherlands who undertook the Herculean effort of identifying the 65 individuals that lacked the Vel blood group by testing the red blood cells from nearly 350,000 donors with antibodies against Vel.

They then sequenced the coding fraction of the genomes of five donors who lack the Vel group to identify the underlying gene.

The team showed that the gene SMIM1 malfunctions in Vel-negative people. SMIM1 is found on chromosome 1 and specifies a small protein, five times smaller than the average human protein. This provides a direct explanation why a discovery by other routes has proven so challenging.

It has been a remarkable feat to go from gene discovery to function in less than two months, continues Professor Ouwehand.

Current testing for Vel-negative people can be inaccurate but identifying this new role for the gene will make it easier to identify people who lack Vel. The Sanquin Blood Supply research laboratories in Amsterdam and the NHS Blood and Transplant Centre in Cambridge are currently working together to develop a new and affordable DNA test to efficiently identify people who lack the Vel group.

We already knew of 75 genomic regions that are associated with the haemoglobin levels and other red blood cell traits, but we quickly realised that the SMIM1 gene identified in our study is the same as one of these associated regions, said Dr Pim van der Harst from Groningen University in the Netherlands who led the GWAS analysis for red cell traits in nearly 100,000 individuals. We had already assumed that a gene in this region of chromosome 1 played a role in the life of red blood cells, but we now have conclusive evidence that it is SMIM1

We have shown that this gene controls a protein in the membrane of red blood cells. Switching off the SMIM1 gene in zebrafish showed a remarkable reduction in the number of red cells formed and caused anaemia in the fish.

The team observed that the common variant identified by the red blood cell study has a strong effect on how well the SMIM1 gene functions. This not only explains why the level of the Vel blood group varies so extensively in the population, but is also makes it extremely plausible that the Smim1 protein influences haemoglobin levels of red blood cells.

A low haemoglobin level confers a risk of anaemia, which is one of the most frequent reasons for an individual to visit their doctor. The team are pursuing further research to deduce how Smim1 protein regulates red blood cell formation.

As the molecular machinery underlying red blood cell formation has been researched for decades in fish, mice and man, our discovery that a gene which was considered hypothetical until recently actually controls a red blood cell membrane protein with an important role in the regulation of haemoglobin levels is astonishing, says Professor Ellen van der Schoot from the Sanquin research laboratories in Amsterdam. A better understanding of how the SMIM1 gene is regulated is important and this effort will greatly benefit from the Blueprint project which will be releasing its results on the biology of blood cells and their precursors this year.

We have worked for nearly a decade to identify the donors across England that lack the Vel blood group so that we can provide matched and safe blood to patients with antibodies against Vel says Mr Malcolm Needs from NHS Blood and Transplant in Tooting, London. The discovery of the SMIM1 gene was achieved so quickly and it is truly amazing to see how medical genomics is changing the care landscape for NHS patients.

Finding genes for childhood obesity

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Researchers have identified four genes newly associated with severe childhood obesity. They also found an increased burden of rare structural variations in severely obese children.

The team found that structural variations can delete sections of DNA that help to maintain protein receptors known to be involved in the regulation of weight. These receptors are promising targets for the development of new drugs against obesity.

As one of the major health issues affecting modern societies, obesity has increasingly received public attention. Genes, behavior and environment, all contribute to the development of obesity.

Children with severe obesity are more likely to have a strong genetic contribution. This study has enhanced understanding of how both common and rare variants around specific genes and genetic regions are involved in severe childhood obesity.

We've known for a long time that changes to our genes can increase our risk of obesity. For example, the gene FTO has been unequivocally associated with BMI, obesity and other obesity-related traits, says Dr Eleanor Wheeler, first author from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. In our study of severely obese children, we found that variations in or near two of the newly associated genes seem to have a comparable or greater effect on obesity than the FTO gene: PRKCH and RMST.

The team found that different genes can be involved in severe childhood obesity compared to obesity in adults.

Rare genetic changes in one of the newly associated genes, LEPR, are known to cause a severe form of early onset obesity. The team identified a more common variant in this gene, found in 6 per cent of the population, that can increase a person's risk of obesity. This finding is an example of where rare and more common variations around the same gene or region can influence the risk of severe obesity.

Some of the children in this study had an increased number of structural variations of their DNA that delete G-protein coupled receptors, important receptors in the regulation of weight. These receptors are key targets for current drug development and may have potential therapeutic implications for obesity.

Some children will be obese because they have severe mutations, but our research indicates that some may have a combination of severe mutations and milder acting variants that in combination contribute to their obesity, says Professor Sadaf Farooqi, co-lead author from the University of Cambridge. As we uncover more and more variants and genetic links, we will gain a better basic understanding of obesity, which in turn will open doors to areas of clinically relevant research.

As part of the UK10K

Physicians applaud Sen. Reid's proposal to reduce firearms injuries

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) (Washington) The American College of Physicians (ACP) today told U.S. Senate majority leader Harry Reid it applauds his efforts in introducing legislation to address needed reforms in the wake of the Newtown, CT tragedy. In a two-page letter signed, by ACP President David L. Bronson, MD, FACP, ACP urged that the Senate be allowed to vote on The Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013 (S. 649), noting that it represents a positive step forward in the debate on how best to reduce firearms-related deaths and injuries and we urge a vote on the measure in the full Senate.

The letter pointed out that ACP has proposed and advocated for policies to reduce deaths and injuries related to firearms and other forms of violence for more than 15 years. Firearm violence is a serious public health issue, Dr. Bronson said. As an organization representing physicians who have first-hand experience with the devastating impact on the health of their patients resulting from firearms-related injuries and deaths, we have a responsibility to be part of the solution in trying to mitigate firearms-related tragedies.

Dr. Bronson continued by pointing out how Sen. Reid's legislation is consistent with ACP's evidence-based policy. We strongly support the provisions to improve the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and require a background check for every firearm sale. For the NICS to be effective, all relevant records must be electronically available and added to the system in a timely manner. An estimated 40 percent of gun sales are made at gun shows and through private sales which do not require background checks. Closing this loophole by requiring a background check for every firearm sale is an essential step toward ensuring that firearms are kept out of the hands of those who are not supposed to possess them. We also support your measure that would provide harsher penalties for 'straw man' purchases of guns. These reasonable provisions, which are supported by an overwhelming majority of the public, will help reduce firearms-related injuries and deaths without infringing on Second Amendment rights. A March 13 poll by the Pew Research Center found that 83 percent of the public supports background checks for private and gun show sales of firearms.

Dr. Bronson also called on Congress to ban assault-type weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines, eliminate restrictions on research on the causes of firearms-related violence, and improve access to mental health services.

Stem cells enable personalised treatment for bleeding disorder

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Scientists have shed light on a common bleeding disorder by growing and analysing stem cells from patients' blood to discover the cause of the disease in individual patients.

The technique may enable doctors to prescribe more effective treatments according to the defects identified in patients' cells.

In future, this approach could go much further: these same cells could be grown, manipulated, and applied as treatments for diseases of the heart, blood and circulation, including heart attacks and haemophilia.

The study focused on von Willebrand disease (vWD), which is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people and can cause excessive, sometimes life-threatening bleeding. vWD is caused by a deficiency of von Willebrand factor (vWF), a blood component involved in making blood clot. vWF is produced by endothelial cells, which line the inside of every blood vessel in our body. Unfortunately, they are difficult to study because taking biopsies from patients is invasive and unpleasant.

A group led by Dr Anna Randi at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London used a new approach to investigate the disease. Dr Richard Starke, a British Heart Foundation Intermediate Fellow and lead author of the study, took routine blood samples from eight patients with vWD, extracted stem cells called endothelial progenitor cells, and grew them in the lab to yield large numbers of endothelial cells.

By testing these cells, they were able to analyse each patient's disease in unprecedented detail. In some patients, the scientists found new types of defect, which may enable them to recommend improved treatments. Professor Mike Laffan, a collaborator in the study and in charge of patients with VWD at Hammersmith Hospital in West London, is looking to apply these findings to reduce severe bleeding in these patients.

Dr Randi believes that endothelial progenitor cells could become an invaluable resource for testing new drugs for vWD and other diseases. We will be able to test the effects of a range of compounds in the patients' own cells, before giving the drugs to the patients themselves, she said.

This approach could have impact far beyond vWD. Endothelial cells derived from blood could also be isolated and reinjected into someone recovering from a heart attack, to help them grow new blood vessels and repair the injured heart tissue. Dr Starke says this approach avoids the main problem with transplant therapies, in which the immune system tries to destroy the foreign material. The patients would receive their own cells, so they wouldn't face the problems of rejection, he said.

Work is well underway towards achieving this goal, but blood-derived endothelial cells are only now being explored. There are already many studies where patients have been injected with stem cells to see whether damage to the heart could be repaired, and there are some promising results, says Dr Randi. The door is open to such treatments, and our studies are a step towards identifying the right cells to use.

The group's previous research has already thrown up pointers for potential new treatments. Aside from producing vWF to form clots, endothelial cells are responsible for forming new blood vessels. In their last paper, the group showed that vWF is actually needed to build healthy blood vessels. Some patients with vWD suffer severe bleeding from the gut because defects in vWF cause their blood vessels to develop abnormally. There are drugs already being used in other diseases which target abnormal blood vessel, that could be useful to stop bleeding in some vWD patients, says Randi. Nobody would have thought of using them to treat vWD, but by testing them on the patient's own endothelial cells , in the laboratory, we can find out if these drugs work before giving them to the patient.

Scientists are now interested in the possibility of using endothelial cells as a treatment in themselves. For instance, haemophilia, the hereditary bleeding disorder which affected Queen Victoria's family, might one day be treated by taking these cells from a patient and replacing the gene that causes the disease, then putting them back into the patient.

Funding for the study came from the British Heart Foundation, the Medical Research Council and the National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre.

Student named university's first Lawrence scholar, researching at national laboratory

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Kansas State University doctoral student Clint Frye is receiving national recognition for his success as a student and his research developing new semiconductors.

Frye, doctoral student in chemical engineering, Haddam, has been named a Lawrence scholar by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif. He is the university's first recipient of the prestigious award and one of 12 scholars chosen this year.

The Lawrence Scholar Program recruits scientific and engineering talent to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. As a scholar, Frye will spend four years conducting collaborative research at the laboratory and at the university. Frye is spending 75 percent of his time researching at the California laboratory and 25 percent of his time performing related research on semiconductors at Kansas State University.

This is a researcher's dream, Frye said. There are such great facilities and scientific expertise at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and I have access to so many resources, including scientists who are the best in their fields.

While at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Frye is performing research with principal investigator Rebecca Nikolic on betavoltaics, which are devices that directly convert nuclear radiation to electrical energy. By coupling a semiconductor and a radioactive beta particle emitter, the researchers want to develop betavoltaic cells that can provide power for decades. These types of batteries can provide a small amount of electricity for a long time, making them useful for powering satellites, deep-sea monitors or even pacemakers and other medical devices.

Frye is learning to design, fabricate and test these semiconductor devices using novel materials.

This type of research is very promising, Frye said. This type of battery has been around for awhile, but now research efforts are focusing on making these batteries more practical.

During his time at Kansas State University, Frye is continuing research with his adviser James Edgar, professor and head of the department of chemical engineering. As part of Edgar's research team, Frye is working on semiconductors that can be used for radiation detection.

The Lawrence scholar program is a wonderful opportunity for Clint to work at one of the world's best research facilities, Edgar said. While at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Clint will have access to excellent materials synthesis and characterization facilities and experts in the field of his research. This experience will greatly advance and amplify Clint's research and should help our work to gain wider recognition. This experience will help to achieve K-State's 2025 goal of being recognized as a Top 50 public research university.

Being named a Lawrence scholar also helps propel Frye's career goals of working in a research laboratory. He said he was looking forward to building his academic network and developing new collaborations.

This is what I want to do and it is a fantastic opportunity at one of the world's premier laboratories, Frye said. It will enable me to do research that I might not be able to do anywhere in the country or the world.

The equine Adam lived fairly recently: Close relationships among modern stallions

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) In mammals, an individual's sex is determined by the chromosomes it inherits from its parents. Two X chromosomes lead to a female, whereas one X and one Y lead to a male. Y chromosomes are only passed from fathers to sons, so each Y chromosome represents the male genealogy of the animal in question. In contrast, mitochondria are passed on by mothers to all their offspring. This means that an analysis of the genetic material or DNA of mitochondria can give information on the female ancestry. For the modern horse, it is well known that mitochondrial DNA is extremely diverse and this has been interpreted to mean that many ancestral female horses have passed their DNA on to modern horse breeds. Until recently, though, essentially no sequence diversity had been detected on the Y chromosome of the domestic horse. Not only does the lack of sequence markers on the Y chromosome make it impossible to trace male lineages with confidence, it also represents a scientific paradox. How can a species with so many female lines have so few male lines? The issue has now been addressed by Barbara Wallner and colleagues at the Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna).

Wallner initially selected seventeen horses from a range of European breeds. She pooled their DNAs and used modern sequencing technology to examine the level of diversity on a 200 kb portion of the Y chromosome she had previously sequenced. The Y chromosomes were found to be highly similar: only five positions turned out to be variable. As Wallner says, the results confirmed what we had previously suspected: that the Y chromosomes of modern breeds of horse show far less variability than those of other domestic animals.

The five variable positions, or polymorphisms, were nevertheless sufficient to enable the researchers to derive a type of family tree for the various breeds of modern horse they investigated. An examination of over 600 stallions from 58 (largely European) breeds showed that the animals could be grouped into six basic lines or haplotypes. The ancestral haplotype is distributed across almost all breeds and geographical regions. A second haplotype also occurs at high frequencies across a broad range of breeds, although not in northern European breeds or in horses from the Iberian Peninsula. A third haplotype is present in almost all English Thoroughbreds and in many warm-blooded breeds. The final three haplotypes are only found in local northern European breeds: one in Icelandic horses, one in Norwegian Fjord horses and one in Shetland ponies.

The pedigree of horses is very tightly controlled, with studbooks in many cases going as far back as the 18th century. Combining the results of the genetic analysis with pedigree data enabled the scientists to trace the paternal roots of many of the current male lines. Wallner feels that, the results were intriguing, for example in the way the distribution of one haplotype reflects the widespread movement of stallions from the Middle East to Central and Western Europe in the past 200 years. Another haplotype results from a mutation that occurred in the famous English Thoroughbred stallion 'Eclipse' or in his son or grandson. It is amazing to see how much influence this line has had on modern sport horses: almost all English Thoroughbreds and nearly half the modern sport horse breeds carry the Eclipse haplotype.

The Vetmeduni Vienna scientists have confirmed the low diversity of the horse Y chromosome, which contrasts sharply with range of mitochondrial DNA haplotypes observed in modern horses. The difference is presumably due to the strong variation in male reproductive success. Wild horses have a polygynous breeding pattern, while the intensive breeding practices in domestic horses mean that single stallions can effectively pass on their DNA to entire generations. The senior author on the paper, Gottfried Brem, comments that, most modern breeds were established in the last two centuries, during which time the horse has undergone a transition from working and military use towards leisure and sports. This has largely been achieved through the use in breeding of a few selected males. The restricted genetic diversity of the modern horse Y chromosome is a reflection of what has survived the species' dynamic history.

Integrating cardiovascular imaging modalities revolutionises care offered patients

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Sophia Antipolis, 4 April 2013. How the different advanced cardio vascular imaging technologies fit together in managing cardiac patients, will be one of the main themes explored at the International Conference on Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac CT (ICNC 11).

In some sessions rather than looking at different modalities we're saying: 'I have a patient with this problem, what imaging techniques should I use?' Taking such a problem solving clinical approach places the emphasis firmly on identifying the best test to answer each specific question in the most efficient way, reflecting the way patients are treated in the real world, said Frank Bengel, European organizing co-chairperson of ICNC 11.

The three day meeting, organized jointly by the ESC Working Group on Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac Computed Tomography (ESC-WGNC); the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC); and the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM), will offer a truly international perspective on imaging. The biennial conference, which is predicted to be attended by over 1000 delegates from Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, explores the latest directions in cardiac SPECT, PET, CT and hybrid technologies.

Journalists coming to the meeting should achieve a really good understanding of where these imaging modalities currently stand in the management of cardiac patients, and plenty of good stories. The meeting represents the most contemporary discussion of how new imaging techniques are likely to fit together in future, said Robert Gropler, US organizing co-chairperson of ICNC 11.

More than 250 original abstracts have been selected for presentation at the meeting, with newsworthy topics including reducing radiation exposure; using imaging to improve risk stratification in patients with diabetes and renal disease; new methods to measure vascular inflammation; new radiopharmaceuticals, and cost effectiveness studies. Reflecting the greater emphasis that is being placed on trainees at ICNC 11, almost one third of the selected abstracts have been submitted by young investigators.

The session: Integrated cardiovascular imaging: revolutionizing the care of the cardiac patient, right at the outset of the meeting, underlines the new paradigm where patients define the modalities used. Here eminent speakers include George Beller from Charlottesville, US, who will talk about the importance of multi-functional imaging; Markus Schwaiger from Munich, Germany, who will discuss the available technologies to perform multifunctional imaging; and Marcelo Di Carli from Boston, US, who will consider how we make the dream a reality.

Further examples of sessions taking an overview of different imaging modalities include:

Power behind primordial soup discovered

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Researchers at the University of Leeds may have solved a key puzzle about how objects from space could have kindled life on Earth.

While it is generally accepted that some important ingredients for life came from meteorites bombarding the early Earth, scientists have not been able to explain how that inanimate rock transformed into the building blocks of life.

This new study shows how a chemical, similar to one now found in all living cells and vital for generating the energy that makes something alive, could have been created when meteorites containing phosphorus minerals landed in hot, acidic pools of liquids around volcanoes, which were likely to have been common across the early Earth.

The mystery of how living organisms sprung out of lifeless rock has long puzzled scientists, but we think that the unusual phosphorus chemicals we found could be a precursor to the batteries that now power all life on Earth. But the fact that it developed simply, in conditions similar to the early Earth, suggests this could be the missing link between geology and biology, said Dr Terry Kee, from the University's School of Chemistry, who led the research.

All life on Earth is powered by a process called chemiosmosis, where the chemical adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the rechargeable chemical 'battery' for life, is both broken down and re-formed during respiration to release energy used to drive the reactions of life, or metabolism. The complex enzymes required for both the creation and break down of ATP are unlikely to have existed on the Earth during the period when life first developed. This led scientists to look for a more basic chemical with similar properties to ATP, but that does not require enzymes to transfer energy.

Phosphorus is the key element in ATP, and other fundamental building blocks of life like DNA, but the form it commonly takes on Earth, phosphorus (V), is largely insoluble in water and has a low chemical reactivity. The early Earth, however, was regularly bombarded by meteorites and interstellar dust rich in exotic minerals, including the far more reactive form of phosphorus, the iron-nickel-phosphorus mineral schreibersite.

The scientists simulated the impact of such a meteorite with the hot, volcanically-active, early Earth by placing samples of the Sikhote-Alin meteorite, an iron meteorite which fell in Siberia in 1947, in acid taken from the Hveradalur geothermal area in Iceland. The rock was left to react with the acidic fluid in test tubes incubated by the surrounding hot spring for four days, followed by a further 30 days at room temperature.

Researchers to develop next generation immunotherapy for children with deadly solid tumors

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Recently, research using adoptive T-cell immunotherapy in blood cancers have shown success, most notably in the case of a seven-year-old girl whose leukemia went into remission using altered T-cells and a disabled HIV virus. Now, two of the pediatric cancer scientists involved in the T-cell/HIV study will develop a new experimental cancer immunotherapy treatment option for children with high-risk solid tumors based on the same novel approach that uses a patient's own T-cells to attack tumor cells.

Researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Primary Children's Medical Center of Salt Lake City received a $550,000 collaborative grant to test next generation T-cell immunotherapy strategies in children with neuroblastoma, a solid tumor with poor prognosis that is responsible for 15% of all childhood cancer deaths. The awardees were selected within a rigorous peer-review process through a new initiative called ACT FAST (Adoptive Cell Therapy For Adolescent/pediatric Solid Tumor), which is spearheaded by Solving Kids' Cancer. ACT FAST aims to fast-track promising research into a clinical trial within one year of the award through a collaborative team of researchers.

Only a handful of cancer centers in the world have the capabilities and the infrastructure to implement adoptive cell therapy, said Scott Kennedy, the Executive Director of Solving Kids' Cancer. Our goal in bringing together these researchers and institutions was to harness their collective power in bringing faster cures to kids with neuroblastoma.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Society for the Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) provided strategic counsel and expert review of the grant award, which was jointly funded by Solving Kids' Cancer, the Pierce Phillips Charity, and the Catherine Elizabeth Blair Memorial Foundation.

The clinical trial will be the first to use transiently modified T-cells in children with neuroblastoma and is estimated to open before the end of the year. Stephan Grupp, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Pediatrics at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, will direct the trial in collaboration with Michael Pulsipher, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics at the Primary Children's Medical Center/University of Utah, and Carl June, M.D., the Director of Translational Research at the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania, who led the altered T-cell/HIV study.

Today, children with relapsed high-risk neuroblastoma have little or no options to cure their disease through traditional methods, including chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. Early clinical studies utilizing cancer immunotherapies such as modified T-cells have demonstrated initial success and promising potential as more effective treatment options in some blood cancers, including chronic myelogenous leukemia in adults and acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children.

The ACT FAST initiative aims to bring the newest engineered T cell therapies to pediatric solid tumors. The ACT FAST approach is rigorous, highly focused and intensely translational. By collaborating with pediatric physician-scientists across institutions through ACT FAST, we will not only be able to advance research into engineered T-cell treatments, but just as importantly, offer cutting-edge cancer immunotherapy clinical trial options rapidly to children whose cancer recurs or resists current treatment, said Dr. Grupp.

Breakthrough cancer-killing treatment has no side-effects

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Cancer painfully ends more than 500,000 lives in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The scientific crusade against cancer recently achieved a victory under the leadership of University of Missouri Curators' Professor M. Frederick Hawthorne. Hawthorne's team has developed a new form of radiation therapy that successfully put cancer into remission in mice. This innovative treatment produced none of the harmful side-effects of conventional chemo and radiation cancer therapies. Clinical trials in humans could begin soon after Hawthorne secures funding.

Since the 1930s, scientists have sought success with a cancer treatment known as boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), said Hawthorne, a recent winner of the National Medal of Science awarded by President Obama in the White House. Our team at MU's International Institute of Nano and Molecular Medicine finally found the way to make BNCT work by taking advantage of a cancer cell's biology with nanochemistry.

Cancer cells grow faster than normal cells and in the process absorb more materials than normal cells. Hawthorne's team took advantage of that fact by getting cancer cells to take in and store a boron chemical designed by Hawthorne. When those boron-infused cancer cells were exposed to neutrons, a subatomic particle, the boron atom shattered and selectively tore apart the cancer cells, sparing neighboring healthy cells.

The physical properties of boron made Hawthorne's technique possible. A particular form of boron will split when it captures a neutron and release lithium, helium and energy. Like pool balls careening around a billiards table, the helium and lithium atoms penetrate the cancer cell and destroy it from the inside without harming the surrounding tissues.

A wide variety of cancers can be attacked with our BNCT technique, Hawthorne said. The technique worked excellently in mice. We are ready to move on to trials in larger animals, then people. However, before we can start treating humans, we will need to build suitable equipment and facilities. When it is built, MU will have the first radiation therapy of this kind in the world.

Hawthorne believes that his discovery was possible only at the University of Missouri because MU has three features that separate it from other universities in the nation, the reason Hawthorne came to MU from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2006.

First, it is an example of a small number of universities in the United States with a large number of science and engineering disciplines on the same campus, said Hawthorne. Second, the largest university research nuclear reactor is located at MU. Finally, it has strong, collegial biomedicine departments. This combination is unique.

Anaesthetists' research network to create buzz at national conference

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) A research network established by a network of training anaesthetists in the South West of England, and which in just nine months has become one of the most successful of its kind in the UK, is set to create a buzz at the national Group of Anaesthetists in Training (GAT) annual scientific meeting in Oxford.

The group is called SWARM (South West Anaesthetic Research Matrix) and is currently made up of around 80 training anaesthetists from all six hospitals across the South West.

SWARM was formed to help training anaesthetists get involved with research: often it is difficult for them to do so because they rotate through hospitals at six to 24 month intervals and as a result may not be able to see through research projects they have started.

Although just nine months old, SWARM is already making significant contributions to anaesthesia research in the UK. An example includes the LAS VEGAS project, which is an observational study of intra-operative ventilator settings carried out by the European Society of Anaesthesiology. Intra-operative ventilation is how patients are kept breathing mechanically during an operation and the research seeks to identify whether there is any link between the process and lung problems during and after surgery.

Across Europe, 4700 patients have been recruited to the study. In the UK 1144 patients have been recruited, the highest national total of 31 participating countries, and of those 522 have joined the programme because of SWARM.

SWARM has also carried out the first audit of patients undergoing emergency surgery who may be at risk of lung/breathing complications across a number of hospitals. It has also initiated research investigating the use of certain anaesthetics in the management of abdominal and pelvic pain after surgery.

SWARM will be highlighting its successes at the forthcoming GAT annual scientific meeting on Oxford on 3rd to 5th April.

Professor Robert Sneyd, President of SWARM and Dean of Plymouth University Peninsula College of Medicine, commented: Anaesthetists in training are qualified doctors who often find that the practicalities of their training rotas across a number of hospitals may exclude them from taking part in research. This is why SWARM is so important and why we are especially proud of its achievements, because it has created the framework for training anaesthetists to play a meaningful role in research. Its relatively early successes bode well for the future and the GAT annual scientific meeting will allow us to promote these successes at a national level.

New BRAIN initiative announced at White House

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) The Kavli Foundation applauds today's launch by President Obama of his Administration's ambitious research effort to understand the brain by deciphering the brain's activity that gives rise to our perceptions, our experiences and our consciousness. The effort, called the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies Initiative -- or BRAIN Initiative -- is a broad, collaborative research initiative to advance the science and technologies needed to unlock the mysteries of the human brain.

Described by the President as a Grand Challenge of the 21st Century, the BRAIN Initiative builds on a solid foundation of collaborative work already underway in the neuroscience and nanoscience communities, including a seminal 2011 meeting of 13 neuroscientists and 14 nanoscientists at the Kavli Royal Society International Centre outside of London entitled, Opportunities at the Interface of Neuroscience and Nanoscience.

It is a tremendous honor to be partnering with President Obama on our efforts to advance science for the benefit of humanity and for our commitment to continue this important work in support of the BRAIN initiative, said Fred Kavli, founder and chairman of The Kavli Foundation. We believe strongly that science is the key to a better world and better quality of life for all. Basic science research has a particularly unique role in enabling the advancement of society. Only by exploring uncharted frontiers can we make the discoveries that become the foundation for making life better for future generations, ranging from new treatments for diseases to more efficient sources of energy to so much more.

The Kavli Foundation is honored to be here with the many scientists gathered today to advance this scientific Grand Challenge, said Foundation President Robert W. Conn, who attended the announcement at the White House. Science is essential to improving our understanding of the world we live in, and the quality of life we experience when compared to just a hundred years ago. These days, great initiatives can only come from a broad partnership that brings together government, scientists, research institutions, industries, philanthropic foundations and of course the public. We look forward to continuing our support for this initiative because understanding the human brain is the most complex scientific problem today. To be in a position to learn about how the brain functions, and how and why it yields its amazing properties such as consciousness and deep thoughtfulness, is humbling yet terrifically exciting. It will be a long road but one that will yield not just understanding but insights into diseases of the mind that will one day relieve much human suffering.

Tiny grazers play key role in marine ecosystem health

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) LAFAYETTE - Tiny sea creatures no bigger than a thumbtack are being credited for playing a key role in helping provide healthy habitats for many kinds of seafood, according to a new study by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and U.S. Geological Survey.

The little crustacean grazers, some resembling tiny shrimp, are critical in protecting seagrasses from overgrowth by algae, helping keep these aquatic havens healthy for native and economically important species. Crustaceans are tiny to very large shelled animals that include crab, shrimp, and lobster.

The researchers found that these plant-eating animals feast on the nuisance algae that grow on seagrass, ultimately helping maintain the seagrass that provides nurseries for seafood. The grazers also serve as food themselves for animals higher on the food chain.

Drifting seaweed, usually thought of as a nuisance, also plays a part in this process, providing an important habitat for the grazing animals that keep the seagrass clean.

Inconspicuous creatures often play big roles in supporting productive ecosystems, said Matt Whalen, the study's lead author who conducted this work while at VIMS and is now at the University of California, Davis. Think of how vital honeybees are for pollinating tree crops or what our soils would look like if we did not have earthworms. In seagrass systems, tiny grazers promote healthy seagrasses by ensuring algae is quickly consumed rather than overgrowing the seagrass. And by providing additional refuge from predators, fleshy seaweeds that drift in and out of seagrass beds can maintain larger grazer populations and enhance their positive impact on seagrass.

USGS scientist Jim Grace, a study coauthor, emphasized that seagrass habitats are also quite beneficial to people.

Not only do these areas serve as nurseries for commercially important fish and shellfish, such as blue crabs, red drum, and some Pacific rockfish, but they also help clean our water and buffer our coastal communities by providing shoreline protection from storms, Grace said. These tiny animals, by going about their daily business of grazing, are integral to keeping healthy seagrass beds healthy.

In fact, the authors wrote, if not for the algal munching of these grazers, algae could blanket the seagrasses, blocking out sunlight and preventing them from photosynthesizing, which would ultimately kill the seagrasses. Seagrass declines in some areas are attributed partly to excessive nutrients in water bodies stimulating excessive algal growth on seagrasses.

Coastal managers have been concerned for years about excess fertilizer and sediment loads that hurt seagrasses, said J. Emmett Duffy of Virginia Institute of Marine Science and coauthor of the study. Our results provide convincing field evidence that grazing by small animals can be just as important as good water quality in preventing nuisance algae blooms and keeping seagrass beds healthy.

The USGS scientists involved in this study serve as members of a worldwide consortium of researchers examining the health of seagrasses. This research by Virginia Institute of Marine Science and USGS researchers is the first in a series of studies worldwide on seagrass ecosystems.

Near-Earth objects and recent asteroid events top the agenda for Planetary Defense Conference

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) The February 15 explosion of an incoming asteroid over in the Russian Urals was a unique event. No one in modern times had ever witnessed such a display of celestial fireworks, which injured more than a thousand people from flying glass. But for the past 20 years astronomers have been studying the cosmic impact hazard, so they were prepared to react quickly to investigate this remarkable event. The first scientific report on their preliminary findings will be presented on April 14 as part of an international meeting on Planetary Defense. This discussion will be free to the press and the public.

Gathering for Impact!, the 2013 International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) Planetary Defense Conference, will be held in Flagstaff, Ariz., on April 15-19. The conference brings together world experts on subjects related to planetary defense, including what we currently know about potentially threatening asteroids and comets, techniques that might be used to deflect a threatening object, and political and policy issues that might affect a decision to take action. The conference will include an exercise where participants develop civil protection and threat mitigation responses to a hypothetical threat.

Preliminary data indicate that the Chelyabinsk projectile was about 20 meters (60 feet) in diameter, or half the diameter of the famous Tunguska impact of 1908, which leveled more than a thousand square miles of forest. Both projectiles were stony fragments of asteroids. The energy of the Chelyabinsk blast was about 500 KT, or the equivalent of 40 Hiroshima-size atom bombs. It had about a tenth of the energy, and exploded about twice as high as, the Tunguska blast, thus doing much less damage on the ground.

Since this cosmic projectile exploded in daylight over a major city, there is an abundance of videos and eyewitness accounts. The explosion was also observed from space and was detected around the world by its atmospheric pressure wave. Further, the explosion produced a shower of small stones that spread over an area at least 15 km (10 miles) across. These meteorites are an important part of the evidence for what happened.

The special session on the Chelyabinsk Event and its Implications for Planetary Defense will be held at 7:30 pm on April 14, the evening before the opening of the week-long 2013 IAA Planetary Defense Conference. The chief organizer of the special Chelyabinsk session is David Morrison of the SETI Institute in Mt. View, California. Morrison said The explosion over Chelyabinsk was a wake-up call to the continuing threat of cosmic projectiles. We all have a long-term stake in learning about these projectiles so that someday we will have the capability to discover objects before they collide and take necessary action to prevent a disaster.

The three invited speakers and their topics are:

UC Davis MIND Institute receives prestigious Autism Centers of Excellence Award

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Autism researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute have received a prestigious $13 million award from the National Institutes of Health to establish an Autism Center of Excellence and Treatment Network, making the MIND Institute one of only nine such centers in the United States.

Announced on World Autism Awareness Day, the Autism Center of Excellence, or ACE, award underwrites a research program aimed at advancing the quality, pace and coordination of autism research and is led by Sally J. Rogers, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and principal investigator. Rogers will collaborate with scientists at Vanderbilt University, Nashville; the University of Washington, Seattle and Harvard to conduct the research. The award will support two separate treatment studies designed to provide the most up-to-date data possible on the most effective methods of treating very young children with autism.

While progress in research on autism spectrum disorder has been rapid, complex questions remain about the causes of these disorders, how to detect them very early, and how to intervene most effectively, said National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Director Thomas Insel. Centers receiving ACE funding have marshaled the interdisciplinary expertise and technical resources needed to move the science forward as quickly as possible.

Rogers said that supporting and improving the outcomes of young children with autism and other disabilities is a national commitment and health priority, and a community and family necessity.

The number of children who develop autism now overshadows all other early childhood disabilities and represents more than 1 percent of all the children in our country. The funds from the National Institutes of Health, and the support of the MIND Institute and UC Davis, will allow us to identify the best treatments for autism early in life and mitigate as much as possible the disabling effects of this all-too-prevalent and lifelong condition.

The efficacy of early intervention for improving children's functioning may be the biggest treatment success story in autism. The most widely used therapy is an approach called applied behavioral analysis (ABA), pioneered by O. Ivar Lovaas during the 1980s. Discrete-trial therapy modeled after Lovaas-style intervention is widespread and is offered by school districts nationwide.

A highly successful alternative therapy uses play as the treatment context. Rogers, with her colleague Geraldine Dawson of the University of North Carolina and Autism Speaks, created the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) method of early autism intervention, a form of therapy that fuses play-based, developmental, relationship-based approaches with the teaching methods of ABA. ESDM has been found to result in IQ, language and adaptive behavioral gains that equal those of discrete-trial approaches.

The ACE Award will provide funds for a new study that will include 108 very young, diverse, male and female children at three different study sites: 36 at the MIND Institute in Sacramento, Calif., 36 at the University of Washington in Seattle and 36 at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

Models will enable safer deepwater oil production

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Rice University researchers are developing a comprehensive model that will predict how brine, oil and gas drawn from ultra-deep wells react to everything encountered on the way up to the surface and to suggest strategies to maintain the flow.

Deepwater production involves hydrocarbons but also formation water (brine), chemicals, and materials that make up the complex machinery of modern oil extraction. Under high pressures and temperatures, the brine can form acidic mixtures that corrode pipes or form solid mineral deposits, called scale, that inhibit flow in a well.

Rice professors Walter Chapman, Kenneth Cox and Mason Tomson will combine their expertise in materials and computer modeling to analyze the brine and its environment on the molecular to macro scales. Their research is supported by $1.2 million awarded last fall by the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America, a contractor for the US Department of Energy, through Brine Chemistry Solutions LLC.

A molecular-level model based on Chapman's Statistical Associating Fluid Theory (SAFT) equation and on Tomson's expertise with the Brine Chemistry Consortium will predict the likelihood that scale and corrosion will hinder the flow in a well based on variables found at the site. That will save money, cut risk and make deepwater production safer and more environmentally sound, Chapman said.

This is all about flow assurance, he said. Companies want to maintain their ability to produce by knowing how to deal with potential obstacles -- scale, asphaltenes, natural gas hydrates, wax -- anything that could prevent them from being able to flow the fluids. Rice works in each of these areas, but the current project involves scale and corrosion.

The degree of difficulty increases as explorers drill further out to sea. Ultra-deepwater wells are those with water depths greater than 7,500 feet. In these fossil fuel reservoirs, extreme temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and pressures greater than 25,000 pounds per square inch can turn benign mixtures into pipe-eating acids or clogging solids.

There are a lot of components, said Cox, who spent 17 years as a research engineer at Shell before entering academia. You have water, all kinds of salts and other species in a very complex mixture over many extreme combinations of temperature and pressure. But most of the data we have to base our models on, to calibrate the models against, are taken near room temperature and at atmospheric pressure.

It's kind of like sending someone to the moon, when you only know what you've experienced on Earth, he said. We mean to take this limited body of data and make the best possible use of it.

Our idea is to have a single model able to describe all the phases -- for gases, water and aqueous solutions, and hydrocarbons -- from very hot, high-pressure conditions down hole all the way through the platform and even through transmission and refining, Chapman said. We want to use one model to describe conditions along this entire path.

Samples from the deep are difficult to analyze, even when they can be obtained, he said. Even though sample cells can maintain pressure, and a very few will maintain temperature, by the time they come up to the surface, the samples are completely different, he said. So we have limited data from which to project a highly complex system.

Sensory helmet could mean firefighters are not left in the dark

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) A specially-adapted 'tactile helmet', developed by researchers at the University of Sheffield, could provide fire-fighters operating in challenging conditions with vital clues about their surroundings.

The helmet is fitted with a number of ultrasound sensors that are used to detect the distances between the helmet and nearby walls or other obstacles. These signals are transmitted to vibration pads that are attached to the inside of the helmet, touching the wearer's forehead. Rescue workers, such as fire-fighters, who might be working in dark conditions or in buildings filled with smoke, will be able to use the signals to find walls and other obstacles that could help guide them through unfamiliar environments.

It is anticipated that a lightweight version of the technology could also be useful to people with visual impairments, acting as an additional 'sense' to guide users or to help them avoid hazards.

Invented by a team of researchers at the Sheffield Centre for Robotics (SCentRo), the helmet was inspired by research into tactile sensing in rodents, whose whiskers give early warning of potential hazards.

Professor Tony Prescott of the University of Sheffield and director of SCentRo, said: When a firefighter is responding to an emergency situation he will be using his eyes and ears to make sense of his environment, trying to make out objects in a smoke filled room, for example, or straining to hear sounds from people who might need rescuing. We found that in these circumstances it was difficult to process additional information through these senses. Using the sense of touch, however, we were able to deliver additional information effectively.

The team also found that the helmet was the ideal place to locate the vibrating pads because, although the fingertips might seem a more obvious choice, stimuli delivered to the wearer's forehead enabled them to respond more rapidly to the signals, and would also leave their hands free for other tasks.

The prototype helmet was developed using a Rosenbauer helmet donated by Northfire Ltd and was produced following a two-year research project, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service have also assisted, providing advice during the development period as well as access to their training facility. The next step is to find a commercial partner interested in further developing the helmet.

The helmet will be on show at this year's Gadget Show Live, to be held at the NEC in Birmingham from 3-7 April 2013. For more information go to:

NJIT mathematician publishes 2013 Major League Baseball projections

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) It looks like 2013 will be a thrilling season for baseball fans as four of the six divisions can be expected to deliver tight races, says baseball guru NJIT Associate Professor and Associate Dean Bruce Bukiet. Over the years, Bukiet has applied mathematical analysis to compute the number of regular season games each Major League Baseball team should win. Though his expertise is in mathematical modeling, his projections have compared well with those of so-called experts.

The numbers indicate that only one game might separate the first and second place teams in both the National League's (NL) East and West divisions, with the Atlanta Braves (94 wins) edging out the Washington Nationals (93 wins) in the East and the Los Angeles Dodgers (88 wins) coming in just ahead of the San Francisco Giants (87 wins) in the West. Even in the NL Central, the St. Louis Cardinals (90 wins) don't have much breathing room, winning that division by a projected 3 games over the Cincinnati Reds (87 wins). The Braves, Nationals, Cards, Reds and Dodgers should make the playoffs, while the Giants miss by a single game.

It is hard to believe that in the American League (AL), the contests could be even closer. While the Detroit Tigers should have the best record in baseball (102 wins) and run away with the Central division, with the next best team (the Chicago White Sox) more than 20 wins behind, the other two divisions could end up in ties. In the AL West, Bukiet has the Anaheim Angels and the Oakland Athletics tied with 92 wins each, while in the AL East, he says there could be a 3-way tie!!! The guru predicts that the Toronto Blue Jays, the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees all will win 87 games. Such results would mean that the Tigers, Angels, and Athletics would make the playoffs, while the other two teams to make the playoffs would be from among the Blue Jays, Rays, Yankees or Texas Rangers, all whom the model show come in at 87 wins.

Bukiet makes these projections to demonstrate and promote the power of math. He wants to show young people that math can be fun, that it can be applied to improve one's understanding of many aspects of life and that if you love mathematics, it can be a great college major and lead to a satisfying career.

Bukiet bases his predictions on a mathematical model he developed in 2000. He has made revisions over the years. His results have led to back-to-back wins for himself in 2010-2011 as predictions champ at baseballphd.net. See more results for his baseball modeling, including projected wins for each of the 30 Major League Baseball teams, at

Stanford survey: Americans back preparation for extreme weather and sea-level rise

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Images told the story: lower Manhattan in darkness, coastal communities washed away, cars floating in muck. Superstorm Sandy, a harbinger of future extreme weather intensified by climate change, caught the country off guard in October.

Unprepared for the flooding and high winds that ensued, the East Coast suffered more than $70 billion in property damage and more than 100 deaths.

Will Americans prepare and invest now to minimize the impact of disasters such as Sandy, or deal with storms and rising sea levels after they occur?

A new survey commissioned by the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and the Center for Ocean Solutions finds that an overwhelming majority of Americans want to prepare in order to minimize the damage likely to be caused by global warming-induced sea-level rise and storms.

A majority also wants people whose properties and businesses are located in hazard areas to foot the bill for this preparation, not the government. Eighty-two percent of the Americans surveyed said that people and organizations should prepare for the damage likely to be caused by sea-level rise and storms, rather than simply deal with the damage after it happens.

Among the most popular policy solutions identified in the survey are stronger building codes for new structures along the coast to minimize damage (favored by 62 percent) and preventing new buildings from being built near the coast (supported by 51 percent).

People support preventive action, said survey director Jon Krosnick, a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and professor of communication, and few people believe these preparations will harm the economy or eliminate jobs. In fact, more people believe that preparation efforts will help the economy and create jobs around the U.S., in their state and in their town than think these efforts will harm the economy and result in fewer jobs in those areas. But people want coastal homeowners and businesses that locate in high-risk areas to pay for these measures.

The challenges posed by rising sea levels and increasingly severe storms will only intensify as more Americans build along the coasts. A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report released March 25 predicts that already crowded U.S. coastlines will become home to an additional 11 million people by 2020.

Survey questions were formulated to assess participants' beliefs about climate change and gather opinions about the impact of climate change, sea-level rise and storms on communities, the economy and jobs.

The survey also gauged public support for specific coastal adaptation strategies and how to pay for them. People are least supportive of policies that try to hold back Mother Nature, Krosnick said. They think it makes more sense to recognize risk and reduce exposure.

Among the survey's respondents, 48 percent favor sand dune restoration and 33 percent favor efforts to maintain beaches with sand replenishment, while 37 percent support relocating structures away from the coast and 33 percent support constructing sea walls.

Eighty-two percent of the survey's respondents believe that Earth's temperature has been rising over the last 100 years. However, even a majority of those who doubt the existence of climate change favor adaptation measures (60 percent).

The question is, how does public support for preparation translate to action? asked Meg Caldwell, executive director of the Center for Ocean Solutions. Our impulse is to try to move quickly to put communities back together the way they were after devastation. But that impulse often leads to doubling down on high-risk investments, such as rebuilding in areas likely to experience severe impacts. To move toward long-term resiliency for coastal communities, we need to seize opportunities to apply new thinking, new standards and long-term solutions.

Krosnick presented the survey results this morning at a policy briefing hosted by the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

Notre Dame researchers are using new technologies to combat invasive species

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) A new research paper by a team of researchers from the University of Notre Dame's Environmental Change Initiative (ECI) demonstrates how two cutting-edge technologies can provide a sensitive and real-time solution to screening real-world water samples for invasive species before they get into our country or before they cause significant damage.

Aquatic invasive species cause ecological and economic damage worldwide, including the loss of native biodiversity and damage to the world's great fisheries, Scott Egan, a research assistant professor with Notre Dame's Advanced Diagnostics and Therapeutics Initiative and a member of the research team, said. This research combines two new, but proven technologies, environmental DNA (eDNA) and Light Transmission Spectroscopy (LTS), to address the growing problem of aquatic invasive species by increasing our ability to detect dangerous species in samples before they arrive or when they are still rare in their environment and have not yet caused significant damage.

Egan points out that eDNA is a species surveillance tool that recognizes a unique advantage of aquatic sampling: water often contains microscopic bits of tissue in suspension, including the scales of fish, the exoskeletons of insects, and the sloughed cells of and tissues of aquatic species. These tissue fragments can be filtered from water samples and then a standard DNA extraction is performed on the filtered matter. The new sampling method for invasive species was pioneered by members of the ND Environmental Change Initiative, including David Lodge and Chris Jerde, Central Michigan University's Andrew Mahon, and The Nature Conservancy's Lindsay Chadderton.

Egan explains that LTS, which was developed by Notre Dame physicists Steven Ruggiero and Carol Tanner, can measure the size of small particles on a nanometer scale (1 nanometer equals 1 billionth of a meter). LTS was used in the research for DNA-based species detection where the LTS device detects small shifts in the size of nanoparticles with short single-stranded DNA fragments on their surface that will only bind to the DNA of a specific species.

Thus, these nanoparticles grow in size in the presence of a target species, such as a dangerous invasive species, but don't in the presence of other species Egan said. In addition to the sensitivity of LTS, it is also advantageous because the device fits in a small suitcase and can operate off a car battery in the field, such as a point of entry at the border of the U.S.

The Notre Dame researchers demonstrated the work with manipulative experiments in the lab for five high-risk invasive species and also in the field, using lakes already infested with an invasive mussel,

2013-14 Genzyme/ACMG Foundation Training Award in Clinical Biochemical Genetics announced

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Lindsay C. Burrage, MD, PhD of Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital and Shane C. Quinonez, MD of The University of Michigan were honored as the 2013-2014 recipients of the Genzyme/ACMG Foundation Medical Genetics Training Award in Clinical Biochemical Genetics at the ACMG 2013 Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting in Phoenix, AZ.

The objective of the two Genzyme/ACMG Foundation Awards is to support a national training program to encourage the recruitment and training of clinicians in the field of clinical biochemical genetics and especially in the diagnosis, management and treatment of individuals with metabolic diseases. Two awardees will be given the opportunity to participate in an in-depth clinical experience at a premier medical center with expertise and significant clinical volume in the area of biochemical genetics.

The Award grants $75,000 per year to each of two recipients selected by the ACMG Foundation through a competitive process and will provide for the sponsorship of one year of the trainees' clinical genetics subspecialty in biochemical genetics following residency.

Dr. Burrage is currently in the second year of residency in Medical Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine. She said, The Medical Biochemical Genetics Fellowship at Baylor will provide an environment where I can obtain both clinical and research training in inborn errors of metabolism. This training will prepare me for an academic career in biochemical genetics, where I can continue to pursue my research interests focusing on metabolic disorders. Dr. Burrage completed her M.D. and Ph.D. at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, OH and a Pediatrics Residency at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland, OH. Her research during the Award period will involve a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the utility of sodium phenylbutyrate as a therapeutic agent in Maple Syrup Urine Disease.

The second award recipient, Dr. Quinonez, received his M.D from the University of Michigan, completed his residency in Pediatrics at the University of Michigan, and began his residency in Medical Genetics in 2011. His research focuses on Cystinosis and the potential correction of cystine storage via microvesicles. He will continue his training as part of the Clinical Biochemical Genetics Program.

I am extremely honored to be one of the recipients of the Genzyme/ACMG Foundation award. It is my hope that the opportunities, both research and clinical, afforded to me as a result of this award will allow me to provide the best possible clinical care to the patients I manage in the future.

The Genzyme/ACMG Foundation Clinical Genetics Award in Clinical Biochemical Genetics is critical to the development of the genetics workforce. Biochemical genetics is undergoing particular rapid change, as new insights into disease mechanisms are leading to new methods of treatment, said Bruce R. Korf, MD, PhD, FACMG, president of the ACMG Foundation.

Swarming robots could be the servants of the future

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Swarms of robots acting together to carry out jobs could provide new opportunities for humans to harness the power of machines.

Researchers in the Sheffield Centre for Robotics, jointly established by the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University, have been working to program a group of 40 robots, and say the ability to control robot swarms could prove hugely beneficial in a range of contexts, from military to medical.

The researchers have demonstrated that the swarm can carry out simple fetching and carrying tasks, by grouping around an object and working together to push it across a surface.

The robots can also group themselves together into a single cluster after being scattered across a room, and organize themselves by order of priority.

Dr Roderich Gross, head of the Natural Robotics Lab, in the Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering at the University of Sheffield, says swarming robots could have important roles to play in the future of micromedicine, as 'nanobots' are developed for non-invasive treatment of humans. On a larger scale, they could play a part in military, or search and rescue operations, acting together in areas where it would be too dangerous or impractical for humans to go. In industry too, robot swarms could be put to use, improving manufacturing processes and workplace safety.

The programming that the University of Sheffield team has developed to control the robots is deceptively simple. For example, if the robots are being asked to group together, each robot only needs to be able to work out if there is another robot in front of it. If there is, it turns on the spot; if there isn't, it moves in a wider circle until it finds one.

Dr Gross said: We are developing Artificial Intelligence to control robots in a variety of ways. The key is to work out what is the minimum amount of information needed by the robot to accomplish its task. That's important because it means the robot may not need any memory, and possibly not even a processing unit, so this technology could work for nanoscale robots, for example in medical applications.

This research is funded by a Marie Curie European Reintegration Grant within the 7th European Community Framework Programme. Additional support has been provided by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

The robots were showcased on Channel 5's The Gadget Show this week and will be demonstrated at this year's Gadget Show Live, to be held at the NEC in Birmingham from 3-7 April 2013. For more information go to:

RIT researchers develop advanced video and image processing

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Rapid developments in satellite and sensor technologies have increased the availability of high-resolution, remotely sensed images faster than researchers can process and analyze the data manually.

Researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology are developing advanced intelligence processing technologies to handle those large volumes of data in a timely manner, and to effectively distinguish objects, scale, complexity and organization.

Eli Saber, professor of electrical and microelectronic engineering in RIT's Kate Gleason College of Engineering, and David Messinger, associate research professor of imaging science in the university's Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science, were awarded two grants, totaling more than $1.1 million, from the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency to continue advancing this technology.

The first, Hierarchical Representation of Remote Senses Multimodal Imagery was awarded $576,042 to advance the foundation for object-based image analysis of remotely sensed images, and to explore the use of topological features to improve classification and detection results. The second grant, Spatio-Temporal Segmentation of Full Motion Airborne Video Imagery, was awarded $576, 043 and focuses on development of a segmentation methodology to differentiate the unique cues of moving and still objects derived from full motion video capture.

It all comes down to efficiently handling large amounts of image data collected from satellites and video streams, which are not necessarily big images, but I can collect video for hours, says Messinger, who also serves as the director of RIT's Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Laboratory. You'd like to be able to download the data, have it go into a computer system and have it reduce that eight hours of video down to 20 minutes that somebody actually has to look at, just the highlights so they can process the information to make decisions.

Both projects advance work done by researchers in the area of image segmentation, with this newest research focused on advanced video processing. Messinger and Saber's project team will develop complex computer algorithms to promote a platform for intelligent computer processing. Computers interpret object information from images and video as a two-dimensional plane, unlike humans who understand an object's three-dimensional aspects, says Saber.

We struggle in doing the proper video segmentation intelligently, he adds. How do computers form this recognition that we as humans have understood for most of our lives? How do you get the computer to recognize images the same as humans would do it? It is a problem that is largely unsolved and difficult.

The system the team is producing would be adaptable for identifying structures, objects of various sizes, shapes and timescales, says Messinger.

It has to be flexible enough to capture all of that information in multiple spatial and temporal scales, he says. I want to be able to process it to extract information automatically, so I can make the process more efficient for the end user.

Stressful life events may increase stillbirth risk, NIH network study finds

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Pregnant women who experienced financial, emotional, or other personal stress in the year before their delivery had an increased chance of having a stillbirth, say researchers who conducted a National Institutes of Health network study.

Stillbirth is the death of a fetus at 20 or more weeks of pregnancy. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2006, there was one stillbirth for every 167 births.

The researchers asked more than 2,000 women a series of questions, including whether they had lost a job or had a loved one in the hospital in the year before they gave birth.

Whether or not the pregnancy ended in stillbirth, most women reported having experienced at least one stressful life event in the previous year. The researchers found that 83 percent of women who had a stillbirth and 75 percent of women who had a live birth reported a stressful life event. Almost 1 in 5 women with stillbirths and 1 in 10 women with livebirths in this study reported recently experiencing 5 or more stressful life events. This study measured the occurrence of a list of significant life events, and did not include the woman's assessment of how stressful the event was to her.

Women reporting a greater number of stressful events were more likely to have a stillbirth. Two stressful events increased a woman's odds of stillbirth by about 40 percent, the researchers' analysis showed. A woman experiencing five or more stressful events was nearly 2.5 times more likely to have a stillbirth than a woman who had experienced none. Women who reported three or four significant life event factors (financial, emotional, traumatic or partner-related) remained at increased risk for stillbirth after accounting for other stillbirth risk factors, such as sociodemographic characteristics and prior pregnancy history.

Non-Hispanic black women were more likely to report experiencing stressful events than were non-Hispanic white women and Hispanic women. Black women also reported a greater number of stressful events than did their white and Hispanic counterparts. This finding may partly explain why black women have higher rates of stillbirth than non-Hispanic white or Hispanic women, the researchers said.

We documented how significant stressors are highly prevalent in pregnant women's lives, said study co-author Marian Willinger, Ph.D., acting chief of the Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), one of two NIH entities funding the research. This reinforces the need for health care providers to ask expectant mothers about what is going on in their lives, monitor stressful life events and to offer support as part of prenatal care.

The NIH Office of Research in Women's Health also funded the study.

Because 1 in 5 pregnant women has three or more stressful events in the year leading up to delivery, the potential public health impact of effective interventions could be substantial and help increase the delivery of healthy babies, added lead author Dr. Carol Hogue, Terry Professor of Maternal and Child Health at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta.

Dr. Willinger collaborated with colleagues at the NICHD and Emory University; Drexel University School of Medicine, Philadelphia; University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta; Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, R.I.; University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio; University of Utah School of Medicine and Intermountain Healthcare, Salt Lake City; and RTI International, Research Triangle Park, N.C.

Their findings appear in the

New centers will lead to enhanced geriatric social work training

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) The Hartford/GSA National Center on Gerontological Social Work Excellence has chosen the Boston College and the University of Michigan as the locations of the first two Hartford Academic Centers of Excellence in Geriatric Social Work.

The National Center was established through a three-year, $1.35 million grant from the John A. Hartford Foundation to The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) in February 2013. GSA Fellow Barbara Berkman, DSW, PhD, chairs its National Advisory Board.

Being identified as a Hartford Geriatric Social Work Center commits that university to exemplary leadership in training future generations of geriatric social work practitioners and faculty, as well as to leadership in the translation of new knowledge into policy and practice, Berkman said. This association provides a recognizable brand that empowers these universities to serve as models that will motivate other universities to meet the standards required of being an identified center.

The Hartford Center at Boston College will be led by GSA Fellow James Lubben, DSW, MPH, who also directs the University Institute on Aging there. GSA Fellow Ruth Dunkle, PhD, MSW, will lead the Hartford Center at the University of Michigan, where she serves as the associate dean for faculty and academic affairs at the School of Social Work. Three additional centers will be selected by the end of 2013.

We are pleased and excited to be selected as one of the initial Hartford Academic Centers of Excellence in Geriatric Social Work, said Laura Lein, PhD, dean of the University of Michigan School of Social Work. This initiative will allow us to build on our past relationship with the Hartford Foundation and GSA, extend our partnerships and collaborations with organizations serving older adults in our geographic region, and develop new training models for social work intervention. We look forward to working with our partner organizations in the field who are providing and extending services to older adults.

Each center is expected to provide leadership for social work educators; build bridges to local health professionals, such as those employed by Area Agencies on Aging; form regional consortia of social work field agencies serving older adults and their families, designed to address gaps in education and training on aging among these local agencies; engage in inter-professional collaborations with other departments of the university, with other professional groups within the region, and with Hartford Centers of Excellence in medicine and nursing; providing mentoring to Hartford-funded researchers based at the U.S. Veterans Administration; create and evaluate training models that translate new knowledge into practice and policy; and seek additional support to sustain the Social Work Centers.

Being named a Hartford Academic Center of Excellence demonstrates our continued commitment to social work with older adults and their families, said Alberto Godenzi, PhD, dean of the Graduate School of Social Work at Boston College. The Hartford Center at Boston College will provide new opportunities for the Graduate School of Social Work to share our expertise and engage the practice community.

The grant that established the National Center was designed to build upon the successes of the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Initiative (HGSWI), which has been coordinated by GSA since 1999 and has supported over 200 doctoral fellows and faculty scholars who are helping to build a workforce of social workers trained and educated in geriatrics.

In addition to founding the five Hartford Academic Centers of Excellence in Geriatric Social Work, the National Center will collaborate with the VA to develop social work research leaders to help advance evidence-based knowledge related to VA practice in aging; mobilize of the current HGSWI Alumni Network by using their expertise to impact practice and policy; and seek funding from a variety of sources to support and expand its objectives and functions, as well as ensure its sustainability.

Graduate student wins award for designing safer schools

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) HUNTSVILLE, TX (3/27/13) -- Cody J. Wortham, a graduate of Sam Houston State University's Security Studies Department, won an international award from the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) Foundation for his research on improving security at schools through low-cost, low-tech architectural design.

The ASIS International Student Writing Competition rewards students who conduct research, engage in thoughtful deliberation and write an academic paper on an issue relevant to the security and assets protection profession. As the graduate category winner, Wortham received $1,500 and complimentary registration at one of the ASIS annual events.

With the advent of school shootings in the 1990s, as well as ongoing natural or manmade disasters, such as fires, bomb threats, tornados and hurricanes, it is imperative to make security the top priority in school design, according to Designing school security: Low cost/low tech solutions for building a better security plan through architectural design in public schools. To accomplish this, it is critical to have security professionals involved in the planning of new schools or major renovations of existing campuses to present low cost, low tech options to enhance safety, especially in budget-strapped rural areas.

Many schools are designed to be open and to hold the greatest number of students possible, but provide little security or access control. For schools that use sheltering in place in response to crisis, this can result in a death sentence because of the large concentration of students in one area as well as the use of large amounts of exposed glass. An example of this was found in the Columbine school massacre, where school officials were unable or unaware of how to lock the library. As a result several students were shot at point black range.

According to a 2009 study of more than 16,000 schools, some security features used in schools were perimeter fencing (16.3%), security cameras (18.7 %), exterior lighting (84.8%), metal detectors (5.1%) and alarms on exteriors doors (14.7%).

While a bunker or prison design may provide ideal security, it is unappealing and impractical. However, security can be incorporated in the design and layout of the building without compromising aesthetics. For example, common areas frequently used by the public, such as cafeterias, auditoriums or performing arts stages, should be located in areas where access can be controlled, and the number of windows in schools should be reduced or placed at higher elevations so they cannot be easily accessed. Wortham suggests that a castle design, similar to the Malbork Castle in Poland that survived several sieges over a 100 year period before it was destroyed by bombing in WWII, is both functional and appealing.

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, a theory which relies on building design to deter the majority of potential threats, is also critical to safe schools by allowing for natural surveillance, access control and territorial reinforcement. Neutral colors and natural light sources can help produce calming effects on building occupants and reduce violence, and landscaping and repairs can help dissuade crime and violent behavior.

One of the biggest costs in the design and construction of schools is technology, and security professionals should be consulted because of the rapid evolution of security features in the industry. For example, new remote security link boxes can be installed that allow police or other emergency agencies to connect to existing security cameras remotely. New technology also can be paired with traditional security cameras to identify abandoned or forbidden items, detect individuals in secure areas and alert staff and security to potential threats.

There are several security features than can be added to existing schools to improve safety. Among these are adding security film to windows to prevent shattering and improving sight lines from the central office to hallways.

Wortham presented his proposal not only to his hometown school district in Neches, TX but also to the Houston Chapter of ASIS, which invited representatives from the Houston Independent School District.

Pioneering research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy secures commercial funding

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Royal Holloway, is today (Wednesday) giving money generated by its research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy to the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. Families affected by the condition are also visiting laboratories on campus to find out from the scientists about new drug developments and see the work being carried out.

Affecting just 1 in 3000 young boys, Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a life-shortening condition, which causes muscles to weaken and waste over time leading to increasingly severe disability.

Professor George Dickson from the School of Biological Sciences at Royal Holloway has been leading a team of scientists looking into pioneering treatments, including exon skipping, a process that looks to encourage cellular machinery to 'skip over' an exon which makes up part of the gene. It is thought that by skipping one or two exons, it may be possible to treat around 83% of the genetic errors causing Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

A pharmaceutical company is now looking to collaborate with the team to develop drugs that could be used for treating the condition and has paid a fee to secure rights to the research.

Professor George Dickson said : We are delighted to be able to return money to the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign who originally funded this research in the early stages.

The revenue generated shows that our work is having a real impact. Our research is directly leading to new treatments and hopefully drugs to treat this condition which can be crippling for those affected by it.

Dr Marita Pohlschmidt, Director of Research at the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign said: We are at a crucial stage in research into finding treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. A therapy that will change the lives of children with Duchenne is almost certainly on the horizon. However, this is a very complex genetic condition, and exon-skipping will not work for all those affected. The additional funding we will receive from Professor Dickson's work can be ploughed back into our other lines of research, and will help us ensure that every child with Duchenne will one day benefit from treatment.

Neil and Karen Robinson, whose five-year-old son Thomas has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, will take part in the laboratory tour. They are raising funds for research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy through the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign's Duchenne Research Breakthrough Fund.

Karen said: It's a really great thing for us as a family to be able to physically see where the money we have been raising goes. So often people just send off funds raised by charity events and challenges, and trust that it is put into good work. Visiting the lab gives us the opportunity not only to meet the people who are carrying out the research we back, but also to explain to family, friends and all those who support us exactly where their donations go.

Crash, bang, thump -- the hidden dangers around the home

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Bunk beds and baby change tables are among the hidden dangers around the home causing serious injury and death to Queensland children.

In the 2013 Consumer product-related injuries in Queensland children report, prepared by QUT's Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety - Queensland (CARRS-Q), more than 475,000 Queensland children sustained injuries requiring emergency department treatment between 2004 and 2011.

The lead author of the report, QUT's Dr Kirsten McKenzie, said consumer products were a significant cause of child injury requiring treatment in emergency departments in Queensland hospitals.

The aim of this report is to highlight the dangers associated with consumer products that are commonplace around the home and look at ways to improve their safety, Dr McKenzie said.

We found that the proportion of injuries related to a consumer product steadily decreases with age with a marked drop from the age of 6 years onwards.

What this shows is that children up to six years of age are at most risk of injury around the home and therefore products used by children must be assessed for safety.

Dr McKenzie said consumer products over-represented in the study included nursery items such as prams and strollers, cots, high chairs and baby change tables as well as bunk beds, trampolines, and magnets.

Injuries associated with these products come as a result of interactions between product design and parental and child behaviours.

She said while there were Australian standards around some of the products, parents would be surprised that many products do not have safety standards.

However, Dr McKenzie said standards were only one aspect of safe use.

Although there is a mandatory standard for bunk bed design requiring - among other things - a rail to prevent falls from the upper bunk, injuries from bunk beds were high on the list in both emergency department presentations and hospital admission data, she said.

It is staggering that on average almost 300 children a year required emergency department treatment for injuries related to bunk beds, with 4 to 6 year olds most commonly hurt.

What is concerning is that the bulk of bunk bed injuries are occurring to children well below the recommended age for use of bunk beds and that most of the injuries are a result of children playing on the bunks rather than sleeping.

So while the design standards may be contributing to a reduction in injuries, the behaviour around the use of the bunk beds needs to be addressed.

Dr McKenzie said the study also found many consumer products such as baby change tables were not governed by Australian standards.

I think people would be surprised to know there are no specific voluntary or mandatory safety standards for change tables in Australia, she said.

The injury data clearly indicates a need for some intervention in relation to change tables.

She said there are almost 100 injuries a year relating to falls from baby change tables and one in five toddlers presenting to an emergency department after such injuries were hospitalised.

Parents may assume that products intended for use by infants meet a certain safety benchmark, and this may be influencing their behaviour when using a change table.

Dr McKenzie said there was considerable opportunity for strengthening the current product safety surveillance system within Queensland as well as nationally and internationally.

The report is based on data from Queensland emergency department presentations and hospital admissions, as well as data provided by the Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit.

Paranoia persists in mugging victims for months after attack, study finds

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Being mugged or randomly attacked in the street often leaves people paranoid and distrustful of others long after the attack, according to a study published today. The research highlights a previously under-recognised consequence of physical assault which will help to inform therapy for those seeking help.

In the study, four out of five victims reported that since the assault they were more fearful of other people than they wanted to be. Importantly the study identified what led to excessive mistrust lasting over the next six months. Being attacked close to home, feeling defeated at the time, worrying excessively afterwards, feeling unsupported by others, and difficulties sleeping all meant paranoid fears remained in a person's mind.

It's well known that being physically assaulted can lead to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is the first study to assess for feelings of paranoia, an excessive mistrust of other people, in the months after an attack. It was found that the victims' fears about their attacker often spread to thoughts about other people, such that they had become wary of many people around them. Half of the study participants said that since the assault they felt fearful of all females, and two thirds said that they felt fearful of all males. One in ten had very high levels of paranoia in the months after the assault.

The study, funded by the Wellcome Trust, followed 106 people who had attended hospital with minor injuries after a physical assault and monitored them over the next six months for symptoms of PTSD and paranoia.

The paranoia was assessed in multiple ways by the study psychologists. They used self-reporting, careful interviewing by trained assessors, and an innovative virtual reality test to monitor how the participants perceive neutral computer characters. The team showed that the fears even transferred to virtual reality computer representations of people.

Professor Daniel Freeman from the University of Oxford, who led the study whilst at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, said: It is very understandable that being attacked makes us wary of the people around us. Our mindset may become more like that of a bodyguard, vigilant for danger. When we are overly mistrustful, that is a form of paranoia. It may well be a normal temporary change in our thinking after being a victim of attack. The danger of such thoughts, however, is if we isolate ourselves, close off from others, and spend our time thinking only of the worst. It is an under-recognised problem in the aftermath of an attack.

For many people the fears about others gradually ease with time. But our team identified several key factors both during and after the assault that made the paranoid fears much more likely to remain. If we are attacked in places or by people we know, that leads to greater mistrust than being attacked by a stranger or in unfamiliar places. The trust we had becomes broken. If during the assault we feel destroyed as a person or we become detached from ourselves then mistrust typically stays for longer. Afterwards if we feel down on ourselves, ruminate and worry, and start to take excessive precautions, then fears will stay in mind. Conversely it looks likely that we benefit from good sleep and feeling supported by those around us.

Professor Anke Ehlers, a PTSD expert at the University of Oxford who collaborated on the study, commented: During the last decade, significant progress has been made in understanding the factors that predict who will develop PTSD after assault, and this has helped improve the effectiveness of psychological treatments. The finding that many of these factors also predict paranoia opens up new avenues for treatment.

Summing up the study, Professor Freeman concluded: Traditionally it was thought paranoid thinking was rare in the aftermath of an attack. It was thought that paranoia only occurred in severe cases of PTSD. However fears about other people may well actually be typical. If you have been attacked, these sorts of thoughts are to be expected. And paranoid thoughts are much more likely to remain depending upon how we respond both during and after the attack. We plan to use this information to improve the latest generation of cognitive behaviour therapies for those seeking help.

The study is published today, Wednesday 27 March, in the journal

$12 million for a center for research on aphasia

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) EVANSTON, Ill. --- Northwestern University has received a $12 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a center devoted to research on aphasia, a devastating language disorder that essentially robs the brain of language.

In the U.S. alone, more than one million people suffer from aphasia, rendering normal communication impossible, said Cynthia Thompson, who will direct the new Center for the Neurobiology of Language Recovery. For the first time, the best researchers in the field will work together to find biomarkers that can predict language recovery.

A world-renowned researcher on aphasia, brain plasticity and language recovery, Thompson is the primary investigator of the prestigious NIH Center grant and the Jean and Ralph Sundin Professor of Communication Sciences.

The center will bring Thompson and top aphasia researchers from Johns Hopkins, Harvard and Boston universities together to do large-scale investigations that shed light on how language is processed in healthy people and how language recovers when impaired by stroke or other neurological disease processes.

Research conducted through the new center will have the potential to challenge existing clinical practices for aphasia and promote the availability of treatment for individuals with chronic aphasia. Health insurance policies today typically restrict treatment to only a few sessions immediately after the onset of stroke.

The work of the center is expected to significantly impact clinical intervention practices for individuals with aphasia as well as expand knowledge about brain plasticity and the reorganization of language functions. The center, which will study more than 200 patients, also will generate a large database for other researchers to access.

At Northwestern, Thompson will continue her focus on agrammatic aphasia, a form of aphasia that affects the ability to understand and produce sentences. At Harvard and Boston, researchers David Caplan and Swathi Kiran will study anomic aphasia, a form of aphasia that affects processing of spoken words. And at Johns Hopkins, Brenda Rapp will conduct research on the neurobiology of the recovery of spelling (writing) processes.

In groundbreaking research, Thompson has shown that the brain has the capacity to recover many years following stroke as opposed to only in the first few months after stroke's onset. She also has demonstrated that behavioral treatment of aphasia focused on improving impaired language processing affects not only the ability to understand and produce language but also activity in the brain.

Right now we know little about the factors that affect language recovery, although our recent work examining blood flow in the brain holds promise, Thompson said. In a landmark 2010 study, she and her team discovered that measures of blood flow can aid in predicting language recovery following stroke.

Researchers will study blood flow and other potential biomarkers of recovery, including brain activity during the resting state. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), they also will study the integrity of white matter tracts (the fibers that connect brain regions with one another) and whether damage to these tracts influences language recovery.

Across projects, the researchers will gather behavioral and neuroimaging data using a common, comprehensive battery of measures. They will include fMRI, structural and perfusion imaging and diffusion tensor imaging as tools for identifying, monitoring and evaluating areas of the brain associated with language recovery.

In more exploratory research, researchers will use eye tracking to study cognitive strategies used by healthy and brain damaged people while they process language. Researchers will track the eye movement patterns of healthy people, compare those patterns to those of people with aphasia, and study how, or if, eye movements normalize with recovery.

Rural cancer care may be closer than you think

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Research from the University of Iowa suggests that cancer care is more accessible in rural areas than thought, and this increased accessibility should be considered as changes are made in the health care system under the Affordable Care Act.

Thomas Gruca, professor of marketing in the Tippie College of Business and study co-author, found that significant portions of Iowa's population are, indeed, an excessive distance from full-service cancer care centers located in larger cities like Des Moines, Omaha/Council Bluffs, or Davenport. But his study finds that number drops significantly if visiting consultant clinics (VCCs) in rural hospitals are taken into consideration.

Gruca says rural VCCs host oncologists at least once a month from cancer centers in larger urban areas, and depending on the clinic provide a range of diagnostic, treatment, and post-treatment services. Using data from the Iowa Health Professions Tracking Center in the Carver College of Medicine, the study found that the median driving time for Iowans to the closest site for oncology care falls from 51.6 minutes to 19.2 minutes when VCCs are considered. According to federal guidelines, anything more than a 30-minute drive is considered an excessive commute to receive care.

Even from isolated rural towns, Gruca says the median travel time for cancer care dropped from 58 minutes to 26 minutes when VCCs were considered, well within the guidelines.

Clearly, visiting consultant clinic sites are an important mechanism for providing medical oncology services in rural communities, Gruca says.

The study group's research found 80 VCCs in rural Iowa hospitals, serviced by 55 oncologists visiting from larger cities. He found 38 of the VCCs are visited by an oncologist once a month, 22 are visited two or three times, and 20 are visited four or more times monthly.

In the end, he says the proportion of Iowa's population outside of a 30-minute drive to an oncology care site drops from 42 percent to 10 percent when VCCs are considered. He says this number is important because it turns the problem into something that can be addressed.

When almost half the population has limited access to cancer care, you throw up your hands and say what can you do? he says. But if only 10 percent have limited access, we say, we can deal with that, that's a problem we can solve.

Gruca says his study suggests that VCCs could play a larger role in cancer care as the health care system is reorganized by the Affordable Care Act.

We need to study this more to make sure those changes don't make access to care more difficult, he says.

Making VCCs a larger part of the health care system could also boost the economic fortunes of struggling hospitals in small towns and rural areas that have seen large numbers of their population move away in recent years.

Gruca says additional research is needed to determine how VCCs can be most optimally used. His research looked at only Iowa, and while he expects his results will apply to other Midwest states that have larger towns and cities that can service rural VCCs, it might not apply to more isolated Plains states with less population density.

He says past research has also shown doctors don't always like participating in visiting clinic programs because it's disruptive and requires a lot of time on the road.

Youth with type 1 diabetes may suffer health risks when transitioning from pediatric to adult care

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) AURORA, Colo. (March 26, 2013) Adolescent type 1 diabetes patients face greater risk for heart attacks, strokes, blindness and kidney failure later in life if their transition from pediatric to adult care is not carefully managed, two CU researchers have found. The estimated median age at transition to adult care was 20.1 years and 77 percent of individuals with type 1 diabetes had left pediatric care by age 21. The study suggests that without support, they were 2.5 times more likely to have high blood glucose levels when transitioning from pediatric to adult care

The study is co-authored by Georgeanna Klingensmith, MD, professor, University of Colorado, Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes and Dana Dabelea, MD, PhD, professor, University of Colorado, Colorado School of Public Health.

With these results and our Colorado experience, we are developing a program for high school students and young college students to better prepare them to transition into adult care within 2-4 years of graduating from high school. We hope through this program they will have the support and learn the skills they need to successfully transition to the more independent care expected by providers of adult diabetes care, said Klingensmith. Dabalea added, Our data highlight the importance of optimal health care transition during a critical period in the life of a teenage with type 1 diabetes. Additional research and programs focusing at improving health care services for this high risk population are urgently needed.

These data were analyzed from the multi-centered SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study, which has tracked children and young adults with diabetes from six centers across the U.S. since 2002. The cohort of youth studied included 185 adolescent and young adults with type 1 diabetes enrolled in the study in the year after their diabetes was diagnosed. Youth included in these analyses were cared for by pediatric diabetes physicians at the time of their initial study visit and were followed for an average of 4.5 years.

Previous research of youth with type 1 diabetes in the United States has primarily looked at youth from one diabetes specialty center or from one geographic area. Other research has looked at youth at one point in time, either before or after leaving pediatric care. This study is the largest national cohort of youth with type 1 diabetes in the U.S. to be followed over a period of time.

The authors did not find that type of insurance (such as public versus private) made a difference in switching to adult care, but they found that older age of the patient, less parental education and lower baseline blood glucose levels were independently associated with increased odds of transitioning to adult care.

The next stage of research is to study young adults who are leaving pediatric care directly as they are aging to see what happens as they get older, and look at how different types of help with the transition to adult care affect outcomes.

Type 1 diabetes is a condition where the body does not produce insulin and cannot convert sugar, starches and other food into energy and is often diagnosed during childhood or adolescence age. It requires life-long access to medical care and intensive daily self-management for people with diabetes to stay healthy.

LRO's LAMP ultraviolet spectrograph observes mercury and hydrogen in GRAIL impact plumes

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) When NASA's twin GRAIL spacecraft made their final descent for impact onto the Moon's surface last December, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's sophisticated payload was in position to observe the effects. As plumes of gas rose from the impacts, the Lyman Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) aboard LRO detected the presence of mercury and hydrogen and measured their time evolution as the gas rapidly expanded into the vacuum of space at near-escape velocities.

NASA intentionally crashed the GRAIL twins onto the Moon on Dec. 17, 2012, following successful prime and extended science missions. Both spacecraft hit a mountain near the lunar north pole, which was shrouded in shadow at the time. Developed by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), LAMP uses a novel method to peer into the darkness of the Moon's permanently shadowed regions, making it ideal for observations of the Moon's night-side and its tenuous atmospheric constituents.

While our results are still very new, our thinking is that the hydrogen detected from the GRAIL site might be related to an enhancement at the poles caused by hydrogen species migrating toward the colder polar regions, says Dr. Kurt Retherford, LAMP principal investigator and a principal scientist at SwRI.

In October 2009, LAMP observed the impact of NASA's Lunar Crater Remote Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS), making the first confirmation of the presence of atomic mercury, molecular hydrogen and carbon monoxide, along with smaller amounts of calcium and magnesium. Based on the analysis of lunar samples from the Apollo missions, G. W. Reed, a chemist at the Argonne National Laboratory, predicted an enhancement of mercury near the poles and its permanently shaded regions as far back as 1999. However, the prediction went unnoticed until it was cited by the LAMP team in the scientific literature. The new mercury measurements are being used to study the migration process behind this enhancement.

Combining GRAIL results with LCROSS results could tell us more about hydrogen and water near the poles, says Dr. Thomas Greathouse, a LAMP team member and SwRI senior research scientist. We have begun to understand that the amount of water ice near the polar regions is higher than was previously thought, but we don't fully understand how it gets there.

LAMP usually observes the night-side lunar surface using light from nearby space (and stars), which bathes all bodies in space in a soft glow. This Lyman-alpha glow is invisible to human eyes but visible to LAMP as it reflects off the Moon. However, the new detection of Lyman-alpha emissions from native lunar atomic hydrogen gas released by the impact is a first for LAMP, and for any previous instrument.

The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., developed and manages the LRO mission. LRO's current Science Mission is implemented for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate sponsored LRO's initial one-year Exploration Mission that concluded in September 2010.

Researchers developing antiviral drug to combat contagious norovirus

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) MANHATTAN -- A Kansas State University-led team is researching ways to stop the spread of norovirus, a contagious stomach illness that infects one in 15 Americans each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Kyeong-Ok Chang, associate professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology, is leading researchers as they develop an antiviral drug for market use. The team -- supported by a five-year $5.1 million National Institutes of Health grant -- has identified and is further testing several protease inhibitors with potential for preventing and treating norovirus infection.

Norovirus is the most common form of viral gastroenteritis. It is often called the stomach bug because it causes vomiting and diarrhea for several days. A new Sydney strain of norovirus emerged last year and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that this new strain is now behind 60 percent of norovirus outbreaks.

You can control infectious diseases by vaccinations, antibiotics for bacterial agents or antiviral drugs for viral agents, said Chang, who has devoted his career to studying noroviruses and rotaviruses, another form of gastroenteritis. We know that antibiotics and antiviral drugs are a tremendous help to human health. Our goal is to help the patient.

There is currently no vaccine and no antiviral drug to combat norovirus, Chang said. While several organizations are researching vaccine development, Chang's research team is one of the leading groups studying antiviral drugs as a way to treat norovirus.

The main focus of our research is antiviral drugs because public awareness to norovirus outbreaks is increasing and so is the demand for ways to control norovirus infection, Chang said. Our team is one of a few groups that have pioneered antiviral drug development in the norovirus field.

Research collaborators at Kansas State University include Duy Hua, a university distinguished professor of chemistry, and Yunjeong Kim, research assistant professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology. Other collaborators include William Groutas, a distinguished professor of chemistry at Wichita State University; and Linda Saif, a distinguished professor in the department of veterinary preventive medicine's food animal health research program at Ohio State University.

Each scientist on the team is contributing expertise to the norovirus drug development project. Hua and Groutas are medicinal chemists and are synthesizing compounds specifically designed to bind a virus protein that is essential for virus survival. Chang and Kim are virologists and are testing those compounds in enzyme assays and cell-based assays to determine their effects on the virus. Saif is a virologist and also tests compounds.

Unlike most bacteria, viruses can only grow in cells, Chang said. One of the most important ways to tell if a compound is effective against a virus is to test that compound in cell culture to see if it can inhibit the growth of the virus. However, human norovirus does not grow in cells, which has been a great impediment to the development of vaccines and antiviral drugs. That is why we established cell-based assays ourselves. That's our novelty. That's why we initiated this program from Kansas State University and then we looked for collaborators.

In the past few years, the researchers have studied more than 600 compounds and found several compounds with the best potential for drug development. The researchers also are focusing on protease inhibitors, which could prevent viruses from replicating in cells. Other protease inhibitors exist in the market for treating HIV or hepatitis C virus infections.

Viral proteases are a very good target for antiviral drug development because a virus cannot replicate without its protease, Chang said. That's why our research has focused on norovirus proteases and protease inhibitors. We know that certain basic structures on our protease inhibitors are effective at inhibiting norovirus, so we continue to generate more compound derivatives based on these basic structures. A compound needs to be effective in enzyme assay and cell-based assay. The compounds also need to have very good pharmacokinetics. We are confident that our compounds can go further than the laboratory.

The scientists also are performing basic virology studies to advance their work further. They are studying how the compounds bind to the virus protease and inhibit protease function using X-ray crystallography and other enzymology tools. In addition, the scientists are investigating other potential targets for developing anti-norovirus drugs, such as host factors to diversify their approaches to norovirus control.

The researchers have filed a patent application for their research. They have published more than 20 papers in the last four years, including articles in the

Nottingham-Australia collaboration on environmental conservation of the future

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) The national parks, nature reserves and wetlands of the semi-arid wheatbelt of Western Australia with their rich diversity of flora and fauna are the backdrop for new research to improve the management of natural resources in the 21st century.

The project will combine the latest ideas in computer science at The University of Nottingham with the pioneering ambitions of forward-thinking Australian environmental planners.

Researchers from the University's Horizon Digital Economy Research Institute are working with the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) to create new software tools and processes to create a new environmental planning framework called Value-Plan.

Specifically, the goal of the research project is to acquire accurate information on the values people like farmers, industry professionals and conservationists attach to a wide variety of biological assets in Australia and incorporate this into a new environmental planning approach.

The new survey tools and intelligent data software to be researched and developed will inform decision-making at government level in the field of sustainable development and environmental policy planning. It is hoped the approach will ultimately be adopted by government and non-government organisations alike, and could be applicable to a diverse range of management applications, including town planning and natural resource management.

The system will be trialled over the next two years in two conservation areas of Western Australia, and initial work has already begun at the Lake Warden Natural Diversity Recovery Catchment near Esperance.

Dr Christian Wagner, computer scientist from the University's Horizon Institute, has just returned from a research trip to Western Australia. He said:

This project has the potential to inform policy making in environmental conservation all over the world. For example, decisions ranging from town-planning to the construction of new power plants and transport infrastructure generally require consultation with a wide variety of groups, including local and regional stakeholders as well as incorporating information from various sources including surveys, impact studies and sensor measurements.

Being able to aggregate these different information sources in a coherent way to enable informed decision making is vital both in order for the decisions to be appropriate to the specific context as well as to maintain due transparency in the decision process. We need to solve the problem of how to maximise the use of available conservation funds and human resources through combining innovative data collection and analysis techniques to accurately reflect the quantitative data available as well as the subjective views of stakeholders.

Dr Michael Smith, from the Western Australian Dept of Environment and Conservation added; We hope that our work will allow nature conservation managers to better understand and account for the actual values that humans derive from our natural environment. This is important because good management should be driven by the values that are important to people, it gives local stakeholders ownership of the process and helps to create transparency for people to understand why and how conservation is occurring. This important project will also contribute to a collaborative venture the department has with the Future Farm Industries Cooperative Research Centre.

The research will delve into cutting edge computer science with four main goals:

Ash from refuse could become hydrogen gas

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Every year, millions of tons of environmentally harmful ash is produced worldwide, and is mostly dumped in landfill sites or, in some countries, used as construction material. The ash is what is left when rubbish has been burnt in thermal power stations. A researcher from Lund University in Sweden has now developed a technique to use the ash to produce hydrogen gas. The method is presented in a new thesis.

The technique has significant potential: 20 billion litres of hydrogen gas a year, or 56 gigawatt-hours (GWh). Calculated as electricity, the energy is the equivalent of the annual needs of around 11 000 detached houses. Hydrogen gas is valuable and is viewed by many as an increasingly important energy source, for example as a vehicle fuel.

The ash can be used as a resource through recovery of hydrogen gas instead of being allowed to be released into the air as at present. Our ash deposits are like a goldmine, said Aamir Ilyas, Doctor of Water Resources Engineering at Lund University and the developer of the technique.

Refuse incineration is a widespread practice in Europe. The technique involves placing the ash in an oxygen-free environment. The ash is dampened with water, whereupon it forms hydrogen gas. The gas is sucked up through pipes and stored in tanks.

It is the heavy, grit-like bottom ash that is used. In combustion, a lighter fly ash is also formed. The bottom ash remains in quarantine, in the open air, at the site for up to six months to prevent leaching of environmentally harmful metals and the risk of hydrogen gas being formed, since accumulation of hydrogen during indoor storage can result in explosion.

A bonus is that this method removes the risk of hydrogen gas. It also reduces the strain on our landfill sites.

In some countries, processed bottom ash is sometimes used as a construction material for roads and buildings. This doesn't happen at present in Sweden because the ash contains hazardous substances that do not meet the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's strict requirements. Usually it is used as top cover at landfills.

Today, hydrogen gas is mainly produced from natural gas. However, biogas, oil and coal can also be used as the raw material. Hydrogen gas is an important raw material in industry and is used in refineries and to manufacture ammonia. Hydrogen gas has the potential to produce electricity and heat and also to become a vehicle fuel; a number of car manufacturers are investing in hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars. Hydrogen gas is not expensive, but because there is a lack of infrastructure for the production of the gas, the production and handling costs are high. However, these costs would decrease in the future once a production system is established.

There will not be one universal solution that will be used to generate energy. We need to find a number of solutions, said Kenneth M. Persson, Professor of Water Resources Engineering and one of Aamir Ilyas's supervisors.

Stone ships show signs of maritime network in Baltic Sea region 3,000 years ago

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) In the middle of the Bronze Age, around 1000 BC, the amount of metal objects increased dramatically in the Baltic Sea region. Around the same time, a new type of stone monument, arranged in the form of ships, started to appear along the coasts. New research from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden shows that the stone ships were built by maritime groups.

The maritime groups were part of a network that extended across large parts of northern Europe. The network was maintained largely because of the strong dependence on bronze.

Archaeologists have long assumed that bronze was imported to Scandinavia from the south, and recent analyses have been able to confirm this notion. The distribution of bronze objects has been discussed frequently, with most analyses focusing on the links in the networks. The people behind the networks, however, are only rarely addressed, not to mention their meeting places.

'One reason why the meeting places of the Bronze Age are not discussed very often is that we haven't been able to find them. This is in strong contrast to the trading places of the Viking Age, which have been easy to locate as they left behind such rich archaeological material,' says the author of the thesis Joakim Wehlin from the University of Gothenburg and Gotland University.

In his thesis, Wehlin has analysed the archaeological material from the Bronze Age stone ships and their placement in the landscape. The stone ships can be found across the entire Baltic Sea region and especially on the larger islands, with a significant cluster on the Swedish island of Gotland. The ships have long been thought to have served as graves for one or several individuals, and have for this reason often been viewed as death ships intended to take the deceased to the afterlife.

'My study shows a different picture. It seems like the whole body was typically not buried in the ship, and some stone ships don't even have graves in them. Instead, they sometimes show remains of other types of activities. So with the absence of the dead, the traces of the survivors tend to appear.'

One of Wehlin's conclusions is that the stone ships and the activities that took place there point to people who were strongly focused on maritime practice. Details in the ships indicate that they were built to represent real ships. Wehlin says that the stone ships give clues about the ship-building techniques of the time and therefore about the ships that sailed on the Baltic Sea during the Bronze Age.

By studying the landscape, Wehlin has managed to locate a number of meeting places, or early ports.

DFG establishes 13 new priority programs

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) What are the effects of the economic, technological and demographic developments in the globalised world on the labour market in Germany? How do individuals, populations and communities in aquatic systems adapt to global change, and what does this mean for our understanding of ecological systems and the ways in which they serve human beings? What algorithms can be used to more efficiently process the increasing volumes of data that now flood every section of society? These are just some of the fundamental scientific questions to be examined over the next few years in the new Priority Programmes established by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation).

A total of 13 new Priority Programmes were established by the DFG Senate at its recent spring meeting in Bonn. They are set to launch at the beginning of 2014 and bring together the scientific expertise of researchers from Germany and beyond working in particularly topical or emerging fields.

The new Priority Programmes cover the entire spectrum of disciplines, from the humanities, social sciences, life sciences and natural sciences to engineering sciences. Subjects range from the concept of pragmatics in linguistics, which will be coupled with experimental methods from cognitive and neurosciences, to glial cells as the dominant cell population of the brain and the group of non-coding RNA molecules and their regulating role in numerous cell functions, which are both highly topical research subjects in the neurosciences.

Other programmes aim to achieve the first fully predictable description of gas-liquid reactors in chemical process engineering or to create the basis for the systematic production of meta-stable materials with some unknown properties. Another looks at biological and synthetic microswimmer systems whose internal propulsion mechanism is just as important as insufficiently understood to date. Better understanding of this phenomenon could enable the manufacture of artificial swimmers to imitate biological systems or deliberately exert influence on them.

All the programmes are highly interdisciplinary and are notable for their application of innovative methods. For example, intensive collaboration between engineering and mathematics is planned to shed light on new mathematical methods and allow the development of numerical processes for a new quality of reliable and robust simulations in the mechanics of solids and fluids. From the angles of production technology, materials sciences and mechanics, another Priority Programme will look at the principles of producing, characterising and configuring intrinsic hybrid compounds which are particularly suitable for use in load-bearing structures. The involvement and support of early career researchers is an important aspect of all the new programmes and one of the key requirements for their establishment.

The 13 new Priority Programmes were selected from a total of 61 concepts submitted, which were grouped into eight subject areas and reviewed. The approved concepts each describe the main subject of a Priority Programme. Over the coming months, the DFG will announce a separate call for proposals for all 13 programmes. Proposals will be evaluated in a rigorous review process to determine their scientific quality and their contribution to the general topic in question.

A total of 64 million euros will be available for all 13 new programmes in the first three-year funding period. The Priority Programmes generally run for six years. Including the newly ap-proved ones, the DFG will be supporting 90 Priority Programmes from 2014.

The new Priority Programmes grouped by scientific discipline are:

ACMG releases report on incidental findings in clinical exome and genome sequencing

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) released the widely-anticipated ACMG Recommendations for Reporting of Incidental Findings in Clinical Exome and Genome Sequencing report at its 2013 Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting today in Phoenix. The ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting is one of the largest gatherings of medical and health professionals in genetics in the world.

As exome and genome sequencing become more commonly used in medical care, doctors will increasingly be able to learn about genetic changes that increase an individual's risk for developing an unrelated disease. In the past, these incidental genetic findings (unrelated to the condition for which the patient was tested) were seldom provided to the patient.

The ACMG has now created a set of recommendations addressing incidental findings and a minimum list of conditions, genes, and variants that are recommended to be returned whenever clinical sequencing is performed. The ACMG now recommends that for the conditions on the list, the laboratory should return the incidental findings to the doctor ordering the sequencing, and those doctors should manage this information with the patient in the context of that patient's clinical presentation and family history.

Incidental, or secondary, findings, are health-related interpretations of a patient's genetic code that are unrelated to the primary reason for ordering the testing. For example, if an exome or genome sequence were ordered to help diagnose a cardiac condition, there would exist the possibility of finding a different gene that indicated a predisposition for cancer. If the cancer risk were reported to the ordering clinician as an incidental finding, the clinician and patient could explore whether to increase medical surveillance in a way that could catch a cancer earlier and reduce mortality in that patient.

The extensive 27-page report was developed through a year-long consensus process by a Working Group comprised of medical and laboratory geneticists from leading institutions and outside reviewers. The process produced recommendations that were ultimately reviewed and approved by the ACMG Board of Directors, which is comprised of board-certified clinical and laboratory medical genetics healthcare professionals. The report includes detailed recommendations as well as the background and rationale for these recommendations.

Dr. Wayne Grody, FACMG, president of the ACMG said, This Report is tremendously important because it begins to standardize the process by which the comprehensive power of genomic sequencing can be tailored to optimally benefit patients when clinically important findings not directly related to the primary reason for ordering the test are revealed. We recommend that labs performing clinical exome and genome sequencing recognize and report significant mutations for the serious diseases specified in the Report.

The ACMG report generated a short list of well-understood conditions/genes/variants for which the possibility exists of medical intervention with high benefit to those carrying the variants if they are detected presymptomatically.

Robert C. Green, MD, FACMG, a medical geneticist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, co-chaired the Working Group and was lead author of the Report. The genome has an extraordinary potential for providing health-related information about both rare and common conditions, but it has been difficult to draw a line and suggest that one set of findings should be part of the medical report and another set should not, said Dr. Green. In these recommendations, despite a scarcity of clear scientific evidence, we have identified a small number of conditions, genes and variants through consensus that are likely to have a positive impact upon the health of patients and their families if identified incidentally.

Leslie G. Biesecker, MD, FACMG, co-chair of the Working Group, chief of the Genetic Disease Research Branch at the National Human Genome Research Institute said, The implications of the ACMG recommendations are that as clinical sequencing becomes more widespread, a small percentage of families that are sequenced, perhaps not more than 1-2%, will learn unexpected but potentially life-saving information about an illness they may have never suspected they were at risk for. Thus, these recommendations are an innovative approach to addressing one of the most difficult problems in genomic medicine and to help transition us toward new models of delivering genomic information.

The report concludes: In summary, the Working Group has recommended that when a report is issued for clinically indicated exome and genome sequencing, a minimum list of conditions, genes and variants should be routinely evaluated and reported to the ordering clinician who can place them into the context of that patient's medical and family history, physical examination and other laboratory testing. It further stated, The Working Group recognizes that this list should, and will, evolve as further empirical data are collected on the actual penetrance of these variants, and on the health benefits and costs that might follow from their disclosure as incidental findings.

New book explores Obama and JFK's strategies of ethnic avoidance

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) There are striking parallels in the candidacies of Presidents Barack Obama and John F. Kennedy, but the most troubling one may be what they had to do to get elected, says San Francisco state University political science professor Robert C. Smith.

As Smith writes in his new book, Kennedy and Obama both had to downplay their racial and religious identities in order to win over the electorate, remaining silent on some of the most significant issues for Irish Catholics and African Americans respectively. It's a practice that Smith calls the politics of ethnic avoidance.

If the price of ethnic incorporation at the highest levels of elective office is ignoring the legitimate needs and aspirations of one's people, Smith writes in the book, then the nation's aspiration to become a truly inclusive, multiethnic democracy has a flaw.

I think it is almost a tragedy that American society in the 1960s and today requires the practice of the politics of ethnic avoidance, Smith said.John F. Kennedy, Barack Obama, and the Politics of Ethnic Incorporation and Avoidance, published this month by SUNY Press, is a thorough comparison of the first two ethnic presidents. But Smith also sees it as a natural outgrowth of his career's work as a scholar of African American politics for the last four decades.

When Kennedy was elected, Smith suggests, he came from an Irish Catholic community that was fully integrated into the American political, economic and social systems. By contrast, Obama came from a black community that has been only partially integrated.

The paradox, Smith says, is that opposition to Kennedy's candidacy was much stronger and more organized than the opposition against Obama's candidacy.

At the time of Kennedy's election, 25 percent of Protestants surveyed said they would not vote for a qualified Catholic for president. By contrast, in 2008 only 5 percent of people said they would not vote for a qualified black candidate.

The lack of overt racism in the 2008 campaign surprised Smith, who thought that Obama's opponents might make some effort to subtly, indirectly address the kinds of racial stereotypes that are still present.

But he noted that the media in particular would have condemned such a move immediately. The norm of racial equality, the idea of racial equality has become so powerful in the culture today, that people dare not risk crossing it, Smith said.

Nevertheless, Obama realized just as Kennedy did that he could not campaign on any issues that could be viewed as giving special attention to his ethnic group. Kennedy avoided a contentious fight over federal aid to religious schools, says Smith. I think Obama understood as well that he could not fully embrace the kinds of issues of concern to blacks, like racialized poverty or affirmative action, he said.

Both Obama and Kennedy won by narrow margins, helped by this strategy. Ethnic avoidance in both cases was necessary, and in Kennedy's case was indispensible to him winning, Smith said.

Many people have commented on the similar personalities of Obama and Kennedy, describing them both as intellectual, ambitious, charismatic and often coolly detached. And their presidencies have paved the way for other ethnic candidates seeking the highest office in the land.

But Smith believes their trailblazing has come at a troubling, uncomfortable price. With Kennedy's presidency cut short, it is difficult to know whether he would have eventually spoken out on Catholic issues. But Smith points out that the full incorporation of Irish Catholics by 1960 made this less of a critical issue than Obama's silence on African American issues in the 21st century.

Obama's successful strategy of ethnic avoidance may mean that increasingly there will be few black leaders willing to speak to and for the conditions of black people, Smith said. It is concerning that Obama may become a role model in this way for young black would-be political leaders.

Smith's book is equally blunt in its assessment: In the long run the election of the first black president in 2008 is most likely to be of little -- beyond the symbolic -- consequence for black America, Smith writes. Put more starkly, at the end of his presidency, if one asks what difference the first black president made for the material well-being of African Americans, the answer will be none.

2013 Canada Gairdner Global Health Award goes to King Holmes for STD work

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Dr. King K. Holmes, professor and chair of the UW Department of Global Health, won the prestigious 2013 Canada Gairdner Global Health Award for his work in sexually transmitted diseases, the Gairdner Foundation announced March 20.

The award, valued at CAN$100,000 (about US$97,300) is one of the world's most esteemed prizes for medical research.

Since 1959, of the 312 individuals presented with a Canada Gairdner Award, 80 have gone on to receive a Nobel Prize. Holmes said he would contribute the money to the University of Washington.

Holmes was awarded the prize for his global scientific contributions to the field of sexually transmitted disease and their effective treatment and prevention. He becomes the 10th UW faculty member to win a Gairdner Award.

The Gairdner Foundation, in citing the award, said that today more than 35 sexually transmitted diseases have been discovered. Holmes and the scientists he mentored are working on approximately 20 of these.

Dr. Holmes assisted in defining the causes of many major diseases and through leading numerous clinical trials, has paved the way for many standard-of-care therapies used to treat STDs today, the foundation said in a release.

The foundation laid out why Holmes received the award:

The challenge: Sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in many developing countries worldwide. In the early 1960s there were approximately six STDs described in textbooks and very little research was happening in sexually transmitted infections. In fact, there were not many medical centers where clinical care was offered for patients with STDs, who were left with few resources.

The work: Holmes' career has been dedicated to the study of sexually transmitted diseases. His 45 years of cutting-edge research and application of epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and behavioral science to the study of STDs has expanded the scope of this field tremendously. Numerous clinical trials conducted by Holmes have led to many diagnostic tests and standard-of-care therapies used today to treat and prevent such conditions as human papilloma virus, gonorrhea, chlamydial infections, and genital herpes, to name a few.

John Dirks, president and scientific director of the Gairdner Foundation, told The Lancet that Holmes brought to medicine and public health the proper means of diagnosing, treating, and preventing STDs and of understanding their epidemiology. In addition, his amazing gift of mentorship launched so many trainees to the forefront of the global health scene, which, thanks in great measure to their achievements, is now a flourishing discipline in its own right. Holmes' huge lifetime contribution has no parallel. Among the many mountains on the public health landscape he stands out as an Everest.

Holmes holds the William H. Foege Endowed Chair in Global Health. He founded and directs the UW Center for AIDS and STD, which provides patient care, training and education, research and international technical assistance in the field of sexually transmitted diseases. Holmes is also head of Infectious Diseases at Harborview Medical Center.

Robots to spur economy, improve quality of life, keep responders safe

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Robots are being used more widely than expected in a variety of sectors, and the trend is likely to continue with robotics becoming as ubiquitous as computer technology over the next 15 years.

That is the message Henrik Christensen, Georgia Tech's KUKA Chair of Robotics in the College of Computing, will bring to the Congressional Robotics Caucus on March 20 as he presents A Roadmap for U.S. Robotics: From Internet to Robotics - 2013 Edition.

The report, which outlines the progress of robots in multiple industries over the last five years and identifies goals for the coming decade, highlights robotics as a key economic enabler with the potential to transform U.S. society.

Robots have the potential to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., to improve our quality of life and to make sure our first responders and warfighters stay safe, said Christensen, who is also the coordinator of Robotics VO, sponsor of the report. We need to address the technical and educational needs so we can continue to be leaders in developing and using robotic technology.

A group of more than 160 experts from universities, industry and government came together for five workshops over the last year to fully evaluate the use of robotics across various applications and create a roadmap to the future. Christensen is presenting that report to lawmakers as a guide on how to allocate resources to maximize progress.

Most notably, the group found using robots in manufacturing could help generate production systems that are economically competitive to outsourcing to countries with lower wages.

Companies such as Apple, Lenovo, Samsung and Foxconn already have begun to reshore manufacturing by using robotics in production systems. The sale of robotics in manufacturing grew by 44 percent in 2011 as robots have become cheaper and safer. The use of robots is shifting from big companies such as General Motors, Ford, Boeing and Lockheed Martin to small and medium-sized enterprises to enable burst manufacturing for one-off products, the report found.

Christensen notes that automation in manufacturing will not lead to job losses for U.S. workers, but will create new high-value jobs.

Some jobs will be eliminated, but they are the 'dirty, dull and dangerous' jobs, Christensen said. Those jobs will be replaced with skilled labor positions. That's why one of the goals in the roadmap is to educate the workforce.

In addition to manufacturing, robots are helping businesses such as Amazon improve logistics and reduce delivery costs, a savings that could be passed on to the consumer. In agriculture, robots are being used to precisely deliver pesticide onto crops, reducing unnecessary exposure of chemicals on produce. The report recommends continued progress in both areas.

With advances in human-like manipulation, robots are increasingly assisting individuals with disabilities with tasks such as getting out and preparing meals. They are also being used in 40 percent more medical procedures than a few years ago and in a greater number of surgical areas such as cardiothoracic, gynecology, urology, orthopedics and neurology. The use of robots for surgery can reduce complications by 80 percent, the report found.

Robots have proven their value in removing first-responders and soldiers from immediate danger. More than 25,000 robotic systems were deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan for ground and aerial missions. More than 50 percent of pilots in the U.S. Air Force operate remotely piloted systems and never leave the ground.

Also robots are becoming an integral part of space exploration, such as the Opportunity and Curiosity on Mars rovers. A robonaut is on the International Space Station helping with menial but important research tasks.

As impressive as the progress in robotics has been, the report outlines five-, 10- and 15-year goals to take robotics to the next level. Critical capabilities that should be developed for robotics include 3-D perception, intuitive human-robot interaction and safe robot behavior.

The report is an update of the initial robotics roadmap, which was published and presented to Congress in May 2009. That roadmap led to the creation of the National Robotics Initiative, an effort jointly sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Institutes of Health. It also established Robotics VO, an umbrella organization that brings all robotics players together to focus on joint initiatives.

Robotics is one of a few technologies capable of building new companies, creating new jobs and addressing a number of issues of national importance, said Christensen. We hope this report will help foster the discussion on how we can build partnerships and allocate resources to move the robotics industry forward.

Ben-Gurion U. and UChicago announce partnership focused on water research

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Beer-Sheva, Israel, March 20, 2013 -- The University of Chicago and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) have signed an agreement to collaborate on new water production and purification technologies for deployment in regions of the globe where fresh water resources are scarce.

BGU President Rivka Carmi and University of Chicago President Robert J. Zimmer signed the memorandum of understanding in Chicago on March 8. Located in the Negev desert, BGU is recognized as a world leader in water technologies and research in desert agriculture, water desalinization, water engineering, environmental hydrology, hydro-biology, and water resource economics.

BGU has been at the forefront of advanced basic and applied water-related research for more than four decades and has developed a number of innovative technologies in the field, Prof. Carmi said. The collaboration with the University of Chicago will result in the development of new technologies for the benefit of people all over the world.

UChicago and BGU researchers will meet next month in Beer-Sheva to begin discussing interdisciplinary collaborative water-related research projects of technical and societal significance. Joint activities may include the exchange of visiting faculty members, researchers and students; the development of funding proposals for collaborative work; and the creation of innovative commercial technologies and new business ventures.

Increasing both the quantity and quality of water is one of the major engineering challenges of the 21st century, Prof. Zimmer said. A collaborative research and technology center based in both Chicago and Beer-Sheva, focusing on the molecular aspects of water science and technology will result in a powerful new approach for addressing the various and pervasive challenges to the global water supply.

Leading the collaboration for BGU is Moshe Gottlieb, Frankel Professor of Chemical Engineering. In this collaboration we intend to take advantage of the great strides achieved over the last decade in nanotechnology, materials science, biology, and chemistry at both institutions, says Gottlieb. These new tools and insights afford a molecular-level approach to tackle an age-old human plight.

Leading the Chicago side of the collaboration is Prof. Matthew Tirrell, the Pritzker Director of UChicago's Institute for Molecular Engineering. Tirrell's team will include scientists from Argonne National Laboratory, which UChicago manages for the United States Department of Energy.

Water is the most fundamental molecule for sustaining all forms of life, but it is in dramatically short supply in many parts of the world, Tirrell says. Water in all parts of the world faces numerous threats, which in turn endanger human and economic health.

The dangers include increased demand driven by energy production, agricultural runoff, and depletion and contamination of aquifers by salt water and by industrial, organic and biological toxins.

Nurses can play key role in reducing deaths from world's most common diseases

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Nurses and midwives can play a critical role in lessening people's risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes, according to a groundbreaking new report issued by the World Health Organization and co-authored by a UCLA nursing professor.

These four non-communicable disease types account for a combined 60 percent of all deaths worldwide.

The global burden of non-communicable diseases is already high and continues to grow in all regions of the world, said Linda Sarna, a professor at the UCLA School of Nursing and co-author of the report. Nurses and midwives have the expertise to help individuals and communities improve health outcomes.

Sarna points out that since nurses and midwives make up more than 50 percent of all health care providers in most countries, they are the logical candidates to affect lifestyle changes among patients and increase health awareness. Worldwide, there are more than 19 million nurses and midwives, she said.

The 38-page report issued by the WHO highlights evidence-based, value-added nursing interventions that have been shown to reduce such risk factors as tobacco use, alcohol dependence, physical inactivity and unhealthy diets.

The examples contained in the report are proven activities that nurses can start doing today to make a meaningful impact with their patients and in their community, Sarna said. Many of the interventions have been proven to reduce costs and improve the quality of care.

Sarna notes that tobacco control has been one of the biggest areas of missed opportunity. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States and worldwide and is the one risk factor that cuts across all four of the non-communicable disease categories. Nursing intervention studies support the idea that nurses can play a major role in helping smokers quit.

As the roles and responsibilities of the nursing profession continue to evolve in many countries, the findings of the WHO report validate the important role of nurses and midwives not only in caring for patients in times of need but also in prevention. In that regard, the report is intended to encourage nursing schools to offer curricula that addresses nurses' role in counseling people about unhealthy behaviors and encouraging smart lifestyle choices. It also highlights the importance of funding more nursing research in this area.

In addition, the report calls for nursing and midwifery to play a more active role in policy and advocacy at the highest levels. This includes establishing a pool of nurse and midwife experts who can work with legislators in drafting policy and who can provide leadership in addressing issues of standards, research, education and practice.

While a number of nursing and midwifery organizations have already developed position statements, model curricula and other resources to help move the non-communicable diseases agenda forward, the report stresses that it is essential that nurses, midwives and their organizations now take an even stronger leadership role in working with policymakers to promote the integration of evidence-based nursing practice in the reduction of risk factors.

Risk-reduction counseling should be an essential part of clinical practice at all levels, and throughout the life span, Sarna said. This document is a template for focused activities that nurses can implement today to reduce risk factors and that can direct policy and funding for education programs and research.

The report was written by Sarna and Stella Bialous, senior consultant with the WHO and president of Tobacco Policy International, and was coordinated by Annette Mwansa Nkowane of the WHO's Department of Health Systems Policies and Workforce. It is an outgrowth of two conferences held in 2012: the WHO Global Forum for Government Nursing and Midwifery Officers, and the joint meeting of the International Confederation of Midwives, the International Council of Nurses and the WHO (the TRIAD). Both meetings produced statements supporting the need for changes in policy, research and education to better prepare nurses and midwives to tackle the non-communicable diseases epidemic.

Brain-mapping increases understanding of alcohol's effects on first-year college students

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) A research team that includes several Penn State scientists has completed a first-of-its-kind longitudinal pilot study aimed at better understanding how the neural processes that underlie responses to alcohol-related cues change during students' first year of college.

Anecdotal evidence abounds attesting to the many negative social and physical effects of the dramatic increase in alcohol use that often comes with many students' first year of college. The behavioral changes that accompany those effects indicate underlying changes in the brain. Yet in contrast to alcohol's numerous other effects, its effect on the brain's continuing development from adolescence into early adulthood -- which includes the transition from high school to college -- is not well known.

Penn State psychology graduate student Adriene Beltz, with a team of additional researchers, investigated the changes that occurred to alcohol-related neural processes in the brains of a small group of first-year students.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a data analysis technique known as effective connectivity mapping, the researchers collected and analyzed data from 11 students, who participated in a series of three fMRI sessions beginning just before the start of classes and concluding part-way through the second semester.

We wanted to know if and how brain responses to alcohol cues -- pictures of alcoholic beverages in this case -- changed across the first year of college, said Beltz, and how these potential changes related to alcohol use. Moreover, we wanted our analysis approach to take advantage of the richness of fMRI data.

Analysis of the data collected from the study participants revealed signs in their brains' emotion processing networks of habituation to alcohol-related stimuli, and noticeable alterations in their cognitive control networks.

Recent studies have indicated that young adults' cognitive development continues through the ages of the mid-20s, particularly in those regions of the brain responsible for decision-making or judgment-related activity -- the sort of cognitive fine tuning that potentially makes us, in some senses, as much who we are (and will be) as any other stage of our overall development.

Other recent studies suggest that binge drinking during late adolescence may damage the brain in ways that could last into adulthood.

Beltz's study indicates that connections among brain regions involved in emotion processing and cognitive control may change with increased exposure to alcohol and alcohol-related cues. Those connections also may influence other parts of the brain, such as those still-developing regions responsible for students' decision-making and judgment abilities.

The brain is a complex network, Beltz said. We know that connections among different brain regions are important for behavior, and we know that many of these connections are still developing into early adulthood. Thus, alcohol could have far-reaching consequences on a maturing brain, directly influencing some brain regions and indirectly influencing others by disrupting neural connectivity.

While in an fMRI scanner at the Penn State Social, Life, and Engineering Sciences Imaging Center, students participating in the study completed a task: responding as quickly as possible, by pressing a button on a grip device, to an image of either an alcoholic beverage or a non-alcoholic beverage when both types of images were displayed consecutively on a screen. From the resulting data, effective connectivity maps were created for each individual and for the group.

Examining the final maps, the researchers found that brain regions involved in emotion-processing showed less connectivity when the students responded to alcohol cues than when they responded to non-alcohol cues, and that brain regions involved in cognitive control showed the most connectivity during the first semester of college. The findings suggest that the students needed to heavily recruit brain regions involved in cognitive control in order to overcome the alcohol-associated stimuli when instructed to respond to the non-alcohol cues.

Connectivity among brain regions implicated in cognitive control spiked from the summer before college to the first semester of college, said Beltz. This was particularly interesting because the spike coincided with increases in the participants' alcohol use and increases in their exposure to alcohol cues in the college environment. From the first semester to the second semester, levels of alcohol use and cue exposure remained steady, but connectivity among cognitive control brain regions decreased. From this, we concluded that changes in alcohol use and cue exposure -- not absolute levels -- were reflected by the underlying neural processes.

Although the immediate implications of the pilot study for first-year students are fairly clear, there are still a number of unanswered questions related to alcohol's longer-term effects on development, for college students after their first year and for those same individuals later in life.

To begin exploring those potential long-term effects, Beltz has planned a follow-up study to track a larger number of participants over a greater length of time.

Risk management in fish: How cichlids prevent their young from being eaten

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) The phenomenon of adoption has taxed the minds of evolutionary scientists since Darwin first came up with his account of natural selection. According to Richard Dawkins's description, adoption is a double whammy. Not only do you reduce, or at least fail to increase, your own reproductive success, but you improve someone else's. So why are animals apparently so willing to take care of young that are not related to them?

Franziska Schaedelin and colleagues at the Konrad Lorenz Institute of the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna now shed interesting light on the problem. The researchers are investigating a small cichlid fish that lives in Lake Tanganyika in southern Africa. The species is monogamous and pairs construct nesting caves to protect their eggs and fry from predators. By diving 12 meters to the lake floor, the scientists were able to collect DNA samples from over 350 parents and fry from over 30 nests. Sophisticated genetic techniques were then applied to investigate the parentage of fry in individual nests.

Most nests were found to contain fry that were unrelated to both parents, with some nests containing fry produced by several pairs of parents. Because the locations of the nests were known, the scientists were able to show that fry had been born in nests that were separated by less than one metre to over 40 metres from their adoptive nests. Although very small fry may be able to swim several metres to a new cave without being eaten, it is highly unlikely that they could travel much longer distances. Instead it is probable that they were carried to new nests in the mouths of their parents, a mode of transport that is known to occur in cichlids. Transporting the fry to fairly distant nests would ensure that some young are protected even if all the nests in the immediate neighbourhood are predated or destroyed, so it is easy to rationalize why parents should do this. But why should other fish be willing to adopt fry that are unrelated to them?

Schaedelin suggests that foster parents may accept unrelated fry as a way of diluting predation of their own offspring. If this is so, parents should adopt fry that are not larger than their own young, as smaller fry are known to be predated first. The researchers were indeed able to show that adopted fry were the same size as native fry within broods, although they were generally larger than fry that were not offered out for adoption. It seems that parents selectively allow unrelated fry to assimilate into their own broods while also delivering their fry for adoption by others.

Sharing the care of broods among different families thus represents a kind of insurance policy against the predation of a nest. Schaedelin summarizes the findings neatly: in a species that is so highly predated, it must have been important to develop a strategy to ensure that at least some of the young survive. It seems that fish do this by not putting all their eggs (or young) in one basket.

Skimmed/semi-skimmed milk does not curb excess toddler weight gain

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association recommend that all children drink low fat or skimmed milk after the age of 2 to reduce their saturated fat intake and ward off excess weight gain.

But the evidence to back up this stance is somewhat mixed, say the authors, who wanted to find out whether milk consumption patterns among 2 year olds affected weight gain.

Researchers asked the parents/primary caregivers of almost 11,000 children about their milk consumption - skimmed, 1% semi-skimmed, 2% milk fat, full fat, or soy - when the children were 2 years old and again when they were 4.

All the children were taking part in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, which is tracking the long term health of a representative sample of US children born in 2001.

Additional detail was requested when the children were 4, including how much and how often they drank not only various types of milk, but also fruit juice, squash, fizzy drinks and sports drinks, so that they could calculate the fat and sugar intake from these sources. The children were also weighed and measured at both time points.

At both time points, the prevalence of overweight/obesity was high, affecting around one in three of the children (30% of 2 year olds; 32% of 4 year olds).

The prevalence of skimmed/semi-skimmed milk consumption was also higher among the overweight/obese kids, with 14% of heavy 2 year olds and 16% of heavy 4 year olds drinking it, compared with 9% of normal weight 2 year olds and 13% of normal weight 4 year olds.

The average weight of children who drank 2%/full fat milk was also lower than that of kids who drank skimmed/semi-skimmed milk, even after accounting for other influential factors.

When the researchers looked at weight gain trends over time, they found no overall differences between those who drank skimmed/semi-skimmed milk and those who drank 2%/full fat milk.

This suggests that low fat milk confers no overall advantage, although it is possible that overweight kids might have gained more weight had they not drunk it, suggest the authors.

Nevertheless, those who regularly drank skimmed/semi-skimmed milk who were not overweight or obese at the age of 2 were 57% more likely to become so by the age of 4.

The authors point out that the higher prevalence of skimmed/semi-skimmed milk consumption among overweight/obese children might reflect a parental wish to trim these children's waistlines, as logic would suggest that lower fat intake equals fewer calories.

But they suggest that perhaps the reality is more complex. Milk fat may increase a feeling of fullness so reduce the appetite for other fatty/calorie dense foods, they say.

Rather than recommending low fat milk, it may be better to stick with other weight control options for which the evidence is sound, such as cutting down on TV watching and sugary drinks, and increasing exercise and fruit and vegetable intake, they suggest.

Soldiers and families can suffer negative effects from modern communication technologies

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) As recently as the Vietnam and Korean wars, soldiers' families commonly had to wait months to receive word from family members on the front lines. Now, cell phones and the internet allow deployed soldiers and their families to communicate instantly. However, along with the benefits of keeping in touch, using new communication technologies can have negative consequences for both soldiers and their families, according to a study by University of Missouri researcher Brian Houston. This research could lead to guidelines for how active military personnel and their families can best use modern communications.

Deployed soldiers and their families should be aware that newer methods of communication, especially texting, can have unintended impacts, said Houston, assistant professor of communication in the College of Arts and Science. The brevity and other limitations of text messages often limit the emotional content of a message. The limited emotional cues in text messages or email increases the potential for misunderstandings and hurt feelings. For example, children may interpret a deployed parent's brief, terse text message negatively, when the nature of the message may have been primarily the result of the medium or the situation.

Houston's study documented the frequency and quality of communications between soldiers and their families then examined how those results were associated with the emotions and behaviors of military children and spouses. Children who had the greatest degree of communication with a deployed parent also showed the greatest number of behavioral problems and emotional troubles. Houston suggested this may be because when kids are having a hard time they may be most likely to reach out to a deployed parent. However, that can cause a conflict for the soldier between the roles of warrior and parent.

Bad news from home can distract a soldier from their duties and double their stress load, said Houston. A soldier can end up dealing with both the strain of warfare and concerns about a distant child.

On the other hand, children with a deployed parent who talked about deployment with a brother or sister tended to exhibit positive outcomes, according to the study. Houston suggested this shows the importance of children experiencing parental deployment having an opportunity to connect with other children in the same situation. Houston suggested parents experiencing deployment may wish to identify opportunities for their children to connect with other young people whose parents serve in the military.

The problems with communications between soldiers and their families weren't limited to the time during deployment. Distinct challenges arose before, during and after deployment, according to the study. Upon returning home, soldier-parents faced difficulties in communicating their experiences from wartime with their families.

Children can tell when a parent is troubled, said Houston. For soldiers stressed by memories of war or readjustment to civilian life, it helps to talk to children about what is going on. Obviously you do not want to overwhelm children with information that is not age appropriate, but if a parent is having difficulties and no one is talking about it, then children may often feel that they are in some way to blame for the parent's situation or that the parent is angry with them.

Houston plans to use this research to develop communication best practices for military personnel and their families. Houston hopes such guidelines can help military families utilize modern communication technologies to help cope with deployment and the subsequent return to civilian life.

Digital rectal exam remains important part of prostate screening

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) The digital rectal exam is an important screening test that can discover prostate cancer that a prostate-specific antigen or PSA test may not, despite the higher sensitivity of the PSA test, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

The digital rectal examination is a procedure where a physician feels the surface of the prostate with a gloved finger. The doctor is able to feel any lumps or hard areas on the prostate.

A PSA test checks for levels of prostate-specific antigen in the blood, with higher levels signaling potential cancer. As men age, the acceptable PSA level increases.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, accounting for over 28,000 deaths yearly, said Jay Raman, M.D., associate professor of surgery. Improvements in screening methodology and refinements in cancer care have contributed, in part, to a reduction in recent mortality rates.

An elevated PSA level or an abnormality found on the prostate during the digital rectal exam typically leads to the recommendation of prostate needle biopsy, the most accurate diagnostic technique. Elevated PSA levels have been shown to more accurately predict a positive cancer biopsy result than the rectal exam. The digital rectal exam has been considered less precise because of the variability in of who is administersing the test and the experience of that person, and the incorrect positives associated with noncancerous abnormalities.

Other studies have shown the PSA test to be more sensitive and specific than the digital rectal exam, especially at low PSA levels. However, no study to the researchers' knowledge has looked at the effectiveness of the digital rectal exam when compared to age-adjusted PSA levels.

Penn State Hershey researchers studied 806 men from September 2001 to December 2008 to see how the initial testing lined up with the results of their biopsies.

In the group of men studied, half had elevated PSA levels and 36 percent had an abnormal digital rectal exam (with or without an elevated PSA). The biopsy diagnosed 306 of the men as having prostate cancer. Of that number, 136 of the men had an abnormal digital rectal exam finding.

Most importantly, 43 of the 136 men who had an abnormal digital rectal exam showed a normal PSA level for their age. While 14 percent of all patients with prostate cancer had an abnormal digital rectal exam, 31 percent of these men had normal PSA levels for their age.

It is important to acknowledge that age-specific PSA cutoffs contribute some limitations in prostate cancer screening, Raman said. In particular, while age-specific thresholds increase the sensitivity in younger men, these same cutoff values lower the sensitivity in older men.

Because the acceptable PSA level is increased for older men, it is possible that prostate cancer is being missed if only the PSA test is used.

Our study confirms that the digital rectal exam remains an important part of screening such patients because 31 percent of cancers in our study would have been missed by using age-specific PSA cutoffs alone, Raman said.

Researchers published their findings in

Improved detection of frontotemporal degeneration may aid clinical trial efforts

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) SAN DIEGO - A series of studies demonstrate improved detection of the second most common form of dementia, providing diagnostic specificity that clears the way for refined clinical trials testing targeted treatments. The new research is being presented by experts from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania at the American Academy of Neurology's 65th Annual Meeting in San Diego March 16-23, 2013.

Frontotemporal degeneration, the most common dementia in people under 60, can be hereditary or sporadic in nature and caused by one of two different mutated proteins (tau or TDP-43). The disease results in damage to the anterior temporal and/or frontal lobes of the brain. As the disease progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult for people to plan or organize activities, behave appropriately in social or work settings, interact with others, and care for oneself, resulting in increasing dependency.

In one study, the team confirmed that a novel multimodal imaging approach was more accurate (88 percent) than using either MRI (72 percent) or DTI (81 percent) alone to detect FTD versus Alzheimer's disease. The two imaging techniques integrate measures of white matter and grey matter, providing a statistically powerful method for predicting underlying pathology in order to screen patients for clinical trials.

We are moving forward on our biomarker work to optimize our ability to identify the specific cause of an individual's difficulties during life, said senior author Murray Grossman, MD, EdD, professor of Neurology and director of the Penn FTLD Center. We use a novel multi-modality approach involving behavioral, imaging and biofluid biomarker measures.

In a second study, researchers found that a brief series of neuropsychological tests of memory, word generation and conceptual flexibility (needed for creative problem-solving) helped differentiate people with very mild behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD) and those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The combination of tests correctly classified 85.7 percent of bvFTD cases and 83.3 percent of MCI cases at early stages of disease.

This is particularly important because treatment trials with disease-modifying agents are emerging, often based on animal studies, yet we still don't have all the tools we need to identify who is most appropriate to participate in one of these trials. Moreover, we can use this information we ascertain to help determine who is responding to a treatment in a clinical trial.

The third study being presented at the meeting showed that hereditary forms of FTD appear to have more rapid cognitive decline and differing tau profiles compared with sporadic forms of the disease. For clinical trials testing whether a drug can delay damage caused by tau, any known differences in the speed of disease progression could interfere with trial results.

NASA's first laser communication system integrated, ready for launch

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) A new NASA-developed, laser-based space communication system will enable higher rates of satellite communications similar in capability to high-speed fiber optic networks on Earth.

The space terminal for the Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration (LLCD), NASA's first high-data-rate laser communication system, was recently integrated onto the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. LLCD will demonstrate laser communications from lunar orbit to Earth at six times the rate of the best modern-day advanced radio communication systems.

The successful testing and integration of LLCD to LADEE is a major accomplishment, said Donald Cornwell, LLCD mission manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. It demonstrates that this new technology is robust and ready for space. This is the first time NASA has had such a communication system pass all its tests and be certified flight ready.

The LLCD mission will use a highly reliable infrared laser, similar to those used to bring high-speed data over fiber optic cables into our workplaces and homes. Data, sent in the form of hundreds of millions of short pulses of light every second, will be sent by the LADEE spacecraft to any one of three ground telescopes in New Mexico, California and Spain.

The real challenge of LLCD will be to point its very narrow laser beam accurately to ground stations across a distance of approximately 238,900 miles while moving. Failure to do so would cause a dropped signal or loss of communication.

This pointing challenge is the equivalent of a golfer hitting a 'hole-in-one' from a distance of almost five miles, said Cornwell. Developers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Lincoln Laboratory have designed a sophisticated system to cancel out the slightest spacecraft vibrations. This is in addition to dealing with other challenges of pointing and tracking the system from such a distance. We are excited about these advancements.

The LLCD mission will also serve as a pathfinder for the 2017 launch of NASA's Laser Communication Relay Demonstration (LCRD). That mission will demonstrate the long-term viability of laser communication from a geostationary relay satellite to Earth. In a geostationary orbit the spacecraft orbits at the same speed as Earth, which allows it to maintain the same position in the sky.

Engineers believe that future space missions will be able to use laser communication technology with its low mass and power requirements, to provide increased data quantity for real-time communication and 3-D high-definition video. For example, using S-band communications aboard the LADEE spacecraft would take 639 hours to download an average-length HD movie. Using LLCD technology that time would be reduced to less than eight minutes.

Prior to shipment from MIT, the LLCD spaceflight hardware was subjected to a rigorous set of flight test simulations such as the strong vibrations expected from a Minotaur V rocket, the launch vehicle for the LADEE mission. The LLCD hardware also had to withstand simulated extreme temperatures and other conditions it will experience within the harsh environment of space. Throughout this stringent battery of tests, LLCD maintained its critical alignment and stable pointing accuracy.

Flight and ground station hardware for LLCD was designed and built at Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Mass. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., and the European Space Agency are developing the ground stations in California and Spain, respectively.

This is an exciting time for space communications, said Cornwell. We are about to make a leap in communications ability that is unmatched in NASA's history.

Researchers building stronger, greener concrete with biofuel byproducts

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Kansas State University civil engineers are developing the right mix to reduce concrete's carbon footprint and make it stronger. Their innovative ingredient: biofuel byproducts.

The idea is to use bioethanol production byproducts to produce a material to use in concrete as a partial replacement of cement, said Feraidon Ataie, doctoral student in civil engineering, Kabul, Afghanistan. By using these materials we can reduce the carbon footprint of concrete materials.

Concrete is made from three major components: portland cement, water and aggregate. The world uses nearly 7 billion cubic meters of concrete a year, making concrete the most-used industrial material after water, said Kyle Riding, assistant professor of civil engineering and Ataie's faculty mentor.

Even though making concrete is less energy intensive than making steel or other building materials, we use so much of it that concrete production accounts for between 3 to 8 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, Riding said.

To reduce carbon dioxide emissions from concrete production, the researchers are studying environmentally friendly materials that can replace part of the portland cement used in concrete. They are finding success using the byproducts of biofuels made from corn stover, wheat straw and rice straw.

It is predicted that bioethanol production will increase in the future because of sustainability, Ataie said. As bioethanol production increases, the amount of the byproduct produced also increases. This byproduct can be used in concrete.

The researchers are specifically looking at byproducts from production of cellulosic ethanol, which is biofuel produced from inedible material such as wood chips, wheat straw or other agricultural residue. Cellulosic ethanol is different from traditional bioethanol, which uses corn and grain to make biofuel. Corn ethanol's byproduct -- called distiller's dried grains -- can be used as cattle feed, but cellulosic ethanol's byproduct -- called high-lignin residue -- is often perceived as less valuable.

With the cellulosic ethanol process, you have leftover material that has lignin and some cellulose in it, but it's not really a feed material anymore, Riding said. Your choices of how to use it are a lot lower. The most common choices would be to either burn it for electricity or dispose of the ash.

When the researchers added the high-lignin ash byproduct to cement, the ash reacted chemically with the cement to make it stronger. The researchers tested the finished concrete material and found that replacing 20 percent of the cement with cellulosic material after burning increased the strength of the concrete by 32 percent.

We have been working on applying viable biofuel pretreatments to materials to see if we can improve the behavior and use of ash and concrete, Riding said. This has the potential to make biofuel manufacture more cost effective by better using all of the resources that are being wasted and getting value from otherwise wasteful material and leftover materials. It has the potential to improve the strength and durability of concrete. It benefits both industries.

The research could greatly affect Kansas and other agricultural states that produce crops such as wheat and corn. After harvesting these crops, the leftover wheat straw and corn stover can be used for making cellulosic ethanol. Cellulosic ethanol byproducts then can be added to cement to strengthen concrete.

The utilization of this byproduct is important in both concrete materials and biofuel production, Ataie said. If you use this in concrete to increase strength and quality, then you add value to this byproduct rather than just landfilling it. If you add value to this byproduct, then it is a positive factor for the industry. It can help to reduce the cost of bioethanol production.

The researchers have published some of their work in the American Society of Civil Engineer's

Teen sexting, the gender gap

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Sexting: Involves sending sexually explicit messages and/or photographs, primarily between mobile phones using the SMS system was first reported in 2005. It is an obvious portmanteau of sex and texting; the word was added to the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary in August 2012. 4% of mobile phone-owning teens claim to have sent sexually suggestive, nude or nearly nude images or videos of themselves to someone else via a mobile device while 15% claim to have received such material from someone they know.

With contract cell phones and cheaper multimedia messaging services it is easier and cheaper than ever to share information, images and other data. Ran Wei of the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of South Carolina and Ven-Hwei Lo of the School of Journalism and Communication of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, examined the effects of teen sexting that involves serious privacy and personal safety issues. One observer has suggested that the desire for risk-taking and sexual exploration among teens, coupled with a perpetual connection with peers via mobile telephony, creates a perfect storm for sexting.

The USC-Hong Kong team has now carried out a survey of 236 adolescents in the USA, the results of which reveal that teenagers believe sexting to cause more harm to other people than to themselves. Moreover, they also consider that sext messages subsequently posted to the Internet on social networking sites and elsewhere are more harmful than those messages that are shared en masse among a group of phone users. However, they also felt that consensual sexting between two people was less harmful.

The survey also revealed a strong gender gap with regards to third-person perception of sexting: both males and females believed other females were more harmed by sexting. This perception of girls, not boys, as the victims of sexting is perhaps a common theme in sexual culture and predates telecommunications by several centuries if not longer I'd say. The survey did reveal that this gender gap meant many respondents were willing to support restrictions on sexting, but those who participated in this activity were less keen on the application of restrictions.

Sexting raises a new issue with far-reaching social consequences for teenagers because it spans the boundaries of interpersonal communication and mass mediated communication, the team explains. In addition, sexting poses a challenge in defining the boundary between what is socially appropriate and what is inappropriate in various communication contexts. They point out that fun or flirtatious messages between two teenagers in a romantic relationship might be shared outside that relationship to a large audience on wireless networks or the internet, causing psychological, social, cultural, and legal problems. Indeed, there have been numerous legal cases involving high-school students who have sexted in recent years.

Sexting among teens is characteristic of an expected negative message from the perspective of parents, educators, and law enforcers, the team concludes. When sexting is no longer confined to two people in a romantic relationship, to be vulnerable to sexting implies that sext messages may end up in the hands of predators and have a long-term harm on a teen sexter's future.

Revolutionary imaging software offers more detailed, clearer scans of heart conditions

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Innovative software has been developed that greatly enhances the detail quality and field of view of conventional ultrasound images. It could improve the diagnosis of heart disease and deliver big savings for the NHS.

The software, called 'IDF Echo', is being unveiled at Healthcare Innovation Expo 2013, taking place at London's ExCel Centre on 13th-14th March 2013 (IDF stands for Intelligent Data Fusion). It will be located on the National Innovation Centre (NIC) stand.

While widely and routinely used, standard ultrasound scans can be prone to image quality problems and have a limited field of view, meaning that a single view of the entire organ is impossible to obtain and that a definitive diagnosis cannot be made.

IDF Echo tackles this problem by generating a composite image from a number of scans. This image delivers better-quality information than the individual component scans. The key benefit is that this can make diagnosis possible without the need for referral to MRI or CT scans, which are many times more expensive than ultrasound. Standard practice in cardiac care is currently to perform an initial ultrasound scan and then an MRI or CT scan if it isn't conclusive.

IDF Echo builds on work led by Professor Alison Noble and her team at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oxford and originally funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). It has been launched by Intelligent Ultrasound, a spin-out company set up by the University of Oxford.

IDF Echo is now available for equipment manufacturers to incorporate into their ultrasound machines. Evaluations have already been undertaken with the involvement of clinical groups in Oxford and Intelligent Ultrasound is now looking to extend evaluations to other NHS hospitals.

As well as leading the research, Professor Noble is Intelligent Ultrasound's Chief Technology Officer. She says: Although ultrasound is a very well-established, cost-effective medical scanning technology, there's a limit to the quality of image it can generate. Pinpointing some cardiac conditions requires a follow-up scan using a more expensive technology. By improving the initial diagnostic power of ultrasound, IDF Echo improves the likelihood of earlier diagnosis and quicker treatment for the patient, and has the potential to help NHS budgets by extracting maximum value from low-cost scanning equipment.

Andy Hill, Intelligent Ultrasound's CEO, says: We've worked very closely with clinical groups to ensure that the images generated by IDF Echo provide the sort of information that will significantly aid clinical decision-making. Moreover, because the software uses standard 3D/4D ultrasound scanners and doesn't require costly hardware upgrades, it should be easier for its use to gain acceptance within the NHS. We would welcome interest from any groups interested in being part of further evaluation studies.

The company is currently developing similar products designed to enhance the use of ultrasound in other areas of healthcare, such as obstetrics.

International gender difference in math and reading scores persists regardless of gender equality

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Malala Yousafzai, the teenaged advocate for Pakistani girls' education, was released from the hospital earlier this month. Most of the world's girls don't have to fight as hard as Yousafzai for their education. However, even in countries with high gender equality, sex differences in math and reading scores persisted in the 75 nations examined by a University of Missouri and University of Leeds study. Girls consistently scored higher in reading, while boys got higher scores in math, but these gaps are linked and vary with overall social and economic conditions of the nation. A better understanding of these gaps and how they are related could help educators design curricula to help students of both genders apply their talents and deal with their weaknesses.

Educational systems could be improved by acknowledging that, in general, boys and girls are different, said David Geary, MU professor of psychological science. For example, in trying to close the sex gap in math scores, the reading gap was left behind. Now, our study has found that the difference between girls' and boys' reading scores was three times larger than the sex difference in math scores. Girls' higher scores in reading could lead to advantages in admissions to certain university programs, such as marketing, journalism or literature, and subsequently careers in those fields. Boys lower reading scores could correlate to problems in any career, since reading is essential in most jobs.

Generally, when conditions are good, the math gap increases and the reading gap decreases and when conditions are bad the math gap decreases and the reading gap increases. This pattern remained consistent within nations as well as among them, according to the study by Geary and Gijsbert Stoet of the University of Leeds that included testing performance data from 1.5 million 15-year-olds in 75 nations. The top five percent of scores within nations generally showed girls to be lower in math and boys to be lower in reading. That pattern continued in lower scoring groups until reaching the lowest scoring students, where the math achievement of boys and girls evened out but the reading gap increased, according to Geary.

The consistent pattern within nations suggests the sex differences are not simply related to socio-economic factors, said Geary. Socio-economic and cultural factors are important in that they influence the performance of all students, but boys, as a group, respond more strongly than girls, perhaps due to a biological difference in sensitivity to wider conditions. For example, in nations with impoverished or violent conditions, boys' scores tended to fall faster and further than girls. On the other hand, in wealthier, socially stable nations boys' scores benefitted more than girls. This resulted in boys reducing the reading gap and widening the math gap.

This finding has important implications for how we interpret the math gap of other countries, said co-author Gijsbert Stoet of the University of Leeds. For example, policy makers often take Sweden as an example of being particularly good for reducing the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and math, but they do not realize that Swedish boys fall behind in reading more so than in most other highly developed nations. This is a good example of the inverse relation between the math and reading gaps. This phenomenon urgently needs more attention.

In adult life, there are more male CEOs, but also more homeless men, said Geary. Boys' prospects in life seem to react more intensely to positive and negative social conditions, hence we see more variation in boys' testing scores, especially when conditions are bad.

Behind the wheel of company profits

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Small-car manufacturer Fiat beat its efficiency record in the 2008 recession while former high-achievers Toyota and BMW showed their worst results in 10 years, according to a new study.

Sustainable Value in Automobile Manufacturing ranks 17 of the world's leading car makers according to how efficiently they used environmental, social and economic resources from 1999 to 2010. It is the largest sustainability study of the car manufacturing sector to date.

Using a unique calculation, researchers from the University of Leeds and Euromed Management School Marseille looked at how much profit companies generated with the resources available to them during production, and compared each to its peers.

While comparing corporate financial performance is common through the use of stock indexes such as the FTSE, this is the first major benchmarking exercise for the car manufacturing sector to include environmental and social indicators.

Fiat ranked significantly below its competitors until 2008 when it achieved above-average efficiencies for the first time, according to the findings. It beat Toyota and BMW which were the overall leaders in 1999-2007.

Toyota and BMW dropped down the rankings in 2008-2010, with BMW only recovering in 2010.

Dr Ralf Barkemeyer of the University of Leeds' School of Earth and Environment said it was likely a combination of factors helped Fiat in 2008: restructuring in the 2000s which put the company in a better position when the recession hit, and more efficient use of environmental resources.

Dr Barkemeyer said: Fiat cut VOC [volatile organic compound] emissions by almost 50% in 2008 compared to the previous year, most likely based on the introduction of new, more efficient technologies in some Fiat paint shops. The same to a certain extent applies to water use and waste generation: both went down in absolute terms, although sales increased slightly in 2008 compared to 2007.

Fiat's continued above-the-line performance in 2009 was likely influenced by the uptake of scrappage or 'Cash for Clunkers' schemes which gave cash rebates to people trading old cars for new. Schemes were introduced in Europe, Japan and the US mainly in 2009 to encourage the purchase of fuel-efficient cars and stimulate car sales. Many schemes required that people buy a smaller car, and many people chose a smaller car in the recession to reduce outgoings.

As a regional group, Asian car manufacturers had topped the rankings in 1999-2007 but lost their lead in 2008 when Toyota, Nissan and Honda turned in below-average results for the first time.

South Korean manufacturer Hyundai was the exception in the group, achieving the best overall results of all companies in 2008-2010.

Tapeworm DNA contains drug weak spots

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) For the first time, researchers have mapped the genomes of tapeworms to reveal potential drug targets on which existing drugs could act. The genomes provide a new resource that offers faster ways to develop urgently needed and effective treatments for these debilitating diseases.

Tapeworms cause two of the World Health Organization's 17 neglected tropical diseases; echinococcosis and cysticercosis. The team sequenced the genomes of four species of tapeworm to explore the genetics and underlying biology of this unusual parasite. As an adult it can live relatively harmlessly in the gut, but its larvae can spread through the body with devastating effects. The larvae form cysts in the internal organs or tissues of humans and other animals. These cysts proliferate or grow in the body, much like cancer. In some species this can cause complications such as blindness and epilepsy, with others it may lead to death.

Tapeworm infections are prevalent across the world and their devastating burden is comparable to that of multiple sclerosis or malignant melanoma, says Dr Matthew Berriman, senior author from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. These genome sequences are helping us to immediately identify new targets for much-needed drug treatment. In addition, exploring the parasites' full DNA sequences is driving our understanding of its complex biology, helping the research community to focus on the most effective drug candidates.

Normally, researchers identify new targets for drugs to combat diseases by comparing a pathogen's genome sequence with the human host's DNA to find differences between them. This time, however, the team deliberately looked for similarities between humans and the parasite because both are multicellular and the tapeworm is evolutionarily similar to humans. By finding similarities, the scientists found targets that exploit the activities of existing drugs. Identifying treatments already on pharmacy shelves and approved for other uses should save time and money.

Many of the processes of these diseases parallel those of cancer tumours, suggesting that tapeworms could be susceptible to cancer treatments, such as suppressing cell division and preventing DNA replication. When the team compiled a list of most likely targets for drug treatment, many of them were the same targets as pre-existing cancer chemotherapies.

Combining biological knowledge with the full genome also revealed other promising targets for existing drugs. Over time, tapeworms have lost the ability to synthesise the necessary fats and cholesterol that are crucial for larvae development. Instead, they scavenge and modify them from their hosts. The most active genes in the tapeworm are central to this important scavenging process because they produce the proteins that bind fats or are the precursors of fatty acid binding proteins. Disrupting these proteins with current drugs may prove an effective treatment.

UH Case Medical Center awarded highest certification as Comprehensive Stroke Center

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center has become the first hospital in Northeast Ohio and 19th in the nation to achieve The Joint Commission's standards for Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification, joining an elite group of providers focused on complex stroke care. Comprehensive stroke centers are recognized as industry leaders and are responsible for setting the national agenda in all aspects of stroke care and prevention.

The recognition comes from The Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care, and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification recognizes those hospitals that have state-of-the-art infrastructure, staff and training to receive and treat patients with the most complex strokes. UH Case Medical Center underwent a rigorous onsite review in November. Joint Commission experts reviewed UH Case Medical Center's compliance with the Comprehensive Stroke Center standards and requirements including advanced imaging capabilities, 24/7 availability of specialized treatments, and staff with the unique education and competencies to care for complex stroke patients.

By achieving this advanced certification, University Hospitals Case Medical Center has thoroughly demonstrated the greatest level of commitment to the care of its patients with a complex stroke condition, said Mark R. Chassin, MD, FACP, MPP., MPH., President, The Joint Commission. Certification is a voluntary process and The Joint Commission commends University Hospitals Case Medical Center for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate the standard of its care for the community it serves.

Warren Selman, MD, Neurosurgeon-in-Chief at UH and Director of the UH Neurological Institute said, Our physicians, nurses, and staff have worked diligently toward the end of providing the highest quality of stroke care for our patients and Northeast Ohio. We are honored and proud for the recognition of our comprehensive services from The Joint Commission as we continually seek to enhance our stroke services to the community. Dr. Selman also holds the Harvey Huntington Brown, Jr., Professor and Chair, Department of Neurological Surgery, UH Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification was developed in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and derived from the Brain Attack Coalition's Recommendations for Comprehensive Stroke Centers, (Stroke, 2005), and Metrics for Measuring Quality of Care in Comprehensive Stroke Centers, (Stroke, 2011), and on recommendations from a multidisciplinary advisory panel of experts in complex stroke care.

We are thoroughly committed to providing our patients with the highest quality stroke care based on current scientific research to ensure continuous improvement in care, said Anthony Furlan, MD, Co-director of the UH Neurological Institute and Chair of Neurology at UH Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification has given us the opportunity to highlight the exceptional stroke care we provide for our patients, and improved care overall for the benefit of our community.

The UH Neurological Institute's Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center is the largest and most experienced program in Northeast Ohio dedicated to caring for stroke patients. UH physicians specialize in managing diseases in patients who are high-risk and the medical center's rehabilitation specialists use state-of-the-art techniques to help speed up recovery. As the primary affiliate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, UH also engages in research aimed at improving care.

Cathy Sila, MD, Director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center, said that vascular diseases, including cardiovascular disease and stroke, are the leading cause of death in the United States. Stroke is the leading cause of disability in adults and approximately 800,000 people suffer from a stroke each year.

With expert post-stroke care and stroke rehabilitation, the prospects of recovery from stroke are good for many patients, said Dr. Sila, who is also Professor of Neurology at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and holder of the George Humphrey II Chair in Neurology. More than half of stroke patients regain functional independence and we continue to conduct research to identify therapies that will improve the outcomes for patients with stroke.

To ensure optimal outcomes for stroke patients, UH's Comprehensive Stroke Center offers a highly experienced team of stroke specialists that includes board-certified vascular neurologists; neurointensivists; interventional neuroradiologists; cerebrovascular neurosurgeons, nursing and support staff experienced in stroke care.

The Center brings together leading experts from a variety of disciplines that collaborate using the latest clinical advances and technologies. Many are involved in nationally funded research that may lead to future innovations in medical care.

The UH system also offers the highest quality of stroke care available in the region through its network community hospitals. UH Ahuja Medical Center, UH Bedford Medical Center, UH Geauga Medical Center, UH Richmond Medical Center and St. John Medical Center are all designated as primary stroke centers. UH is the only system in Ohio with a comprehensive stroke center certification and all of its eligible hospitals designated as primary stroke centers.

Dr. Sila said that UH uses a hub and spoke model, with UH Case Medical Center at the center offering around-the-clock access to stroke specialty teams and the community hospitals acting as spokes off that hub. Community hospital emergency medicine teams were trained to evaluate stroke patients for tPA (clot-busting) eligibility, conduct urgent brain imaging scans and consult with UH Case Medical Center stroke specialists to coordinate appropriate treatment plans.

Biodegradable nappies from recycled cardboard

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 04:00:00 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has developed a process that enables recycled paper and cardboard to be used as a raw material for nonwovens. Hygiene and home care products, such as nappies, sanitary towels and cleaning cloths, are among the many items that can be manufactured from the biodegradable nonwovens. The manufacturing costs of cardboard-based nonwovens are around 20% lower than for nonwovens produced from wood raw materials. The forest industry will be among those likely to benefit from new business opportunities opened up by nonwovens based on recycled paper and cardboard.

Nonwovens are essentially consumer goods that once used will end up in a landfill site along with other community waste. In the metropolitan area alone, an estimated 10,000 tonnes of nappies and sanitary towels are disposed of each year. The principle raw material in nonwovens manufacture is biologically non-degradable polyester. Up to now, market entry for bio-based nonwovens derived from wood has stalled because of prohibitive production costs.

Now for the first time we can make use of recycled paper and cardboard as a nonwovens raw material, says Ali Harlin, Research Professor at VTT. The new process means that bio-based nonwovens are now more competitive on price in comparison with plastic-based products. The manufacturing costs of cardboard-based nonwovens are around 20% lower than for nonwovens produced from wood raw materials. New business opportunities should open up fairly rapidly, since the technology required for manufacturing nonwovens from recycled materials is already in place.

Every year Europe generates around 60 million tonnes of recycled paper, of which cardboard makes up around 40%. The demand exists for new applications and technology for exploiting recycled paper due to the EU's objective of raising the proportion of recycled paper to 70 per cent. The method developed by VTT could extend future possibilities for re-use, particularly in the case of cardboard, which is more cost-effective as a raw material than fine paper.

Cleansing the cardboard of filler material, lignin and hemicellulose is a key part of nonwovens manufacture. VTT has matched several fibre-processing methods in the preparation of dissolving pulp to assist in obtaining pure cellulose from the recycled cardboard. The dissolving pulp produced in the research project was regenerated using VTT's patented carbamate technology, which is safer and more environmentally friendly than the traditional viscose process. The nonwovens were manufactured with foam forming technology that uses little water.

Around 1.9 million tonnes of various types of nonwovens were manufactured in Europe in 2011. Strong growth in the global market for nonwovens is forecast to continue for the foreseeable future. Apart from hygiene, health and cleaning products, the nonwovens have further applications in, among others, the construction industry.