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Science News Archive January 2011 - Page 14


Page 14 of 22

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

Taking the pulse of a black hole system

Researchers use NASA X-ray satellites to monitor a binary system with a massive black hole, discovering its rhythmic cycles, which drive the black hole's intake and growth. The study reveals the importance of radiation in preventing the black hole from ingesting too much material.

Musical chills: Why they give us thrills

A McGill University study reveals that listening to pleasurable music releases dopamine, a key player in emotional responses. The anticipation of enjoyable music also induces dopamine release, supporting the idea that music serves as an abstract reward.

SourceMcGill University·JournalNature Neuroscience·DateJan 12, 2011

Cracking a tooth

Scientists use atom-probe tomography to map millions of individual atoms in a sea creature's tooth, revealing organic/inorganic interfaces. This breakthrough opens up possibilities for tracking fluoride in teeth and cancer, osteoporosis drugs in bone, and designing new materials with improved properties.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature·DateJan 12, 2011

New approach to modeling power system aims for better monitoring and control of blackouts

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed an approach to create reliable models of large power systems using Synchrophasor technology, enabling real-time monitoring and prediction of blackouts. The approach uses high-resolution power-system measurements to capture the dynamics of clusters and their connections, he...

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalIEEE Transactions on Smart Grid·DateJan 12, 2011

Sleep-disordered breathing comes at a heavy cost

People with sleep apnoea or obesity-related respiratory difficulties incur twice as high medicine and hospital costs as healthy control subjects, with unemployment rates 30% higher. Violent snoring costs €705 per person, while sleep apnoea costs €3860 and obesity-related respiratory difficulties cost €11,320.

SourceUniversity of Copenhagen·JournalThorax·DateJan 12, 2011