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Science News for February 24, 2016


Monitoring & support help patients and primary care physicians dealing with chronic pain

A study from Brigham and Women's Hospital found that monthly monitoring and support from pain specialists increased PCP confidence in prescribing opioids, improved patient compliance, and enhanced communication between practitioners. The research highlights the benefits of careful monitoring and pain management support within primary c...

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalPain Medicine·DateFeb 24, 2016

Attention bias modification treatment in depressed adolescents

A new study found that a computer-based attention bias modification treatment reduced negative attention biases and clinician-rated depressive symptoms in adolescents with major depression. After 12 months, participants in the active ABM group reported even greater reductions in self-reported depressive and anxious feelings.

SourceElsevier·JournalJournal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry·DateFeb 24, 2016

How to tackle the Zika virus

Scientists struggle to study Zika due to low symptom visibility and lack of approved tests. Pharmaceutical companies are racing to develop vaccines, but a broader approach targeting multiple viruses could provide future protection

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalChemical & Engineering News·DateFeb 24, 2016

Grassland harvest could conserve resources, benefit farmers, and curb government spending

Researchers found that CRP biomass yield can reach up to 6.4 metric tons per hectare, but economic analyses show that costs of fertilizer application may outweigh benefits. Implementing a system where land owners harvest one-third of their acreage per year could reduce government costs by $31 million annually.

Sleep changes seen with fetal alcohol exposure partly explain learning and mood problems

A new study suggests that fetal alcohol exposure leads to long-lasting slow-wave sleep fragmentation, which is associated with learning problems and impaired cognitive function. The researchers found that mice exposed to binge amounts of ethanol displayed severe sleep fragmentation, memory impairment, and hyperactivity.

Study examines heart structure, function of NBA players

A comprehensive analysis of 526 NBA players reveals larger left ventricular cavity sizes, but not necessarily indicative of increased risk. Most athletes have normal left ventricular ejection fractions, with African American athletes showing increased wall thickness and mass compared to white athletes.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Cardiology·DateFeb 24, 2016

Researchers grow cyberforests to predict climate change

Scientists create a computer simulation that grows realistic forests down to individual trees to predict how climate-related changes will affect fire rates, plant growth, and forest recovery in Quebec hardwood forests. The 'LES' model can help identify necessary species for reestablishing forests after wildfires and other disturbances.

SourceWashington State University·JournalRoyal Society Open Science·DateFeb 24, 2016

One rule to grow them all

A new study found that a single embryonic rule regulates hominin tooth size, with variations in the expression of this rule accounting for differences in tooth size throughout human evolution. The researchers discovered that the inhibitory cascade pattern for adult molars is directly linked to the size of milk molars.

SourceArizona State University·JournalNature·DateFeb 24, 2016

New laser achieves wavelength long sought by laser developers

Researchers at the University of Bath created a new laser capable of pulsed and continuous mid-infrared emission between 3.1-3.2 microns, overcoming a major challenge in laser development. The achievement uses silica hollow-core fibers to confine light and gas, enabling efficient interaction and mid-IR emission.

SourceOptica·JournalOptica·DateFeb 24, 2016

What makes penguin feathers ice-proof

Researchers found that Humboldt penguins' unique feather structure is anti-adhesive and hydrophobic, preventing ice from accumulating. The discovery led to the creation of a nanofiber membrane with similar properties, which could be used in applications like electrical insulation.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalThe Journal of Physical Chemistry C·DateFeb 24, 2016

The Mesoamerican bean decoded

An Ibero-American team has sequenced the Mesoamerican common bean genome, which will aid in improving production and conserving genetic varieties. The discovery has significant implications for agriculture, as it will help identify genes involved in disease resistance, drought tolerance, and seed quality.

SourceCenter for Genomic Regulation·JournalGenome Biology·DateFeb 24, 2016

Solved! First distance to a 'fast radio burst'

A team of scientists has confirmed that a 'fast radio burst' originates in the distant universe, using CSIRO radio telescopes and the National Astronomical Observatory's Subaru telescope. The breakthrough allows researchers to weigh the normal matter in the universe, confirming the presence of missing ordinary matter.

SourceCSIRO Australia·JournalNature·DateFeb 24, 2016

A mathematical advance in describing waves

Mathematicians Gino Biondini and Dionyssios Mantzavinos develop a new mathematical model describing wave patterns with small irregularities. Their research shows that many disturbances evolve into single-class wave forms, answering a question scientists have been trying to answer for 50 years.

SourceUniversity at Buffalo·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateFeb 24, 2016

Potatoes wild with calcium

Researchers found a wild potato with almost seven times as much calcium as usual varieties. Breeding programs can now use molecular markers to identify high-calcium traits, speeding up the breeding process. This discovery aims to improve crop quality and reduce cosmetic issues in potatoes.

SourceAmerican Society of Agronomy·JournalCrop Science·DateFeb 24, 2016

Evidence of early medieval Muslim graves found in France

Researchers from PLOS ONE discovered three skeletons buried in medieval graves in France that may have belonged to Muslims, with DNA analysis revealing paternal lineage from North Africa. The burials follow Islamic rites and radiocarbon dating suggests the skeletons are from the 7th-9th centuries.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateFeb 24, 2016