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Science News for April 17, 2008


U-M study: Work hassles hamper sleep

A University of Michigan study finds that work hassles, such as psychological strain and conflicts with coworkers, are more likely to interfere with sleep than long hours or job insecurity. Respondents who experienced these stressors were more than 1.7 times as likely to develop sleep problems.

Resolving international copyright

Freelance creators face unclear legal positions due to disparate jurisdictions, leading to unclear ownership and control of digital exploitation rights. Clearer rules on contract formation and interpretation could resolve these issues.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Intellectual Property Management·DateApr 17, 2008

Supermarkets' power desertifies our diets

Research published in International Journal of Health Geographics found that supermarkets are building in newer suburbs, leaving smaller shops and food deserts in their wake. Residents living in food deserts face poor access to supermarkets, leading to higher prices for basic supplies and devastating health effects.

SourceBMC (BioMed Central)·JournalInternational Journal of Health Geographics·DateApr 17, 2008

Mice sense oxygen through their skin

Researchers found that mice can sense oxygen levels in the environment and stimulate kidney production of erythropoietin when oxygen concentrations drop. The study suggests that the skin plays a major role in sensing oxygen and could lead to new treatments for anemia and diseases affecting red blood cell counts.

The new shape of music

A team of music professors has devised a new way to analyze and categorize music using geometric principles. This method, known as geometrical music theory, translates musical concepts into mathematical structures, revealing hidden patterns and relationships. By assigning mathematical structure to musical families, researchers can gain...

SourcePrinceton University·JournalScience·DateApr 17, 2008

Cutting through the stigma

A year-long pilot project trained barbers as peer educators to reach low-literacy rural communities in India, distributing educational materials and condoms. The program showed positive effects, including increased social recognition for women peer educators and a rise in customers among barber clients.

SourceBMC (BioMed Central)·JournalHuman Resources for Health·DateApr 17, 2008

Charting the epigenome

Scientists chart the epigenome of plant Arabidopsis thaliana, mapping precise DNA modifications and their effects on gene activity. The study provides insights into plant productivity, stress resistance, human genome dynamics, and cancer research.

SourceSalk Institute·JournalCell·DateApr 17, 2008

New strategies against bird flu

Researchers have identified a common molecular disease pathway explaining how diverse non-infectious and infectious agents like anthrax, lung plague, SARS, and H5N1 avian influenza can cause severe lung failure with similar pathologies. Oxidative stress triggers the innate immune system, leading to severe lung damage.

Study in flies points to unisex brain

A study in flies found that despite sex-based behaviors, their brains have a largely unisex structure, suggesting key switches control the difference between male and female behavior. Researchers discovered that artificial activation of male-specific singing neurons triggered female flies to exhibit male-like behavior.

Fuzzy logic water quality

Researchers develop data mining approach using Fuzzy Inference System to analyze river water quality, revealing high pollution levels despite individual parameter analysis. The method combines disparate parameters for a broader understanding of overall quality, potentially improving the lives of people relying on freshwater sources.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Environmental Technology and Management·DateApr 17, 2008

Scientists discover new arenavirus associated with hemorrhagic fever

A newly discovered arenavirus, Chapare virus, has been identified in a fatal hemorrhagic fever case in rural Bolivia. The virus produces clinical hemorrhagic symptoms similar to those associated with other New World arenaviruses, but genetically it is distinct from Junin, Machupo, Guanarito, and Sabia viruses.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Pathogens·DateApr 17, 2008

Growth hormone is used to treat twice as many short boys than girls in the US and Asia

A study by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia found that in the US and Asia, boys are twice as likely to receive growth hormone treatment for short stature compared to girls. The gender disparity is smaller in Europe and Australia, suggesting cultural biases towards male height in some countries.

SourceChildren's Hospital of Philadelphia·JournalThe Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism·DateApr 17, 2008

Dam removal increases property values

Two studies found that removing dams in Maine increased property values by reducing a penalty for being near the dam site. The penalty has shrunk since dam removal, and it now affects properties further away from the dam more than those closer to the dam.

SourceWiley·JournalContemporary Economic Policy·DateApr 17, 2008