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Science News for February 19, 2013


Buying ad time just got easier

A new model predicts when consumers use media and even when they use two or more at a time, leading to improved ad buying accuracy. The study finds that people spend about 35% of their time consuming media, with TV being the most popular outlet.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalMarketing Science·DateFeb 19, 2013

Novel trading system could help fund global health

A novel global trading system based on cost-effectiveness of health interventions is proposed to help fund global health. The system, which exchanges DALY credits, aims to incentivize high-income countries to scale up their health commitments and meet the Millennium Development Goals.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateFeb 19, 2013

Towards a new moth perfume

Researchers from Lund University have identified a single gene mutation that produces an entirely new scent in moths. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient and environmentally friendly pest control methods.

SourceLund University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 19, 2013

Study shows that diet of resistant starch helps the body resist colorectal cancer

A University of Colorado Cancer Center review found that resistant starch kills pre-cancerous cells and reduces inflammation, promoting the growth of good bugs in the bowel. Consuming resistant starch, found in legumes, green bananas, and starchy products, may also have implications for breast cancer prevention.

SourceUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus·JournalCurrent Opinion in Gastroenterology·DateFeb 19, 2013

That's the way the droplets adhere

MIT researchers have developed a new method to study droplet adhesion using a modified scanning electron microscope. They found that the angle of a droplet's leading and trailing edges relative to a surface plays a crucial role in determining whether it sticks, and that surface texture on rough surfaces can either improve or worsen adh...

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalNature Communications·DateFeb 19, 2013

We know when we're being lazy thinkers

Researchers found that participants are conscious of substituting harder questions with easier ones, but still uncertain about their answers. This suggests they are not 'happy fools' who blindly answer incorrectly.

SourceSpringer·JournalPsychonomic Bulletin & Review·DateFeb 19, 2013

Artful science

University of Delaware professor John Jungck emphasizes the intersection of art and science, using natural patterns and visualization tools to reveal hidden information in fields like plant biology and biomedical imaging. His research and teaching emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration and imagination.

New approach alters malaria maps

Researchers found that hourly temperature data provides a more accurate estimate of malaria parasite development rate than mean monthly temperatures. This approach has implications for understanding and predicting malaria transmission risk in different climates and regions.

SourcePenn State·JournalScientific Reports·DateFeb 19, 2013

Rewriting a receptor's role

Researchers at UC San Diego found that glutamate binding to NMDA receptors causes conformational changes leading to weakened synapses and impaired brain function. Beta amyloid peptide also weakens synapses by causing similar conformational changes.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 19, 2013

Don't trust liposomes in your beauty products

Researchers from University of Southern Denmark used RICS technique to investigate liposome movement on skin. They found that liposomes are destroyed before entering the skin and spilling their cargo of active ingredients. The study advises against trusting claims about liposomes carrying active ingredients into the skin.

SourceUniversity of Southern Denmark·JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology·DateFeb 19, 2013

How the whale got its teeth

A multidisciplinary team of researchers investigated how whales got their teeth by analyzing the fossil record and embryonic development process. They found that whales evolved simpler teeth around 30 million years ago, which are shaped by proteins BMP4 and FGF8 during development.

SourcePeerJ·JournalPeerJ·DateFeb 19, 2013

How predictable is evolution?

Researchers found that identical mutations led to the evolution of specialized physiologies in three different populations of E. coli. The study suggests that negative frequency dependence plays a key role in driving diversification, and highlights the potential for predictability in evolutionary processes.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateFeb 19, 2013

Unplanned hospitalization more likely in people with several illnesses, mental health conditions

A study of over 180,000 people in Scotland found that those with multiple chronic health conditions and mental illness had significantly higher rates of unplanned hospital admissions. The risk was further increased among those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, highlighting the need for better coordinated care and prioritization of ...

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·DateFeb 19, 2013

Is there a link between childhood obesity and ADHD, learning disabilities?

A University of Illinois study found a possible link between high-fat diets and childhood brain-based conditions like ADHD and memory-dependent learning disabilities. High-fat diets triggered anxious behaviors and learning deficiencies in juvenile mice, which were reversed by methylphenidate treatment.

Using mouthrinse reduces plaque and gingivitis more than toothbrushing alone

A six-month study published in General Dentistry found that using a germ-killing mouthrinse twice daily significantly reduced plaque and gingivitis compared to brushing alone. The study involved 139 adults with mild to moderate plaque and gingivitis, showing a 26.3% reduction in plaque and a 20.4% reduction in gingivitis.

SourceAcademy of General Dentistry·JournalEuropean Journal of General Dentistry·DateFeb 19, 2013

NYU's Shedlin publishes study on the health of Colombian refugees in Ecuador

A recent study by NYU's Michele Shedlin documents food and housing insecurity, lack of adequate healthcare, and the impact of prior violence and current stigma & discrimination on mental and physical health. The research highlights the urgent need for identifying specific health risks experienced by mobile and displaced populations.

SourceNew York University·JournalJournal of Immigrant and Minority Health·DateFeb 19, 2013