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Science News Archive June 2011 - Page 9


Page 9 of 28

Tracking groundwater pollution to its source

Groundwater pollution is a significant issue worldwide due to increasing water consumption and waste disposal. Computer algorithms can help identify pollution sources by processing available data, such as pollutant concentrations and monitoring data.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Environment and Waste Management·DateJun 22, 2011

Gold nanoparticles help earlier diagnosis of liver cancer

A team of researchers from Brown University has developed a new technique using gold nanoparticles to detect liver cancer at early stages. The approach uses X-ray scatter imaging to spot tumor-like masses as small as 5 millimeters, which is significantly smaller than the current detection limit of about 5 centimeters.

SourceBrown University·JournalNano Letters·DateJun 22, 2011

It's not about the money for long-term care nurses

Researchers found that job satisfaction and emotional well-being are better predictors of turnover in long-term care facilities. Certified nursing assistants were more likely to switch jobs due to lower emotional distress and greater job satisfaction after switching, even if it meant taking a pay cut.

SourceRice University·JournalThe Gerontologist·DateJun 22, 2011

Record greenhouse gas levels: See for yourself

The CSIRO website provides easy access to greenhouse gas data measured in the Southern Hemisphere atmosphere for the past 35 years. Key findings include a record-high level of carbon dioxide, increasing at about 0.5% each year, and an almost 40% increase over the past century largely due to human activities.

Birds' eye view is far more colorful than our own

Researchers at Yale and Cambridge found that birds' plumage colors only represent a fraction of the colors they're capable of seeing, thanks to additional UV-sensitive cones. The study suggests that structural colors produce most of the color diversity in bird feathers, with limitations preventing them from creating certain colors.

SourceYale University·JournalBehavioral Ecology·DateJun 22, 2011

Tracking down motion perception

Neurobiologists have found that the fly brain requires only two distinct motion detectors to recognize movement, shedding light on the complexity of visual processing in both humans and insects. This discovery has implications for our own understanding of how we perceive motion.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalNeuron·DateJun 22, 2011

Study reveals possible explanation for the greater virulence of E. coli strain behind deadly German outbreak

Researchers identified a rare O104:H4 strain that combined Shiga toxin-producing ability with enteroaggregative E. coli adherence, explaining its high virulence and unusually severe HUS cases. The strain also showed extended-spectrum ß-lactamase resistance, making it resistant to penicillins but susceptible to carbapenems.

SourceThe Lancet_DELETED·JournalThe Lancet Infectious Diseases·DateJun 22, 2011

Molecular glue sticks it to cancer

Researchers developed a novel approach to cancer therapy by creating a drug that inhibits the mobility of cancer-promoting proteins within cells. The treatment uses a 'glue' molecule that binds to these proteins, forcing them to the cell membrane and making cancer cells more vulnerable to chemotherapy.

SourceUniversity of Toronto·JournalAngewandte Chemie·DateJun 22, 2011

Evolution to the rescue

Researchers used a long-armed robot to track the fate of over 2000 baker's yeast populations for many generations, observing evolutionary rescue and adaptation to environmental stress. The study found that slow environmental deterioration and previous contact with other populations can increase the likelihood of survival.

SourceMcGill University·JournalScience·DateJun 22, 2011

Nudging doctors in intensive care unit reduces deaths

A new Northwestern Medicine study finds that attending physicians in intensive care units can reduce mortality rates by 50% when using a checklist and prompted to address overlooked details. The prompting system cut ventilator-associated pneumonia cases and reduced ICU length of stay.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·DateJun 22, 2011

Discovery offers molecular insights into link between Parkinson's and pesticides

Researchers discovered a molecular link between pesticides and Parkinson's disease, shedding light on the oxidative stress that contributes to the neurodegenerative disorder. The study provides evidence that exposure to environmental toxins may be a primary cause of Parkinson's, with potential implications for prevention and treatment.

SourceUniversity of Missouri School of Medicine·JournalMolecular Neurodegeneration·DateJun 22, 2011

Major malaria drug research award

Researchers from Monash University and international partners have developed a potential new malaria drug candidate targeting dihydroorotate dehydrogenase enzyme. The team's work has been hailed as significant in combating malaria, which kills up to one million people annually worldwide.

Cancer survivors have lower employment rates and work fewer hours

A recent study found that cancer survivors have lower employment rates (8-9%) and work fewer hours (3-6 hours/week) compared to their peers without a history of cancer. The researchers suggest that the findings may be attributed to factors such as changing priorities, employment discrimination, or inadequate workplace accommodations.

SourcePenn State·JournalJournal of Health Economics·DateJun 22, 2011

Discards ban 'will boost fisheries', says new research

A ban on fisheries discards in the North Sea is expected to promote fish stock recovery and increase fishermen's incomes, according to new research. The study compared long-term data sets on cod, haddock, saithe, and herring in the North Sea with those in Norwegian waters, where a discard ban was introduced in the late 1980s.

SourceUniversity of York·JournalReviews in Fisheries Science·DateJun 22, 2011

Study: Trying to lose weight? Lose the fat substitutes

Researchers at Purdue University found that rats consuming fat substitutes gained weight and developed more fatty tissue compared to those on a regular high-fat diet. The study suggests that using fat substitutes as part of a long-term weight loss strategy may not be effective due to disrupted taste-calorie relations.

SourcePurdue University·JournalBehavioral Neuroscience·DateJun 22, 2011

Positive results for unprotected left main coronary artery PCI with drug-eluting stents

A multicenter study published in Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions found that elective unprotected left main coronary artery PCI with drug-eluting stents resulted in favorable outcomes for patients with normal left ventricular function, including low rates of cardiac death and target lesion revascularization. Patients ag...

SourceWiley·JournalCatheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions·DateJun 22, 2011

Yale researchers uncover source of mystery pain

An international team of scientists found that mutations in the SCN9A gene cause nerve cells to become hyperactive, leading to degeneration of nerve fibers and severe pain in patients with peripheral neuropathy. The discovery could lead to specific therapies for victims of this debilitating disorder.

SourceYale University·JournalAnnals of Neurology·DateJun 22, 2011

Brief exam diagnoses cognitive impairment in ALS patients

Researchers developed a brief exam to identify frontal and temporal dysfunction in ALS patients, which can impact decision-making and treatment planning. The Penn State Brief Exam of Frontal and Temporal Dysfunction Syndromes (PSFTS) has been used in over 200 patients and is now standard care at the Medical Center.

SourcePenn State·JournalCognitive and Behavioral Neurology·DateJun 22, 2011

Prejudice linked to women's menstrual cycle

Women's bias against male strangers increases when they are fertile, suggesting genetic influence on prejudice, according to Michigan State University researchers. Fertile women exhibit more negative attitudes towards men of different races and social groups than their own group, particularly those perceived as physically threatening.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalPsychological Science·DateJun 22, 2011

International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (including those caused by mobile phones) as possibly carcinogenic to humans

The IARC classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans based on studies that found a possible link between long-term mobile phone use and increased risk of brain tumors. Exposure limits were established, but the evidence is not yet conclusive.

SourceThe Lancet_DELETED·JournalThe Lancet Oncology·DateJun 22, 2011

Electrical water detection

Researchers developed an economical method to detect groundwater in semi-arid hard rock areas by analyzing electrical conductivity logs. The approach revealed differences in subterranean rock fissures and correlated with regions of underground water. This technique may be useful for identifying the most abundant sources of groundwater.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Hydrology Science and Technology·DateJun 22, 2011

Pandora's cluster

Researchers use gravitational lensing to map dark matter distribution in the cluster, while NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory observes hot gas. The study reveals a complex collision that separated out hot gas and dark matter, separating them from visible galaxies.

SourceESA/Hubble Information Centre·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateJun 22, 2011