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Science News Archive May 2016 - Page 17


Page 17 of 38

Nudging health in food pantries

Researchers found that placing protein bars at the start of the dessert line increased selection by 46%, while keeping them in original packaging boosted selection by 59%. These simple changes made healthy foods more convenient and appealing to clients.

SourceCornell Food & Brand Lab·JournalJournal of Public Health·DateMay 17, 2016

Long-term memory has back-up plan, researchers find

A team of scientists has identified a back-up mechanism for memory storage that takes over when the molecular mechanism of primary long-term memory storage fails. They found that mice engineered without an enzyme crucial to long-term memory storage still form memories because they deploy an alternative method, involving PKCλ/ι.

Evolution: Building blocks of life

Researchers at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München have identified a plausible reaction mechanism for the production of key components of RNA under conditions similar to those on the young Earth. The discovery validates a pathway that could explain how chemical evolution proceeded before the formation of the first cells.

Fine-tuning for intestinal immune cells

A new study reveals that food components can significantly influence the intestinal immune system by binding to an important controller, the Ah receptor. The researchers found that the interaction between the Ah receptor and its repressor is crucial for balancing the immune response.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalScientific Reports·DateMay 17, 2016

Mind your busyness

A new study finds that busier lifestyles are associated with better processing speed, working memory, and episodic memory in older adults. The research suggests that busyness may stimulate learning and improve cognition, but more experimental work is needed to confirm this association.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Aging Neuroscience·DateMay 17, 2016

Plasma physics' giant leap

Researchers analyze MMS data to understand magnetic reconnection, a process that produces powerful phenomena including solar flares and large releases of plasma from the sun's corona. The mission provides high-resolution measurements of particles and electric and magnetic fields at the electron scale.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalScience·DateMay 17, 2016

Racial and ethnic differences found in psychiatric diagnoses and treatment, according to researchers

Non-Hispanic blacks are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia as non-Hispanic whites, but they're significantly less likely to receive medication for treatment. The study found that racial-ethnic differences in diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric conditions were significant across 11 private healthcare delivery s...

SourceGeorgia State University·JournalPsychiatric Services·DateMay 17, 2016

High-power prismatic devices may further expand visual fields for patients with hemianopia

Researchers have designed three new eyeglasses using high-power prisms to optimally expand the visual fields of patients with hemianopia, a condition that affects over one million Americans. The new devices address limitations of existing prism technology and may provide additional range of vision when scanning in both directions.

SourceMass Eye and Ear·JournalOptometry and Vision Science·DateMay 17, 2016