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Science News for February 13, 2014


Grape seed promise in fight against bowel cancer

Researchers at the University of Adelaide found that grape seed extract improves chemotherapy's potency and reduces intestinal damage in laboratory studies. Grape seed extracts showed no side effects on healthy intestine, decreased inflammation by up to 55%, and increased growth-inhibitory effects on colon cancer cells.

SourceUniversity of Adelaide·JournalPLOS ONE·DateFeb 13, 2014

Data links quick fix

Researchers in Iran develop a method to fix broken links in web data by analyzing source points and discovering new addresses. The algorithm successfully identified over 5,000 entities that changed between two snapshots and relocated 9 out of 10 broken links.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Web Engineering and Technology·DateFeb 13, 2014

Diabetes, epilepsy and asthma increase risk of self-harm

Research identifies moderate risk of self-harm among patients with diabetes, epilepsy, and asthma, as well as other physical illnesses. The study emphasizes the need for physicians and mental health workers to be aware of associated risks to better identify at-risk individuals.

SourceSAGE·JournalJournal of the Royal Society of Medicine·DateFeb 13, 2014

Conservation science partnership thrives, expands

The Northwestern University/Art Institute of Chicago Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts (NU-ACCESS) has established new conservation science collaborations with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Smart Museum at the University of Chicago. Scientists have used surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy to identify organic colorant...

Laboratory detective work points to potential therapy for rare, drug-resistant cancer

University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute scientists have found several potential possibilities to try if the cancer becomes resistant to standard drug treatment. They discovered that high-throughput screening of already FDA-approved drugs can identify new therapies that could be rapidly moved to the clinic.

Marriage's 'haves' and 'have nots'

Research from Northwestern University finds that today's best marriages excel when spouses invest time and energy to meet each other's psychological needs for personal growth. However, the majority of marriages are struggling due to a mismatch between what Americans expect from their marriage and the resources they invest in it.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalPsychological Inquiry·DateFeb 13, 2014

Vitamin B12 accelerates worm development

Researchers at UMass Medical School develop a novel model to study the effects of vitamin B12 on gene expression and physiology in C. elegans worms. The study reveals that vitamin B12 regulates development through the methionine/SAM cycle and alleviates toxic buildups of propionic acid, leading to improved fertility.

SourceUMass Chan Medical School·JournalCell·DateFeb 13, 2014

Graphene's love affair with water

Researchers at the University of Manchester have discovered that graphene can be used to create ultrafast filters for liquid water, with an astonishingly accurate mesh that allows precise separation of atomic species. The filters also exhibit 'ion sponging' properties, sucking up small ions and concentrating them internally.

SourceUniversity of Manchester·JournalScience·DateFeb 13, 2014

How memory and schizophrenia are connected

A study published in Neuron reveals a connection between genes controlling neuronal excitability and working memory, psychiatric disease, and brain activity. The researchers identified a network of genes that plays a crucial role in human brain function, highlighting the importance of understanding its dysfunction in schizophrenia.

SourceUniversity of Basel·JournalNeuron·DateFeb 13, 2014

A new target for cancer and diabetes: A novel role for the adaptor protein p66shc in regulating glucose metabolism

Researchers have identified a novel role for the adaptor protein p66shc in regulating glucose metabolism, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target for cancer and diabetes. Silencing p66shc enhances glucose metabolism and cell growth, indicating it may act as an energy sensor that responds to nutrient availability.

SourceLunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute·JournalScience Signaling·DateFeb 13, 2014

Mental health patients up to 4 times more likely to be infected with HIV, Penn study finds

A new Penn Medicine study found that mental health patients are up to four times more likely to be infected with HIV than the general population. Researchers tested over 1,000 patients in care and detected several new HIV cases, highlighting the need for routine testing in mental health settings.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalAmerican Journal of Public Health·DateFeb 13, 2014

Intensive dialysis in pregnant women with kidney failure benefits mother and baby

A study published by the American Society of Nephrology found that intensive dialysis treatments in pregnant women with kidney failure lead to higher live birth rates, with fewer complications. Infants born to these mothers tend to be healthier at birth when their mothers receive more frequent and longer dialysis sessions.

SourceAmerican Society of Nephrology·JournalJournal of the American Society of Nephrology·DateFeb 13, 2014

Treating stroke with IV magnesium within an hour of symptoms fails to improve outcomes

A study found that giving stroke patients intravenous magnesium within an hour of symptom onset does not improve stroke outcomes, while working with paramedics can increase the chances of administering potentially brain-saving drugs in time. The researchers plan to continue searching for new treatments and are grateful for the collabor...

Discovery may help to explain mystery of 'missing' genetic risk

A new study in PLOS Genetics finds common genetic variants may indicate the presence of influential rare mutations that have yet to be discovered. This 'synthetic association' sheds light on the genetic make-up's large influence on cancer risk, highlighting the importance of identifying causal genetic changes.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Genetics·DateFeb 13, 2014

Researchers find breast cancer drug in bodybuilding supplement

A study found tamoxifen, a breast cancer treatment, in three out of four samples of the bodybuilding supplement Esto Suppress. The product label suggested a dosage that may provide enough to treat gynaecomastia. Off-the-shelf supplements have been known to contain pharmacologically active substances, posing risks to users.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalThe BMJ·DateFeb 13, 2014

Muscle loss ups mortality and sepsis risk in liver transplant candidates

A Japanese study found that sarcopenia, a loss of skeletal muscle mass, increases the risk of sepsis and mortality in patients undergoing live donor liver transplantation. Early nutritional support with enteral nutrition reduced sepsis rates in these patients. Treating malnutrition may reduce mortality risk following transplantation.

SourceWiley·JournalLiver Transplantation·DateFeb 13, 2014

Could restless sleep cause widespread pain in older folks?

Researchers found that non-restorative sleep is a strong predictor of widespread pain onset among adults over 50. Anxiety and poor physical health also increase the risk of developing widespread pain. The study suggests combined interventions for both site-specific and widespread pain are needed for older adults.

SourceWiley·JournalArthritis & Rheumatology·DateFeb 13, 2014

Mixed genes

Researchers created a global map detailing the genetic histories of 95 populations across Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America. The study found evidence of previously unrecorded genetic mixing, including European DNA in modern-day China and Mongol DNA in Pakistan.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalScience·DateFeb 13, 2014

Cancer drugs hitch a ride on 'smart' gold nanoshells

Researchers have developed 'smart' gold nanoshells that target cancer cells specifically, delivering anticancer drugs and converting near-infrared light into heat. This breakthrough could lead to more effective cancer treatments by overcoming the limitation of traditional chemotherapy techniques.

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalBiomedical Materials·DateFeb 13, 2014

Rebuilding the brain after stroke

Researchers have discovered a potential therapy to enhance brain repair after a stroke by stimulating the brain's inherent plasticity with molecular components of stem cells. This approach has shown promising results in promoting neurological recovery and may lead to revolutionary treatments for other diseases.

Study: Beauty not disease motivates teens to wear sunscreen

A University of Colorado study shows that teens who watched a video about the cosmetic effects of UV exposure were more likely to use sunscreen than those who watched a health-based video. This finding suggests that addressing appearance-related concerns can be an effective way to modify sun-protective behaviors in teenagers.

SourceUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus·JournalJournal of the American Academy of Dermatology·DateFeb 13, 2014