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Science News Archive September 2013


Page 1 of 32

International 'war' on illegal drugs is failing to curb supply

The global supply of illicit drugs has likely not been reduced in the past two decades, with street prices falling and purity/potency increasing. This study analyzed data from seven international surveillance systems to conclude that law enforcement efforts are failing to curb supply and contribute to violence and public health issues.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalBMJ Open·DateSep 30, 2013

The State of Oncology 2013

A new report from ECCO highlights the growing burden of cancer worldwide, with India, China, and Nigeria expected to see dramatic increases in cases due to population growth and lifestyle changes. The report calls for a major public-private partnership to improve cancer care and outcomes globally.

Depression and mental health services usage

A new study found that over half of Ontarians with major depression did not use physician-based mental health services, highlighting a gap in accessing clinician-based care. Research suggests that women are more likely to seek help and that cultural and stigma barriers may contribute to underutilization.

SourceSt. Michael's Hospital·JournalHealth·DateSep 30, 2013

Optical sensors improve railway safety

A recent study tested fiber-optic sensors on a 36-km stretch of high-speed commuter railroad lines in Hong Kong, detecting over 10 million measurements and identifying anomalies such as excessive vibrations and mechanical defects. The system saves the rail company around $250,000 annually in maintenance costs.

SourceOptica·DateSep 30, 2013

UC Davis researchers discover a biological link between diabetes and heart disease

A recent study published in Nature reveals that high blood sugar levels can cause irregular heartbeats, or cardiac arrhythmia, by activating a protein called CaMKII. The researchers found that O-GlcNAc, a sugar molecule, attaches to CaMKII and causes it to become overactive, leading to pathological changes in the heart's calcium signal...

Climate change: Fast out of the gate, slow to the finish the gate

A recent study published in Environmental Research Letters suggests that about half of global warming occurs within the first decade after an instantaneous step increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration, while about one-quarter occurs more than a century later. The research brings together results from leading climate models, revealing...

SourceCarnegie Institution for Science·JournalEnvironmental Research Letters·DateSep 30, 2013

New study shows blood test detected cancer metastasis

Researchers have developed a new blood test that can detect cancer metastasis in dogs by analyzing cell-free DNA in blood plasma. The test has shown promising results in detecting minimal residual disease and tracking tumor progression, with potential implications for human cancer treatment.

SourceCG Life·JournalPLOS ONE·DateSep 30, 2013

Medicare plans understate risky prescribing rates

A study by Brown University researchers found that Medicare Advantage health plans significantly understated their rate of high-risk medication prescriptions. The average plan reported a 5.8 percentage point difference in favor, resulting in about 500,000 more seniors receiving high-risk medications than reported.

SourceBrown University·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·DateSep 30, 2013

Liquid biopsy could improve cancer diagnosis and treatment

Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a microfluidic chip that can capture elusive circulating tumor cells from blood, supporting their growth for further analysis. This technology has the potential to revolutionize cancer diagnosis and treatment by providing accurate prognoses and testing treatment options on cultur...

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateSep 30, 2013

The immune system benefits from life in the countryside

Research from Aarhus University shows that exposure to a farming environment can prevent or dampen hypersensitivities and allergies, even in adults. The study found that working in farming environments stimulates the immune system, dampening its response to environmental irritants, which may trigger hypersensitivity.

SourceAarhus University·JournalJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology·DateSep 30, 2013

UCLA engineers develop new metabolic pathway to more efficiently convert sugars into biofuels

Researchers at UCLA have created a synthetic metabolic pathway that converts all six glucose carbon atoms into three molecules of acetyl-CoA without losing any as carbon dioxide. This breakthrough could lead to a significant increase in the production of biofuels, with potential applications in biorefineries and photosynthetic microbes.

UCSB research group develops a new tool for studying membrane protein structure

A new tool has been developed to resolve the structure of membrane-embedded and membrane-associating proteins by exploiting the unique water dynamics gradient across and above the lipid bilayer. This breakthrough can help determine the location and structure of protein segments at the surface of membranes.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 30, 2013

Researchers ferret out function of autism gene

A team of scientists has developed a process to connect an autism-linked gene to its function. They found that mutations in the NHE9 gene cause communication problems among brain cells, contributing to autism. The study used a step-wise strategy to screen variants and identified changes that affect endosomal pH, altering cell traffic.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalNature Communications·DateSep 30, 2013

Concerns over mercury levels in fish may be unfounded

New research from the Children of the 90s study at the University of Bristol suggests that fish accounts for only seven per cent of mercury levels in the human body. This finding has significant implications for official advice warning against eating too much fish during pregnancy, which may need to be reviewed.

SourceUniversity of Bristol·JournalEnvironmental Health Perspectives·DateSep 30, 2013

Skin receptors convey sensation of texture through vibrations

A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has discovered that two sets of nerve receptors in the skin convey information about fine textures through vibrations. This finding suggests that humans can discriminate between different fine textures, such as silk and satin, through these subtle vibrations.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Medical Center·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 30, 2013

Erratic proteins: New insights into a transport mechanism

The study reveals that membrane proteins use a dynamic, constantly changing state to transport proteins across the outer membrane without requiring energy. This finding provides an exceptional insight into the transport mechanism and has implications for understanding protein folding and transport in bacteria.

SourceUniversity of Basel·JournalNature Structural & Molecular Biology·DateSep 30, 2013