ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• Closer to vaccine against C. difficile
• New strep throat risk score brings data together to improve care
• Elusive bay cat caught on camera
• Reduce unnecessary lab tests, decrease costs by modifying software
• Cutting-edge detector technology for astronomical observations developed
• Foreign-educated health workers play vital role in US health system
• Eating disorders more common in males than realized
• Researchers offer solutions to looming healthcare provider shortage
• Physician shortage could be cut by new primary care models
• Solving pediatric obesity problem in rural communities
• 20 percent of nation's medical education funds go to NY, 29 states get less than one percent
• Hot-air balloon rides - researchers advise 'proceed with caution'
• 'Smarter' blood pressure guidelines could prevent heart attacks, strokes
• Electronic, internet health tools may decrease in-person physician visits
• Women, African-Americans at higher risk of heart attack from atrial fibrillation
• Repetition of rare events could reduce screening mistakes by security
• A better way to track your every move: Algorithm accurately tracks physical activity no matter where you carry your phone
• Wives matter more when it comes to calming down marital conflicts
• Dolphin genetic study provides revelations
• Diamond imperfections pave the way to technology gold
• New insights into brain neuronal networks
• Genetic study demonstrates Israel's wild boars originated in Europe
• Gas injection probably triggered small earthquakes near Snyder, Texas
• Imaging studies may predict tumor response to anti-angiogenic drugs
• How common are habitable planets? One in five stars may have Earth-size, potentially habitable planets
• Clinical practice guideline: Bell's palsy
• Fossil of largest known platypus discovered in Australia
• Nitrogen puzzle in oceans
• Gabapentin is safe, effective for treating alcohol dependence, study shows
• New test may predict severe high blood pressure during pregnancy
• Physicist discovers black holes in globular star clusters, upsetting 40 years of theory: Could there be ripples in spacetime?
• Brain aging is conclusively linked to genes
• Race and Romance, Online
• Fishy behavior solves an animal locomotion mystery
• Computer-aided image analysis for breast tumor diagnosis
• Snakes control blood flow to aid vision
• Increased anxiety disorders among active component service members
• Magnesium levels vital to brain health as population ages
• Neediest students most likely to miss aid deadlines
• Community health centers integrate mental, medical services to address care gap
• Calm candidates perform better on tests used to screen job applicants
• Designer piercings: New membrane pores with DNA nanotechnology
• Is it safe to drive with my arm in a cast?
• Learning and memory: How neurons activate PP1
• Dramatic end of plasma crystal experiment
• Gene responsible for hereditary cancer found to disrupt growth-regulating cellular pathway
• First snow leopard cubs ever born at Central Park Zoo
• Global change: Stowaways threaten fisheries in the Arctic
• Gravity and the robot satellite attitude problem
• Little difference found between self-reported, measured weights following bariatric surgery
• Substantial weight loss for severely obese individuals after bariatric surgery
• No major complications in most teens undergoing weight-loss bariatric surgery, study suggests
• Antidepressant drug induces a juvenile-like state in neurons of the prefrontal cortex
• New tool may unveil inhabitable worlds
• Subtypes of malignant melanoma - invisible yet fatal
• Researcher doubles down on deadly, infectious cat diseases
• Job strain helps explain adverse effects of workaholism
• Bitcoin open to takeover, researchers discover with new algorithm
• Sexual function dramatically improves in women following bariatric surgery
• Quantum 'sealed envelope' system enables 'perfectly secure' information storage

Closer to vaccine against C. difficile Posted: 04 Nov 2013 04:22 PM PST A group of leading scientists from across Europe have launched a three-year project aimed at developing an oral vaccine against Clostridium difficile, an infection that kills 4,000 people a year (almost four-times more than MRSA) and for which there is currently no effective treatments.

New strep throat risk score brings data together to improve care Posted: 04 Nov 2013 02:13 PM PST A new risk measure called a "home score" could save a patient with symptoms of strep throat a trip to the doctor, according to a new paper. The score combines patients' symptoms and demographic information with data on local strep throat activity to estimate their strep risk, empowering them to seek care appropriately.

Elusive bay cat caught on camera Posted: 04 Nov 2013 02:13 PM PST The world's least known cat has been caught on camera in a previously unsurveyed rainforest.

Reduce unnecessary lab tests, decrease costs by modifying software Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:27 PM PST When patients undergo diagnostic lab tests as part of the inpatient admission process, they may wonder why or how physicians choose particular tests. Increasingly, medical professionals are using electronic medical systems that provide lists of lab tests from to choose. Now, researchers have studied how to modify these lists to ensure health professionals order relevant tests and omit unnecessary lab tests, which could result in better care and reduced costs.

Cutting-edge detector technology for astronomical observations developed Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:27 PM PST Semiconductors have had a nice run, but for certain applications, such as astrophysics, they are being edged out by superconductors. Scientists have now developed a superconducting detector array that measures the energy of individual photons.

Foreign-educated health workers play vital role in US health system Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:27 PM PST Foreign-educated and foreign-born health professionals play a vital role in the US health care workforce, particularly in addressing needs in primary care and other areas with worker shortages, according to a new study. However, there is no cohesive national strategy on the issue, which may contribute to a less-stable US health care workforce.

Eating disorders more common in males than realized Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:25 PM PST Parents and doctors assume eating disorders very rarely affect males. However, a study of 5,527 teenage males from across the US challenges this belief. Researchers found 17.9 percent of adolescent boys were extremely concerned about their weight and physique. These boys were more likely to start engaging in risky behaviors, including drug use and frequent binge drinking.

Researchers offer solutions to looming healthcare provider shortage Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:25 PM PST Thanks to a wave of aging baby boomers, epidemics of diabetes and obesity, and the Affordable Care Act, which aims to bring health care coverage to millions more Americans, the United States faces a severe shortage of primary health care providers. In a series of papers published in the November 2013 issue of Health Affairs, researchers at UC San Francisco advocated a number of potential solutions to the problem.

Physician shortage could be cut by new primary care models Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:25 PM PST The US expects a substantial shortages of primary care physicians in the future. A new study finds that much of that gap could be eliminated if the nation increases use of new models of care that expand the role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Under plausible expansion scenarios, patient-centered medical homes and nurse-managed health centers could eliminate 50 percent or more of the primary care physician shortage by 2025.

Solving pediatric obesity problem in rural communities Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:25 PM PST Using telemedicine to unite clinicians and provide health education for them -- and by extension, their patients -- is an effective way to manage childhood obesity in remote areas. For these communities, which often have limited access to pediatric subspecialists, having a HEALTH-COP can make all the difference.

20 percent of nation's medical education funds go to NY, 29 states get less than one percent Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:25 PM PST New York state received 20 percent of all Medicare's graduate medical education (GME) funding while 29 states, including places struggling with a severe shortage of physicians, got less than 1 percent, according to a report published today.

Hot-air balloon rides - researchers advise 'proceed with caution' Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:23 PM PST Investigation of hot-air balloon-related injuries and deaths in the U.S. reports that targeted interventions may improve crash outcomes and decrease the number and severity of balloon crash injuries.

'Smarter' blood pressure guidelines could prevent heart attacks, strokes Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:23 PM PST Current medical guidelines use a one-size-fits-all treatment approach that leads to some heart and stroke patients being on too many medications and others being on too little.

Electronic, internet health tools may decrease in-person physician visits Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:23 PM PST An analysis of recent trends in digital health care and a review of the scientific literature suggests patients' future use of physician services will change dramatically as electronic health records and consumer e-health "apps" proliferate.

Women, African-Americans at higher risk of heart attack from atrial fibrillation Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:23 PM PST Doctors have known for years that atrial fibrillation (AF), or irregular heartbeat, increases the risk for stroke, but now researchers have shown that it also increases the risk for heart attack. In fact, for women and African Americans, it more than doubles the risk.

Repetition of rare events could reduce screening mistakes by security Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:27 PM PST The failure to detect infrequent, but obvious security threats at airport screenings and other checkpoints may have less to do with incompetence or poor training than a human tendency to overlook rare events. But a researcher suggests guards could improve their detection rates the same way adults learn vocabulary words -- through repetition.

A better way to track your every move: Algorithm accurately tracks physical activity no matter where you carry your phone Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:27 PM PST Physical activity tracking apps on smartphones are a potentially important tool for doctors who want to collect data and create treatment or intervention plans to improve the health of patients who struggle with activity and movement -- such as those with Parkinson's disease.

Wives matter more when it comes to calming down marital conflicts Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:27 PM PST Marriage can be a battlefield. But a new study has found that, when it comes to keeping the peace, it's more important for wives -- than for husbands -- to calm down after a heated argument.

Dolphin genetic study provides revelations Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:27 PM PST A 10-year study found genetic differences in dolphins that were along geographic lines: onshore, offshore and even within same general area, such as the Indian River Lagoon in Florida.

Diamond imperfections pave the way to technology gold Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:27 PM PST Using ultrafast 2-D electronic spectroscopy, researchers have recorded unprecedented observations of energy moving through the atom-sized diamond impurities known as nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers. Their results provide information on NV centers that is important for such highly promising advanced technologies as supersensitive detections of magnetic fields and quantum computing.

New insights into brain neuronal networks Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:27 PM PST A paper published proposes a novel understanding of brain architecture using a network representation of connections within the primate cortex.

Genetic study demonstrates Israel's wild boars originated in Europe Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:27 PM PST Scientists had no reason to suspect Israeli wild boars were any different than their brothers and sisters roaming the Middle East. Now, a researcher demonstrates that, unlike the Near Eastern wild boars in surrounding countries, Israel's wild boars originated in Europe, brought to Israel starting almost 3,000 years ago by the Philistines and other seafaring raiders.

Gas injection probably triggered small earthquakes near Snyder, Texas Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:27 PM PST A series of small earthquakes near Snyder, Texas between 2006 and 2011 were probably triggered by the underground injection of large volumes of gas, primarily carbon dioxide -- a finding that has implications for the process of carbon capture and storage. Experts also note that similar rates of injections have not triggered comparable quakes in other fields, bolstering the idea that gas injection does not cause significant seismic events in many geologic settings.

Imaging studies may predict tumor response to anti-angiogenic drugs Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:27 PM PST Advanced imaging techniques may distinguish which patients' tumors will respond to treatment with anti-angiogenic drugs and which will not. In patients newly diagnosed with the dangerous brain tumor glioblastoma, those for whom treatment with the anti-angiogenic drug cediranib rapidly 'normalized' abnormal blood vessels around their tumors and increased blood flow within tumors survived significantly longer than did patients in whom cediranib did not increase blood flow.

How common are habitable planets? One in five stars may have Earth-size, potentially habitable planets Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:27 PM PST Astronomers analyzed all four years of Kepler data in search of Earth-size planets in the habitable zones of sun-like stars, and then rigorously tested how many planets they may have missed. Based on this analysis, they estimate that 22 percent of stars like the sun have potentially habitable Earth-size planets, though not all may be rocky or have liquid water, a presumed prerequisite for life.

Clinical practice guideline: Bell's palsy Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:27 PM PST A multidisciplinary clinical practice guideline to improve the accurate and efficient diagnosis and treatment of Bell's palsy has been published. The guideline is intended for clinicians in any setting who are likely to diagnose and manage patients with Bell's palsy, the most common single nerve disorder, usually associated with facial paralysis.

Fossil of largest known platypus discovered in Australia Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:27 PM PST Until recently, the fossil record indicated that the platypus lineage was unique, with only one species inhabiting the Earth at any one time. This picture has changed with the spectacular find of a new, giant species of extinct platypus that was a side-branch of the platypus family tree.

Nitrogen puzzle in oceans Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:26 PM PST A team of scientists has revealed the details of an important microbial process regulating the global nitrogen budget in the oceans.

Gabapentin is safe, effective for treating alcohol dependence, study shows Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:26 PM PST The generic drug gabapentin, which is already widely prescribed for epilepsy and some kinds of pain, appears to be safe and effective in the treatment of alcohol dependence. The finding comes from a 150-patient randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind clinical trial.

New test may predict severe high blood pressure during pregnancy Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:26 PM PST A new test that checks the level of a placental protein could help doctors determine if a woman will develop a severe form of high blood pressure during pregnancy.

Physicist discovers black holes in globular star clusters, upsetting 40 years of theory: Could there be ripples in spacetime? Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:26 PM PST An astrophysicist was part of a team of researchers that discovered the first examples of black holes in globular star clusters in our own galaxy, upsetting 40 years of theories against their possible existence.

Brain aging is conclusively linked to genes Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:26 PM PST For the first time in a large study sample, the decline in brain function in normal aging is conclusively shown to be influenced by genes, say American researchers.

Race and Romance, Online Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:25 PM PST A sociologist's analysis of interactions on OkCupid.com finds that race still matters in internet dating but also that "racial boundaries are more fragile than we think."

Fishy behavior solves an animal locomotion mystery Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:25 PM PST The puzzling, apparently wasteful habit of some animals to exert force in the direction opposite of where they want to go actually has an important purpose: to increase both stability and maneuverability.

Computer-aided image analysis for breast tumor diagnosis Posted: 04 Nov 2013 11:24 AM PST Researchers hope radiologists will be able to routinely incorporate computer-aided image analysis and diagnosis in identifying tumor characteristics and forming patient-specific breast cancer treatment plans. Their approach uses data to identify how tumor characteristics apply to disease states, which could lead to the comparison of a tumor's characteristics with thousands of similar cases.

Snakes control blood flow to aid vision Posted: 04 Nov 2013 11:24 AM PST A new study shows that snakes can optimize their vision by controlling the blood flow in their eyes when they perceive a threat.

Increased anxiety disorders among active component service members Posted: 04 Nov 2013 11:23 AM PST During a 13-year surveillance period, there were 217,409 incident diagnoses of anxiety disorders among active component service members. The unadjusted incidence rate was 117.2 per 10,000 person-years, representing a steady increase.

Magnesium levels vital to brain health as population ages Posted: 04 Nov 2013 11:23 AM PST A clinical study shows that a magnesium formula prevents synapse loss and reverses memory decline in mice with Alzheimer's Disease.

Neediest students most likely to miss aid deadlines Posted: 04 Nov 2013 11:23 AM PST Students with the greatest need for financial aid for college are the least prepared to submit the applications early enough to receive it, according to a study.

Community health centers integrate mental, medical services to address care gap Posted: 04 Nov 2013 10:31 AM PST A new analysis examines factors affecting the integration of mental health and substance abuse treatment services with medical care at community health centers.

Calm candidates perform better on tests used to screen job applicants Posted: 04 Nov 2013 09:37 AM PST Applying for a job can be stressful at the best of times and even more so in today's very competitive job market. For some it is especially daunting when standardized tests -- a proven tool in the selection process -- are required. A new study shows that candidates' reactions impact their performance on the test and on the job, but don't change the ability of the tests to reliably predict job performance.

Designer piercings: New membrane pores with DNA nanotechnology Posted: 04 Nov 2013 09:37 AM PST A new way to build membrane-crossing pores, using Lego-like DNA building blocks, has been developed by scientists.

Is it safe to drive with my arm in a cast? Posted: 04 Nov 2013 09:37 AM PST Orthopaedic surgeons co-author a new literature review outlining the potential limitations and necessary precautions for driving after orthopaedic surgery and procedures.

Learning and memory: How neurons activate PP1 Posted: 04 Nov 2013 09:37 AM PST A study describes how neurons activate the protein PP1, providing key insights into the biology of learning and memory.

Dramatic end of plasma crystal experiment Posted: 04 Nov 2013 09:36 AM PST For seven years it delivered outstanding results for science and technology on the International Space Station, now the successful plasma crystal laboratory PK-3 Plus operated one last time. After undocking from the International Space Station the ESA Einstein transporter with the laboratory on board entered the Earth's atmosphere beginning of November and burned up - and PK-3 Plus produced its last plasma, a hot one. In June the operational phase of PK-3 Plus ended with a last series of experiments and with a spectacular finish; the scientists will still need some time to analyse these data.

Gene responsible for hereditary cancer found to disrupt growth-regulating cellular pathway Posted: 04 Nov 2013 09:27 AM PST Scientists report that the gene mutated in the rare hereditary disorder known as Birt-Hogg-Dubé cancer syndrome prevents activation of mTORC1, a critical nutrient-sensing and growth-regulating cellular pathway.

First snow leopard cubs ever born at Central Park Zoo Posted: 04 Nov 2013 09:27 AM PST The Wildlife Conservation Society's Central Park Zoo is debuting a pair of snow leopard cubs (Panthera uncia). These are the first snow leopard cubs ever born at the Central Park Zoo and the second snow leopard birth at a WCS zoo this year. The cubs, a male and a female, born this summer, weigh about 30 pounds but are expected to reach between 65-120 pounds.

Global change: Stowaways threaten fisheries in the Arctic Posted: 04 Nov 2013 08:27 AM PST The increased sea temperature expected in 2100 will in itself mean that the potential number of species introduced by ships will increase more than sixfold in the Norwegian Archipelago Svalbard in the Arctic Ocean. These are the findings of a new international study. Add to this the fact that the number of ships sailing in the Arctic will also increase and there is good reason to be on guard.

Gravity and the robot satellite attitude problem Posted: 04 Nov 2013 08:26 AM PST Using an in-orbit robot to capturing a malfunctioning satellite that is tumbling out of control is currently just a theoretical idea. However, research inspired by nature could take us a small step towards making such science fiction science fact.

Little difference found between self-reported, measured weights following bariatric surgery Posted: 04 Nov 2013 08:26 AM PST In an analysis that included nearly 1,000 patients, self-reported weights following bariatric surgery were close to measured weights, suggesting that self-reported weights used in studies are accurate enough to be used when measured weights are not available.

Substantial weight loss for severely obese individuals after bariatric surgery Posted: 04 Nov 2013 08:26 AM PST In three-year follow-up after bariatric surgery, substantial weight loss was observed among individuals who were severely obese, with most of the change occurring during the first year; however, there was variability in the amount of weight loss, as well as in diabetes, blood pressure, and lipid outcomes.

No major complications in most teens undergoing weight-loss bariatric surgery, study suggests Posted: 04 Nov 2013 08:26 AM PST Most severely obese teenagers who underwent bariatric weight-loss surgery experienced no major complications, according to a new study.

Antidepressant drug induces a juvenile-like state in neurons of the prefrontal cortex Posted: 04 Nov 2013 08:26 AM PST Fluoxetine, a commonly prescribed anti-depressive drug, induces a juvenile-like state in the mouse prefrontal cortex. Brain development and maturation has been thought to be a one-way process until now, in which plasticity diminishes with age. The possibility that the adult brain can revert to a younger state and regain plasticity has not generally been considered until now.

New tool may unveil inhabitable worlds Posted: 04 Nov 2013 08:24 AM PST A spectropolarimeter and a high-precision velocimeter optimized for both the detection of habitable Earth twins orbiting around nearby red dwarf stars and the study of the formation of Sun-like stars and their planets, was confirmed.

Subtypes of malignant melanoma - invisible yet fatal Posted: 04 Nov 2013 08:24 AM PST Scientists have discovered a diagnostic algorithm to distinguish two subtypes of malignant melanoma. Desmoplastic and spindle cell melanoma may look alike – they often resemble little scars or retractions of the skin – but differ in prognosis and therapeutic options. Sometimes even routine histology is not decisive because of partly overlapping features. The new algorithm, a combination of the biomarkers Melan A and trichrome, allows a diagnostic distinction of the subtypes.

Researcher doubles down on deadly, infectious cat diseases Posted: 04 Nov 2013 08:22 AM PST An animal health expert has developed a research approach that tackles two deadly infectious feline diseases at the same time.

Job strain helps explain adverse effects of workaholism Posted: 04 Nov 2013 08:22 AM PST Workaholics work hard, but still have poor job performance — mainly because of high mental and physical strain, according to a study.

Bitcoin open to takeover, researchers discover with new algorithm Posted: 04 Nov 2013 08:22 AM PST A major flaw that has gone unrealized until now leaves the $1.5 billion Bitcoin market open to manipulation and a potential takeover, according to a new study by computer scientists.

Sexual function dramatically improves in women following bariatric surgery Posted: 04 Nov 2013 08:22 AM PST The first study to look extensively at sexual function in women who underwent bariatric surgery found that significant improvements in overall sexual function, most reproductive hormones and in psychological status were maintained over two years following surgery. Women reporting the poorest quality of sexual function prior to surgery saw the most dramatic improvements one year after surgery, on par with women who reported the highest quality of sexual function prior to surgery.

Quantum 'sealed envelope' system enables 'perfectly secure' information storage Posted: 04 Nov 2013 07:12 AM PST Breakthrough guarantees "unconditional" security of information by harnessing quantum theory and relativity, and has been successfully demonstrated on a global scale for the first time.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Latest Science News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610