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Science News Archive March 2013 - Page 13


Page 13 of 30

University of Maryland School of Medicine finds depression stems from miscommunication between brain cells

A new study challenges the long-held explanation that depression is caused by insufficient serotonin levels. Instead, researchers found that abnormal communication between brain cells is the root cause of depression. This discovery opens possibilities for new therapies targeting excitatory connections rather than serotonin.

SourceUniversity of Maryland Medical Center·JournalNature Neuroscience·DateMar 18, 2013

NASA sees leaping lunar dust

Researchers found a new class of dust motion on the moon, where charged particles swarm like bees around partially shaded regions. This phenomenon creates oscillations over 1-10 meter-sized shaded regions, with dust bouncing back and forth between sunlit areas.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·JournalAdvances in Space Research·DateMar 18, 2013

New database to speed genetic discoveries

PhenoDB is a new online database that enables clinicians to document cases of unusual genetic diseases, which can then be analyzed by researchers. The database captures standardized information about a person's phenotype, including symptoms and family history, to help understand the genetic variations involved.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalHuman Mutation·DateMar 18, 2013

Similar neuro outcomes in preterm infants with low-grade brain bleeding as infants with no bleeding

A recent study found that preterm infants with low-grade brain bleeding have similar neurodevelopmental outcomes as those with no bleeding. The study analyzed 1472 extremely preterm infants and found that those with grade 1 or 2 PIVH did not have an increased incidence of poor outcomes compared to infants without PIVH.

Electrons are not enough: Cuprate superconductors defy convention

Researchers have found that cuprate superconductors, known for carrying electrical current without resistance, cannot be fully explained by the traditional concept of Luttinger's theorem, which states that electrons carry current. This discovery reveals that there must be alternative explanations beyond electron behavior.

Putting the clock in 'cock-a-doodle-doo'

A study published in Current Biology found that roosters' crowing is entrained to a circadian rhythm, meaning it follows a natural daily cycle. The researchers used constant light conditions and recorders to observe the birds' behavior, confirming that predawn crowing depends on an internal clock.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateMar 18, 2013

Blind flies without recycling

Studies on the fruit fly Drosophila show that blind flies can't see due to histamine recycling in glial cells. Flies lacking Ebony and Tan genes have impaired vision, but those with Black mutations still struggle to see without histamine recycling. Further research is needed to understand the role of enzyme Black in vision.

SourceRuhr-University Bochum·JournalJournal of Comparative Neurology·DateMar 18, 2013

Where, oh where, has the road kill gone?

A study published in Current Biology reveals that cliff swallows have decreased their mortality rates due to road collisions over the past three decades. The birds with longer-than-average wingspans are more likely to collide with vehicles, indicating that shorter-winged birds may be adapting to reduce fatalities.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateMar 18, 2013

AAN issues updated sports concussion guideline

The AAN has released an evidence-based guideline for evaluating and managing athletes with suspected concussions. The new guideline emphasizes that any athlete suspected of experiencing a concussion should immediately be removed from play, and recommends concussion and return to play assessments be done individually. Athletes under hig...

SourceAmerican Academy of Neurology·JournalNeurology·DateMar 18, 2013

Programmed destruction

A recent Weizmann Institute study has discovered that caspase 8 signaling enzymes, which were previously thought to only induce programmed cell death, can also activate an entirely different process in certain cells - causing inflammation more directly. This finding highlights the need for further research into the signals transmitted ...

SourceWeizmann Institute of Science·JournalImmunity·DateMar 18, 2013

Transistor in the fly antenna

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology discovered that insect odorant receptors are self-regulated, allowing them to amplify sensitivity in response to below-threshold odor stimulation. This mechanism enables flies to detect minute amounts of odors, essential for navigation and finding resources.

Gone but not forgotten: Yearning for lost loved ones linked to altered thinking about the future

A new study published in Clinical Psychological Science found that adults suffering from complicated grief retain their ability to recall specific memories of their past when those events involve the deceased. They often generate impossible future scenarios with the deceased relative to their difficulty imagining a realistic future.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalClinical Psychological Science·DateMar 18, 2013