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Science News Archive February 2012 - Page 4


Page 4 of 30

Which type of obesity surgery is best?

A new UK-based study will compare gastric bypass and stomach band surgeries to determine which is most effective in improving patients' quality of life and reducing healthcare costs. The BY-BAND study, led by the University of Bristol, aims to enroll over 700 participants and follow their outcomes for up to three years.

Hearing loss linked to 3-fold risk of falling

A new study by Johns Hopkins researchers links hearing loss to a three-fold increased risk of falling among the elderly. The findings suggest that people with hearing loss may have reduced awareness of their environment and an increased cognitive load, making them more prone to falls.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalArchives of Internal Medicine·DateFeb 27, 2012

First study on long-term cognitive effects of breast cancer chemotherapy finds subtle impairment among women who received CMF regimen

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that women who underwent chemotherapy with the CMF regimen between 1976 and 1995 scored slightly lower on cognitive tests compared to those without a history of cancer. The differences were subtle but statistically significant, affecting word learning, memory, and information ...

SourceAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology·JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology·DateFeb 27, 2012

Prostate cancer treatment overused in some older patients

Research at Yale University reveals that prostate cancer treatment is often not necessary for older men with short life expectancy. The study found that cancer treatment became more common among men with moderate-risk tumors and shorter life expectancies, despite being unlikely to benefit from it.

SourceYale University·JournalArchives of Internal Medicine·DateFeb 27, 2012

Upper class more likely to be scofflaws

A recent study from UC Berkeley found that individuals from the upper class are more likely to exhibit unethical behavior, including cutting off others on the road and deceiving job candidates. The researchers attribute this tendency to a positive attitude towards greed, which primes participants to engage in self-serving behaviors.

SourceUniversity of California - Berkeley·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 27, 2012

The poor, in fact, are less likely to sue their doctor

A study published in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research finds that socioeconomically disadvantaged patients actually sue physicians less frequently than other patient groups. This disparity is attributed to unconscious biases and limitations in accessing legal resources, which can affect the quality of medical care and the doct...

SourceSpringer·JournalClinical Orthopaedics and Related Research·DateFeb 27, 2012

Frontal attack or stealth?

Research reveals that bacteria can cause disease through frontal attack or stealthy manipulation of the host's immune system. Bacteria that destroy phagocytes have low infectivity, while those with high growth rates and quorum-sensing capabilities are more infectious.

SourceInstituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia·JournalPLOS Pathogens·DateFeb 27, 2012

Establishing a new scalar curvature flow method

Researchers from National University of Singapore and Nanjing University establish a new scalar curvature flow method to solve the prescribing scalar curvature problem. The method adapts Hamilton's Ricci flow approach and infinitely dimensional Morse theory to tackle the problem, providing a stronger conclusion than previous methods.

SourceNational University of Singapore·JournalInventiones mathematicae·DateFeb 27, 2012

Work-focused psychotherapy can help employees return to work sooner

A new study published by the American Psychological Association found that work-focused psychotherapy can help employees return to work faster and improve their mental health over time. Employees who received this therapy were able to fully return to work on average 65 days earlier than those in standard therapy, with significant impro...

SourceAmerican Psychological Association·JournalJournal of Occupational Health Psychology·DateFeb 27, 2012

Eye-tracking reveals variability in successful social strategies for children with autism

Researchers used eye-tracking to measure relationship between cognitive and social disability in children with autism spectrum disorders. The study found that children with ASD were less likely to look at others' eyes and faces, but varying observation patterns were associated with different levels of social disability.

SourceElsevier·JournalJournal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry·DateFeb 27, 2012

Irregular heartbeat strong predictor of decline in people at risk of heart disease

A study published in Canadian Medical Association Journal found a strong link between irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation) and cognitive decline, dementia, and loss of independence in daily activities. Researchers analyzed data from two large trials and found that patients with atrial fibrillation were 34% more likely to experienc...

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·DateFeb 27, 2012

Research sheds light on how immune system's 'first responders' target infection

Researchers discovered that IL-8 monomers and dimers interact differently with cell-surface molecules in different body tissues, influencing neutrophil recruitment. This fundamental mechanism regulates neutrophil function and could help control runaway inflammation and related tissue damage in diseases such as sepsis.

SourceUniversity of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston·JournalJournal of Leukocyte Biology·DateFeb 27, 2012

Solving a spintronic mystery

Researchers at Berkeley Lab and Notre Dame have determined the origin of charge-carriers in gallium manganese arsenide, a material promising for spintronic devices. The study reveals that holes controlling Curie temperature are located in an impurity band, opening possibilities to expand its width and boost performance.

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalNature Materials·DateFeb 27, 2012

How to rescue the immune system

Researchers developed a novel technique to turn immune system killer T cells into more effective weapons by delivering DNA into instructor cells. The method proved effective in jumpstarting defective immune systems in immuno-compromised mice and human killer T cells, paving the way for potential cancer therapy.

SourceLoyola Medicine·JournalNature Medicine·DateFeb 26, 2012

Math can save Tylenol overdose patients

Researchers created a new method using calculus equations to estimate acetaminophen overdose patient prognosis, predicting those who can survive with antidote treatment versus those needing a liver transplant. The study analyzed 53 patients and showed the method's accuracy in determining survival outcomes.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalHepatology·DateFeb 26, 2012

Volcanoes deliver 2 flavors of water

Researchers found unique changes in hydrogen and boron isotopes in submarine volcanic glass near subduction zones, indicating ancient oceanic slabs can return to the upper mantle and interact with modern seawater. This discovery suggests hydrogen diffusion rates in the deep Earth may be slower than expected.

SourceCarnegie Institution for Science·JournalNature Geoscience·DateFeb 26, 2012