| Chemicals released during natural gas extraction may harm reproduction, development Posted: 05 Dec 2014 02:50 PM PST Unconventional oil and gas operations combine directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing to release natural gas from rock. Discussions have centered on potential air and water pollution from chemicals and how they affect the more than 15 million Americans living within one mile of UOG operations. Now, a researcher has conducted the largest review of research centered on fracking byproducts and their effects on human reproductive and developmental health.  |
| Promising compound rapidly eliminates malaria parasite Posted: 05 Dec 2014 02:50 PM PST A promising anti-malarial compound tricks the immune system to rapidly destroy red blood cells infected with the malaria parasite but leave healthy cells unharmed, an international group of researchers has found. Planning has begun for safety trials of the compound in healthy adults.  |
| Mindfulness intervention boosts brain activation for healthy pleasures Posted: 05 Dec 2014 11:24 AM PST How can people who are dependent on prescription opioids reduce their cravings? Learn to enjoy other aspects of their lives. Researchers report that after a sample of chronic pain patients misusing opioids went through MORE, they exhibited increased brain activation on an EEG to natural healthy pleasures. The MORE intervention concentrates on helping people to recover a sense of meaning and fulfillment in everyday life, embracing its pleasures and pain without turning to substance use as a coping mechanism.  |
| 45-year physics mystery shows a path to quantum transistors Posted: 05 Dec 2014 11:24 AM PST An odd, iridescent material that's puzzled physicists for decades turns out to be an exotic state of matter that could open a new path to quantum computers and other next-generation electronics.  |
| Malnutrition a predictor of long-term survival in patients undergoing Whipple procedure Posted: 05 Dec 2014 11:24 AM PST Malnutrition is an important factor predicting long-term survival in older patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) -- commonly called the Whipple procedure -- to treat benign tumors and cysts of the pancreas as well as pancreatitis, according to new study results.  |
| Agent prevents prostate cancer growth, spread in animal studies Posted: 05 Dec 2014 11:24 AM PST Researchers have completed a critical step in the journey from a basic science discovery in the lab to a potential clinical application by showing an experimental agent prevents tumor growth and spread in mice with prostate cancer harboring a common chromosomal abnormality. The agent, YK-4-279, is the first drug targeted at the chromosomal translocations found in about half of prostate cancer cells.  |
| Spinal circuitry responsible for chronic pain charted Posted: 05 Dec 2014 11:23 AM PST Pain typically has a clear cause–but not always. When a person touches something hot or bumps into a sharp object, it's no surprise that it hurts. But for people with certain chronic pain disorders, including fibromyalgia and phantom limb pain, a gentle caress can result in agony. Findings of new research could lead to new therapeutics for disorders such as fibromyalgia and phantom limb pain.  |
| Successful launch of NASA's Orion spacecraft heralds first step on journey to Mars Posted: 05 Dec 2014 11:23 AM PST NASA marked a critical step on the journey to Mars with its Orion spacecraft during a roaring liftoff into the dawn sky over eastern Florida on Friday, Dec. 5, 2014, aboard a Delta IV Heavy rocket.  |
| California's drought is the worst in 1,200 years, evidence suggests Posted: 05 Dec 2014 09:43 AM PST As California finally experiences the arrival of a rain-bearing Pineapple Express this week, two climate scientists have shown that the drought of 2012-2014 has been the worst in 1,200 years.  |
| Evidence for 'bilingual advantage' may be less conclusive than previously thought Posted: 05 Dec 2014 09:43 AM PST Study results that challenge the idea that bilingual speakers have a cognitive advantage are less likely to be published than those that support the bilingual-advantage theory, according to new research. This research suggests that a publication bias in favor of positive results may skew the overall literature on bilingualism and cognitive function.  |
| Computers that teach by example: New computer system enables pattern-recognition systems to convey what they learn to humans Posted: 05 Dec 2014 09:43 AM PST Computers are good at identifying patterns in huge data sets. Humans, by contrast, are good at inferring patterns from just a few examples. Researchers have developed a new system that bridges these two ways of processing information, so that humans and computers can collaborate to make better decisions.  |
| New technique offers spray-on solar power Posted: 05 Dec 2014 09:43 AM PST Pretty soon, powering your tablet could be as simple as wrapping it in cling wrap. Scientists have just invented a new way to spray solar cells onto flexible surfaces using miniscule light-sensitive materials known as colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) -- a major step toward making spray-on solar cells easy and cheap to manufacture.  |
| Looking at El Niño's past to predict its future Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:40 AM PST Scientists see a large amount of variability in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) when looking back at climate records from thousands of years ago. Without a clear understanding of what caused past changes in ENSO variability, predicting the climate phenomenon's future is a difficult task. A new study shows how this climate system responds to various pressures, such as changes in carbon dioxide and ice cover, in one of the best models used to project future climate change.  |
| Penicillin tactics revealed by scientists Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:40 AM PST One of the oldest and most widely used antibiotics, penicillin, attacks enzymes that build the bacterial cell wall. Researchers have now shown that penicillin and its variants also set in motion a toxic malfunctioning of the cell's wall-building machinery, dooming the cell to a futile cycle of building and then immediately destroying that wall.  |
| Protein that controls the 'guardian of the genome' identified Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:40 AM PST A well-known mechanism required for the immune response is now better understood, thanks to new research. Researchers have identified a protein that controls the activity of the p53 tumor suppressor protein known as the 'guardian of the genome.'  |
| Salience network linked to brain disorders Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:40 AM PST A brain structure called the insula is essential for selecting things out of the environment that are 'salient' for an individual, and dysfunction of this system is linked to brain disorders such as autism, psychosis and dementia.  |
| Drugs in the environment affect plant growth Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:39 AM PST By assessing the impacts of a range of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, research has shown that the growth of edible crops can be affected by these chemicals -- even at the very low concentrations found in the environment. The research focused its analysis on lettuce and radish plants and tested the effects of several commonly prescribed drugs, including diclofenac and ibuprofen. These drugs are among the most common and widely used group of pharmaceuticals, with more than 30 million prescribed across the world every day.  |
| Stick out your tongue: Tongue appearance and illness Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:39 AM PST The tongue can betray signs of illness, which combined with other symptoms such as a cough, fever, presence of jaundice, headache or bowel habits, can help a physician offer a diagnosis. For people in remote areas who do not have ready access to a physician, a new diagnostic system works to combine the soft inputs of described symptoms with a digital analysis of an image of the patient's tongue.  |
| New research paves the way for nano-movies of biomolecules Posted: 05 Dec 2014 07:03 AM PST Scientists have caught a light sensitive biomolecule at work using an X-ray laser. Their new study proves that high speed X-ray lasers can capture the fast dynamics of biomolecules in ultra slow-motion, revealing subtle processes with unprecedented clarity.  |
| Loss of a chemical tag on RNA keeps embryonic stem cells in suspended animation Posted: 05 Dec 2014 07:03 AM PST A novel mechanism of RNA regulation in embryonic stem cells has been discovered by scientists. They present strong evidence that a specific chemical modification or 'tag' on RNA plays a key role in determining the ability of embryonic stem cells to adopt different cellular identities.  |
| 'Family' matters when predicting ecosystems' reaction to global change Posted: 05 Dec 2014 07:00 AM PST A new study shows that just as our family histories dictate what we look like and how we act, plant evolutionary history shapes community responses to interacting agents of global change.  |
| More patients with Lou Gehrig's disease have genetic origin than previously thought Posted: 05 Dec 2014 07:00 AM PST Genetics may play a larger role in causing Lou Gehrig's disease than previously believed, potentially accounting for more than one-third of all cases, according to one of the most comprehensive genetic studies to date of patients who suffer from the condition also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.  |
| Climate change already showing effects at Kennedy Space Center Posted: 05 Dec 2014 07:00 AM PST The effects of climate change are already showing up in places from Miami to Alaska, scientists say, but geologists are now focusing their attention on one especially noteworthy and vulnerable piece of waterfront real estate: Kennedy Space Center.  |
| Dawn snaps its best-yet image of dwarf planet Ceres Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:52 AM PST The Dawn spacecraft has delivered a glimpse of Ceres, the largest body in the main asteroid belt, in a new image taken 740,000 miles (1.2 million kilometers) from the dwarf planet. This is Dawn's best image yet of Ceres as the spacecraft makes its way toward this unexplored world.  |
| New single-cell analysis reveals complex variations in stem cells Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:49 AM PST Using powerful new single-cell genetic profiling techniques, scientists have uncovered far more variation in pluripotent stem cells than was previously appreciated. The findings bring researchers closer to a day when many different kinds of stem cells could be leveraged for disease therapy and regenerative treatments.  |
| Obesity may shorten life expectancy up to eight years Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:48 AM PST 'Tis the season to indulge. However, restraint may be best, according to a new study. The researchers examined the relationship between body weight and life expectancy. Their findings show that overweight and obese individuals have the potential to decrease life expectancy by up to eight years.  |
| Basic medical care of Ebola patients neglected and must improve Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:48 AM PST The widespread misconception that there are no proven treatments for Ebola virus disease has meant that simple treatments -- especially intravenous fluids and electrolytes, which could reduce the number of deaths caused by the virus -- have been neglected, according to an expert.  |
| Coordinated care beneficial to kids with complex respiratory, gastrointestinal disorders Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:48 AM PST Coordinated care by specialists for children with complex respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders helped lower hospital charges by reducing clinic visits and anesthesia-related procedures in a small single-center study, according to a report.  |
| Teleophthalmology for screening, recurrence of age-related macular degeneration Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:40 AM PST No relevant delay between referral and treatment was found when teleophthalmology was used to screen for suspected age-related macular degeneration and, while teleophthalmology monitoring for recurrence of AMD did result in an average longer wait time for treatment reinitiation, it did not result in worse visual outcomes, according to a study.  |
| Boosting length of breastfeeding could save NHS more than £40 million every year Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:40 AM PST Doubling the number of mothers who breastfeed for 7-18 months in their lifetime and helping others to continue for at least four months could save the National Health Service more than £40 million every year, suggests new research.  |
| Images of brain after mild stroke predict future risk Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:40 AM PST A CT scan of the brain within 24 hours of a mild, non-disabling stroke can predict when patients will be at the highest risk of another stroke or when symptoms may worsen, according to new research. Like stroke, a transient ischemic attack (TIA) is caused by restricted blood supply to the brain. Symptoms may last only a few minutes.  |
| 3-D printed heart could reduce heart surgeries in children Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:40 AM PST Being able to practice on a model heart allows doctors to optimize the interventional procedure pre-operatively. 3-D models can also be used to discuss the intervention with the medical team, patients and, in the case of congenital heart defects, with parents. It helps everyone affected to better understand what the procedure will involve.  |
| Dopamine helps with math rules as well as mood Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:38 AM PST Rule-applying neurons work better under the influence of the happy hormone, researchers have found. The chemical messenger dopamine – otherwise known as the happiness hormone – is important not only for motivation and motor skills. It seems it can also help neurons with difficult cognitive tasks, they report.  |
| Cerebral oxygenation in elite kenyan athletes Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:38 AM PST A pioneering study in the world of the physiology of exercise describes for the first time that elite Kenyan athletes have greater brain oxygenation during periods of maximum physical effort, which contributes to their success in long-distance races.  |
| How stroke survivors could benefit from computer games Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:38 AM PST Stroke survivors can have "significant" improvement in arm movements after using the Nintendo Wii as physiotherapy, according to researchers. The popular computer remote could be customized to offer bespoke physiotherapy for stroke survivors in their own home, they say.  |
| Type 2 diabetes risk starts in pregnancy Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:37 AM PST The risk of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease is affected by exposures in the uterus, research shows. Experts are now calling for updated guidelines in light of research evidence from the past decades. The fetal programming hypothesis hinges around the idea that the intrauterine environment, the milieu in which the fetus is exposed as it grows, impacts the trajectory for disease risk later in life.  |
| Astronomers observe two stars so close to each other that they will end up merging into a supermassive star Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:37 AM PST A study of "MY Camelopardalis" binary system shows that the most massive stars are made up by merging with other smaller stars, as predicted by theoretical models.  |
| Antioxidant capacity of orange juice is multiplied tenfold Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:37 AM PST The antioxidant activity of citrus juices and other foods is undervalued, experts say. A new technique for measuring this property generates values that are ten times higher than those indicated by current analysis methods. The results suggest that tables on the antioxidant capacities of food products that dieticians and health authorities use must be revised. Orange juice and juices from other citrus fruits are considered healthy due to their high content of antioxidants, which help to reduce harmful free radicals in our body, but a new investigation shows that their benefits are greater than previously thought.  |
| Low levels of circulating protein linked with heart problems in mice with kidney disease Posted: 05 Dec 2014 05:31 AM PST Decreased blood levels of a protein called Klotho increases the risk of heart disease in mice with chronic kidney disease, researchers report. If confirmed in humans, increasing Klotho levels may help protect the hearts of patients with chronic kidney disease.  |
| Stardust not likely to block planet portraits Posted: 05 Dec 2014 04:35 AM PST Planet hunters received some good news recently. A new study concluded that, on average, sun-like stars aren't all that dusty. Less dust means better odds of snapping clear pictures of the stars' planets in the future.  |
| El Niño's 'remote control' on hurricanes in the Northeastern Pacific Posted: 04 Dec 2014 01:06 PM PST El Niño peaks in winter and its surface ocean warming occurs mostly along the equator. However, months later, El Niño events affect the formation of intense hurricanes in the Northeastern Pacific basin -- not along the equator. Scientists have now revealed what's behind 'remote control.'  |
| Imaging techniques reliably predict treatment outcomes for TB patients Posted: 04 Dec 2014 01:06 PM PST Two medical imaging techniques, called positron emission tomography and computed tomography, could be used in combination as a biomarker to predict the effectiveness of antibiotic drug regimens being tested to treat tuberculosis patients, according to researchers. With multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis on the rise worldwide, new biomarkers are needed to determine whether a particular TB drug regimen is effective.  |
| ER docs can treat pediatric pain without a needle Posted: 04 Dec 2014 12:27 PM PST Children in emergency departments can safely be treated for pain from limb injuries using intranasal ketamine, a drug more typically used for sedation, according to the results of the first randomized, controlled trial comparing intranasal analgesics in children in the emergency department.  |
| Response to viral infections depends on entry route of virus Posted: 04 Dec 2014 12:27 PM PST Insects can transmit viral diseases to humans. Therefore, understanding how insects cope with viral infection, and what immune mechanisms are triggered, can be important to stop diseases transmission. In a new study, researchers now show that the entry route of the virus changes how the insect host responds to it.  |
| Quiet as a mouse, but so much to hear Posted: 04 Dec 2014 12:27 PM PST One researcher listens to what is inaudible to others. And what she's hearing might one day help us better understand human hearing loss.  |
| How are CTE and behavior linked? The answer requires more in-depth research, scientists say Posted: 04 Dec 2014 12:27 PM PST Media reports routinely link chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the neurodegenerative brain disease, with behavioral symptoms in former football players. But just how CTE and behavioral changes are related is poorly understood, researchers write.  |
