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Science News Archive 2012 - Page 13


Page 13 of 333

Home visiting program for first-time moms may be struggling to reduce serious injuries to children

Research from PolicyLab at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia shows that a home visiting program may not be effective in reducing early childhood injuries. Children served by the Nurse-Family Partnership had no fewer injuries than comparable families not enrolled in the program, with some even experiencing higher injury rates.

SourceChildren's Hospital of Philadelphia·JournalMaternal and Child Health Journal·DateDec 12, 2012

Automated design for drug discovery

A team of researchers at the University of Dundee has developed an automated design system for new drugs, using advanced statistical analysis to mimic human chemists' creative process. The system successfully predicted profiles across a range of drug targets, with 75% confirmed correct in experimental testing.

SourceUniversity of Dundee·JournalNature·DateDec 12, 2012

Patients with family history of colorectal cancer may be at risk for aggressive form of the disease

Researchers found that patients with a family history of colorectal cancer are more likely to develop tumors with low-level methylation of LINE-1, a molecular sign associated with an aggressive form of the disease. Testing for this sign may help identify patients in need of aggressive treatment and inform familial cancer-risk assessments.

SourceDana-Farber Cancer Institute·JournalJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute·DateDec 12, 2012

Astronomers discover 'missing link' of black holes

Researchers used Earth-orbiting X-ray telescopes to observe a bingeing black hole that expels powerful beams of material, solving the debate over whether ULXs are black holes gorging themselves or more massive ones eating sedately. The discovery provides key insights into how jets are produced by a binging black hole.

SourceDurham University·JournalNature·DateDec 12, 2012

Cane toads can be stopped

A study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology found that removing around 100 artificial waterbodies can prevent toads from occupying 268,000 square kilometres of land. This could protect numerous species, including northern Quolls and goannas and snakes, badly affected by toad invasions.

SourceWiley·JournalJournal of Applied Ecology·DateDec 12, 2012

Physics on a plane: Crystals grown under 0 gravity

Researchers successfully grew helium crystals under zero gravity, overcoming laboratory limitations to examine the dynamics of these peculiar materials. The crystals formed rapidly, exhibiting an unprecedented Ostwald ripening process that can help reveal the underlying physics of crystal development.

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalNew Journal of Physics·DateDec 12, 2012

Building better barley

Researchers at the University of Alberta have developed tools to help barley crops use less water while maintaining productivity. The study, published in Theoretical and Applied Genetics, utilizes carbon isotope compositions to improve selection efficiency for water-efficient varieties.

SourceUniversity of Alberta·JournalTheoretical and Applied Genetics·DateDec 12, 2012

Taxes on sugary drinks and high fat foods could improve health

A recent study suggests that taxes on soft drinks and high-fat foods could lead to significant reductions in energy intake from saturated fats and consumption of these products. In contrast, subsidies for fruits and vegetables may increase consumption, but with potential compensatory purchasing effects.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateDec 11, 2012

Words have feelings

A study published in Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience found that emotion in voices enhances initial word recognition, but does not improve long-term memory. The researchers discovered that emotionally intoned speech can lead to the acquisition of emotional value, making words more negatively charged in the mind.

New anticoagulant discovered based on the same used by malaria vectors to feed on

Researchers have deciphered the mechanism of anophelin's interaction with thrombin, a key enzyme in blood coagulation. This discovery opens the door to designing new anticoagulant drugs with improved efficacy and reduced side effects, as well as fighting against malaria by developing inhibitors for this substance.

SourceIMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute)·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 11, 2012

Just a spoonful: Sweet taste comforts babies during injections

A Cochrane systematic review found that giving babies a few drops of sugary solution before injections can reduce crying time. Researchers reviewed data from 14 studies involving over 1,500 infants, with results showing a shorter crying time for those given the sugar solution.

SourceWiley·JournalCochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·DateDec 11, 2012