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Science News Archive December 2015 - Page 7


Page 7 of 32

Almost three-quarters of weekend emergency care caseload linked to booze

A large inner city hospital in England found that almost three-quarters of weekend emergency care cases are linked to excess alcohol intake, resulting in significant costs for urban emergency care departments. The analysis, published online, reveals substantial costs for treating alcohol-related cases, with an annual bill of £1 million.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalEmergency Medicine Journal·DateDec 21, 2015

Mount Sinai's Dr. Reddy demonstrates cost-effectiveness of Watchman device

The WATCHMAN device is more cost-effective than warfarin and NOACs for reducing strokes in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, according to a study led by Dr. Reddy. The device achieved cost effectiveness relative to warfarin at seven years and NOACs at 16 years, generating annual cost savings thereafter.

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology·DateDec 21, 2015

Teaching machines to see

Researchers from the University of Cambridge developed a new smartphone-based system called SegNet, which can identify objects in road scenes in real-time, even without GPS. The system has been successfully tested on city roads and motorways, and could potentially be used as a warning system for driverless cars.

Study by NUS researchers unravels new interactions affecting TGF-β pathway in humans

Researchers at NUS Cancer Science Institute found that USP15 protein regulates the TGF-β pathway by interacting with SMURF2. This interaction enhances stability of the TGF-β receptor and leads to increased cancer progression. The study suggests USP15 as a novel therapeutic target for treating cancers with hyperactivated TGF-β pathways.

SourceNational University of Singapore·JournalScientific Reports·DateDec 20, 2015

NASA study: Examination of Earth's recent history key to predicting global temperatures

A new NASA study finds that accurately accounting for climate drivers like aerosols and land use changes is crucial for predicting future global temperatures. The research calculated the temperature impact of each variable based on historical observations, revealing their complexity and correcting earlier underestimations.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·JournalNature Climate Change·DateDec 18, 2015

Nanodevices at one-hundredth the cost

Researchers at MIT's Microsystems Technologies Laboratories show promise in building microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) using affordable and high-quality desktop fabrication devices. This allows for production of useful MEMS at significantly lower costs without compromising quality, enabling new markets and applications.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalJournal of Microelectromechanical Systems·DateDec 18, 2015

Architecture of mTOR protein complex solved

Researchers have elucidated the structure of mTORC1, a crucial protein complex involved in cellular signaling and disease regulation. The study reveals detailed interactions between partner proteins, shedding light on the mechanism of rapamycin-induced changes, which affects substrate specificity and pharmaceutical effects.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalScience·DateDec 18, 2015

Inflammation can fan the flames of depression

Researchers at Rice University and Ohio State University found that chronic inflammation is linked to depression, with concentrations of inflammatory markers CRP and IL-6 elevated by up to 50% in patients. Activities like yoga, meditation, NSAIDS, and exercise can help treat depression caused by chronic inflammation.

SourceRice University·JournalAmerican Journal of Psychiatry·DateDec 18, 2015

POSTECH team creates a more durable protein hydrogel based on elastic silk-like protein

Researchers created a mechanically durable hydrogel using an elastic silk-like protein called aneroin, which has improved mechanical properties compared to collagen and silkworm silk. The aneroin hydrogel provided an adequate environment for cell growth, proliferating mammalian cells with healthy morphology.

Multiplying teeth

Researchers have successfully multiplied teeth in mice by splitting tooth germ cells and implanting them into the jaw. This discovery could lead to new treatments for people born with missing teeth or who lose teeth due to accidents or disease.

SourceRIKEN·JournalScientific Reports·DateDec 18, 2015