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Science News Archive July 2011 - Page 13


Page 13 of 25

Rising oceans -- too late to turn the tide?

A University of Arizona-led team found that rising sea levels during the Last Interglacial Period were primarily driven by melting ice sheets, rather than thermal expansion. The study suggests that even small amounts of warming may have committed to more ice sheet melting, and sea levels will continue to rise for a long time.

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·DateJul 15, 2011

New health-care payment system slows spending while improving patient care

A new study found that a global payment system in Massachusetts lowered medical spending by nearly 2% while improving the quality of patient care compared to traditional fee-for-service systems. The Alternative Quality Contract (AQC) model, which includes more than a third of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' provider network, s...

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateJul 15, 2011

Making blood-sucking deadly for mosquitoes

A team of biochemists at the University of Arizona discovered that disrupting a molecular process used by mosquitoes to direct proteins to their proper destinations causes more than 90 percent of affected mosquitoes to die within 48 hours of blood feeding. This approach could be used as an additional strategy in the worldwide effort to...

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 15, 2011

Editing the genome

Researchers developed genome-scale editing tools, replacing instances of a stop codon in E. coli with another, creating novel cell strains with increased functionality and safety. The new method, CAGE, surpasses current methods by two orders of magnitude.

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalScience·DateJul 14, 2011

Study finds that it is the number of sexual partners, rather than whether they are concurrent, that increases risk of HIV transmission in a typical high prevalence African population

A new study published in The Lancet found that the number of sexual partners, rather than concurrent partnerships, is strongly predictive of HIV transmission in women. Researchers analyzed data from over 87,000 individuals in South Africa and found that men with multiple lifetime partners were more likely to transmit HIV.

SourceThe Lancet_DELETED·JournalThe Lancet·DateJul 14, 2011

Weight-loss surgery cost-effective for all obese

A new study found that bariatric surgery is a cost-effective treatment option for all obese patients, with significant savings in medical costs over lifetime. The analysis suggests that the procedure should be universally available to all obese people, making it a good value and a potential game-changer in obesity treatment.

SourceWashU Medicine·JournalMaturitas·DateJul 14, 2011

The secret to successful aging

New research explains how positivity bias in the brain contributes to successful aging, with increased engagement in positive emotions leading to greater emotional stability. The study suggests that focusing on the positive can help individuals age successfully.

SourceElsevier·JournalBiological Psychiatry·DateJul 14, 2011

Your brain on androids

A team of researchers led by Ayse Pinar Saygin found that the human brain responds with a mismatch in perception when an android's appearance and motion are at odds. This phenomenon, known as the 'uncanny valley,' occurs when an artificial agent becomes too human-like, causing discomfort and unease.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalSocial Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience·DateJul 14, 2011

A new gene identified for restless legs syndrome

Researchers have identified a new genetic risk factor for restless legs syndrome (RLS), a neurological disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs. The discovery provides new avenues for understanding the disease and developing effective treatments.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Genetics·DateJul 14, 2011

IRCM researchers uncover a new piece of the puzzle in the development of our nervous system

Researchers at the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM) have made a breakthrough in understanding how neurons connect and communicate. Drs. Artur Kania and Tzu-Jen Kao discovered that axon guidance is modulated by ligands present within the same neuron, leading to increased diversity of neuronal connections.

Swarms of locusts use social networking to communicate

Researchers used network science to study swarming behavior in locusts, finding that social interactions play a crucial role in coordinating movements. The study suggests that animals may be creating equivalent social networks to humans, with locusts convincing others to move in the same direction.

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalNew Journal of Physics·DateJul 14, 2011

Cancer gene therapy from camels

Scientists have successfully used camel blood-derived nanobodies to target and kill cancer cells expressing specific markers. The approach involves attaching the nanobodies to nanoparticles that deliver a killer gene, preventing non-specific cell killing and improving safety.

SourceUniversity of Copenhagen·JournalJournal of Controlled Release·DateJul 14, 2011

Study challenges baby formula claim

A recent study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that using hypoallergenic baby formula does not decrease the risk of allergies in high-risk infants. The trial involved 620 infants and assessed whether hypoallergenic formula could prevent childhood eczema, asthma, or hay fever up to seven years of age.

SourceUniversity of Melbourne·JournalJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology·DateJul 14, 2011

'Amplified' nanotubes may power the future

Rice University scientists have developed a cable made of metallic nanotubes that can carry electricity with minimal loss. The 'amplified' nanotubes are created by chemically attaching an iron/cobalt catalyst to the ends of nanotubes and fine-tuning the temperature and environment for amplification.

SourceRice University·JournalNano Letters·DateJul 14, 2011