Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News Archive November 2012 - Page 4


Page 4 of 23

Order of psychiatric diagnoses may influence how clinicians identify symptoms

Researchers found that the order of symptoms matters more for clinicians' descriptions of disorders that are different than those that overlap. This contradicts the assumption that order doesn't matter in psychiatric diagnoses. The study's findings have implications for bringing classification and clinical practice closer together.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalClinical Psychological Science·DateNov 28, 2012

Risk of childhood obesity can be predicted at birth

Researchers developed a simple formula to predict a child's likelihood of becoming obese in childhood based on their birth weight, parents' body mass index, household size, mother's professional status, and smoking during pregnancy. The formula proved accurate in predicting obesity risk in infants born in Finland and other countries.

SourceImperial College London·JournalPLOS ONE·DateNov 28, 2012

Skeletons in cave reveal Mediterranean secrets

Researchers discovered that modern humans first settled in Sicily around the time of the last ice age, with a diet consisting mainly of terrestrial animals. Genetic analysis revealed the peopling of Sicily occurred at 19,000-26,500 years ago, when sea levels were low enough to expose a land bridge.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateNov 28, 2012

The music of the silks

Researchers at MIT have created new materials inspired by spider silk and music, offering a potential solution for designing new biosynthetic materials. By analyzing the structural elements of music, they were able to predict the properties of new protein-based fibers, leading to the creation of stronger and more flexible materials.

Implantable silk optics multi-task in the body

The devices offer significant improvement in tissue imaging while simultaneously enabling photo thermal therapy, administering drugs and monitoring drug delivery. The biodegradable and biocompatible micro-mirrors dissolve harmlessly at predetermined rates, requiring no surgery to remove them.

SourceTufts University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 28, 2012