ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Adults wtih disabilities screened for cancer less often

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 03:35 PM PST

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are much less likely to be screened for colorectal cancer, research shows. "As individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities live longer, their risk of developing chronic conditions like cancer increases. Suboptimal screening may contribute to a greater cancer burden in this population," says one researcher.

Top-precision optical atomic clock starts ticking

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 03:35 PM PST

A state-of-the-art optical atomic clock is now 'ticking away.' As the first of its kind in Poland and one of just a handful of clocks of this caliber in the world, the new clock will keep track of the passage of time with extraordinary precision.

Poor response to cholesterol drugs may indicate blocked arteries

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 03:35 PM PST

Patients whose bad cholesterol levels don't respond to cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may have more artery blockages than those whose cholesterol levels drop with treatment, scientists report.

Statin use associated with reduced risk of liver cancer among those in the uk

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 03:35 PM PST

In a nested-case control study of individuals living in the UK, a part of the world with a relatively low incidence of liver cancer, statin use is associated with a decreased risk of liver cancer, according to a new study.

Urine test predicts heart failure patients' risk of kidney injury

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 03:34 PM PST

Urinary angiotensinogen levels at the time of hospital admission predicted acute decompensated heart failure patients' risk of developing acute kidney injury with considerable accuracy, scientists report. Patients' urinary angiotensinogen level at the time of admission also helped clinicians predict patients' risk of being rehospitalized or dying within one year.

Levodopa-Carbidopa intestinal gel may prove more effective for long-term treatment of Parkinson's disease than standard Levodopa

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 01:33 PM PST

Data from one-year trial on long-term safety, efficacy, and quality of life in advanced Parkinson's disease patients using levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel has been released by researchers, suggesting that it may be an effective long term treatment for the illness.

Study successfully screens for diabetes at dental visits using oral blood

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 01:32 PM PST

Using gingival crevicular blood (GCB) for hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) testing produced values that were nearly identical to those obtained using finger stick blood (FSB), with a correlation of .991 between the two blood samples of 408 dental patients. Testing HbA1c is promoted by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for diabetes diagnostic purposes and glycemic control monitoring.

Can coffee reduce your risk of MS?

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 01:32 PM PST

Drinking coffee may be associated with a lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study.

Why debunked autism treatment fads persist

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 12:46 PM PST

The communication struggles of children with autism spectrum disorder can drive parents and educators to try anything to understand their thoughts, needs and wants. Authors describe a litany of treatments for autism that have been attempted with little or no success over the years, including gluten- and casein-free diets, antifungal interventions, chelation therapy, magnetic shoe inserts, hyperbaric oxygen sessions, weighted vests, bleach enemas, sheep-stem-cell injections and many more.

Economic models provide insights into global sustainability challenges

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 12:46 PM PST

Using models that blend global economics, geography, ecology and environmental sciences is essential to understanding how changes in trade and natural systems in one part of the world affect those in another, a review concludes.

Social circles: Degree to which urban movement is linked to social activity

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 12:46 PM PST

If you live in a city, you know that a fair amount of your movement around town is social in nature. But how much, exactly? A study uses a new method to infer that around one-fifth of urban movement is strictly social, a finding that holds up consistently in multiple cities.

Malaria transmission linked to mosquitoes' sexual biology

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 12:46 PM PST

Sexual biology may be the key to uncovering why Anopheles mosquitoes are unique in their ability to transmit malaria to humans, according to researchers. "Our study is the first to reveal the evolutionary dynamics between the sexes that are likely responsible for shaping the ability of Anopheles mosquitoes to transmit malaria to humans," said the study's senior author.

Strong connection between violence, mental illness in Guatemala during civil war lessens in postwar period

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 12:45 PM PST

Violence during the civil war in Guatemala from 1960 to 1996 resulted in the development of significant mental health problems and conditions for the county's people, according to a new multi-institution study. It continues to say that the mental health consequences resulting from violent events decreased in the postwar period, suggesting a nation in recovery.

Novel gene variants discovered in a difficult childhood immune disorder

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 12:45 PM PST

Genomics researchers analyzing common variable immunodeficiency disease (CVID) in children have discovered links to a gene crucial to the body's defense against infections. The finding may represent an inviting target for drug treatment.

Embrace unknowns, opt for flexibility in environmental policies, experts say

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 12:45 PM PST

We make hundreds, possibly thousands, of decisions each day without having full knowledge of what will happen next. Life is unpredictable, and we move forward the best we can despite not knowing every detail. Likewise, two professors argue that ecosystem managers must learn to make decisions based on an uncertain future.

'Ecosystem services' help assess ocean energy development

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 11:49 AM PST

Environmental scientists suggest that the way to fill vast gaps in knowledge about the ecological and socioeconomic impacts of ocean energy development is to consider how the benefits provided by ocean ecosystems change before and after the placement of ocean energy infrastructure.

People with disabilities experience unrecognized health disparities, new research shows

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 11:49 AM PST

People with disabilities have unmet medical needs and poorer overall health throughout their lives, and as a result should be recognized as a health disparity group so more attention can be directed to improving their quality of life, a team of policy researchers has found.

Caging of molecules allows investigation of equilibrium thermodynamics

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 11:49 AM PST

High performance materials for gas storage, thermal insulators or nanomachines need a thorough understanding of the behavior of the material down to the molecular level. Thermodynamics, which have been developed two hundred years ago to increase the efficiency of steam engines, typically observes and averages over a large number of molecules. Now a team of scientists has developed a methodology, to investigate the equilibrium thermodynamics of single molecules.

Interaction of Atlantic and Pacific oscillations caused 'false pause' in warming

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 11:49 AM PST

The recent slowdown in climate warming is due, at least in part, to natural oscillations in the climate, according to a team of climate scientists, who add that these oscillations represent variability internal to the climate system. They do not signal any slowdown in human-caused global warming.

Role of specialized protein affirmed in assuring normal cell development

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 11:49 AM PST

A specialized DNA-binding protein called CTCF is essential for the precise expression of genes that control the body plan of a developing embryo, scientists have demonstrated. The findings focus on mouse brain cells that work to manage an animal's movements. The results add important details to how so-called Hox genes help cells keep their positions straight and in the right positions back to front.

Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease reversed in rats

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 11:49 AM PST

A controlled-release oral therapy has been developed by scientists that reversed type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease in rats, according to a study. "Given these promising results in animal models of NAFLD/NASH and type 2 diabetes we are pursuing additional preclinical safety studies to take this mitochondrial protonophore approach to the clinic" said the researchers.

World's challenges demand science changes -- and fast, experts say

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 11:49 AM PST

The world has little use -- and precious little time -- for detached experts. A group of scientists -- each of them experts -- makes a compelling case that the growing global challenges has rendered sharply segregated expertise obsolete. Disciplinary approaches to crises like air pollution, climate change, food insecurity, and energy and water shortages, are not only ineffective, but also making many of these crises worse.

Minipool technology to prepare immunoglobulins to fight viral infections in developing countries

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 11:49 AM PST

Researchers have described a new, pragmatic, method for the production of immunoglobulin G from human plasma in developing countries.

Fighting Colorado potato beetle with RNA interference

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 11:48 AM PST

Colorado potato beetles are a dreaded pest of potatoes. Since they do not have natural enemies in most regions, farmers try to control them with pesticides. However, this strategy is often ineffective because the pest has developed resistances against nearly all insecticides. Now, scientists have shown that potato plants can be protected from herbivory using RNA interference.

Hospitals face growing active shooter threat in United States

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 11:14 AM PST

The number of active shooter incidents in US hospitals has increased over the last decade to a frequency of more than one a month. In a new article, authors suggest that hospitals examine their security plans.

Living in genetic comfort zone: How to avoid influence of genetic variation

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 11:14 AM PST

The phenotype of organisms is shaped by the interaction between environmental factors and their genetic constitution. A recent study by a team of population geneticists shows that fruit flies live in a sort of genetic comfort zone at a specific temperature. The scientists found that, despite their underlying genetic differences, two separate strains of flies had a very similar gene expression pattern at 18°C. This effect of 'canalization', which has also been described in humans, allows organisms to continue to grow and develop stable even in the face of genetic and environmental stress.

African Americans who fled the South during great migration led shorter lives

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 11:14 AM PST

Millions of African Americans moved from the South in the early 20th century to seek better job opportunities and higher wages, but a new study on the historic Great Migration shows that with improved economic conditions came a greater risk of mortality.

Asian Herb Holds Promise as Treatment for Ebola Virus Disease

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 11:13 AM PST

New research focuses on the mechanism by which Ebola virus infects a cell and the discovery of a promising drug therapy candidate. A small molecule called Tetrandrine derived from an Asian herb has shown to be a potent small molecule inhibiting infection of human white blood cells in vitro or petri dish experiments and prevented Ebola virus disease in mice.

Traditional forms of media coverage valued over advertising

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 10:21 AM PST

In an age where digital media is constantly changing, public relations practitioners and business professionals still see the benefits of traditional media coverage, according to a recent study.

How mantis shrimp evolved many shapes with same powerful punch

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 10:21 AM PST

The miniweight boxing title of the animal world belongs to the mantis shrimp, a cigar-sized crustacean whose front claws can deliver an explosive 60-mile-per-hour blow akin to a bullet leaving the barrel of a gun. A study of 80 million years of mantis shrimp evolution reveals how these fast weapons evolved their dizzying array of shapes -- from spiny and barbed spears to hatchets and hammers -- while still managing to pack their characteristic punch.

Method for mapping neuron clusters developed

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 10:20 AM PST

A method for identifying clusters of neurons that work in concert to guide the behavior has been developed by researchers. Their findings address a long-standing mystery about the organization of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) -- one of the most recently evolved parts of the primate brain that underlies complex cognitive functions.

GLP-1 secretion is reduced in overweight, pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 10:20 AM PST

The world's largest study looking at the secretion of the gut hormone GLP-1 has found that the secretion is reduced among overweight and obese people, people with pre-diabetes and newly diagnosed people with type 2 diabetes.

Neurons that help predict what another individual will do identified

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 10:20 AM PST

Investigators have discovered two groups of neurons that play key roles in social interactions between primates -- one that is activated when deciding whether to cooperate with another individual and another group involved in predicting what the other will do.

Small molecule helps get stem cells to sites of disease, damage

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 10:19 AM PST

Bioengineers have identified small molecules that can be used to program stem cells to home in on sites of damage, disease and inflammation. The techniques used to find and test these small molecules may represent important tools in advancing cell-based therapy, offering a new strategy for delivering cells to the right locations in the body.

Bumblebees make false memories too

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 10:19 AM PST

It's well known that our human memory can fail us. People can be forgetful, and they can sometimes also 'remember' things incorrectly, with devastating consequences in the classroom, courtroom, and other areas of life. Now, researchers show for the first time that bumblebees can be unreliable witnesses too.

Building blocks of the future defy logic: New logic-defying mathematical model

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 09:24 AM PST

Wake up in the morning and stretch; your midsection narrows. Pull on a rubber band and it becomes thinner. One might assume that materials will always stretch and thin. Wrong. Thanks to their peculiar internal geometry, auxetic materials grow wider when stretched. After confounding scientists for decades, researchers are now developing mathematical models to explain the unusual behavior of these logic-defying materials, unlocking applications from better skin grafts to new smart materials.

Amphibian chytrid fungus reaches Madagascar

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 09:24 AM PST

The chytrid fungus, which is fatal to amphibians, has been detected in Madagascar for the first time. This means that the chytridiomycosis pandemic has now reached a biodiversity hotspot. Researchers are therefore proposing an emergency plan. This includes monitoring the spread of the pathogenic fungus, building amphibian breeding stations and developing probiotic treatments, say the scientists.

Moffitt researchers identify protein pathway involved in brain tumor stem cell growth

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 09:24 AM PST

Glioblastomas are a highly aggressive type of brain tumor, with few effective treatment options. Researchers are one step closer to understanding glioblastoma development following the identification of a key protein signaling pathway involved in brain tumor stem cell growth and survival. Brain tumor stem cells are believed to play an important role in glioblastoma development and may be possible therapeutic targets.

Skeleton of cells controls cell multiplication

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 09:23 AM PST

A research team has discovered that the cell's skeleton can trigger the multiplication of cells through the action of proteins that control cellular rigidity. During this process genes that promote cancer – oncogenes – become activated, leading to tumor formation in living organisms.

New research predicts when, how materials will act

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 09:23 AM PST

A material might melt or snap in half. And for engineers, knowing when and why that might happen is crucial information. Now, a researcher has laid out an overarching theory that explains why certain materials act the way they do.

Could squirmy livestock dent africa's protein deficit?

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 09:23 AM PST

Two graduate students are working to introduce highly productive kits for farming mealworms to regions such as sub-Saharan Africa where eating insects is already culturally palatable. They are just practicing what they are beginning to preach: insects, and mealworms in particular, are an overlooked, healthful, economically viable and sustainable source of nutrition for people.

New x-ray microscope for nanoscale imaging

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 09:23 AM PST

A new microscope at the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe will ultimately deliver nanoscale resolution imaging for everything from proteins to fuel cell catalysts.

Combating bacteria via silver-dammar coating

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 09:21 AM PST

Natural resins obtained from plants to be used as a coating element to enhance durability and anti-rust properties. Coating systems are formulated using a mixture of dammar, silver and nanoclay in varied compositions.

Superatomic Nickel core and unusual molecular reactivity

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 09:21 AM PST

Scientists have revealed a unique molecular fragment Ni2O2, consisting of two nickel atoms and two oxygen atoms, that have shown plausible superatomic properties. Supeatoms are important structural elements in nanoscale organization and they possess unique physical and chemical properties.

Teacher prejudices put girls off math, science, study suggests

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 08:04 AM PST

Although higher education has already opened the door to equal opportunities for women and minorities in the US in the math and science professions, a new study suggests that elementary school teachers' unconscious biases significantly influence female students' academic choices later on.

Chemo before breast cancer operation increases likelihood of breast-preserving procedure

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 08:04 AM PST

Patients with larger malignant tumors of the breast who undergo chemotherapy before a breast cancer operation are more likely to opt for a breast-preserving procedure and forgo a mastectomy (surgical removal of the breast), according to a new study.

New insight found in black hole collisions

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 08:04 AM PST

New research by an astrophysicist provides revelations about the most energetic event in the universe -- the merging of two spinning, orbiting black holes into a much larger black hole.

Thinking of God makes people bigger risk-takers, study suggests

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 08:04 AM PST

Reminders of God can make people more likely to seek out and take risks, according to research. The findings suggest that people are willing to take these risks because they view God as providing security against potential negative outcomes.

The eyes have it: Cats put sight over smell in finding food

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 08:04 AM PST

Cats may prefer to use their eyes rather than follow their nose when it comes to finding the location of food, according to new research by leading animal behaviorists.

Persistent Insomnia, Increased Mortality Risk: Link found by researchers

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 08:04 AM PST

A connection between persistent insomnia and increased inflammation and mortality has been identified by a group of researchers. Their study found that people who suffer from persistent insomnia are at greater risk than those who experience intermittent insomnia.

Many people with congenital heart disease living longer

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 08:03 AM PST

At one time, many children born with congenital heart disease (CHD) suffered from issues that carried fatal prognoses. But that's changing, thanks to technological advancements.

New report on pediatric cardiac surgery outcomes

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 08:03 AM PST

A first-of-its-kind report has been released on pediatric and congenital heart surgery. The report provides the public with volume and in-hospital mortality data on nine widely-performed heart surgeries. The data reported was provided to PHC4 by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and covers the four-year period of 2009-2012, the most recent data available.

Twin study lends new insights into link between back pain and depression

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 08:03 AM PST

Genetic factors help to explain the commonly found association between low back pain and depression, suggests a large study of twins. Genetic factors affecting both conditions may be involved in the association between back pain and depression, according to the report.

Emergency doctors and paramedics commonly misinterpret documents for end-of-life care choices, study finds

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 08:03 AM PST

Emergency care providers vary in their understanding of a type of medical order intended to communicate seriously ill patients' choices for life-sustaining treatments, according to a pair of studies recently published.

Optogenetic stimulation of the brain to control pain demonstrated in study

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST

New research reveals for the first time how a small area of the brain can be optically stimulated to control pain. Researchers found that by using specific frequency of light to modulate a very small region of the brain called the anterior cingulate cortex, or ACC, they could considerably lessen pain in laboratory mice.

Team approach boosts human and environmental wellbeing, researcher says

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST

Even seemingly intractable problems such as the antibiotic crisis and the obesity epidemic could be resolved by treating human health and society as an integral part of an ecosystem, researchers say. "The problem now faced is that ecosystems have been plundered in such an anthropocentric fashion that their sustainability is precarious and our health with it," one author states.

Pancreatic cancer patients who benefit from personalized treatment identified

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST

About 15 percent of people with pancreatic cancer may benefit from therapy targeting a newly identified gene signature, scientists say. This sub-group of pancreatic cancer patients who possess a strong angiogenic gene signature could benefit from personalized therapies that cut off the pathways that feed the cancer's growth, they note.

Marshaling the body's own weapons against psoriasis

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST

A three-character code brings relief to patients with psoriasis and sheds light on complex immunoregulation processes: IL-4, an abbreviation for the endogenous signaling molecule Interleukin 4. The substance's ability to inhibit inflammation is well known, but its mechanism of action was not fully understood. Scientists have now shown in an animal model and in a study on patients how IL-4 helps against psoriasis at the molecular level.

A taxi ride to starch granules

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST

Plant scientists have discovered a specific protein that significantly influences the formation of starch in plant cells. The findings may be useful in the food and packaging industries, they say.

Lithium from the coal in China

Posted: 26 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST

Coal from China could become a major source of the metal lithium, according to a review of the geochemistry. Lithium is an essential component of rechargeable batteries used almost ubiquitously in mobile gadgets such as phones, laptops, tablet computers and in many electric vehicles.