Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News for October 31, 2013


Patients' 'immune fingerprints' may help diagnose bacterial infections and guide treatment

A new study found that a patient's immune response may provide better insights into bacterial infections than conventional tests, leading to more accurate diagnoses and appropriate antibiotic treatment. The research identified unique 'immune fingerprints' associated with certain pathogens and predicted the nature of the infection.

SourceAmerican Society of Nephrology·JournalJournal of the American Society of Nephrology·DateOct 31, 2013

Leading cause of heart disease ignored in North America's poorest communities

Researchers say Chagas disease remains a leading cause of heart disease in impoverished North American communities, with inadequate healthcare and limited treatment options available. The editorial calls for increased medical awareness, scientific cooperation, and public-private partnerships to develop new tools and treatments.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases·DateOct 31, 2013

Is global heating hiding out in the oceans?

A new study reconstructs Pacific Ocean temperatures over the last 10,000 years and finds that middle-depth waters have warmed 15 times faster than natural fluctuations. This suggests that oceans may be storing heat from human emissions, potentially buying time before climate change accelerates.

SourceColumbia Climate School·JournalScience·DateOct 31, 2013

Study tracks risk of VL exposure in Brazil's urban areas

Visceral Leishmaniasis is a severe disease causing spleen, liver, and bone marrow damage if untreated. In Brazil's largest cities, like Belo Horizonte, VL cases are on the rise, with high fatality rates despite available diagnosis and treatment.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases·DateOct 31, 2013

Defective nanotubes turned into light emitters

UPV/EHU researchers have developed a new source of light emitter based on defective boron nitride nanotubes, which can emit light across the whole spectrum from infrared to far ultraviolet and control it in a simple way. The device functions on the basis of natural defects in the nanotube, enabling controlled emission.

SourceElhuyar Fundazioa·JournalScientific Reports·DateOct 31, 2013

Scent marking

A study found that scent marking increases males' mating and reproductive success, as females prefer to mate with males who deposit more conspicuous scent marks. However, surprisingly, female mice tend to socialize with lower-marking males, suggesting a complex relationship between scent marking and social behavior.

SourceUniversity of Veterinary Medicine -- Vienna·JournalAnimal Behaviour·DateOct 31, 2013

Study gives Catholic schools poor marks

Catholic schools do not offer superior academic performance compared to public schools, according to a national study led by Michigan State University. The study found that math scores for Catholic students dropped between kindergarten and eighth grade, while public school students showed slight improvements.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalJournal of Urban Economics·DateOct 31, 2013

A new way to monitor induced comas

Researchers have developed a computerized system that can track patients' brain activity and automatically adjust drug dosages to maintain the correct state during medically induced comas. The system uses EEG patterns and real-time feedback to optimize anesthesia levels, eliminating the need for constant monitoring by nurses.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateOct 31, 2013

New techniques produce cleanest graphene yet

Researchers create cleanest graphene by making electrical contact only along its 1D edge and using a contamination-free assembly technique. This results in improved performance, including high electron mobility and low sheet resistivity, making it suitable for electronic devices.

SourceColumbia University·JournalScience·DateOct 31, 2013

Low-frequency rTMS prevents chronic epileptic seizure

A study by Prof. Xiaoming Wang and team found that low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) suppressed electrical activity in epileptic rats, leading to improved nonlinear electroencephalographic parameters. This suggests a potential antiepileptic effect of low-frequency rTMS in treating chronic epilepsy.

SourceNeural Regeneration Research·JournalNeural Regeneration Research·DateOct 31, 2013

Scientists modify Botox for the treatment of pain

Researchers develop a new molecule combining elements of Botox and tetanus toxin to alleviate inflammatory pain, offering potential relief for chronic pain conditions and epilepsy. The engineered molecule could improve quality of life for those suffering from chronic pain with a single injection providing prolonged pain relief.

SourceUniversity of Sheffield·JournalBioconjugate Chemistry·DateOct 31, 2013

New knowledge about serious muscle disease

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have made significant discoveries about muscular dystrophy, a collective term for neuromuscular disorders affecting 3,000 people in Denmark. The study found that proteins with attached sugar molecules, specifically mannose, play a key role in the disease's progression.

SourceUniversity of Copenhagen·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 31, 2013

Supreme Court's Obamacare decision established new limits on federal authority, IU paper says

A new paper by Tim Lemper argues that the Supreme Court's decision in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius established new limits on Congress' power to regulate commerce and use federal funds to coerce states. The court's decision placed groundbreaking limits on federal regulation, setting a precedent for future cases.

SourceIndiana University·JournalBusiness Horizons·DateOct 31, 2013

Can Aβ worsen cognitive impairment following cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury?

Researchers found that amyloid beta-peptide worsened cognitive impairment following cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by inducing glycogen synthase kinase 3β and protein phosphatase 2A activity, resulting in tau protein phosphorylation. This study suggests a potential link between Alzheimer's disease and cerebral ischemia.

SourceNeural Regeneration Research·JournalNeural Regeneration Research·DateOct 31, 2013

US policy should encourage highly skilled, foreign Ph.D. students to stay, CU-led study finds

A CU-led study suggests that attracting and retaining highly skilled foreign Ph.D. students can revitalize innovation and economic growth in the US. The researchers found that increased student diversity boosts innovative research and that high-performing foreign-born Ph.D. students improve the creation of knowledge in US universities.

NYU study on incarcerated youth shows potential to lower anti-social behavior and recidivism

A NYU study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that mindfulness training, combined with cognitive behavioral therapy, improved attentional task performance in incarcerated adolescents. The intervention showed a protective effect on youths' attentional capacity, leading to better self-control and reduced anti-social behavior.

SourceNew York University·JournalFrontiers in Psychology·DateOct 31, 2013

Can putting your child before yourself make you a happier person?

A study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science found that more child-centric parents experience higher happiness and a sense of purpose from having children. This contradicts popular media claims, suggesting that prioritizing children's well-being can actually improve parental well-being.

SourceSAGE·JournalSocial Psychological and Personality Science·DateOct 31, 2013

New stem cells go back further

Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science have successfully created induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) that can be kept in a pristine state, paving the way for growing transplant organs to order. The breakthrough enables the production of 'humanized' mouse models containing human-derived tissues.

Dogs know a left-sided wag from a right

Dogs exhibit asymmetric brain organization, with left-brain activation linked to right-tail wagging and right-brain activation tied to left-tail wagging. This difference affects emotional responses in dogs, who display anxious behavior when seeing a dog with a left-tail wag and relaxed responses when seeing a dog with a right-tail wag.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateOct 31, 2013

Biochemists find incomplete protein digestion is a useful thing for some bacteria

Researchers found that partial degradation of a DNA replication protein is necessary for the survival of Caulobacter crescentus. The energy-dependent protease ClpXP generates specific-sized fragments required for normal growth and DNA repair, challenging previous assumptions about protein digestion in bacteria.

SourceUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 31, 2013