Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News for November 29, 2012


New grant funds autism research at SDSU

A four-year $600,000 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health will support an SDSU scientist's research on brain network connectivity in autistic children and adolescents. The study aims to understand how atypical brain connections link to impaired social functioning in children with autism.

Musical duets lock brains as well as rhythms

A study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience found that musical duets show coordinated brain oscillations, even when playing different voices of the same song. This suggests a direct neural basis for interpersonal coordination, with synchronized brain activity observed in regions associated with social cognition and music production.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Human Neuroscience·DateNov 29, 2012

Prenatal intervention reduces learning deficit in mice

Researchers at NIH/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development found that prenatal intervention with neuroprotective peptides reduces learning deficits in mice with Down syndrome-like characteristics. The study suggests potential therapeutic benefits for individuals with Down syndrome.

6 faculty named Fellows of AAAS

Six Penn State faculty members have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, including Peter Hudson, Soundar Kumara, Andrew Read, Nitin Samarth, Matthew Thomas, and Karl Zimmerer. They were recognized for their research in various fields, including wildlife disease ecology, interdisciplinary indust...

Clinical trial delivers good results in leukemia patients

A phase I clinical trial has shown that ponatinib is highly active against patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic lymphoma who have developed resistance to standard treatments. The study's findings suggest that ponatinib will expand the therapeutic armamentarium for these patients.

SourceUniversity of Utah Health·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateNov 29, 2012

Predicting material fatigue

Scientists have created a novel concept for self-reporting materials that utilize zinc oxide tetrapod crystals to detect internal damages in composite materials. The resulting composite material exhibits improved strength and emits light when exposed to UV light, providing a visual warning of potential failure.

SourceTechnical University of Munich (TUM)·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateNov 29, 2012

Next-generation treatments for Fragile X syndrome

A new study has identified a potential therapeutic mechanism for Fragile X syndrome, which is the most common heritable form of autism and intellectual disability. Researchers have found that blocking the serotonin 7 receptor may reverse synaptic plasticity in mice with FXS, suggesting a new approach to treatment.

SourceElsevier·JournalBiological Psychiatry·DateNov 29, 2012

'Dark core' may not be so dark after all

Astronomers have found that a merging galaxy cluster's 'dark core' does not appear to be over-dense in dark matter. The study uses improved Hubble camera capabilities to map the cluster's dark matter distribution, with a ratio of 2.5 to 1 of dark matter to normal matter, aligning with expectations.

SourceOhio University·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·DateNov 29, 2012

Feeding the world fairly

A multidisciplinary group of scholars at Johns Hopkins University aims to develop guidelines for fair access to good food, addressing disparities in global nutrition. The project seeks moral common ground among experts and stakeholders from various fields.

As cigarette taxes go up, heavy smoking goes down

A recent study found that heavy smokers who experienced significant price hikes from increased taxes reduced their smoking by an average of 35% more than lighter smokers. This suggests that higher taxes can lead to a substantial decrease in smoking behaviors among the most heavy users, which is a positive development for public health.

SourceWashU Medicine·JournalTobacco Control·DateNov 29, 2012

Mild vibrations may provide some of the same benefits to obese people as exercise

A new study suggests that daily exposure to low-magnitude mechanical signals partially rescues B- and T-cell populations damaged by obesity, improving immune function. Brief daily vibration interventions showed promise in obese mice, potentially leading to a cheap and drug-free way for people to regain health.

Marketing analytics ups Fortune 1000 return on assets 8 percent, says operations research study

A recent study finds that Fortune 1000 companies using marketing analytics see an average 8% increase in return on assets, with potential gains of $70-180 million in net income. The research highlights the key role of management support and analytics skills in successful marketing analytics deployments.

SourceInstitute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences·JournalInternational Journal of Research in Marketing·DateNov 29, 2012

Alcoholic fly larvae need fix for learning

Research reveals that fly larvae fed alcohol-spiked food exhibit lasting changes in brain function, even after abstinence. This study provides insights into the neural mechanisms underlying ethanol dependence and its evolutionary roots.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateNov 29, 2012

Autism severity may stem from fear

A study by Brigham Young University found a strong correlation between the persistence of fears and the severity of classic symptoms of autism. Children with autism took longer to extinguish their original fear in response to a changing visual cue, highlighting the need to help them make emotional transitions.

SourceBrigham Young University·JournalAutism Research·DateNov 29, 2012

Birds may spread, not halt, fever-bearing ticks

A Turkish biologist's review of existing scientific literature suggests that releasing non-native guineafowl in Turkey to eat ticks may actually spread the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus. The birds carry ticks on their feathers, which could facilitate the spread of the disease despite initial intentions.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalTrends in Parasitology·DateNov 29, 2012

First-ever hyperspectral images of Earth's auroras

A new hyperspectral camera has captured the first-ever images of auroras, revealing a previously unknown atmospheric phenomenon. The camera's unprecedented capabilities have enabled scientists to study auroras in unprecedented clarity, revealing subtle changes in atmospheric behavior.

SourceOptica·JournalOptics Express·DateNov 29, 2012

Researchers create a fly to study how a normal cell turns cancerous

Scientists at IRB Barcelona created a Drosophila melanogaster fly model that reproduces the steps of healthy cell transformation into cancer. The model can help identify genes and molecules involved in cancer progression, potentially leading to specific treatments for cells with genomic instability.

SourceInstitute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 29, 2012

Clearest evidence yet of polar ice losses

An international team of satellite experts has produced the most accurate assessment of ice losses from Antarctica and Greenland to date, confirming both regions are losing ice. The study reveals that melting of the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets has contributed significantly to global sea level rise over the past two decades.

SourceUniversity of Leeds·JournalScience·DateNov 29, 2012

University of Tennessee engineering professor looks to whirligig beetle for bio-inspired robots

A team of researchers led by Professor Mingjun Zhang discovered the secret behind the whirligig beetle's high propulsive efficiency, which inspired the development of energy-efficient propulsion mechanisms for swimming vehicles and robots. The key to the beetle's efficiency lies in its unique leg functions, alternative patterns of leg ...

SourceUniversity of Tennessee at Knoxville·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateNov 29, 2012

Greener storage for green energy

A team of Harvard engineers and chemists are working on a one-year, $600,000 grant from ARPA-E to develop a new type of storage battery that uses eco-friendly small organic molecules. The technology aims to make stationary energy storage cost-effective, enabling wind and solar power to displace fossil fuels more widely.

Study shows increase in negative messages about Muslims in the media

A new study by a University of North Carolina sociologist found that organizations spreading negative messages about Muslims have gained traction in the media, stoking public fears and anti-Muslim sentiment. The research tracked over 50,000 TV transcripts and newspaper articles from 2001 to 2008, revealing a significant rise in negativ...

SourceAmerican Sociological Association·JournalAmerican Sociological Review·DateNov 29, 2012

Brief interventions can help college students return to a healthy lifestyle

A new study from the University of Missouri found that brief interventions, as short as 30 minutes, can significantly improve exercise habits in college students. Participants who received personalized feedback and set health goals reported increased physical activity compared to those who did not receive the intervention.

SourceUniversity of Missouri-Columbia·JournalJournal of Physical Activity and Health·DateNov 29, 2012