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Science News for December 22, 2010


Measuring fatigue through the voice

Australian researchers found that as fatigue progresses, speech slows and variations in pitch increase, indicating a loss of control over the muscles producing speech. The study provides a novel method for analyzing the effects of fatigue on the central nervous system through acoustic analysis.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalThe Journal of the Acoustical Society of America·DateDec 22, 2010

Shouldering family demands and worries bumps up angina risk

A six-year follow-up study found that shouldering family demands and worries increases the risk of angina in middle-aged Danish women and men. The study tracked over 4,500 participants and found that worrisome/demanding relationships with a partner or child posed the greatest risks, with a nearly four-fold increase in angina symptoms.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health·DateDec 22, 2010

Picking a poison for brain tumors: Arsenic

Researchers found that arsenic trioxide inhibits the growth of medulloblastoma and Ewing sarcoma cell lines by blocking the Hedgehog/GLI1 signaling pathway. The compound improved survival in a mouse model of medulloblastoma, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic option.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateDec 22, 2010

Milestone: A methane-metal marriage

Researchers have successfully created a metal-methane hybrid molecule by inserting metal atoms into methane gas molecules, potentially advancing industrial hydrocarbon chemistry. This discovery could lead to the creation of more complex and valuable products from simple compounds like methane.

Placebos work -- even without deception

Researchers have found that placebos work even when administered honestly, leading to improved symptoms for patients with irritable bowel syndrome. The study suggests that the performance of medical ritual may hold significant benefits, independent of patient knowledge.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateDec 22, 2010

Why must we compensate after buying gifts that threaten our identities?

A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that gift-givers who choose gifts that contradict their own identity experience discomfort and are more likely to choose alternative products. The researchers investigated how social closeness affects this process, revealing that those with stronger bonds experience greater discomfort.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateDec 22, 2010

Getting inside the mind of Islam

A Tel Aviv University psychologist investigates the link between Islamic beliefs and practices and mental well-being among American Muslims. He found that those who created support groups or became more active at their local mosques reported increased religious practices, while those feeling isolated experienced anger and depression.

SourceAmerican Friends of Tel Aviv University·JournalPsychology of Religion and Spirituality·DateDec 22, 2010

Tau disrupts neural communication prior to neurodegeneration

A new study reveals how tau protein disrupts neuronal communication at synapses before obvious neuron damage, leading to early memory deficits and impaired synaptic function. The research identifies aberrant mislocalization of tau proteins in dendritic spines as a key mechanism driving disease progression.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateDec 22, 2010

Record time limit

A study analyzing data from 61 running and swimming events suggests that improvements in performance will eventually slow down and reach a maximum within the next decade. The 'time to limit' is estimated to be between 7.5 and 10.5 years, which could impact policy implications for sports associations and federations.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Applied Management Science·DateDec 22, 2010

Placebos work -- even without deception

A new study found that placebos are effective in treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms even when patients are informed they are taking a placebo. The study involved 80 patients who received either a real treatment or a placebo, with nearly twice as many experiencing symptom relief with the placebo.

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalPLOS ONE·DateDec 22, 2010

High red blood cell folate levels linked to silenced tumor-suppressors

Researchers found that people with higher levels of folate in their red blood cells were more likely to have two tumor-suppressing genes shut down by methylation. Folate supplementation may lead to increased DNA methylation, potentially increasing the risk of diseases including cancer and other aging-related conditions.

SourceUniversity of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center·JournalCancer Prevention Research·DateDec 22, 2010

Vertical search across the educational horizon

Researchers have developed a new approach to searching online educational resources, enabling users to access specific prospectuses, curricula and tests easily. The approach uses focused crawling, web content classification and information extraction to pull out relevant information from the web.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Computational Science and Engineering·DateDec 22, 2010

Some firms benefit from increased spending despite recession

Researchers found that business-to-business products firms and consumer services firms benefit from increased R&D spending during recessions. Consumer goods firms do not obtain positive stock returns from R&D spending, while those with high market share and low financial leverage decrease their profits with increased advertising spending.

SourcePenn State·JournalJournal of Marketing·DateDec 22, 2010

Researchers train software to help monitor climate change

A computer program trained on probability analysis can extract environmental information from satellite images and sensor data about ocean structures. The technology has been tested with high accuracy, offering clues on subtle changes in ocean temperature and global climate conditions.

SourcePenn State·JournalIEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing·DateDec 22, 2010

Brain gene makes a female develop as a male

Australian scientists discovered that changes to the SOX3 gene can lead to testis formation and male genitalia in an otherwise female embryo. This breakthrough will improve diagnosis and treatment for patients with disorders of sex development, which occur when the testes or ovaries do not develop properly.

SourceUniversity of Melbourne·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateDec 22, 2010

Eating healthier means living longer

A recent study found that diets rich in healthy foods, such as fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, may reduce mortality risk in older adults. The 'Healthy foods' cluster had a significantly lower risk of mortality compared to clusters with high consumption of unhealthy foods.

SourceElsevier Health Sciences·JournalJournal of the American Dietetic Association·DateDec 22, 2010

Scientists reveal how biological activity is regulated in fruit fly and roundworm genomes

Researchers have discovered hundreds of new protein-coding genes and thousands of new non-protein coding RNAs in the fruit fly and roundworm genomes. The studies also identified specific chromatin signatures associated with the regulation of protein-coding genes, revealing how genes work in concert to produce complex biological processes.

JCI table of contents: Dec. 22, 2010

The study found that overexpression of the Sox3 gene causes frequent XX male sex reversal, while a new regulatory pathway involving the ventral premammillary nucleus is linked to leptin's effect on puberty onset. Additionally, arsenic trioxide may be beneficial for treating certain brain tumors.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateDec 22, 2010

Drilling in the holy land

Researchers from eight nations are analyzing sedimentary deposits from a 460-meter deep borehole to reconstruct the climate history of the region. The drilling project aims to provide information on past environmental changes in the Bethlehem area, including those related to early human migration.

Brain gene a trigger for determining gender

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation has found that a brain gene called SOX3 can be activated to trigger male development in mice without a Y chromosome. This discovery has implications for understanding disorders of sexual development and may lead to new treatments.

SourceUniversity of Adelaide·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateDec 22, 2010

Does equality increase status spending?

A new study by Nailya Ordabayeva and Pierre Chandon reveals that increasing equality decreases consumer envy, but also boosts status spending among bottom-tier consumers. In experiments, participants were more likely to spend money on purchases that would improve their social standing when the distribution was less equal.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateDec 22, 2010

Complementary medicines can be dangerous for children

A study of CAM treatment in children found that adverse events were common and often related to CAM use; 64% of cases were rated as severe or life-threatening. The authors suggest empowering families with discussions about medication changes, but note that many parents continue to use CAM despite medical advice

SourceBMJ Group·JournalArchives of Disease in Childhood·DateDec 22, 2010

What sex are you?

A team of researchers has determined that overexpression of the Sox3 gene in mice causes frequent XX male sex reversal. Genomic rearrangements in the human SOX3 gene have been found in three patients with XX male sex reversal, suggesting a significant cause for this condition.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateDec 22, 2010