| Hispanics' health in the United States: Report Posted: 05 May 2015 03:27 PM PDT The first national study on Hispanic health risks and leading causes of death in the United States by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that similar to non-Hispanic whites (whites), the two leading causes of death in Hispanics are heart disease and cancer. Fewer Hispanics than whites die from the 10 leading causes of death, but Hispanics had higher death rates than whites from diabetes and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis.  |
| Researchers produce jet fuel compounds from fungus Posted: 05 May 2015 03:26 PM PDT Researchers have found a way to make jet fuel from a common black fungus found in decaying leaves, soil and rotting fruit. The researchers hope the process leads to economically viable production of aviation biofuels in the next five years.  |
| Ethanol refining may release more of some pollutants than previously thought Posted: 05 May 2015 03:26 PM PDT Ethanol fuel refineries could be releasing much larger amounts of some ozone-forming compounds into the atmosphere than current assessments suggest, a new study finds. Airborne measurements downwind from an ethanol fuel refinery in Decatur, Illinois, show that ethanol emissions are 30 times higher than government estimates. The measurements also show emissions of all volatile organic compounds, which include ethanol, were five times higher than government numbers, which estimate emissions based on manufacturing information.  |
| Plant-derived compound targets cancer stem cells Posted: 05 May 2015 03:26 PM PDT A compound and an enzyme that occur naturally in cruciferous vegetables--cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts--may help prevent recurrence and spread of some cancers, according to researchers. When they treated human cervical cancer stem cells with phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) in a Petri dish, about 75 percent died within 24 hours using a 20-micromolar concentration of the compound.  |
| High fever: Is it measles or flu? Posted: 05 May 2015 03:26 PM PDT A pathologist and infectious disease expert offers symptoms parents should watch for if they suspect their child has the measles.  |
| 'Herd immunity' threatened in measles outbreak, pathologist says Posted: 05 May 2015 03:26 PM PDT Spending time with other people is a cure for loneliness. But being a member of a vaccinated community has an important added benefit: preventing the spread of vaccine-preventable infectious diseases. The current concern over outbreaks of measles in the United States provides valuable lessons about how vaccinations are effective across a broad community.  |
| Thoughts drive dieting plans but feelings drive dieting behavior, study finds Posted: 05 May 2015 01:16 PM PDT Dieting is a process that involves a plan to change eating behavior and behaving according to that plan. But the factors that guide diet planning differ from those that guide actual diet behavior, according to the results of a new study.  |
| Traffic around Mars gets busy Posted: 05 May 2015 01:02 PM PDT NASA has beefed up a process of traffic monitoring, communication and maneuver planning to ensure that Mars orbiters do not approach each other too closely. Last year's addition of two new spacecraft orbiting Mars brought the census of active Mars orbiters to five, the most ever.  |
| Ten-engine electric plane completes successful flight test Posted: 05 May 2015 12:26 PM PDT Imagine a battery-powered plane that has 10 engines and can take off like a helicopter and fly efficiently like an aircraft. That is a concept being developed by NASA researchers called Greased Lightning or GL-10.  |
| Popular electric brain stimulation method used to boost brainpower is detrimental to IQ scores Posted: 05 May 2015 12:21 PM PDT Using a weak electric current in an attempt to boost brainpower or treat conditions has become popular among scientists and do-it-yourselfers, but a new study shows that using the most common form of electric brain stimulation had a statistically significant detrimental effect on IQ scores.  |
| 3-D models of neuronal networks reveal organizational principles of sensory cortex Posted: 05 May 2015 12:21 PM PDT Researchers have succeeded in reconstructing the neuronal networks that interconnect the elementary units of sensory cortex -- cortical columns. The scientists say that this study marks a major step forward to advance the understanding of the organizational principles of the neocortex and sets the stage for future studies that will provide extraordinary insight into how sensory information is represented, processed and encoded within the cortical circuitry.  |
| ASTRO issues guideline on definitive and adjuvant RT for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer Posted: 05 May 2015 11:25 AM PDT The American Society for Radiation Oncology is issuing a new guideline, 'Definitive and adjuvant radiotherapy in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer: An American Society for Radiation Oncology evidence-based clinical practice guideline.'  |
| Who benefits from a catheter -- and who doesn't? New guide aims to protect patients Posted: 05 May 2015 11:25 AM PDT What's the only thing worse than having a urinary catheter when you're in the hospital? Having one and getting a urinary tract infection -- or worse -- as a result. Now, a new detailed guide gives doctors and nurses information to help decide which hospital patients may benefit from a urinary catheter -- and which ones don't.  |
| Researchers observe the moment when a mind is changed Posted: 05 May 2015 11:25 AM PDT Researchers studying how the brain makes decisions have, for the first time, recorded the moment-by-moment fluctuations in brain signals that occur when a monkey making free choices has a change of mind. This basic neuroscience discovery will help create neural prostheses that can withhold moving a prosthetic arm until the user is certain of their decision, thereby averting premature or inopportune movements.  |
| Redesigned systems may increase access to MRI for patients with implanted medical devices Posted: 05 May 2015 11:25 AM PDT New technology may extend the benefits of magnetic resonance imaging to many patients whose access to MRI is currently limited. A redesign of the wire at the core of the leads that carry signals between implanted medical devices and their target structures significantly reduces the generation of heat that occurs when standard wires are exposed to the radiofrequency (RF) energy used in MRI.  |
| Companies' bottom lines benefit when former politicians join leadership teams Posted: 05 May 2015 11:25 AM PDT Companies can experience a significant improvement to their bottom lines when a former politician takes a leadership role, but company leaders who move into the political area do not provide the same benefits, a new study concludes.  |
| Childhood maltreatment linked to sleep problems among adults Posted: 05 May 2015 11:25 AM PDT Adults who experienced multiple incidents of childhood maltreatment were more than two times as likely to have trouble sleeping than their counterparts who were not maltreated during childhood, according to a new study.  |
| Astrophysicists offer proof that famous image shows forming planets Posted: 05 May 2015 11:25 AM PDT A recent and famous image from deep space marks the first time we've seen a forming planetary system, according to a study by astrophysicists. The team found that circular gaps in a disk of dust and gas swirling around the young star HL Tau are in fact made by forming planets.  |
| Astronomers unveil farthest galaxy, more than 13 billion years in the past Posted: 05 May 2015 11:25 AM PDT Astronomers have pushed back the cosmic frontier of galaxy exploration to a time when the universe was only 5 percent of its present age. Age and distance are vitally connected in any discussion of the universe. The light we see from our Sun takes just eight minutes to reach us, while the light from distant galaxies we see via today's advanced telescopes travels for billions of years before it reaches us -- so we're seeing what those galaxies looked like billions of years ago.  |
| Compact light source improves CT scans Posted: 05 May 2015 11:24 AM PDT The recently developed Compact Light Source (CLS) -- a commercial X-ray source -- enables computer tomography scans that reveal more detail than routine scans performed at hospitals today. The new technology could soon be used in preclinical studies and help researchers better understand cancer and other diseases.  |
| Molecular link between high glucose, metabolic disease may offer new strategies to control diabetes Posted: 05 May 2015 10:17 AM PDT Scientists say they've discovered a cause-and-effect link between chronic high blood sugar and disruption of mitochondria, the powerhouses that create the metabolic energy that runs living cells. The discovery sheds light on a long-hidden connection and, they say, could eventually lead to new ways of preventing and treating diabetes.  |
| Improving transistors that drive flexible electronics Posted: 05 May 2015 10:17 AM PDT A revolution is coming in flexible electronic technologies as cheaper, more flexible, organic transistors replace expensive, rigid, silicone-based semiconductors, but not enough is known about how bending thin-film electronic devices affects performance. A new study provides answers.  |
| Enzyme responsible for obesity-related high blood pressure identified Posted: 05 May 2015 09:14 AM PDT Obesity is a serious health problem affecting approximately one-third of the adult population in the United States. Obese individuals have an increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, including hypertension. A recent study has identified the enzyme responsible for obesity-related hypertension -- a finding that could lead to new treatment options.  |
| Nail biters, beware: Teeth grinding is next Posted: 05 May 2015 09:14 AM PDT Anxiety disorders affect approximately one in six adult Americans. The most well-known of these include panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and social anxiety disorder. But what of brief bouts of anxiety caused by stressful social situations? New research shows that anxiety experienced in social circumstances elevates the risk of bruxism -- teeth grinding -- causing tooth wear, fractures, and jaw pain.  |
| Late-night snacking: Is it your brain's fault? Posted: 05 May 2015 09:14 AM PDT New light has been shed on why you, your friends, neighbors and most everyone you know tend to snack at night: some areas of the brain don't get the same 'food high' in the evening. The study also reports that participants were subjectively more preoccupied with food at night even though their hunger and "fullness" levels were similar to other times of the day.  |
| Simulating seasons: Researchers use supercomputing to assess impact of climate change on Malawi's growing season Posted: 05 May 2015 09:14 AM PDT Malawi, a small landlocked country in southeast Africa, is home to 13 million people and is one of the least-developed countries in the world. Its security is highly dependent on rain-fed agriculture. Changes in rainfall patterns associated with climate change can be devastating, leading to food crises, famines, and loss of life. Two researchers are dedicated to understanding how climate change and variability will impact Malawi.  |
| Traumatic brain injury linked to increased road rage Posted: 05 May 2015 09:13 AM PDT Ontario adult drivers who say they have experienced at least one traumatic brain injury in their lifetime also report significantly higher incidents of serious road-related driving aggression, said a new study. Serious driver aggression includes: making threats to hurt a fellow driver, passenger or vehicle. These individuals also reported significantly higher odds of being involved in a motor vehicle collision that resulted in hurting themselves, their passenger or their vehicle.  |
| Online training can teach psychotherapists evidence-based treatments, study finds Posted: 05 May 2015 09:13 AM PDT Psychotherapy treatments can lag years behind what research has shown to be effective because there simply are not enough clinicians trained in new methods. A new study proposes one solution to the problem. The findings show that employing online training programs to teach psychotherapists how to use newer evidence-based treatments can be as successful as in-person instruction.  |
| First 'images' of thunder: Sound waves captured visually Posted: 05 May 2015 09:13 AM PDT For the first time, scientists have imaged thunder, visually capturing the sound waves created by artificially triggered lightning. By studying the acoustic power radiated from different portions of the lightning channel, researchers can learn more about the origins of thunder as well as the energetic processes associated with lightning.  |
| Bringing high-energy particle detection in from the cold Posted: 05 May 2015 09:13 AM PDT Conventional semiconductor detectors made from germanium and silicon are standard equipment in nuclear physics, but are less useful in many emerging applications because they require low temperatures to operate. In recent years, scientists have been seeking new semiconductor materials to develop high-performance radiation detectors that can operate at room temperature, and now researchers think they have a good candidate material: a compound called thallium sulfide iodide.  |
| Treatment reduces risk of recurrence of C. difficile infection Posted: 05 May 2015 09:13 AM PDT Among patients with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) who recovered following standard treatment with the antibiotics metronidazole or vancomycin, oral administration of spores of a strain of C. difficile that does not produce toxins colonized the gastrointestinal tract and significantly reduced CDI recurrence, according to a new study.  |
| Studies show effectiveness of combo treatment for HCV patients with, without cirrhosis Posted: 05 May 2015 09:13 AM PDT Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection and with or without cirrhosis achieved high rates of sustained virologic response after 12 weeks of treatment with a combination of the direct-acting-antiviral drugs daclatasvir, asunaprevir, and beclabuvir, researchers report.  |
| Interferon-free therapy clears hepatitis C in 93 percent of patients in trial Posted: 05 May 2015 09:13 AM PDT A 12-week dose of an investigational three-drug hepatitis C combination cured the virus in 93 percent of patients with liver cirrhosis who hadn't previously been treated, according to a study. For most of the past 20 years, therapies for hepatitis C relied on interferon drugs, which require regular injections for as long as one year and trigger miserable, flu-like side effects that prompt many patients to quit the regimen. Some patients aren't eligible for this treatment if they have anemia, low platelets or other conditions.  |
| Artificial muscles created from gold-plated onion cells Posted: 05 May 2015 09:13 AM PDT The onion, a humble root vegetable, is proving its strength outside the culinary world -- in an artificial muscle created from onion cells. Unlike previous artificial muscles, this one can either expand or contract to bend in different directions depending on the driving voltage applied.  |
| Model approach for sustainable phosphorus recovery from wastewater Posted: 05 May 2015 09:12 AM PDT A new study has examined methods for recovering phosphorus from wastewater using mathematical modeling. The study showed that a typical wastewater treatment plant could reclaim approximately 490 tons of phosphorus in the form of struvite each year.  |
| How noise changes the way the brain gets information Posted: 05 May 2015 09:12 AM PDT In a study on mice, cells that relay information from the ear to the brain changed their behavior and structure in response to the noise level in the environment. Researchers think the adaptations could aid hearing in different conditions.  |
| Say what? How the brain separates our ability to talk and write Posted: 05 May 2015 08:22 AM PDT Although the human ability to write evolved from our ability to speak, writing and talking are now such independent systems in the brain that someone who can't write a grammatically correct sentence may be able say it aloud flawlessly.  |
| How relaxation response may help treat two gastrointestinal disorders Posted: 05 May 2015 08:22 AM PDT Participating in a nine-week training program including elicitation of the relaxation response had a significant impact on clinical symptoms of the gastrointestinal disorders irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease and on the expression of genes related to inflammation and the body's response to stress.  |
| Connecting uninsured patients to primary care could reduce emergency department use Posted: 05 May 2015 08:22 AM PDT An intervention to connect low-income uninsured and Medicaid patients to a reliable source of primary health care shows promise for reducing avoidable use of hospital emergency departments in Maryland.  |
| Strategy found for safely prescribing antidepressants to children and adolescents Posted: 05 May 2015 08:22 AM PDT Two new strategies to treat depression in young people have been developed for the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor class of medications. These strategies incorporate a new understanding of how to mitigate the risk of suicide while on SSRI treatment.  |
| One in five people will develop heart failure Posted: 05 May 2015 08:19 AM PDT One person in five is expected to develop heart failure in developed countries, a disease with no cure but which is largely preventable.  |
| New chip architecture may provide foundation for quantum computer Posted: 05 May 2015 08:19 AM PDT Quantum computers are in theory capable of simulating the interactions of molecules at a level of detail far beyond the capabilities of even the largest supercomputers today. Such simulations could revolutionize chemistry, biology and material science, but the development of quantum computers has been limited by the ability to increase the number of quantum bits, or qubits, that encode, store and access large amounts of data.  |
| Chest strap heart rate monitor Posted: 05 May 2015 08:12 AM PDT Scientists have developed a novel chest strap device for the long-term monitoring of patients with heart and circulatory problems. What is special about the new system is that it records an electrocardiogram (ECG) of the wearer. It is also self-moistening, which is essential for reliable signal monitoring.  |
| How do neural cells respond to ischemia? Posted: 05 May 2015 07:24 AM PDT The World Health Organization reports cardiovascular diseases to be the leading cause of morbility globally as the majority of deaths are caused by strokes and ischemic heart disease. Researchers have now specified mechanisms related to the development of ischemic disease.  |
| First field-effect transistors on hybrid perovskites fabricated for first time Posted: 05 May 2015 07:24 AM PDT Researchers have fabricated halide organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite field-effect transistors and measure their electrical characteristics at room temperature for the first time. Hybrid perovskites are a family of crystalline materials that hold great promise in the clean energy world.  |
| Treating gum disease reduces prostate symptoms, researchers find Posted: 05 May 2015 07:24 AM PDT Treating gum disease reduced symptoms of prostate inflammation, called prostatitis, report researchers. Previous studies have found a link between gum disease and prostatitis, a disease that inflames the gland that produces semen. Inflammation can make urination difficult.  |
| Soft robot: Shaping itself and moving with own internally generated power? Posted: 05 May 2015 07:24 AM PDT What if a new material would allow for development of a 'soft robot' that could reconfigure its own shape and move using its own internally generated power?  |
| America's best teachers get creative Posted: 05 May 2015 07:24 AM PDT America's best teachers rap their algebra lessons, use music to teach Kafka and find other ways to use their own creative interests to teach their students, finds a new study. Examining the classroom practices of National Teacher of the Year winners and finalists, the study suggests successful educators aren't afraid to push the boundaries by incorporating real world, cross-disciplinary themes into their lessons.  |
| Nonstop shopping: Impact of mobile technology on purchasing patterns Posted: 05 May 2015 07:23 AM PDT Customers who adopted mobile technology for their grocery shopping shopped more often and placed larger orders, research shows. The data was collected between 2011 and 2013 from an Internet-only retail grocer that operates mainly in the northeast US. Although 70 percent of transactions with the grocer were still being conducted via personal computer during this period, the researchers were able to identify key patterns among customers who were increasingly using mobile technology.  |
| 'Tangles' trigger early-stage Alzheimer's abnormalities in neocortical networks Posted: 05 May 2015 07:23 AM PDT A ground-breaking study has now, for the first time, characterized early-stage changes that occur inside individual, Alzheimer's-affected cells in the intact brain. Remarkably, the study indicates that even if only a small number of cells is affected, the result is a reduction of electrical activity throughout the cerebral cortex -- the area of the brain that serves as the center of higher mental function and cognition.  |
| Scientists look through the mirror to reveal secrets of a new drug Posted: 05 May 2015 07:23 AM PDT Research results can help develop anti-inflammatory drugs, scientists say. Results from recent study revealed a nucleic acid molecule that has the perfectly reversed geometry as compared to a naturally occurring RNA/DNA molecule. However, this unusual molecule still interacts strongly with the normal C5a protein built with naturally occurring amino acids, thereby illustrating beautifully how the two sides of the mirror can be reunited and leaving us to wonder about the possibility of a world where both sides of the mirror would have coexisted in harmony.  |
| 'Microcombing' creates stronger, more conductive carbon nanotube films Posted: 05 May 2015 07:23 AM PDT Researchers have developed an inexpensive technique called 'microcombing' to align carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which can be used to create large, pure CNT films that are stronger than any previous such films. The technique also improves the electrical conductivity that makes these films attractive for use in electronic and aerospace applications.  |
| What happens when populations hit the borders of expansion? Posted: 05 May 2015 07:23 AM PDT Scientists are researching how population size and genetic drift affect the limits to a species' range. In a new article, they explain why sharp range margins arise in natural populations.  |
| Slowdown after Ice Age sounds a warning for Great Barrier Reef's future Posted: 05 May 2015 07:23 AM PDT Environmental factors similar to those affecting the present day Great Barrier Reef have been linked to a major slowdown in its growth 8,000 years ago, research shows.  |
| Accelerated brain aging in type 1 diabetes related to cognitive complications Posted: 05 May 2015 07:23 AM PDT The brains of people with type 1 diabetes show signs of accelerated aging that correlate with slower information processing, according to research. The findings indicate that clinicians should consider screening middle-aged patients with type 1 diabetes for cognitive difficulties. If progressive, these changes could influence their ability to manage their diabetes.  |
| The dark side of cannabis: Panic attacks, nausea Posted: 05 May 2015 07:21 AM PDT Although the use of cannabis as a medical drug is currently booming, we should not forget that leisure time consumption -- for example, smoking weed -- can cause acute and chronic harms. These include panic attacks, impaired coordination of movement, and nausea, as researchers show. The symptoms depend on a patient's age, the amount of the drug consumed, and the frequency of drug use.  |
| 'Silver bullet' kills phytophthora, a fungus that affects more than 400 plants and trees Posted: 05 May 2015 07:21 AM PDT Silver nanoparticles produced with an extract of wormwood can stop several strains of the fungus phytophthora dead in its tracks.  |
| Breast cancer vaccines may work better with silicon microparticles Posted: 05 May 2015 07:21 AM PDT The effectiveness of cancer vaccines could be dramatically boosted by first loading the cancer antigens into silicon microparticles, report scientists. Model studies showed that microparticles loaded with an antigen, HER2, not only protected the antigen from premature destruction, but also stimulated the immune system to recognize and relentlessly attack cancer cells overexpressing the HER2 antigen.  |
| 'Freezing a bullet' to find clues to ribosome assembly process Posted: 05 May 2015 06:20 AM PDT Finding out how protein-synthesizing cellular machines are assembled in a stepwise fashion has been the focus of recent research. Ribosomes are vital to the function of all living cells. Using the genetic information from RNA, these large molecular complexes build proteins by linking amino acids together in a specific order, the researchers have discovered.  |
| Shedding light on rods: Novel technique to investigate the activity of these retinal cells Posted: 05 May 2015 06:20 AM PDT By using 'unusual' optic fibres in a novel fashion, an international team of researchers scrutinized the response to light of rods, the light-sensitive cells of the retina, and demonstrated that the intensity of response varies according to the region of the cell hit by the light.  |
