Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News for November 25, 2015


Peak-end pizza

A Cornell study found that price affects how customers evaluate pizza by focusing on the first slice's taste. When paying $8, diners prioritize the initial impression over the last bite.

SourceCornell Food & Brand Lab·JournalJournal of Product & Brand Management·DateNov 25, 2015

New study suggests angler education can benefit sharks

A new study found that recreational anglers who received education on shark conservation were more supportive of management and conservation efforts. The researchers surveyed 158 anglers in South Florida, revealing that many catch-and-release anglers recognized the post-release mortality risks for sharks.

Closing the loop on an HIV escape mechanism

A research team found that HIV's infectivity is regulated by protein motions, which can be manipulated to inhibit viral replication. By examining the interactions between HIV and host-cell protein cyclophilin A, the team identified a key mechanism for developing new therapeutic interventions.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 25, 2015

For pigeons, follow the leader is a matter of speed

A study on homing pigeons reveals that speed plays a crucial role in determining flock leadership. Faster birds lead and learn to navigate better routes, while slower birds follow and improve their skills over time. This simple yet effective mechanism explains the emergence of leadership in bird flocks.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateNov 25, 2015

New therapy for itch

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to reduce histamine-induced itching and shorten its duration in a new study. The results of this study are expected to contribute to the development of novel methods to inhibit itching.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalClinical Neurophysiology·DateNov 25, 2015

York research points to enhanced detection of Parkinson's

Biologists at the University of York have created a reliable method to detect Parkinson's disease by analyzing fruit flies' visual responses. The study used adapted methods from human vision research and found increased neuronal activity in 'young' flies with Parkinson's mutations, leading to an 85% accurate classification rate.

SourceUniversity of York·JournalScientific Reports·DateNov 25, 2015

Why bartenders have to ignore some signals

A new study at Bielefeld University investigates how a robotic bartender can understand human communication and serve drinks socially appropriately. Participants played the role of robotic bartenders, making decisions based on sensor data, to find that ignoring some data can be beneficial.

SourceBielefeld University·JournalFrontiers in Psychology·DateNov 25, 2015

Low sugar diet makes foods taste sweeter but does not change preferred level of sweetness

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals that a low sugar diet can make foods taste sweeter, but does not change an individual's preferred level of sweetness. Despite the difference in sweetness ratings, participants on a reduced sugar diet did not alter their preference for sucrose content.

SourceMonell Chemical Senses Center·JournalAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition·DateNov 25, 2015

Heart disease patients who sit a lot have worse health even if they exercise

Patients with coronary artery disease spend an average of eight hours each day sitting despite exercising, according to research published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention. Women tend to be less sedentary than men, but both have poorer health outcomes when sitting for long periods.

SourceEuropean Society of Cardiology·JournalEuropean Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation·DateNov 25, 2015

Optimal care for older cancer patients should target relevant HRQOL domains according to EORTC study

A recent EORTC study identified key health-related quality of life (HRQOL) components to prioritize in caring for older cancer patients. The study found that HRQOL improves with age for social functioning and financial problems, while physical functioning and constipation worsen.

SourceEuropean Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer·JournalEuropean Journal of Cancer·DateNov 25, 2015

Better blood pressure control -- by mobile phone

Researchers developed an interactive mobile phone system to help patients with high blood pressure self-manage their condition, leading to significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The system, which includes patient reports, lifestyle feedback, and reminders, also improved patients' understanding of the connectio...

SourceUniversity of Gothenburg·JournalJournal of Clinical Hypertension·DateNov 25, 2015

Can physical exercise enhance long-term memory?

A new study published in Brain Plasticity reports that running mice developed twice the normal number of new neurons and showed improved ability to distinguish between similar objects. This improvement in pattern separation is crucial for everyday memory tasks like remembering chess piece shapes or patterns on a board.

SourceIOS Press·JournalBrain Plasticity·DateNov 25, 2015

New strategy discovered for treating arthritis

Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have found that arthritic cartilage can be treated by a patient's own microvesicles, which can travel into cartilage cells and deliver therapeutic agents. The study suggests that these microvesicles could be a novel form of therapy for patients with cartilage damage due to various diseases.

SourceQueen Mary University of London·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateNov 25, 2015