Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News for October 26, 2016


Facebook updates could help understand -- and potentially treat -- mental health disorders

Researchers from the University of Cambridge suggest that social networks like Facebook can provide valuable data to improve knowledge of mental health disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. The study proposes using Facebook data to detect early signs of mental illness and potentially even offer support and interventions.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalThe Lancet Psychiatry·DateOct 26, 2016

Understanding essential tremor

A large international collaborative study sheds new light on the genetics behind essential tremor, finding a strong correlation between the disease and the gene STK32B. The study aims to recruit 10,000 additional patients to understand how these genes contribute to the development of the disease.

SourceMcGill University·JournalBrain·DateOct 26, 2016

Reading the right sexual cues

A study found that male and female college students focus on nonverbal emotional cues when making quick judgments about a woman's sexual interest. However, those with rape-supportive attitudes relied more on attire and attractiveness. Cognitive training can improve perceptions of women's momentary sexual interest.

SourceSpringer·JournalPsychonomic Bulletin & Review·DateOct 26, 2016

Additional benefit of omega-3 fatty acids for the clearance of metabolites from the brain

Research suggests that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids can enhance the glymphatic system, facilitating clearance of waste from the brain, including amyloid-β peptides. This improvement may provide benefits for neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's, traumatic brain injury, and sleep impairment.

Insight into neural language enables amputees to discern light touch to intense pressure

Researchers have developed a system that enables amputees to feel a range of intensity levels on their prosthetic hands, allowing them to hold objects, operate machinery, and interact with others. The system uses electrical stimulation to mimic natural touch, decoding the intensity of pressure in the nervous system.

SourceCase Western Reserve University·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateOct 26, 2016

Threatened by diversity

A study by UC Santa Barbara psychologist Brenda Major found that highly identified white Americans who feel threatened by diversity are more likely to support Donald Trump and endorse anti-immigrant policies. However, those less identified with their ethnicity tend to oppose Trump and support anti-bias norms.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalGroup Processes & Intergroup Relations·DateOct 26, 2016

Finding patterns in corrupted data

Researchers have developed a new algorithm that can efficiently fit probability distributions to high-dimensional data, even when the dataset contains corrupted entries. The algorithm relies on two insights: selecting an appropriate metric for measuring distance from distributions and identifying regions where cross-sections should begin.

Long-term oxygen treatment does not benefit some COPD patients

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that long-term oxygen treatment does not improve survival or reduce hospital admissions for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and moderately low blood oxygen levels. Researchers say these results underscore the need for new treatments for COPD.

SourceNIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateOct 26, 2016

Schmallenberg virus may reappear, warn experts

Schmallenberg virus is unlikely to be circulating in southern England, but its reappearance is possible as herd immunity decreases. The virus causes mild clinical signs in adult cattle and can damage the fetus in pregnant females, leading to abortions, stillbirths, and congenital defects.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalVeterinary Record·DateOct 26, 2016

Making a new pitch for coal

Researchers are working on a $1.6 million project to create a new use for coal, turning it into a carbon-fiber material that could help revitalize struggling coal communities. The process produces substantially less CO2 than traditional methods.

Next-generation smartphone battery inspired by the gut

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a prototype of a next-generation lithium-sulphur battery, inspired by the cells lining the human intestine. The new design overcomes a key technical problem hindering commercial development and offers a fivefold energy density boost compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·DateOct 26, 2016

A songbird's travelogue

A study using geolocation technology tracked the 10,000-kilometer migration of Great Reed Warblers from Turkey to sub-Saharan Africa, revealing key regions of importance for the species. The research highlights the lack of protection many of these regions receive, posing a threat to bird populations.

How AIDS conquered North America

Researchers reconstructed the origins of the AIDS pandemic in unprecedented detail by recovering genetic material from 40-year-old serum samples. The study suggests that HIV emerged in New York City around 1970 and spread rapidly across North America, with the city serving as a critical hub for the epidemic.

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalNature·DateOct 26, 2016

Iron supplements in the fight against lead

A study led by ETH Zurich researchers found that iron fortification reduces blood lead concentration in children, particularly those with iron deficiency. The trial involved over 450 Moroccan schoolchildren who received iron-fortified biscuits and showed a significant reduction in blood lead levels.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition·DateOct 26, 2016

Neuro chip records brain cell activity

A new technology, developed by University of Calgary researchers, enables recording brain cell activity for weeks with higher resolution than conventional methods. This allows researchers to investigate neurological diseases and cognitive functions like learning and memory in animal models.

SourceUniversity of Calgary·JournalScientific Reports·DateOct 26, 2016

Elderly Chinese immigrants feel at home in US with living conditions, independence, study finds

A study found that elderly Chinese immigrants in the US feel at home due to favorable social policies like Medicare and Medicaid, as well as affordable cost of living. However, language barriers continue to be a significant issue, with many unable to speak fluent English and relying on family members for translation.

SourceGeorgia State University·JournalJournal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology·DateOct 26, 2016

Upper Paleolithic humans may have hunted cave lions for their pelts

A recent study published in PLOS ONE suggests that Upper Paleolithic humans might have exploited cave lions for their pelts, leading to their eventual extinction. The researchers analyzed fossilized toe bones from the La Garma site and found evidence of human modification, which they believe could be part of a single lion pelt.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateOct 26, 2016

Warmth under climate change has cascading effect, destabilizing forest ant communities

A five-year study in Harvard and Duke forests found that adding warmth predicted in climate-change models destabilized forest ant communities. The loss of stability makes communities less resilient and slower to rebound when disturbed, with relative abundance of thermophilic species growing while heat-intolerant species declining.

SourceCase Western Reserve University·JournalScience Advances·DateOct 26, 2016

Stimulation of dopamine neurons induces arousal of mice receiving general anesthesia

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital discovered that stimulating dopamine neurons in mice receiving general anesthesia triggers signs of arousal, including movement and increased respiratory rate. This finding could lead to the development of new therapies to treat conditions like traumatic brain injury and coma.

SourceMassachusetts General Hospital·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 26, 2016

Worms against the wheeze

Researchers at James Cook University have identified a protein secreted by hookworms that suppresses asthma in mice and shows promise as a treatment for humans with allergies. The study builds on previous research into possible treatments for inflammatory bowel disease.

SourceJames Cook University·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateOct 26, 2016