ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Intelligent people are more likely to trust others

Posted: 16 Mar 2014 10:38 AM PDT

Intelligent people are more likely to trust others, while those who score lower on measures of intelligence are less likely to do so, says a new study. Researchers based their finding on an analysis of the General Social Survey, a nationally representative public opinion survey carried out in the United States every one to two years. The authors say one explanation could be that more intelligent individuals are better at judging character and so they tend to form relationships with people who are less likely to betray them.

Do elephants call 'human!'? Low rumble alarm call in response to the sound of human voices

Posted: 16 Mar 2014 10:37 AM PDT

African elephants make a specific alarm call in response to the danger of humans, according to a new study of wild elephants in Kenya. Researchers carried out a series of audio experiments in which recordings of the voices of the Samburu, a local tribe from North Kenya, were played to resting elephants. The elephants quickly reacted, becoming more vigilant and running away from the sound whilst emitting a distinctive low rumble.

A battery that 'breathes' could power next-gen electric vehicles

Posted: 16 Mar 2014 07:27 AM PDT

Sales of electric vehicles (EVs) nearly doubled in 2013, but most won't take you farther than 100 miles on one charge. To boost their range toward a tantalizing 300 miles or more, researchers are reporting progress on a "breathing" battery that has the potential to one day replace the lithium-ion technology of today's EVs.

Harnessing everyday motion to power mobile devices

Posted: 16 Mar 2014 07:27 AM PDT

Imagine powering your cell phone by simply walking around your office or rubbing it with the palm of your hand. Rather than plugging it into the wall, you become the power source. Scientists were recently working on a miniature generator based on an energy phenomenon called the piezoelectric effect, which is electricity resulting from pressure. To their surprise, it produced more power than expected.

Shoulder revision repair surgery not as successful two years later

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 06:29 AM PDT

Long-term outcomes of revision arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgery is not as successful as in a first-time surgery, according to researchers. Scientists analyzed and followed-up with 360 arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery patients where they compared the functional and clinical outcomes of 310 primary cases with that of 50 revision cases.

ACL tears are not the end for college football players

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 06:29 AM PDT

High-level college football players frequently return to the field after an ACL reconstruction, according to new research. The study added to earlier research by exploring specific factors that affected return to play, including player standing on rosters and year in school.

Young athletes with knee pain may turn to meniscus transplant

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 06:29 AM PDT

Patients undergoing meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) surgery require an additional operation approximately 32% of the time, but overall see a 95% success rate after an average five-year follow-up, according to new research.

Specialized care improves treatment outcomes in patients with sleep apnea

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:22 PM PDT

Treatment outcomes were better when sleep apnea patients received care from sleep specialists and accredited sleep centers, a new study has found. Patient satisfaction also was associated with physician certification, and timeliness of care was better at accredited centers.

Tension triggers muscle building

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:22 PM PDT

Skeletal muscles are built from small contractile units, the sarcomeres. They are connected in a well-ordered series to form myofibrils that span the entire muscle. Contractions of these sarcomeres result in contraction of the respective muscle. Scientists recently identified a key mechanism how this muscle architecture is built during development. 'Mechanical tension is the essential trigger,' explains the group leader.

Developing countries: School sick days could be reduced with safe drinking water

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:22 PM PDT

Providing free drinking water in schools in developing countries could be key to helping people in developing countries lift themselves out of poverty according to research. The new research shows that schools providing clean water report fewer children off sick. It is the first study to investigate whether providing drinking water in schools can reduce absenteeism.

Older age at onset of Type 1 diabetes associated with lower brain connectivity

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:22 PM PDT

Children and adolescents older than age 8 at the onset of type 1 diabetes had weaker brain connectivity when tested later in life relative to those who had earlier ages of diagnosis, researchers have discovered. The findings were made by analyzing the brain scans of 44 middle-age adults diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as children.

New nanoparticle that only attacks cervical cancer cells

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:21 PM PDT

One of the most promising technologies for the treatment of various cancers is nanotechnology, creating drugs that directly attack the cancer cells without damaging other tissues' development. Researchers have now developed a therapy to attack cervical cancer tumors.

Losing or gaining weight after joint replacement affects long term outcomes, study shows

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:20 PM PDT

While many overweight patients intend to lose weight after joint replacement, a study finds that although some are able to achieve this goal, equal numbers of patients actually gain weight after hip or knee replacement. Patients who lose weight have better joint replacement outcomes in terms of function and activity level two years down the road.

Gluten-free crackers made with hemp flour, decaffeinated green tea leaves

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 01:42 PM PDT

Hemp flour, a by-product of cold-pressed hemp oil, in combination with decaffeinated green tea leaves could be used to develop a gluten-free snack cracker with functional properties, a team of food scientists has found.

People accept three-colored raspberry jelly, study finds

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 01:42 PM PDT

A new study found that the production of a mixed raspberry jelly with black and yellow raspberries could be a good alternative to just one-colored jelly.determined that a jelly with both red, yellow and black raspberries had a high sensory acceptability, even greater than traditional jelly prepared only with the red raspberry.

Stroke patients may benefit from new routines

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 01:42 PM PDT

People who have suffered a stroke often experience severe fatigue. But doctors find it hard to help these patients as their experiences of fatigue may not necessarily be caused by physiological problems. New research suggests that dreams of returning to everyday life as it was before the stroke may contribute to the patients' experiences of fatigue and that it may be a help to establish new routines instead of trying to regain old ones.

Significant increase in painkillers prescribed to U.S. adults visiting emergency departments

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 01:41 PM PDT

Researchers report dramatic increases in prescriptions of opioid analgesics, such as Percocet, Vicodin, oxycodone and Dilaudid, during U.S. emergency department visits from 2001 to 2010. These findings were not explained by higher visit rates for painful conditions, which only increased modestly during the time period.

In the lab, scientists coax E. coli to resist radiation damage

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 01:41 PM PDT

Capitalizing on the ability of an organism to evolve in response to punishment from a hostile environment, scientists have coaxed the model bacterium Escherichia coli to dramatically resist ionizing radiation and, in the process, reveal the genetic mechanisms that make the feat possible. The study provides evidence that just a handful of genetic mutations give E. coli the capacity to withstand doses of radiation that would otherwise doom the microbe. The findings are important because they have implications for better understanding how organisms can resist radiation damage to cells and repair damaged DNA.

Lurking in the darkness of Chinese caves, five new species of armored spiders come to light

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 08:15 AM PDT

Armored spiders are medium to small species that derive their name from the complex pattern of the plates covering their abdomen strongly resembling body armor. Lurking in the darkness of caves In Southeast China, scientists discover and describe five new species of these exciting group of spiders.

Patient requests for specific drugs have major impact on prescribing, reports study

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 08:13 AM PDT

Patient requests for specific medications -- including requests for brand-name drugs spurred by direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising -- have a substantial impact on doctors' prescribing decisions, suggests a study. "A patient request for a specific medication dramatically increases the rate at which physician s prescribe that medication," according to the lead researcher. "These results highlight potential negative impacts of DTC advertising and other forms of activation in medication requests."

Sleep disturbance following acute fractures not related to injury

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:50 AM PDT

Sleep disturbance following acute fractures is more likely related to a patient's emotional well being, rather than their injury, according to new research. According to the study authors, the mental health status of patients with sleep difficulty in the later stages of fracture healing should be carefully assessed in order to provide the highest level of care. In addition, orthopaedic trauma surgeons should counsel patients on the expectations of difficult sleeping following acute fractures.

Platelet-rich plasma treatment more effective than cortisone for severe hip bursitis

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:37 AM PDT

Platelet-rich plasma injections are significantly more effective and durable than cortisone injections for the treatment of severe chronic hip bursitis, according to new research. Chronic hip bursitis is a common yet difficult condition to treat successfully.

Gastric bypass surgery may diminish knee pain in obese patients

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:37 AM PDT

Gastric bypass surgery may diminish knee pain in obese patients with little or no osteoarthritis, according to new research. The study authors recommend that surgeons consider bariatric consultation for obese patients who have knee symptoms but lack advanced osteoarthritis or other conditions amendable to orthopaedic management.

Greater risk for surgical intervention, longer hospital stays in obese trauma patients

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:37 AM PDT

Higher TBMI was associated with longer hospital stays, more days spent in the intensive care unit, more frequent discharge to a long-term care facility, higher rate of orthopedic surgical intervention, and increased total hospital costs, according to new research.

Obese children more likely to have wrist fractures, complications related to healing

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:37 AM PDT

Children considered obese are more likely to suffer a distal radius fracture, a bone break near the wrist, and more likely to experience complications related to the healing of the fracture, according to research.

Most Charnley total hip replacements viable after 35 years

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:37 AM PDT

In a new study, researchers sought to evaluate the clinical, radiographic and functional outcomes of a Charnley total hip replacement -- a traditional hip prosthesis consisting of a polyethylene acetabular (plastic) cup and a metal femoral head -- in patients under age 50 at a minimum of 35 years after the initial surgery.

2.5 million Americans living with artificial hip, 4.7 million with artificial knee

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:37 AM PDT

Two related studies have found a growing incidence of adults younger than age 65 undergoing total knee replacement and total hip replacement surgeries, and a potential under-utilization of these procedures in some segments of the population.

Universal neuromuscular training reduces ACL injury risk in young athletes

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:37 AM PDT

Universal neuromuscular training for adolescent athletes -- which focuses on the optimal way to bend, jump, land and pivot the knee -- is an effective and inexpensive way to avoid ACL sprains and tears. The ACL is a critical ligament that stabilizes the knee joint. An ACL injury, one of the most common sports injuries, often requires surgery and a lengthy period of rehabilitation before an athlete can return to sport and other activities.

Significant head, neck injury risk associated with extreme sports

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:37 AM PDT

A new study has found that the thrill of extreme sports comes at a price: a higher risk for severe neck and head injuries. The findings provide "an opportunity for sports medicine and orthopaedic surgeons to advocate for safer equipment, improved on-site medical care, and further research regarding extreme sport injuries," said a researcher, who recommends helmet use for biking, skiing, snowboarding and other sports.

DNA can be damaged by very low-energy radiation

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:37 AM PDT

That energetic particles damage DNA is not surprising. It is now appears that very low-energy OH radicals also damage DNA, with a propensity that depends on how vigorously OH rotates: rotationally 'hot' OH induce irreparable double breaks. These findings utilize OH formed in plasma created when intense IR femtosecond laser pulses propagate in water containing DNA. Industry characterizes as 'eye-safe' IR lasers. With such wavelengths being proficient at inducing DNA damage, how safe is 'eye-safe'?

Recovering metals and minerals from waste

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:36 AM PDT

Scarcity of clean water is one of the most serious global challenges. Scientists have now developed energy-efficient methods for reuse of water in industrial processes and means for recovering valuable minerals and materials from waste for recycling. Rapid tools were also developed for identification of environmental pollutants.

Resisting domestic violence is a political act, researchers suggest

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:36 AM PDT

Resisting domestic violence is more than a personal act; it's a form of activism, claims an academic. Individual acts of resistance and activism can inspire and become part of wider social change. In other words, we all have a part to play in creating a safer society, through resisting abuse, reporting abuse, and supporting the abused and their rights through our political, judicial and legal systems, the author writes.

Cancer patients with insulin-treated diabetes have four times higher mortality compared to cancer patients without diabetes

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:28 PM PDT

People who have diabetes at the time they are diagnosed with cancer are more likely to die early than those without diabetes, concludes research. The researchers note that patients with both diabetes and cancer constitute a particularly vulnerable group, and efforts are needed to reduce cancer-related mortality among these patients.

Higher exposure to take-out food could double the odds of being obese

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:28 PM PDT

People exposed to take-out food restaurants around their home, at work and on their way to work are more likely to consume more of these foods, as well as being more likely to be obese, suggest a new paper. During the past decade in the UK, consumption of food away from home has risen by 29% while the number of takeaways has increased dramatically. This, the researchers say, could be contributing to rising levels of overweight and obesity. Despite increasing policy focus, identifying the association between exposures to unhealthy neighborhood food outlets, diet and body weight has proved challenging.