Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News Archive August 2014 - Page 28


Page 28 of 31

Common chemical in mothers may negatively affect the IQ of their unborn children

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that women with high levels of perchlorate during pregnancy may have children with below-average IQs. Perchlorate, a common chemical contaminant, can affect thyroid function and lead to hypothyroidism, which is associated with cognitive impairment.

SourceBoston University School of Medicine·JournalThe Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism·DateAug 5, 2014

The next graphene?

A team of UC Riverside engineers will characterize, analyze, and synthesize van der Waals materials for novel electronic devices, optical detectors, and energy conversion systems. The research aims to produce new material synthesis techniques and enable practical applications in ultra-thin film materials.

Pistachios may lower vascular response to stress in type 2 diabetes

Researchers found that consuming two servings of pistachios per day lowered vascular constriction during stress and improved neural control of the heart in adults with well-controlled Type 2 diabetes. The pistachio diet also showed improvements in sleep blood pressure, vascular response to stress, and vagal control of the heart.

SourcePenn State·JournalJournal of the American Heart Association·DateAug 5, 2014

Year-round preventive treatment reduces malaria risk in young children

A year-round preventive drug treatment substantially reduces young children's risk of contracting malaria, with no serious adverse events reported. The study found that a monthly dose of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine was the most effective at reducing malaria risk in children from 6 months to 24 months of age.

New hospital screening tool helps find children at nutritional risk easier, study finds

A new hospital screening tool, Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool (PNST), has been found to be effective in identifying children at nutritional risk. The PNST identified 37.6% of patients as being at nutritional risk, compared to 34.2% with the existing pediatric Subjective Global Nutrition Assessment (SGNA).

SourceAmerican Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (A.S.P.E.N.)·JournalJournal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition·DateAug 5, 2014

New information on transcranial ultrasound therapy

The study found that skull-base heating can result in hazardous temperature elevations when sonications are performed close to the skull-base. Three new methods to counteract this phenomenon were developed. Additionally, the formation of standing-waves is greatly reduced with specifically designed large-area ultrasound transducers.

SourceUniversity of Eastern Finland·JournalPhysics in Medicine and Biology·DateAug 4, 2014

Children in immigrant families more likely to be sedentary

Children of immigrants from all racial and ethnic backgrounds have lower levels of physical activity than U.S.-born white children. Asian immigrant children are nearly three times as likely to have low levels of physical activity, while Hispanic and unspecified ethnicity children are nearly two times as likely.

SourceRice University·JournalSocial Science & Medicine·DateAug 4, 2014

Evolutionary explanation for why some lessons more easily learned than others

Researchers uncover the evolutionary roots of animals' ability to quickly absorb critical life lessons, a phenomenon known as the Garcia Effect. The study found that statistical reliability across generations determines what animals can learn and what they can't, with different environments favoring specific associations.

SourceUniversity of Minnesota·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 4, 2014

For-profit home care agencies cost Medicare extra, yet provide worse care: Health Affairs

A nationwide study published in Health Affairs reveals that for-profit home health agencies are significantly more expensive for Medicare than nonprofit agencies, with operating costs accounting for $752 of the difference. Despite their higher costs, for-profits delivered lower-quality care, with patients experiencing more repeat hospi...

SourcePhysicians for a National Health Program·JournalHealth Affairs·DateAug 4, 2014

Quantitative volumetric analysis of the optic radiation in the normal human brain

Researchers from Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science used diffusion tensor imaging to analyze the optic radiation in 13 healthy volunteers. The study found that the optic radiation fiber tract volume was approximately 0.16% and fractional anisotropy value was about 0.53, enabling accurate detection of probability pathways.

SourceNeural Regeneration Research·JournalNeural Regeneration Research·DateAug 4, 2014

Version 2.0 of Prostate Cancer Risk Calculator now online, complete with emojis

The prostate cancer risk calculator has been updated to provide a more nuanced result, helping men understand their risk of low-grade and high-grade prostate cancer. The new calculator incorporates current risk factors and an advanced statistical model to distinguish between the prediction of low-grade and high-grade disease.

Crowdsourcing may help dieters lose weight

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association found that crowdsourced ratings of food pictures by app users are comparable to those given by trained experts. This suggests that crowdsourcing may be a viable way to improve adherence to dietary self-monitoring and support weight loss.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalJournal of the American Medical Informatics Association·DateAug 4, 2014

Learning how things fall apart

Researchers at MIT have developed a method to study bonding failures in materials, revealing the crucial role of moisture in setting the stage for failure. The findings could lead to the design of more durable composites and prediction of their strength under specific conditions.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 4, 2014