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Science News for July 17, 2013


Outgoing people lead happier lives

Research at University of Southampton reveals that youthful extroversion and emotional stability significantly influence happiness and well-being in later adulthood. Neuroticism, on the other hand, is linked to poorer mental health outcomes.

SourceUniversity of Southampton·JournalJournal of Research in Personality·DateJul 17, 2013

Plant-eating dinosaurs replaced teeth often, carried spares

Sauropod dinosaurs like Diplodocus and Camarasaurus replaced their teeth frequently, with some species replacing up to one tooth every 62 days. This constant growth and replacement was likely caused by the high amount of plant food they consumed, which led to extensive tooth wear.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateJul 17, 2013

Birds and humans have similar brain wiring

A team of researchers from Imperial College London has developed a map of a typical bird brain, showing how different regions are connected to process information. They discovered that areas important for high-level cognition, such as long-term memory and problem-solving, have similar wiring patterns to those in human brains.

SourceImperial College London·JournalFrontiers in Computational Neuroscience·DateJul 17, 2013

PFC exposure tied to altered thyroid function

Research links perfluorinated chemical (PFC) exposure to changes in thyroid function, particularly in women, with elevated levels of T3 and T4 hormones. PFCs found in various products may increase the risk of mild hypothyroidism without triggering a natural hormonal response.

SourceThe Endocrine Society·JournalThe Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism·DateJul 17, 2013

A heart of gold

Researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed gold nanofibers that can mimic the heart's coordinated electrical system, increasing the viability of transplanted cardiac tissues. This innovation could lead to new treatment options for patients with damaged heart tissue after a heart attack.

SourceAmerican Friends of Tel Aviv University·JournalJournal of Materials Chemistry B·DateJul 17, 2013

Southern California crustacean sand-dwellers suffering localized extinctions

Two species of small beach critters, cousins of the roly-poly, are suffering localized extinctions in Southern California. Their disappearance suggests a looming threat to similar sand-dwelling animals across the state and world. The research highlights the impact of development, climate change, and sea level rise on these ecosystems.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalEstuarine Coastal and Shelf Science·DateJul 17, 2013

No benefit from oxytocin treatment for autism

A large study led by researchers at the University of New South Wales found that oxytocin nasal spray did not improve symptoms of children with autism. The study suggests caution in recommending oxytocin as a general treatment for young people with autism, possibly due to impaired oxytocin receptor systems.

SourceUniversity of New South Wales·JournalJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·DateJul 17, 2013

Accurate prognosis for epilepsy patients

Scientists at Bonn University Hospital and MPI Cologne developed a method to predict temporal lobe epilepsy surgery success rates, achieving 96% accuracy for female patients and 94% for males. The algorithm assesses brain images to differentiate between seizure-free and non-seizure-free patients.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalNeuroImage·DateJul 17, 2013

Splitting donated livers shown to be safe, allowing doctors to save 2 lives from single organ

Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital found that split liver transplantation carries no increased risk of failure in recipients, allowing surgeons to save young patients and adults. By allocating infants and small children first and splitting available livers, doctors can virtually eliminate waitlist mortality for children.

SourceBoston Children's Hospital·JournalJournal of the American College of Surgeons·DateJul 17, 2013

Bodychecking rules don't reduce concussions in elite hockey

Research published in PLOS ONE found that bodychecking rules didn't decrease concussions in elite hockey. Concussions were caused by body-checking 64% of the time, while illegal incidents accounted for only 28%. The authors suggest stricter enforcement or additional rule changes may be needed to reduce injury risk.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateJul 17, 2013

NTU scientists hit the target

Scientists at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have developed a new technique called Cellular Thermal Shift Assay (CETSA) that can accurately determine if a drug has reached its target protein in the human body. This breakthrough method will help reduce the costly and time-consuming trial-and-error process of drug development.

Cost of treating dizziness in the emergency room soars

A new study finds that half a billion dollars could be saved annually by using bedside physical exams to identify patients who truly need imaging tests instead of routine head CT scans. Emergency room physicians can confidently diagnose benign inner-ear disorders, freeing up resources for those who need stroke diagnosis.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalAcademic Emergency Medicine·DateJul 17, 2013

How rice twice became a crop and twice became a weed -- and what it means for the future

Evolutionary biologist Kenneth Olsen has examined the genetics of hull color in rice, finding that different mutations underlie the emergence of traits in both cultivated and weedy forms. The findings suggest that crops reverted to wild forms by reversing genetic changes, but with a more complex history than initially thought.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalJournal of Evolutionary Biology·DateJul 17, 2013

The key to ion beams' polarizability

Theorists Volker Koch and Dirk Andrae have devised formulas to calculate the polarizability of atomic ions as a function of their total charge number. This breakthrough enables accurate calculations for series of multi-electron ions, with implications for applications such as semiconductor manufacturing and planetary atmosphere modeling.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal D·DateJul 17, 2013

Uncovering a healthier remedy for chronic pain

A Duke University study found that a compound called neuroprotectin D1 can relieve neuropathic pain caused by nerve injuries. The derivative of DHA, a main ingredient of fish oil supplements, inhibits the production of cytokines and chemokines, protecting nerve cells from further damage.

SourceDuke University·JournalAnnals of Neurology·DateJul 17, 2013

Sex and BC East Asian teenagers

A new study by University of British Columbia researchers found that East Asian adolescents in BC who are sexually active may engage in high-risk behaviors, including alcohol and drug use before sex. The top reasons for abstinence were not feeling ready and wanting to meet the right person.

SourceUniversity of British Columbia·JournalThe Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality·DateJul 17, 2013

Ripped apart by a black hole

Astronomers observe VLT's real-time data of a gas cloud accelerating towards the Milky Way's supermassive black hole. The cloud is being grossly stretched by the black hole's extreme gravitational field, with its light becoming harder to see.

SourceESO·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·DateJul 17, 2013