Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News for January 13, 2011


Popular sleep medicine puts older adults at risk for falls, cognitive impairment

A study by the University of Colorado at Boulder found that older adults taking zolpidem are significantly more likely to experience balance problems and cognitive impairments. Younger adults also showed significant cognitive impacts from sleep inertia, highlighting a need for further research on this topic.

SourceUniversity of Colorado at Boulder·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateJan 13, 2011

When continents formed

Researchers at the University of Bristol have developed a new methodology for calculating model ages of continental crust formation. This approach uses the isotope composition of newly formed crust to estimate age, resulting in significantly younger and more consistent dates than previous methods based on mantle isotopes.

SourceUniversity of Bristol·JournalScience·DateJan 13, 2011

New guidelines for preventing falls in the elderly include: start tai chi, cut-back on meds

The American Geriatrics Society and British Geriatric Society's updated guidelines for preventing falls in older adults emphasize the importance of exercise, such as tai chi or physical therapy, to reduce fall risk. The guidelines also recommend environmental adaptations, medication reduction, and cataract surgery where necessary.

SourceWiley·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateJan 13, 2011

Driving simulators help older adults improve their road skills

A new study suggests that driving simulators can be an effective way to improve the driving skills of older adults. The researchers found that coaching and feedback through a driving simulator improved driving abilities in older drivers. This method may help keep older drivers on the road longer while maintaining safety.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalCurrent Directions in Psychological Science·DateJan 13, 2011

Aerosols transmit prions to mice, causing disease

Researchers found that prion-tainted aerosols can induce disease in mice by transferring to the brain and colonizing it. The study suggests airborne transmission of prions may be a risk, prompting potential regulations to minimize infection risks.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Pathogens·DateJan 13, 2011

New impulses for surface research

Ralph G. Nuzzo, an American chemist, has been awarded the Research Award of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for his pioneering work on thiol-based SAMs. He will spend several months researching at KIT and Bielefeld University to advance Interfacial Systems Chemistry.

Cattle health and welfare at the heart of K-State research

A team of K-State researchers is working to reduce the percentage of cattle affected by bovine lameness, a common health issue in US feedlot and stocker calves. They are developing models to assess lameness and identify risk factors for prevention, as well as analyzing indicators of pain to determine effective treatment options.

SourceKansas State University·JournalAmerican Journal of Veterinary Research·DateJan 13, 2011

MIT neuroscientists explain 'Proustian effect' of small details attached to big memories

Researchers at MIT's Picower Institute of Learning and Memory discovered that relatively minor details are sometimes linked to long-term memories. They found that irrelevant information that follows a relevant event is more likely to be integrated into long-term memory, and that this can occur within an hour and a half after the event.

GM chickens that don't transmit bird flu developed

Researchers have successfully developed genetically modified chickens that do not transmit avian influenza virus to other chickens, potentially stopping bird flu outbreaks within poultry flocks. This genetic modification has the potential to reduce the risk of bird flu epidemics leading to new flu virus epidemics in humans.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalScience·DateJan 13, 2011

BSE pathogens can be transmitted by air

Researchers found that inhalation of prion-tainted aerosols induced disease with frightening efficiency in mice, infecting all within a single minute. This discovery challenges the widely held view that prions are not airborne and suggests precautionary measures for scientific labs, slaughterhouses, and animal feed plants.

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalPLOS Pathogens·DateJan 13, 2011

Earth's hot past: Prologue to future climate?

A new study by National Center for Atmospheric Research scientist Jeffrey Kiehl examines the relationship between global temperatures and high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere tens of millions of years ago. The study finds that atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gas may reach levels that existed about 30 million to 100 ...

When a kidney transplant fails, home-based dialysis is an option

A study published by the American Society of Nephrology found that home-based peritoneal dialysis can be just as effective as hemodialysis for patients returning to dialysis after a kidney transplant failure. The research showed similar mortality rates for both types of dialysis, providing hope for patients who may have previously been...

SourceAmerican Society of Nephrology·JournalClinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology·DateJan 13, 2011

Inverse benefits due to drug marketing undermine patient safety and public health

A recent study from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston found that aggressively marketed drugs tend to offer less benefit and more harm to most patients. The 'inverse benefit law' highlights the need for physicians to critically evaluate commercial marketing and prioritize patient safety.

SourceUniversity of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston·JournalAmerican Journal of Public Health·DateJan 13, 2011

AGU journal highlights -- Jan. 13, 2011

Scientists have identified a cluster of deep low-frequency earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault, influenced by a Chilean earthquake. Additionally, satellite imagery reveals evidence of buried water ice near the Martian equator, contradicting previous research that Mars' current climate is inhospitable to equatorial water ice.

SourceAmerican Geophysical Union·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·DateJan 13, 2011