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Science News for July 2, 2013


The ribosome -- a new target for antiprion medicines

Researchers at Uppsala University have identified the ribosome as a key player in prion diseases, such as mad cow disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The discovery suggests that antiprion medicines targeting the ribosome's protein folding activity may be effective in treating these fatal neurodegenerative diseases.

SourceUppsala University·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·DateJul 2, 2013

Mental disorders in 13.5 percent of Canadian Forces personnel deployed to Afghanistan

A study published in CMAJ found that 13.5% of Canadian Forces personnel who served in support of the Afghanistan mission between 2001-08 had a mental health disorder related to their deployment. The most common disorders were posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, with PTSD being found in 8% of personnel.

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·DateJul 2, 2013

Inflammation links social adversity and diabetes

Research finds that socioeconomic status is strongly associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, with chronic inflammation being a key mediator. The study analyzed data from the Whitehall II cohort study, which followed over 10,000 British civil servants since the mid-1980s.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateJul 2, 2013

Music to a gambler's ears

Researchers found that winning sounds on slot machines make gambling more exciting and cause players to overestimate their number of wins. Sounds also contribute to the 'disguise' in losses disguised as wins, causing players to think they have won more often than they actually have.

SourceSpringer·JournalJournal of Gambling Studies·DateJul 2, 2013

Dissecting the distinctive walk of disease

Researchers propose a new motion test that examines various walking features in healthy and clinical populations, identifying critical changes in mobility. The study uses advanced mathematical computations to extract data from accelerometer signals, showing significant differences between healthy and clinical groups.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalIEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering·DateJul 2, 2013

Bat maps: The conservation crusade

Researchers at the University of Leeds have created the most detailed large-scale habitat suitability maps for bats in the UK, using echolocation calls from over 15,000 bats across 120 walks in the Lake District. The maps reveal subtle changes in bat habitats due to urbanization and provide insights into ecosystem health.

SourceUniversity of Leeds·JournalJournal of Applied Ecology·DateJul 2, 2013

Gene therapy cures a severe paediatric neurodegenerative disease in animal models

A new gene therapy treatment has been developed to cure Sanfilippo Syndrome type A in animal models by introducing the sulfamidase enzyme into cells, eliminating glycosaminoglican accumulation and associated neuroinflammation. The treatment has shown promising results in mice and dogs, with improved behavior and life expectancy.

SourceUniversitat Autonoma de Barcelona·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJul 2, 2013

Happily married means a healthier ever after

A new BYU study tracks health and marriage quality over 20 years, finding that happy marriages have a preventative component that keeps individuals in good health. The research suggests that marital conflict is a risk factor for poor health, emphasizing the importance of couples seeking professional help to reduce conflict.

SourceBrigham Young University·JournalJournal of Marriage and Family·DateJul 2, 2013

Are thoughts of death conducive to humor?

A new study by Long and Greenwood suggests that thinking about death can increase humorous creativity as a defense mechanism against anxiety. In the experiment, students who were subconsciously primed with the word 'death' wrote funnier captions than those who consciously wrote about it.

SourceDe Gruyter·JournalHumor - International Journal of Humor Research·DateJul 2, 2013

AGU journal highlights -- 2 July 2013

Research finds that 30% of excess energy from human-caused greenhouse effect warms the deep ocean, while a new study predicts an increase in hurricanes hitting western Europe as sea surface temperatures rise. Scientists also identify changes in wind patterns and volcanic eruptions as factors driving this warming trend.

SourceAmerican Geophysical Union·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·DateJul 2, 2013

Hijacking stress response in cancer

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that NRF2 signaling plays a role in regulating cell metabolism, leading to increased energy production and tumor cell proliferation. The study demonstrates the importance of targeting Nrf2 with small molecule inhibitors to intervene in therapeutic resistance.

SourceJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJul 2, 2013

Workers at industrial farms carry drug-resistant bacteria associated with livestock

A new study found that industrial livestock workers in North Carolina carry drug-resistant bacteria associated with livestock, including Staphylococcus aureus. The bacteria are resistant to multiple antibiotics and were more prevalent among workers exposed to industrial operations, which use antibiotics in animal feed and water.

IVF for male infertility linked to increased risk of intellectual disability and autism in children

Researchers found that IVF treatments for severe male infertility are associated with a small increased risk of intellectual disability (18%) but not autism. ICSI procedures, particularly those involving surgically extracted sperm and fresh embryos, carry a higher risk of intellectual disability and autism.

SourceKing's College London·JournalJournal of the American Medical Association·DateJul 2, 2013

Non-invasive brain stimulation helps stroke patients gain prolonged language recovery

Researchers developed a non-invasive brain stimulation technique using transcranial magnetic stimulation to improve language function in stroke patients with chronic aphasia. The technique demonstrated long-term improvement in language production, enabling continued development of language capacity months after treatment.

SourceThe Journal of Visualized Experiments·JournalJournal of Visualized Experiments·DateJul 2, 2013

Brain sets prices with emotional value

A study by Duke University researchers has discovered that the brain's ventromedial prefrontal cortex, a small area between the eyes, calculates both emotional and economic values. The vmPFC plays a key role in value tradeoffs, such as determining whether to part with hard-earned money for a product.

Fishing in the sea of proteins

For the first time, a large complex of proteins and RNA has been identified in chloroplasts, which cuts non-coding regions out of messenger RNA to create a protein blueprint. The study reveals that this splicing complex contains 23 different proteins encoded in the cell nucleus.

SourceRuhr-University Bochum·JournalMolecular & Cellular Proteomics·DateJul 2, 2013

Why do we gesticulate?

Studies of early development in fishes reveal a single compartment in the hindbrain controlling vocal and pectoral mechanisms, which may explain why humans use hand gestures when speaking. This neural connection could be key to understanding the evolution of language.

Smoking cessation, weight gain, and subsequent CHD risk

Researchers found that smoking cessation lowered the risk of coronary heart disease among postmenopausal women with and without diabetes. However, weight gain after quitting weakened this association, particularly for women who gained 11 lbs or more, according to a study using data from the Women's Health Initiative.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA·DateJul 2, 2013