ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Reproductive coercion, intimate partner violence prevalent

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 08:08 AM PST

Enough women experience reproductive coercion -- male behavior to control contraception and pregnancy outcomes -- that a research team now recommends health care providers address the subjects with their patients and tailor family planning discussions and recommendations accordingly. "Reproductive coercion, co-occurring with intimate partner violence, is prevalent among women seeking general obstetrics and gynecology care," note the authors. In addition, reproductive coercion has been associated with intimate partner violence, including threats, physical injury, or sexual abuse.

Gamma Knife helps patients with painful facial nerve disorder

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 08:08 AM PST

Symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) were reduced in those treated with Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery, a team of radiation oncologists and neurosurgeons have found. TN is a disorder of the trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for feeling in the face. In most cases, the facial pain is caused by a blood vessel pressing on the nerve. It is believed that TN is caused by deterioration of the protective covering of the trigeminal nerve. Gamma Knife is a nonsurgical technique that precisely delivers a high dose of radiation to a targeted area. It appears to reduce pain for the patients that are treated with this technique.

Decline of bronze age 'megacities' linked to climate change

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 08:08 AM PST

Scientists have demonstrated that an abrupt weakening of the summer monsoon affected northwest India 4,100 years ago. The resulting drought coincided with the beginning of the decline of the metropolis-building Indus Civilization, which spanned present-day Pakistan and India, suggesting that climate change could be why many of the major cities of the civilization were abandoned.

Thirty-nine new species of endemic cockroach discovered in the southwestern US and Mexico

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 08:08 AM PST

An American systematist has described 39 new species of endemic desert cockroaches from the southwestern US and Mexico. The roaches belong to the genus Arenivaga, in one of the lesser known families of cockroaches, which previously held nine species.

Replicating motions of the heart: Artificial muscles that do the twist set the stage for soft robotics

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 08:08 AM PST

Researchers have developed a low-cost, programmable soft actuated material that they used to replicate the complex motion of the heart, along with a matching 3-D computer model. The advance sets the stage for new possibilities in the emerging field of soft robotics.

Superabsorbing design may lower manufacturing cost of thin film solar cells

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 08:08 AM PST

Researchers have developed a 'superabsorbing' design that may significantly improve the light absorption efficiency of thin film solar cells and drive down manufacturing costs.

Causal link found between vitamin D, serotonin synthesis and autism in new study

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 08:08 AM PST

Serotonin and vitamin D have been proposed to play a role in autism, however, no causal mechanism has been established. Now, researchers show that serotonin, oxytocin, and vasopressin, three brain hormones that affect social behavior related to autism, are all activated by vitamin D hormone. Supplementation with vitamin D and tryptophan would be a practical and affordable solution to help prevent autism and possibly ameliorate some symptoms of the disorder.

Language of love: Matching conjunctions, pronouns could spell a match better than good looks and fast cars

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 08:06 AM PST

People who use the same kinds of function words are more likely to find a match, a researcher suggests. After analyzing speed dating results, researchers discovered a positive correlation of function-word similarity with speed-daters' odds of going on a second date and long-term couples' odds of still being together three months after the study. Language similarity became an even better predictor of relationship stability when compared to other related variables, such as the perceived similarity with one's date, perceived relationship quality, and how many words people spoke to each other during each conversation.

Obesity rates in 2- to 5-year-olds improve, although overall obesity rates remain unchanged, U.S. study shows

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 07:21 AM PST

The latest U.S. obesity data show a significant decline in obesity among children aged 2 to 5 years. Obesity prevalence for this age group went from nearly 14 percent in 2003-2004 to just over 8 percent in 2011-2012 -- a decline of 43 percent. Obesity increased in women age 60 years and older, from 31.5 percent to more than 38 percent.

Algae's viability as a biofuel advanced

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 07:18 AM PST

Lab success doesn't always translate to real-world success. Scientists have now, however, invented a new technology that increases the odds of helping algae-based biofuels cross that gap and come closer to reality.

Hormone therapy linked to better survival after lung cancer diagnosis in women

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 07:18 AM PST

Survival among people with lung cancer has been better for women than men, and the findings of a recent study indicate that female hormones may be a factor in this difference. The combination of estrogen plus progesterone and the use of long-term hormone therapy were associated with the most significant improvements in survival.

Different eggs in adolescent girls, adult women

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 07:18 AM PST

Are the eggs produced by adolescent girls the same as the ones produced by adult women? A recent study shows compelling evidence that there are two completely distinct types of eggs in the mammalian ovary -- 'the first wave' and 'the adult wave.' The first wave of eggs, which starts immediately after birth, contributes to the onset of puberty and provides fertilizable eggs into the transition from adolescence to adulthood. In contrast, the adult wave remains in a state of dormancy until activated during the adult life and then provides eggs throughout the entire reproductive lifespan.

Two micro mechanisms that regulate immune system uncovered

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 06:52 AM PST

Previously unknown interactions between critical proteins in the human immune response system, have been discovered by scientists, uncovering two independent regulatory mechanisms that keep the body's immune response in check. The authors suggest that while they do not yet fully understand this regulatory mechanism, and continue to study it in hopes of harnessing its power to cure disease, it is an important step forward in understanding both what stops the body's immune response, and what activates it.

Where have all the codfish gone? Research suggests food source loss has contributed

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 06:52 AM PST

The mega-decline in cod and other fisheries across the North Atlantic Ocean threatens the livelihood of fishermen and communities in New England and Atlantic Canada. One suspect in the disappearance of cod and other groundfish is the food source for their young: a planktonic copepod crustacean. The first transcriptome for the key North Atlantic copepod Calanus finmarchicus has been published; scientists will use it to decode the genetic instructions that are resulting in population changes.

Scientists blend synthetic air to measure climate change

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 06:52 AM PST

Scientists have produced a synthetic air reference standard which can be used to accurately measure levels of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere. This will greatly help scientists contribute to our understanding of climate change.

Whales, ships more common through Bering Strait

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 06:52 AM PST

The Arctic is home to a growing number of whales and ships, and to populations of sub-Arctic whales that are expanding their territory into newly ice-free Arctic waters. A three-year survey of whales in the Bering Strait reveals that many species of whales are using the narrow waterway, while shipping and commercial traffic also increase.

Self-administration of flu vaccine with a patch may be feasible, study suggests

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 06:48 AM PST

The annual ritual of visiting a doctor's office or health clinic to receive a flu shot may soon be outdated, thanks to the findings of a new study. The research, which involved nearly 100 people recruited in the metropolitan Atlanta area, found that test subjects could successfully apply a prototype vaccine patch to themselves. That suggests the self-administration of vaccines with microneedle patches may one day be feasible, potentially reducing administration costs and relieving an annual burden on health care professionals. The study also suggested that the use of vaccine patches might increase the rate at which the population is vaccinated against influenza.

Fish tacos: A nutritional lunch

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 06:48 AM PST

An aquaponics project studying the interdependence of fish and plants winds up rolled in tortillas and served with organic coleslaw.

Offshore wind farms could tame hurricanes before they reach land

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 04:50 AM PST

Computer simulations have shown that offshore wind farms with thousands of wind turbines could have sapped the power of three real-life hurricanes, significantly decreasing their winds and accompanying storm surge, and possibly preventing billions of dollars in damages. In the case of Hurricane Katrina, the computer model revealed that an array of 78,000 wind turbines off the coast of New Orleans would have significantly weakened the hurricane well before it made landfall.

How small cosmic seeds grow into big stars

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 04:49 AM PST

New images provide the most detailed view yet of stellar nurseries within the Snake nebula. These images offer new insights into how cosmic seeds can grow into massive stars. Stretching across almost 100 light-years of space, the Snake nebula is located about 11,700 light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Ophiuchus.

Did five years of drought lead to two years of revolution in Syria?

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 04:49 AM PST

Negotiators in Geneva might not have brought the conflict in Syria to an end last week, but new research explains how the 2006–10 drought contributed to its start.

'Super-Earths' may be dead worlds: Being in habitable zone is not enough

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 04:49 AM PST

In the last 20 years the search for Earth-like planets around other stars has accelerated, with the launch of missions like the Kepler space telescope. Using these and observatories on the ground, astronomers have found numerous worlds that at first sight have similarities with the Earth. A few of these are even in the 'habitable zone' where the temperature is just right for water to be in liquid form and so are prime targets in the search for life elsewhere in the universe. New results suggest that for some of the recently discovered super-Earths, such as Kepler-62e and -62f, being in the habitable zone is not enough to make them habitats.

Glimmer of light in the search for dark matter

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 04:48 AM PST

Astrophysicists may have identified a trace of dark matter that could signify a new particle: the sterile neutrino. Another research group reported a very similar signal just a few days before.

Creating complex nanoparticles in one easy step

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 04:48 AM PST

Nanoparticle research is huge.  That is, the study of nanoparticles, very miniscule objects that act as a unit with specific properties, is a very popular area of study.  With implications in many avenues of science, from biomedicine to laser research, the study of how to create nanoparticles with desirable properties is becoming increasingly important.  Scientists have now made a breakthrough in synthesizing biomedically relevant nanoparticles. 

New autism definition may decrease diagnosis by one third

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 04:45 AM PST

New diagnosis guidelines for autism spectrum disorder may reduce by almost one third the total number of people being diagnosed, according to new research. The guidelines, released in May 2013 and the first major update to psychiatric diagnosis criteria in almost two decades, may leave thousands of developmentally delayed children each year without the ASD diagnosis they need to qualify for social services, medical benefits and educational support.

Climate change causes high but predictable extinction risks

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 04:45 AM PST

Judging the effects of climate change on extinction may be easier than previously thought, according to a new article. Although widely used assessments of threatened species, such as the IUCN Red List, were not developed with the effects of climate change in mind, a study of 36 amphibian and reptile species endemic to the US has concluded that climate change may not be fundamentally different from other extinction threats in terms of identifying species in danger of extinction.

Brain cell activity regulates Alzheimer's protein

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 04:34 PM PST

Increased brain cell activity boosts brain fluid levels of a protein linked to Alzheimer's disease, according to new research. Tau protein is the main component of neurofibrillary tangles, one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. It has been linked to other neurodegenerative disorders, including frontotemporal dementia, supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration. The regular patterns of tau spread through brain networks have led scientists to speculate that dysfunctional tau travels to different brain regions via synapses -- the areas where individual nerve cells communicate with each other.

Risk of HIV infection high during pregnancy, the postpartum period

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 04:34 PM PST

Women living in world regions where HIV infection is common are at high risk of acquiring HIV infection during pregnancy and the postpartum period, according to a study. The researchers also found that mothers who acquire HIV during pregnancy or postpartum are more likely to pass the infection on to their offspring than mothers with chronic HIV infections. "Detection and prevention of incident HIV in pregnancy/postpartum should be prioritized, and is critical to decrease [mother to child transmission]," they conclude.

Mass strandings of marine mammals blamed on toxic algae: Clues unearthed in ancient whale graveyard

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 04:34 PM PST

Modern whale strandings can be investigated and their causes identified. Events that happened millions of years ago, however, are far harder to analyze -- frequently leaving their cause a mystery. Scientists examined a large fossil site in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile -- the first definitive example of repeated mass strandings of marine mammals in the fossil record. It reflected four distinct strandings over time, indicating a repeated and similar cause: toxic algae.

Skin cancer risk may have driven evolution of black skin

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 04:34 PM PST

Early humans may have evolved black skin to protect against a very high risk of dying from ultraviolet light-induced skin cancer, a new analysis concludes. Skin cancer has usually been rejected as the most likely selective pressure for the development of black skin because of a belief that it is only rarely fatal at ages young enough to affect reproduction. But a new paper cites evidence that black people with albinism from parts of Africa with the highest UV radiation exposure, and where humans first evolved, almost all die of skin cancer at a young age.

'Team of rivals' approach works for sparrows defending territories

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 04:34 PM PST

A new study of territorial songs used by chipping sparrows to defend their turf reveals that males sometimes will form a "dear enemy" alliance with a weaker neighbor to prevent a stronger rival from moving in. For the first time findings demonstrate the birds' use of a stereotyped, specialized signal, in this case chipping sparrow trills, to establish brief periods of cooperation among neighbor birds who are otherwise rivals.

Study of jaw mechanics sheds new light on early tetrapod feeding habits

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 04:32 PM PST

A study of the jaws of one of the earliest known limbed vertebrates shows the species still fed underwater, not on land. Tetrapods -- the four-legged limbed vertebrates -- evolved from fish and include today's amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Acanthostega is regarded as one of the best known early tetrapods, and has played a key role in debates about tetrapod origins since spectacular new specimens were discovered in Greenland in 1987. Dating back to some 360 million years ago (end of the Devonian period); it has often been seen as a near-perfect fish-tetrapod intermediate.

Brainstem discovered as important relay site after stroke

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 04:32 PM PST

After a stroke, sufferers are often faced with the problem of severe movement impairment. Researchers have now discovered that the brainstem could play a major role in the recovery of motor functions. The projection of neurons from this ancient part of the brain into the spinal cord leads to the neural impulses needed for motion being rerouted. The brain does have a "considerable capacity for regeneration" explains the lead author.

Better Nurse Staffing, Education Reduces Patient Deaths in European Hospitals

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 04:31 PM PST

Hospital nurse staffing, and the proportion of nurses with bachelor's education, are associated with significantly fewer deaths after common surgery, a research study concludes, which included nine European countries. Detailed results included information that every one patient increase in patient to nurse ratios was associated with a 7% increase in deaths, while having a better educated nurse workforce is associated with fewer deaths. Every 10% increase in bachelor's degree nurses is associated with a 7% decline in mortality, according to the results.

Continuous handling of receipts linked to higher urine BPA levels

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 01:27 PM PST

Study participants who handled receipts printed on thermal paper continuously for two hours without gloves had an increase in urine bisphenol A (BPA) concentrations compared to when they wore gloves, according to a study. Human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) has been associated with adverse health outcomes, including reproductive function in adults and neurodevelopment in children exposed shortly before or after birth.

Blood transfusion for PCI associated with increased risk of cardiac event

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 01:27 PM PST

In an analysis that included more than two million patients who underwent a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI; procedures such as balloon angioplasty or stent placement used to open narrowed coronary arteries), there was considerable variation in red blood cell transfusion practices among hospitals across the US, and receiving a transfusion was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital heart attack, stroke or death, according to a study.

Patient-centered medical home program results in little improvement in quality

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 01:27 PM PST

One of the first, largest, and longest-running multipayer trials of patient-centered medical home medical practices in the United States was associated with limited improvements in quality and was not associated with reductions in use of hospital, emergency department, or ambulatory care services or total costs of care over three years, according to a study. The patient-centered medical home is a team-based model of primary care practice intended to improve the quality, efficiency, and patient experience of care. Professional associations, payers, policy makers, and other stakeholders have advocated for the patient-centered medical home model.

MMR vaccine linked to lower rate of infection-related hospital admissions

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 01:27 PM PST

In a nationwide group of Danish children, receipt of the live measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine on schedule after vaccination for other common infections was associated with a lower rate of hospital admissions for any infections, but particularly for lower respiratory tract infections, according to a study. Childhood vaccines are recommended worldwide, based on their protective effect against the targeted diseases.

Simple waiting room test can help diagnose depression, anxiety

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 01:25 PM PST

Patients visiting the hospital for a variety of ailments can be easily screened for depression and anxiety as they wait for care, a new study shows. piloted an electronic questionnaire with patients in six specialty services in three London hospitals: rheumatology, limb reconstruction, hepatitis C, psoriasis, congenital heart disease and chronic pain. Patients were asked to complete questions on a wireless touch-screen device while in the waiting room. The test included questions about depression and anxiety, as well as physical health outcomes and health behaviors. Results were immediately transmitted to the health care provider, who could then discuss them with the patient during the visit. "This makes effective use of waiting room time, and provides useful, usable information in a format which is easy for non-mental health professionals to interpret and act upon," authors note.

New clues found to preventing lung transplant rejection

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 01:25 PM PST

Broadly suppressing the immune system after lung transplantation may inadvertently encourage organ rejection, according to a new study in mice. Organ transplant patients routinely receive drugs that stop their immune systems from attacking newly implanted hearts, livers, kidneys or lungs, which the body sees as foreign. In a surprising discovery, researchers found that newly transplanted lungs in mice were more likely to be rejected if key immune cells were missing, a situation that simulates what happens when patients take immunosuppressive drugs.

Ordinary conditioner removes head lice eggs as effectively as special products

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 11:39 AM PST

Some shampoos and conditioners that contain chemicals or special oils are marketed as nit-removal products for head lice eggs. However, new research shows that ordinary hair conditioner is just as effective. Eggs from head lice, also called nits, are incredibly difficult to remove. Female lice lay eggs directly onto strands of hair, and they cement them in place with a glue-like substance, making them hard to get rid of. In fact, the eggs are glued down so strongly that they will stay in place even after hair has been treated with pediculicides -- substances used to kill lice.

Nuclear stiffness keeps stem cells, cancer cells in place

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 11:39 AM PST

Adult stem cells and cancer cells have many things in common, including an ability to migrate through tiny gaps in tissue. Both types of cells also experience a trade-off when it comes to this ability; having a flexible nucleus makes migration easier but is worse at protecting the nucleus' DNA compared to a stiffer nucleus. Nuclear proteins that regulate nuclear stiffness are therefore thought to control processes as diverse as tissue repair and tumor growth.

Ecotoxicity: All clear for silver nanoparticles?

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 10:45 AM PST

It has long been known that, in the form of free ions, silver particles can be highly toxic to aquatic organisms. Yet to this day, there is a lack of detailed knowledge about the doses required to trigger a response and how the organisms deal with this kind of stress. In the past, silver mostly found its way into the environment in the vicinity of silver mines or via wastewater emanating from the photo industry. More recently, silver nanoparticles have become commonplace in many applications -- as ingredients in cosmetics, food packaging, disinfectants, and functional clothing. To learn more about the cellular processes that occur in the cells, scientists subjected algae to a range of silver concentrations.

New approach to chip design could yield light speed computing

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 10:45 AM PST

Researchers are the first to create a device that integrates both optical and electronic signals to perform the most elementary computational operations that could inform 'light speed' computing.

Blood pressure should be measured in both arms, evidence shows

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 10:43 AM PST

As heart disease continues to be one of the leading causes of death in the United States, practitioners and patients alike are looking for ways to cut risk factors and identify new clues to assist with early detection. New research suggests that there is an association between a difference in interarm systolic blood pressure and a significant increased risk for future cardiovascular events, leading researchers to recommend expanded clinical use of interarm blood pressure measurement.

Bullying black holes force galaxies to stay red and dead

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 10:43 AM PST

Astronomers have discovered massive elliptical galaxies in the nearby Universe containing plenty of cold gas, even though the galaxies fail to produce new stars. Comparison with other data suggests that, while hot gas cools down in these galaxies, stars do not form because jets from the central supermassive black hole heat or stir up the gas and prevent it from turning into stars. Giant elliptical galaxies are the most puzzling type of galaxy in the Universe.

Low power high performance radio frequency transceiver for enhanced wireless smart energy management

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 10:43 AM PST

Scientists have developed and demonstrated a 400 MHz radio frequency transceiver with the highest power efficiency and leading performance reported to deliver high quality signals over industry's widest coverage in wireless sensor network applications.

Smartphone-based voting technology may lead to fewer user errors

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 10:42 AM PST

A new study examines how smartphone-based voting systems can be incorporated into the current large-scale election process.

Malware? Software ensures 'what you see is what you send'

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 10:42 AM PST

Researchers have created a prototype software, Gyrus, that takes extra steps to prevent malware from sending spam emails and instant messages, and blocking unauthorized commands such as money transfers.

Climate engineering: Minor potential, major risk of side-effects?

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 09:25 AM PST

Researchers have studied with computer simulations the long-term global consequences of several 'climate engineering' methods. They show that all the proposed methods would either be unable to significantly reduce global warming if CO2 emissions remain high, or they could not be stopped without causing dangerous climate disruption.

Does solitary confinement fuel more crime? Study says no

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 09:25 AM PST

Solitary confinement does not make supermax prison inmates more likely to re-offend once they're released, finds a study on the controversial penitentiaries. The study -- one of the first to examine recidivism rates among supermax inmates -- refute critics' claims that serving extended time in isolation leads to more crime. Super-maximum security units, known as supermax units or prisons within prisons, are designed to house problematic inmates by keeping them isolated for as long as 23 hours a day.

Small start-up businesses in rural areas must hustle for loans from far-off banks

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 09:25 AM PST

To better their survival chances, entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses in rural areas must successfully pitch their ventures to 'faraway, unknown banking officials' rather than relying on local lenders as in the past, a study shows. Instead, more individuals launching small businesses are relying on relatives, remortgaging their homes and even drawing from their pensions -- all of which are risky approaches to financing a business.

Scotland reduces post-code lottery for hip replacement surgery

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 09:25 AM PST

A reduction in the post-code lottery for hip replacement surgery has been achieved in Scotland without recourse to the private sector, according to new research. "Scotland has managed to improve and increase access to treatment for all patients by expanding capacity within the NHS, unlike England which has placed increasing reliance on poor value contracts with the private sector to deliver elective treatments," and author noted. "While England has decided to go down the private route, there is growing concern south of the border about rationing and denial of surgery".

New neurons generated in brains, spinal cords of living adult mammals

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 09:25 AM PST

New nerve cells in the brains and spinal cords of living mammals have been created by researchers without the need for stem cell transplants to replenish lost cells. Although the research indicates it may someday be possible to regenerate neurons from the body's own cells to repair traumatic brain injury or spinal cord damage or to treat conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, the researchers stressed that it is too soon to know whether the neurons created in these initial studies resulted in any functional improvements, a goal for future research.

Byproducts of bacteria-causing gum disease incite oral cancer growth, study shows

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 09:25 AM PST

Researchers have discovered how byproducts in the form of small fatty acids from two bacteria prevalent in gum disease incite the growth of deadly Kaposi's sarcoma-related lesions and tumors in the mouth. High levels of these bacteria are found in the saliva of people with periodontal disease, and at lower levels in those with good oral health -- further evidence of the link between oral and overall physical health. The discovery could lead to early saliva testing for the bacteria, which, if found, could be treated and monitored for signs of cancer and before it develops into a malignancy, the researchers say.

Technique to create holes in graphene could improve water filters, desalination

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 09:25 AM PST

A new technique produces highly selective filter materials that could lead to more efficient desalination. Scientists succeeded in creating subnanoscale pores in a sheet of the one-atom-thick material, which is one of the strongest materials known.

Psychological side-effects of anti-depressants worse than thought

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 09:24 AM PST

Thoughts of suicide, sexual difficulties and emotional numbness as a result of anti-depressants may be more widespread than previously thought, a researcher has found. In a survey of 1,829 people who had been prescribed anti-depressants, the researchers found large numbers of people -- over half in some cases -- reporting on psychological problems due to their medication, which has led to growing concerns about the scale of the problem of over-prescription of these drugs.

New record set for data-transfer speeds: Existing technology for short-range data transmission may be fast enough for years to come

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 09:24 AM PST

Researchers have set a new record for data transmission over a multimode optical fiber, a type of cable that is typically used to connect nearby computers within a single building or on a campus. The achievement demonstrated that the standard, existing technology for sending data over short distances should be able to meet the growing needs of servers, data centers and supercomputers through the end of this decade, the researchers said.

Discovery of a 'conductor' in muscle development could impact on the treatment of muscular diseases

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 09:24 AM PST

A 'conductor' has been discovered in the development of muscle tissue. The discovery could have an important impact on the treatment of muscular diseases such as myopathies and muscular dystrophies. The fusion of myoblasts is a critical step in the formation of embryonic muscle fibers as it determines muscle size, among other things. This process is also important in adult life because muscle stem cells fuse with existing fibers to achieve muscle growth and help regenerate damaged muscles. However, until now, fusion remained a poorly understood step within the scientific community.

Filicide in the U.S.: First comprehensive statistical overview of tragic phenomenon

Posted: 25 Feb 2014 09:24 AM PST

Over the last three decades, US parents have committed filicide -- the killing of one's child -- about 3,000 times every year. The horrifying instances are often poorly understood, but a recent study provides the first comprehensive statistical overview of the tragic phenomenon. The authors also suggest underlying hypotheses of motives with the hope of spurring research on filicide prevention. A broad understanding of filicide, for instance, can help disabuse professionals and members of the public of certain myths and stereotypes about the crime. For example, the data show that men are about as likely as women to kill infants. Stepchildren are not more likely than biological children to die at their parents' hands, and nearly one in five filicides (18 percent) are killings of adult children, suggesting filicide is a lifetime risk.