ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Largest study of high-deductible health plans finds savings, less preventive care
• Inadequate diet can lead to anemia in postmenopausal women
• Higher prevalence of psychiatric symptoms found in children with epilepsy
• Russian boreal forests undergoing vegetation change, study shows
• Great Depression did not significantly improve life expectancy in United States, study finds
• Most family medicine residencies restrict interactions between trainees, industry, survey finds
• An ancestral link between genetic and environmental sex determination
• Suzaku shows clearest picture yet of Perseus Galaxy Cluster
• Noninvasive brain stimulation may improve swallowing after stroke
• Mini-stroke doubles risk of heart attack
• Not so sweet: Increased added sugars intake parallels trends in weight gain
• New discoveries on gene regulation in the evolution of the vertebrate brain
• Wild birds may play a role in the spread of bird flu, new research suggests
• Matter spotted a millisecond from black hole -- but is it really doomed?
• New model predicts the optical properties of nano-structures
• High-temperature superconductor spills secret: A new phase of matter?
• Eskimo study suggests high consumption of omega-3s in fish-rich diet reduces obesity-related disease risk
• Data streaming in from Space Station to OSU lab
• Against the tide: Currents keep dolphins apart; Study finds invisible oceanographic factors that keep populations separate
• BrainGate neural interface system reaches 1,000-day performance milestone
• Around 25 percent of health messages in Spanish text books are not based on scientific evidence, study finds
• Teachers unaware of growing gender gaps in classrooms, US study finds
• Sexually active teens need confidential health care, study finds
• Researchers help map tsunami and earthquake damage in Japan
• Uncertain future for Joshua trees in US Southwest projected with climate change
• Inclusion of falls history shown to enhance accuracy of fracture risk assessment models
• Animal welfare does not damage competitiveness, Swedish report finds
• International variations found in quality of life loss after fracture
• First student-developed mission in which satellites orbit and communicate
• New study quantifies total costs of fragility fractures in six major European countries
• A safer, more effective morphine may soon be possible
• Gambling problems are more common than drinking problems, according to first-of-its-kind study
• Cutting carbon dioxide could help prevent droughts, new research shows
• MRSA infection shown to be seasonal
• Eye development error can cause cataracts, glaucoma
• Potential new non-insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes found
• Remarkable fossil: 525-million-year-old discovery of 'feathered helmet from beyond the clouds'
• Can we get more social benefits from forests and have higher biodiversity?
• Tourettes brains are structured for greater, not lesser, cognitive motor control
• Artifacts in Texas predate Clovis culture by 2,500 years, new study shows
• Novel immune therapy for pancreatic cancer developed
• Bats keep separate households
• Unexpected action of bisphenol A on the inner ear of certain vertebrates
• 'Simulated' needles just as effective as real acupuncture in treating nausea in cancer patients, study finds
• Acupuncture for pain no better than placebo -- and not without harm, study finds
• Religious young adults become obese by middle age: Cause may be unhealthy food at religious activities
• Measurements of winter Arctic sea ice shows continuing ice loss, study finds
• How to make skinny worms fat and fat worms skinny
• Eye movement differs in British and Chinese populations
• Crucial hour to prevent fatal bleeding

Largest study of high-deductible health plans finds savings, less preventive care Posted: 24 Mar 2011 11:49 PM PDT A study of more than 800,000 US families finds that high-deductible health plans significantly cut health care spending, but also prompt patients to cut back on preventive health care such as immunizations.

Inadequate diet can lead to anemia in postmenopausal women Posted: 24 Mar 2011 11:49 PM PDT A new study indicates that inadequate nutrition is linked to a greater risk of anemia in postmenopausal women.

Higher prevalence of psychiatric symptoms found in children with epilepsy Posted: 24 Mar 2011 11:45 PM PDT A newly published report reveals that children with epilepsy are more likely to have psychiatric symptoms, with gender a determining factor in their development. Findings showed that girls had more emotional problems, while boys had more hyperactivity/inattention problems and issues regarding peer relationships.

Russian boreal forests undergoing vegetation change, study shows Posted: 24 Mar 2011 11:23 PM PDT Russia's boreal forest -- the largest continuous expanse of forest in the world, found in the country's cold northern regions -- is undergoing an accelerating large-scale shift in vegetation types as a result of globally and regionally warming climate. That in turn is creating an even warmer climate in the region, according to a new study.

Great Depression did not significantly improve life expectancy in United States, study finds Posted: 24 Mar 2011 05:20 PM PDT A new provides a fresh perspective on the Great Depression of the 1930s. A widely held view is that there were remarkable improvements in life expectancy of over five years. Using data from urban populations, researchers found that it was actually associated with an increase in suicides but reduction in motor-vehicle accidents, a pattern consistent with the impacts of the current recession in Europe and the U.S.

Most family medicine residencies restrict interactions between trainees, industry, survey finds Posted: 24 Mar 2011 03:17 PM PDT A national survey of US family medicine residency programs finds that most limit pharmaceutical and other industry interactions with residents while many exclude all interactions. The results suggest a major shift away from acceptance of food, gifts, samples, and industry-supported events.

An ancestral link between genetic and environmental sex determination Posted: 24 Mar 2011 03:17 PM PDT Researchers have found a highly significant connection between the molecular mechanisms underlying genetic and environmental sex determination. The scientists report the identification of a gene responsible for the production of males during environmental sex determination in the crustacean Daphnia.

Suzaku shows clearest picture yet of Perseus Galaxy Cluster Posted: 24 Mar 2011 02:11 PM PDT X-ray observations made by the Suzaku observatory provide the clearest picture to date of the size, mass and chemical content of a nearby cluster of galaxies. The study also provides the first direct evidence that million-degree gas clouds are tightly gathered in the cluster's outskirts.

Noninvasive brain stimulation may improve swallowing after stroke Posted: 24 Mar 2011 01:22 PM PDT Noninvasive electrical stimulation to the brain may improve swallowing ability among stroke survivors, which may help avoid life-threatening complications, new research suggests.

Mini-stroke doubles risk of heart attack Posted: 24 Mar 2011 01:22 PM PDT Patients who have had temporary stroke symptoms known as a transient-ischemic attack (TIA) have twice the risk of heart attack as the general population, a new study has found. TIA patients who had a subsequent heart attack were three times more likely to die during the 20-year study than those who did not have a heart attack. These findings signify the importance of screening TIA patients for signs of heart disease, researchers say.

Not so sweet: Increased added sugars intake parallels trends in weight gain Posted: 24 Mar 2011 01:22 PM PDT An upward trend in added sugars intake corresponded to an upward trend in body weight, in a 27-year study of adults in Minnesota, a new study has found. Women in the study consumed less added sugars than men. Younger adults consumed more added sugars than older adults.

New discoveries on gene regulation in the evolution of the vertebrate brain Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:42 PM PDT Alternative splicing of RNA transcripts is a process leading to differential gene expression and the production of different proteins, which is the key to cell differentiation and a foundation of many diseases. Researchers have now described the generation of a gene network regulated by the splicing factor NOVA1 during the development of the central nervous system in vertebrates.

Wild birds may play a role in the spread of bird flu, new research suggests Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:37 PM PDT Wild migratory birds may indeed play a role in the spread of bird flu, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1.

Matter spotted a millisecond from black hole -- but is it really doomed? Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:37 PM PDT The European Space Agency's Integral gamma-ray observatory has spotted extremely hot matter just a millisecond before it plunges into the oblivion of a black hole. But is it really doomed? These unique observations suggest that some of the matter may be making a great escape.

New model predicts the optical properties of nano-structures Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:37 PM PDT Chemists have developed a new model to predict the optical properties of non-conducting ultra-fine particles.

High-temperature superconductor spills secret: A new phase of matter? Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:37 PM PDT Scientists have found the strongest evidence yet that a puzzling gap in the electronic structures of some high-temperature superconductors could indicate a new phase of matter. Understanding this "pseudogap" has been a 20-year quest for researchers who are trying to control and improve these breakthrough materials, with the ultimate goal of finding superconductors that operate at room temperature.

Eskimo study suggests high consumption of omega-3s in fish-rich diet reduces obesity-related disease risk Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:37 PM PDT A study of Yup'ik Eskimos in Alaska, who on average consume 20 times more omega-3 fats from fish than people in the lower 48 states, suggests that a high intake of these fats helps prevent obesity-related chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

Data streaming in from Space Station to OSU lab Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:37 PM PDT A prototype scanner aboard the international space station has been taking new images of Earth's coastal regions during the 16 months since it was launched, providing scientists with a new set of imaging tools that will help them monitor events from oil spills to plankton blooms.

Against the tide: Currents keep dolphins apart; Study finds invisible oceanographic factors that keep populations separate Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:37 PM PDT Conservationists have discovered that groups of dolphins in the western Indian Ocean do not mix freely with one another. In fact, dolphin populations are kept separate by currents and other unseen factors.

BrainGate neural interface system reaches 1,000-day performance milestone Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:37 PM PDT An investigational implanted system being developed to translate brain signals toward control of assistive devices has allowed a woman with paralysis to accurately control a computer cursor at 2.7 years after implantation, providing a key demonstration that neural activity can be read out and converted into action for an unprecedented length of time.

Around 25 percent of health messages in Spanish text books are not based on scientific evidence, study finds Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:37 PM PDT Most school text books contain messages about health, but 24.6 percent of these are not based on any scientific evidence, according to a study by researchers in Spain.

Teachers unaware of growing gender gaps in classrooms, US study finds Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:37 PM PDT A gap in reading and math scores still exists in lower grades, with boys continuing to outpace girls in math, and girls ahead of boys in reading, two US education professors say.

Sexually active teens need confidential health care, study finds Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:37 PM PDT After reviewing existing research regarding the common practices of health care providers who see adolescent patients across the country, researchers found that the United States needs to offer more confidential care for teenagers who are sexually active. This includes access to effective contraception, the study authors noted.

Researchers help map tsunami and earthquake damage in Japan Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:36 PM PDT Researchers are processing satellite imagery of regions in Japan affected by the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that devastated sections of the country's east coast on March 11.

Uncertain future for Joshua trees in US Southwest projected with climate change Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:36 PM PDT Temperature increases resulting from climate change in the US Southwest will likely eliminate Joshua trees from 90 percent of their current range in 60 to 90 years, according to a new study.

Inclusion of falls history shown to enhance accuracy of fracture risk assessment models Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:36 PM PDT A new study shows how the inclusion of falls history, in addition to clinical risk factors (CRFs) and bone mineral density (BMD) values, would greatly improve the accuracy of fracture prediction models.

Animal welfare does not damage competitiveness, Swedish report finds Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:35 PM PDT Farmers and politicians have expressed concern that Swedish and European agricultural producers do not compete on equal terms with the rest of the world because of stricter animal welfare legislation. A new report from Sweden shows that there is no justification for more tariffs based on the argument that stricter legislation would increase imports.

International variations found in quality of life loss after fracture Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:35 PM PDT A new study has found that the initial quality of life loss following an osteoporotic fracture is substantial, especially with regard to hip and vertebral fractures. The study found differences in quality of life loss between countries after correcting for other explanatory variables.

First student-developed mission in which satellites orbit and communicate Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:35 PM PDT Two satellites designed and constructed by engineering students in Texas successfully separated in space March 22, completing the most crucial goal of the mission since its Nov. 19 launch and making them the first student-developed mission in the world in which satellites orbit and communicate with each other in real-time.

New study quantifies total costs of fragility fractures in six major European countries Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:35 PM PDT New research estimates that the economic burden of fragility fractures in five major European countries totals 31 billion Euro, with Germany bearing the highest costs. A majority of the economic burden is shown to be related to the costs incurred during the first year after the fracture, while pharmacological prevention and treatment management constitutes only a marginal share of the total economic cost.

A safer, more effective morphine may soon be possible Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:35 PM PDT An orphan drug originally used for HIV treatment has been found to short-circuit the process that results in additional sensitivity and pain from opioid use.

Gambling problems are more common than drinking problems, according to first-of-its-kind study Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:35 PM PDT After age 21, problem gambling is considerably more common among US adults than alcohol dependence, even though alcohol dependence has received much more attention, according to researchers.

Cutting carbon dioxide could help prevent droughts, new research shows Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:35 PM PDT Recent climate modeling has shown that reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would give the Earth a wetter climate in the short term. New research offers a novel explanation for why climates are wetter when atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are decreasing. Their findings show that cutting carbon dioxide concentrations could help prevent droughts caused by global warming.

MRSA infection shown to be seasonal Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:35 PM PDT A new study has found a significant increase in the occurrence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in the summer and autumn months. The increase was more pronounced in the pediatric population than in adults.

Eye development error can cause cataracts, glaucoma Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:30 PM PDT Scientists show that RNA granules -- a key player in messenger RNA processing -- can affect eye development, leading to juvenile cataracts in humans and mice. The research also demonstrates the first connection between RNA granules and glaucoma, as both humans and mice developed glaucoma.

Potential new non-insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes found Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:30 PM PDT Researchers have discovered a hormone pathway that potentially could lead to new ways of treating type 1 diabetes independent of insulin, long thought to be the sole regulator of carbohydrates in the liver.

Remarkable fossil: 525-million-year-old discovery of 'feathered helmet from beyond the clouds' Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:30 PM PDT Researchers have discovered a remarkable fossil which sheds new light on an important group of primitive sea creatures.

Can we get more social benefits from forests and have higher biodiversity? Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:30 PM PDT When local residents are allowed to make rules about managing nearby forests, the forests are more likely to provide greater economic benefits to households and contain more biodiversity, researchers conclude from an analysis of forest practices in tropical developing countries of East Africa and South Asia.

Tourettes brains are structured for greater, not lesser, cognitive motor control Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:30 PM PDT Contrary to intuition, people who suffer from the motor and vocal tics characteristic of Tourette syndrome actually perform behavioral tests of cognitive motor control more accurately and quickly than their typically developing peers do. According to a new study, that enhanced control arises from structural and functional changes in the brain that likely come about from the need to constantly suppress tics.

Artifacts in Texas predate Clovis culture by 2,500 years, new study shows Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:30 PM PDT Researchers in Texas have discovered thousands of human artifacts in a layer of earth that lies directly beneath an assemblage of Clovis relics, expanding evidence that other cultures preceded the Clovis culture in North America.

Novel immune therapy for pancreatic cancer developed Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:30 PM PDT Researchers have discovered a novel way of treating pancreatic cancer by activating the immune system to destroy the cancer's scaffolding. The strategy was tested in a small cohort of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, several of whose tumors shrank substantially. The team believes their findings -- and the novel way in which they uncovered them -- could lead to quicker, less expensive cancer drug development.

Bats keep separate households Posted: 24 Mar 2011 07:49 AM PDT The use of different environments by males and females in the parti-colored bat makes population estimation and thereby the conservation of the species more difficult. The use of different resources by males and females exacerbates the estimation of population sizes. However, the monitoring of population sizes, particularly for rare and threatened species, is pivotal to quick and effective conservation action. Scientists have now investigated the ecological niches of male and female parti-colored bats (Vespertilio murinus) and found out that the sexes use entirely different foraging grounds. With their results they can show that a finer grained view of what different demographic subsets of species do is essential for correct estimation of population trends with important implications on action plans for conservation.

Unexpected action of bisphenol A on the inner ear of certain vertebrates Posted: 24 Mar 2011 07:44 AM PDT Bisphenol A, whose impact on reproduction and development is the subject of numerous studies, induces anomalies in the inner ear of embryos of certain vertebrates. This new, completely unsuspected effect has been demonstrated on zebrafish and Xenopus, a type of frog. These results illustrate, for the first time, the sensitivity of the inner ear in vertebrates to bisphenol A. The study demonstrates that the effects of this chemical compound on the embryonic development of animals, including mammals, now needs to be explored in greater depth.

'Simulated' needles just as effective as real acupuncture in treating nausea in cancer patients, study finds Posted: 24 Mar 2011 07:44 AM PDT Simulated acupuncture -- sometimes referred to as placebo -- is just as beneficial as real acupuncture for treating nausea in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy, according to a study by researchers in Sweden. Patients, who received only standard care including medications for nausea, felt significant more nausea than patients in both the acupuncture groups.

Acupuncture for pain no better than placebo -- and not without harm, study finds Posted: 24 Mar 2011 07:41 AM PDT Although acupuncture is commonly used for pain control, doubts about its effectiveness and safety remain. Researchers in the UK and Korea critically evaluated systematic reviews of acupuncture as a treatment of pain in order to explore this question. The scientists conclude that numerous systematic reviews have generated little truly convincing evidence that acupuncture is effective in reducing pain, and serious adverse effects continue to be reported.

Religious young adults become obese by middle age: Cause may be unhealthy food at religious activities Posted: 24 Mar 2011 07:41 AM PDT Could it be the potato salad? Young adults who frequently attend religious activities are 50 percent more likely to become obese by middle age as young adults with no religious involvement, according to new research. This is the first longitudinal study to examine the development of obesity in people with various degrees of religious involvement. The cause may be unhealthy food served at religious activities.

Measurements of winter Arctic sea ice shows continuing ice loss, study finds Posted: 24 Mar 2011 07:41 AM PDT The 2011 Arctic sea ice extent maximum that marks the beginning of the melt season appears to be tied for the lowest ever measured by satellites, say scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder's National Snow and Ice Data Center.

How to make skinny worms fat and fat worms skinny Posted: 24 Mar 2011 07:41 AM PDT Researchers exploring human metabolism have uncovered a handful of chemical compounds that regulate fat storage in worms, offering a new tool for understanding obesity and finding future treatments for diseases associated with obesity.

Eye movement differs in British and Chinese populations Posted: 24 Mar 2011 07:31 AM PDT Scientists have found that eye movement patterns of Chinese people, born and raised in China, are different to those of Caucasian people living in Britain.

Crucial hour to prevent fatal bleeding Posted: 23 Mar 2011 06:44 PM PDT An hour can make the difference between life and death when using tranexamic acid to treat injured patients with severe bleeding, a new study suggests.

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