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Science News for October 5, 2016


Can older adults with dementia continue to drive? More study is needed

Researchers found that current testing procedures are only 77% accurate in predicting driving safety for people with dementia, highlighting the need for better tools to assess their ability to drive safely. Healthcare professionals should work closely with older adults and caregivers to determine when it's time to stop driving.

SourceAmerican Geriatrics Society·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateOct 5, 2016

Certain healthy habits may shorten the time older adults spend disabled at end of life

Research found that healthy lifestyle habits like exercising, eating a healthy diet, and staying socially connected can potentially compress the period of disability in older adults before death. However, factors such as smoking, being inactive, and unhealthy diets were associated with longer periods of disability.

SourceAmerican Geriatrics Society·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateOct 5, 2016

Conservation decisions rely on balancing incentives with unpredictable variables

Researchers examine how large payments are necessary to induce landowners to accept conservation contracts, considering permanent and temporary options. The study reveals that permanent lump-sum payments need to be higher due to 'loss of option value,' while linking carbon payments to profits reduces uncertainty and hesitation.

SourceUniversity of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences·JournalAmerican Journal of Agricultural Economics·DateOct 5, 2016

The Lancet: Policies and programs to support early child development a 'wise investment' as 250 million children at risk of not reaching their full potential

A study published in The Lancet highlights the importance of providing nurturing care and supporting parenting practices to help children reach their full potential. The analysis estimates that 250 million children are at risk of poor development due to extreme poverty and stunting, with significant costs for countries and individuals.

SourceThe Lancet·JournalThe Lancet·DateOct 5, 2016

Do proactive primary health-care programs preserve functioning for older adults?

A recent study found that personalized primary care programs can improve daily functioning in older adults, particularly those with higher levels of education. After six months, participants in the treatment groups experienced fewer problems compared to the control group, but further studies are needed to confirm these results.

SourceAmerican Geriatrics Society·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateOct 5, 2016

Hard-to-control asthma has distinct features, study shows

Children with hard-to-control asthma have distinct features that distinguish them from those with easy-to-control asthma. These include bronchodilator responsiveness, nasal inflammation, and allergy, which impact response to treatment. Early identification of key assessments may help personalize treatment approaches for these patients.

SourceAnn & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago·JournalJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology·DateOct 5, 2016

'Blind dates' in the amber world

Scientists have discovered a 54 million-year-old fossilized biting midge in amber, revealing an unusual vesicular structure at the front edge of its wings. This structure was likely used by the female midge to collect and spray pheromones for attraction, unlike modern biting midges that use simpler methods.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalScientific Reports·DateOct 5, 2016

The adolescent brain is adapted to learning

New research suggests that teenagers' sensitivity to reward is an evolutionary adaptation to learn from their environment. The study found that adolescents outperformed adults in a picture-based game requiring learning from positive and negative reinforcement cues.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateOct 5, 2016

To help or not to help?

In emergency situations, people tend to behave either egotistically or prosocially, with some individuals being more cooperative than others. A study published in Nature Scientific Reports found that most participants helped others less in emergency situations due to time pressure, while prosocial individuals were more willing to help.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalScientific Reports·DateOct 5, 2016

Study shows potential disease treatment in newborns via drug delivery to amniotic fluid

Researchers at Rosalind Franklin University and Oregon Health & Science University developed a breakthrough study on treating congenital diseases in utero using antisense oligonucleotides injected into the amniotic cavity. The procedure resulted in targeted alteration of gene expression for up to a month after birth.

SourceRosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science·JournalNucleic Acids Research·DateOct 5, 2016

Heavy hitters: Obesity rate soars among professional baseball players

Professional baseball players have seen a significant increase in weight and obesity over the last quarter century. The majority of athletes were within the normal BMI range for over 100 years, but around 1991, their average BMI began to rise, with nearly 80% now falling into the overweight or obese category.

SourcePenn State·JournalObesity Research & Clinical Practice·DateOct 5, 2016

Study shows infants pay more attention to native speakers

A study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that infants as young as 5 months old give more attention to objects presented by their native speaker. This preference for native language is thought to aid infants' quick acquisition of societal knowledge and cultural adaptation.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Psychology·DateOct 5, 2016

A better blood sugar test for diabetes

A new blood sugar test method developed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has been shown to cut diagnostic errors by more than 50% compared to current tests. The technique, which takes into account the age of red blood cells, offers personalized diabetes monitoring for over 400 million diabetics worldwide.

SourceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateOct 5, 2016

New imaging method could enable dentists to detect and heal tooth cavities much earlier

A new imaging device uses long-wavelength infrared imaging to detect small thermal radiation emitted from dental caries, allowing for earlier diagnosis and potential reversal. The tool has the benefits of being noncontact, noninvasive, and low-cost, with great potential as a commercially viable diagnostic imaging device.

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalJournal of Biomedical Optics·DateOct 5, 2016

Low lead levels in children negatively affect test scores

A new study using data from Rhode Island's lead-abatement program and repeated blood lead level tests found that low reading scores among preschoolers can predict lower scores in subsequent years. The study suggests that lead exposure may contribute to the persistence of gaps in test scores between children from different socioeconomic...

Food scientists: We can detect much more food fraud

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have reviewed the use of NIR spectroscopy to detect food fraud in Current Opinion in Food Science. The method can reveal far more food fraud than current methods, including intentional misrepresentation and undeclared introduction of cheaper substances. By examining large quantities of raw ...

SourceUniversity of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science·JournalCurrent Opinion in Food Science·DateOct 5, 2016

Discovery: A new form of light

A team of scientists from the University of Vermont and Dartmouth College have discovered a new way that some molecules can make a luminescent glow, breaking Kasha's Rule. The newly discovered pathway to creating light may prove useful in industrial materials, LEDs, and biomedical imaging.

SourceUniversity of Vermont·JournalNature Chemistry·DateOct 5, 2016

How much does that fertilizer REALLY cost?

Researchers from the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment have proposed a framework that accounts for the damages caused by reactive nitrogen, estimating the dollars-and-cents cost of nitrogen pollution. The tool will help integrate nitrogen costs into decisions made by agencies and groups.

SourceUniversity of Minnesota·JournalScience Advances·DateOct 5, 2016

Researchers modify yeast to show how plants respond to a key hormone

Researchers have developed a novel toolkit based on modified yeast cells to tease out how plant genes and proteins respond to auxin, the most ubiquitous plant hormone. The system revealed the basic 'code' of auxin signaling, including how specific combinations of repressing or activating proteins can bind to auxin, DNA, and one another.

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 5, 2016

Solving the problem of glare

Researchers have developed innovative methods to counteract glare and reduce unwanted light in various imaging applications, including microscopy, biomedicine, and astronomy. These new approaches use modified light to minimize glare, offering a promising solution for improving image quality.

SourceOptica·JournalOptica·DateOct 5, 2016

EBV-derived microRNAs silence immune alarm signals of the host cell

Scientists at Helmholtz Zentrum München discovered a mechanism by which EBV virus suppresses alarm signals sent out by infected cells. MicroRNAs made by the virus block production of proteins that would ring the alarm, rendering killer T cells and helper T cells inactive.

Neural membrane's structural instability may trigger multiple sclerosis

Researchers at Tel Aviv University have discovered that structural instabilities in the myelin sheaths of neurons may enable the immune system to launch an uncontrolled attack on them, leading to multiple sclerosis. The study suggests a potential trigger for the disease's outbreak and offers new avenues for therapies and diagnostics.

SourceAmerican Friends of Tel Aviv University·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateOct 5, 2016

Genome: It's all about architecture

Scientists are exploring the relationship between genome architecture and antigen variation in pathogens like Trypanosoma brucei. By analyzing the parasite's genomic structure, researchers aim to better understand how these pathogens evade the immune system and develop more effective vaccines.

Eating your greens could enhance sport performance

A recent study published in Frontiers in Physiology found that taking nitrate supplements alongside Sprint Interval Training can improve athletic performance in low-oxygen conditions. After just five weeks, the muscle fiber composition changed with enhanced nitrate intake during training in these conditions.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Physiology·DateOct 5, 2016

Here's looking at you -- finding allies through facial cues

Researchers found that men prefer masculine men as allies in a physical fight but feminine-looking women in emotional support, while women's preferences are the opposite. This suggests an evolutionary basis for these differences, with alliances benefiting ancestral males and improving their social rank.

SourceSpringer·JournalBehavioral Ecology and Sociobiology·DateOct 5, 2016

Targeting cardiovascular disease risk factors may be important across a lifetime

A recent NIH-funded study found that all adults, regardless of age, should be mindful of risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The study, led by George Howard, discovered that nearly half of participants developed high blood pressure during a 10-year follow-up, highlighting the importance of prevention efforts across the lifespan.

SourceNIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateOct 5, 2016

Smoking bans persuade light users to give up the habit

A new study shows that smoking bans in cities and states lead to a significant reduction in the number of young people who start or continue smoking cigarettes. The study found that light smokers are more likely to give up cigarettes after a ban is implemented, while heavier smokers were not affected by the ban.

SourceOhio State University·JournalJournal of Health and Social Behavior·DateOct 5, 2016

Sensors -- quantum leap

A photon-sensing scheme has been conceptualized for a detector that mimics a miniature trampoline, featuring enhanced sensitivity. The sensor utilizes a suspended micro-bridge to detect tiny displacements caused by photons, minimizing movement and overcoming inherent limitations.

SourceDOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory·JournalPhysical Review A·DateOct 5, 2016

Does brain size really matter?

A massive MRI study identified seven genetic hotspots regulating brain growth, memory, and reasoning, as well as predicting the onset of Parkinson's disease. The research supports the notion that brain size can be used to measure 'brain reserve' and promote resilience to age-related brain diseases.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalNature Neuroscience·DateOct 5, 2016

Early marijuana use associated with abnormal brain function, study reveals

A new study found that early marijuana use is associated with abnormal brain function, particularly in areas related to reward-processing and motor control. Additionally, those who used marijuana from a young age had lower IQ scores and more pronounced abnormalities in brain regions responsible for visuo-spatial processing and memory.

SourceLawson Research Institute·JournalActa Psychiatrica Scandinavica·DateOct 5, 2016

Surgery timing after neoadjuvant chemoradiation in Stage IIIA NSCLC impacts OS

The study found that surgery performed within 6-9 weeks after neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (NCRT) correlates with increased risk of poor outcomes, including perioperative mortality and overall survival. In contrast, an optimal interval of less than 8 weeks is recommended to minimize risks associated with radiation pneumonitis.

SourceInternational Association for the Study of Lung Cancer·JournalJournal of Thoracic Oncology·DateOct 5, 2016

Your next nurse could be a robot

Researchers have trained a robot to imitate natural human actions, allowing for effective coordination during high-stakes events like surgeries. This development holds promise for improving safety and efficiency in medical procedures.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Robotics and AI·DateOct 5, 2016