Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News for April 20, 2011


UK's tuberculosis screening strategy for immigrants misses most imported cases of latent infection and unlikely to prevent the spread of disease

A study finds that the UK's current tuberculosis screening policy for immigrants is missing 70% of imported latent infections. Implementing a broader screening program could identify 92% of infected immigrants and reduce future cases of active tuberculosis while remaining cost-effective.

SourceThe Lancet_DELETED·JournalThe Lancet Infectious Diseases·DateApr 20, 2011

Limit to nanotechnology mass-production?

A leading nanotechnology scientist proposes a 3nm diameter threshold for mass-produced structures, citing unpredictability in bottom-up manufacturing. This challenge raises concerns about the billions invested in nanotechnology research and development.

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalNanotechnology·DateApr 20, 2011

Electronic medical records speed genetic health studies

Researchers at Northwestern University have found that using electronic medical records to identify patients with diseases can be faster and cheaper than recruiting thousands of participants. The study used data from five national sites to accurately identify patients with five types of diseases, achieving accuracy rates of 73-98%.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateApr 20, 2011

Laser sparks revolution in internal combustion engines

Researchers have developed a new laser system that can ignite engine air-fuel mixtures more efficiently than traditional spark plugs. The laser system is made from ceramics and promises less pollution and greater fuel economy, but further testing is needed to make it commercially viable.

SourceOptica·DateApr 20, 2011

Ring around the hurricanes: Satellites can predict storm intensity

Researchers developed a method to use passive microwave satellite imagery to monitor hurricane structure and intensity changes, revealing patterns in storm dynamics. This allows for a 30-hour window before a storm hits its maximum strength, enabling forecasters to issue earlier warnings and evacuate areas at risk.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·DateApr 20, 2011

Long-term poverty but not family instability affects children's cognitive development

UK researchers found that persistent poverty affects children's cognitive functioning at the age of five, while family instability does not have a significant impact. The study, based on data from 18,819 families in the UK, shows that children growing up in stable two-parent families have higher levels of cognitive ability than those i...

SourceBMJ Group·JournalJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health·DateApr 20, 2011

Starting a new metabolic path

Researchers at JBEI have developed a technique called targeted proteomics that enables the rapid identification and quantification of specific proteins in cells or microbes. This technique can help identify bottlenecks in metabolic pathways, leading to improved efficiency and productivity in biofuel and therapeutic drug production.

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalMetabolic Engineering·DateApr 20, 2011

Low carbohydrate diet may reverse kidney failure in people with diabetes

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that a ketogenic diet may reverse impaired kidney function in people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The study, published in PLoS ONE, also identified previously unreported genes associated with diabetes-related kidney failure whose expression was reversed by the diet.

Entrepreneurship urged to stimulate the economy

Recent studies support the idea that entrepreneurship can stimulate economic growth, with research on immigrant high-tech start-ups and entrepreneurial decision-making providing avenues for future research. The "Startup America" initiative aims to promote entrepreneurship as a solution to the US economy's recovery process.

SourceSAGE·JournalJournal of Management·DateApr 20, 2011

Musical activity may improve cognitive aging

A study found that older individuals who played a musical instrument throughout life performed better on cognitive tests than non-musicians. The study suggests that musical activity may serve as a challenging cognitive exercise, making the brain fitter and more capable of accommodating aging challenges.

SourceEmory Health Sciences·JournalNeuropsychology·DateApr 20, 2011

Breastfeeding tied to stronger maternal response to baby's cry

A new study from Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry found that breastfeeding mothers respond more emotionally to their infants' cries, with greater activity in caregiving brain regions. This is the first paper to examine neurobiological mechanisms linked to breastfeeding and maternal behaviors.

SourceWiley·JournalJournal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry·DateApr 20, 2011

What's your intestinal bacteria type?

Scientists from the University of Copenhagen have discovered three distinct clusters of intestinal bacteria, known as enterotypes, which affect digestion, energy metabolism, and drug absorption. These enterotypes are independent of nationality, gender, and age, providing a new biological fingerprint for personalized medicine.

SourceUniversity of Copenhagen·JournalNature·DateApr 20, 2011

How TRIM5 fights HIV

Researchers have discovered TRIM5's mechanism of preventing HIV multiplication, which opens up new prospects for fighting the virus in humans. The protein triggers an immune response and stimulates the production of signal molecules to eliminate infected cells.

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalNature·DateApr 20, 2011