Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News Archive 2014 - Page 52


Page 52 of 376

Dip in emergency hospital admissions via GPs while figures soar for A&E

Emergency hospital admissions to A&E departments rose by 72% between 2001/2 and 2010/11, while those via GPs decreased by 17%, suggesting a shift in the role of these services. Researchers suggest that changes in patient behavior, demographic shifts, and policy factors contributed to this trend.

SourceSAGE·JournalJournal of the Royal Society of Medicine·DateNov 7, 2014

Brain's response to threat silenced when we are reminded of being loved and cared for

New research from the University of Exeter found that viewing pictures of others receiving emotional support reduces the brain's response to threatening facial expressions or words. This effect was particularly pronounced in more anxious individuals, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy for mental health conditions like PTSD.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalSocial Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience·DateNov 7, 2014

New antibiotic in mushroom that grows on horse dung

Researchers at ETH Zurich have discovered a new agent in fungi that kills bacteria, known as copsin, which has the same effect as traditional antibiotics but belongs to a different class of biochemical substances. The substance was found in the common inky cap mushroom Coprinopsis cinerea and is responsible for its antibiotic effect.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·DateNov 7, 2014

'Rewriting' the way to make natural drug compounds

By rewriting genes from a fungus to produce a specific compound of potential therapeutic importance, researchers have successfully synthesized natural drug compounds in large quantities. This innovative approach leverages the native machinery of an organism to address long-standing challenges in drug synthesis.

SourceUniversity of Utah Health·JournalACS Synthetic Biology·DateNov 6, 2014

Researchers develop new model to study epidemics

A new model developed at NYU School of Engineering aims to accurately predict the spread of epidemics by accounting for individual human behavior and contagion. The researchers hope this model will help determine who should be vaccinated or isolated first and what travel restrictions are most effective in preventing different epidemics.

SourceNYU Tandon School of Engineering·JournalPhysical Review E·DateNov 6, 2014

Migration negation

Researchers identified a cellular culprit in metastasis, finding that an overabundance of Frizzled-2 and its activator Wnt5 triggers EMT in cancer cells. This discovery informs the design of new treatments to prevent or delay metastasis.

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalCell·DateNov 6, 2014

Denying problems when we don't like the political solutions

A new Duke University study finds that people evaluate scientific evidence based on its policy implications, leading to denial of problems even when faced with strong evidence. The study sheds light on why conservatives and liberals disagree so vehemently over issues like climate change.

SourceDuke University·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·DateNov 6, 2014

Manipulating complex molecules by hand

Jülich researchers create a word using 47 molecules by manipulating them with a novel control system. The technique allows for the first time to remove large organic molecules from associated structures and place them elsewhere in a controlled manner.

SourceForschungszentrum Juelich·JournalBeilstein Journal of Nanotechnology·DateNov 6, 2014

Images of a nearly invisible mouse

Researchers at RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center in Japan have developed a method to image tissues and whole organisms with high precision. They discovered that aminoalcohols included in the CUBIC reagent can elute heme from hemoglobin, making organs dramatically more transparent.

SourceRIKEN·JournalCell·DateNov 6, 2014

Salk scientists discover a key to mending broken hearts

Researchers at Salk Institute have healed injured hearts of living mice by targeting four specific molecules that suppress regenerative programs. This finding provides proof-of-concept for a new type of clinical treatment to fight against heart disease, which kills over 600,000 people annually in the US.

SourceSalk Institute·JournalCell Stem Cell·DateNov 6, 2014

Carving memories at their joints

A study published in PLOS Computational Biology proposes a theoretical framework for understanding memory formation and modification. The researchers suggest that large prediction errors lead to memory formation, while small errors result in memory modification. Damage to the hippocampus can impair the brain's ability to carve memories.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateNov 6, 2014

Black, Hispanic kids underrepresented in autism identification

A study by a University of Kansas professor found that black and Hispanic children were significantly underrepresented in autism identification rates from 2000 to 2007, despite the overall increase in diagnoses. This disparity may reflect unequal access to services and diagnosis, with white students receiving more intensive supports.

SourceUniversity of Kansas·JournalThe Journal of Special Education·DateNov 6, 2014

Cellular extensions with a large effect

A new study published in Nature Communications reveals that cilia on pancreatic beta cells are covered with insulin receptors, and altered ciliary function is associated with type 2 diabetes. The research found that ciliary defects impaired insulin release, leading to elevated blood glucose levels in mice.

SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalNature Communications·DateNov 6, 2014