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Science News Archive February 2014 - Page 2


Page 2 of 30

Is marriage killing us?

A new national interdisciplinary effort examines how biology and social factors interact within marriage to affect cardiovascular health. The study aims to identify risk factors for heart disease and elucidate the mechanisms underlying this relationship.

Study uncovers why autism is more common in males

A large cohort study found that females diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental disorders have a greater number of harmful genetic mutations than males. This suggests that the female brain requires more extreme genetic alterations to produce symptoms of ASD or neurodevelopmental disorders.

SourceCell Press·JournalAmerican Journal of Human Genetics·DateFeb 27, 2014

International study shows majority of children unaware of cigarette warning labels

An international study found that only 38% of children worldwide are aware of warning labels on cigarette packages, with graphic images having the greatest impact in Brazil. The study suggests that health warning labels should be large and clear, especially for low-literacy populations, to effectively communicate anti-smoking messages.

SourceUniversity of Maryland·JournalJournal of Public Health·DateFeb 27, 2014

Montreal researchers find a link between pollutants and certain complications of obesity

A study by Montreal researchers found a significant link between exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and certain metabolic complications of obesity. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, suggests that metabolically healthy but obese individuals have lower circulating levels of POPs tha...

SourceInstitut de recherches cliniques de Montreal·JournalThe Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism·DateFeb 27, 2014

10,000 years on the Bering land bridge

Scientists suggest ancestors of Native Americans lived in shrub-tundra refugia on Bering land bridge for 10,000 years. The environment provided resources such as wood for construction and fires, allowing people to persist during the last glacial maximum.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalScience·DateFeb 27, 2014

Probing the edge of chaos

Researchers find fractal distribution of physical characteristics at edge of chaos, deviating from previously reported bell-curve shape. This discovery could improve understanding of chaotic natural phenomena.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal B·DateFeb 27, 2014

Bison ready for new pastures?

A new study by the USDA and WCS demonstrates a quarantine protocol that can qualify young bison as brucellosis-free in under three years, enabling their use to seed conservation herds without disease transmission. The study shows no evidence of brucellosis was found in either newborn calves or their mothers.

SourceWildlife Conservation Society·JournalJournal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·DateFeb 27, 2014

The pain of social exclusion

A study published in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience found that social exclusion activates the same brain circuits responsible for physical pain. The research used real people in videos to simulate social exclusion and physical pain, revealing activation of the posterior insular cortex in both conditions.

SourceInternational School of Advanced Studies (SISSA)·JournalSocial Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience·DateFeb 27, 2014

Male goat essence really turns the females on

A team of researchers has discovered a novel, citrus-scented pheromone in the essence of male goats that acts on female brains to turn their reproductive systems on. The study, published in Current Biology, identifies 4-ethyloctanal as the key ingredient with this effect.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateFeb 27, 2014

Twitter 'big data' can be used to monitor HIV and drug-related behavior, UCLA study shows

Researchers used Twitter 'big data' to track HIV incidence and drug-related behaviors, mapping where tweets originated and linking them with geographic distribution of HIV cases. The study suggests that monitoring tweets can predict sexual risk and drug use behaviors, potentially preventing outbreaks.

Household wealth still down 14 percent since recession

A recent study by Ohio State University economists found that household wealth in the US has not recovered from the recession, with middle-aged people taking the biggest hit. The study contradicts the Federal Reserve's optimistic report from last summer, which suggested that net worth had recovered since the recession.

SourceOhio State University·JournalEconomics Letters·DateFeb 27, 2014

Effective treatment for youth anxiety disorders has lasting benefit

A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that 80% of youth responders to CBT and sertraline maintained positive treatment response over a 6-month follow-up period. The study also showed that combined therapy had greater benefits, with fewer youth failing to achieve responder status.

SourceElsevier·JournalJournal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry·DateFeb 27, 2014