Public Release:
23-Feb-2009
Cerebral Cortex
Study
finds brain hub that links music, memory and emotion
By using fMRI to map
brain activity of college students as they
listened to a variety of tunes from their younger years, then comparing
the activity to the students' responses to questions about each tune, a
researcher at the University of California, Davis, has found that the
dorsal medial prefrontal cortex is a hub that responds to music, memory
and emotion.
Metanexus Institute Contact: Liese Greensfelder
lgreensfelder@ucdavis.edu
530-752-6101
University of California
- Davis
Public Release:
23-Feb-2009
Human Reproduction
Re-shaping
the family: What happens when parents seek siblings of their
donor-conceived children
Parents who have
conceived children with the help of sperm or egg
donors and then try to find the donors and also other children
conceived with the donors' help, often end up creating new forms of
extended families, according to research published in Europe's leading
reproductive medicine journal, Human Reproduction, on Tuesday, Feb. 24.
Nuffield Foundation Contact: Emma Mason
wordmason@mac.com
44-077-112-96986
European Society for Human
Reproduction and Embryology
Public Release:
23-Feb-2009
Psychology and Health
Get
personal to improve heart health
Scare tactics may not be
necessary when trying to get patients at risk
of heart disease to change their diet or behavior, a new study has
found. Instead, doctors and nurses should be aware of the stage of life
their patients are at, and offer them very specific and targeted
advice.
Contact: Claire Packman
c.h.packman@exeter.ac.uk
01-392-269-126
University of Exeter
Public Release:
23-Feb-2009
FASEB Journal
No
longer a gray area: Our hair bleaches itself as we grow older
Wash away your gray?
Maybe. A team of European scientists have solved a
mystery that has perplexed humans throughout the ages: why we turn
gray. These researchers show in a research report published online in
the FASEB Journal that going gray is caused by a massive build up of
hydrogen peroxide due to wear and tear of our hair follicles. The
peroxide winds up blocking the normal synthesis of melanin, our hair's
natural pigment.
Contact: Cody Mooneyhan
cmooneyhan@faseb.org
301-634-7104
Federation of American
Societies for Experimental Biology
Public Release:
23-Feb-2009
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Cholesterol-reducing
drugs may lessen brain function, says ISU researcher
An Iowa State University
study shows that drugs that inhibit the liver
from making cholesterol may also keep the brain from making
cholesterol, which is vital to efficient brain function.
Contact: Yeon-Kyun Shin
colishin@iastate.edu
515-294-2530
Iowa State University
Public Release:
23-Feb-2009
Journal of Consumer Research
Beware
the left-digit effect: Price gimmicks may affect choice
When shopping, we often
find ourselves choosing between lower- and
higher-cost items. But most people make a choice based on the first
digit they see, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer
Research
Contact: Mary-Ann Twist
JCR@bus.wisc.edu
608-255-5582
University of
Chicago Press Journals
Mole
rats may hold secret to long life
They may not be pretty, but naked mole rats can live nearly 30 years
longer than other rodents - now scientists think they know why
IN BRIEF:
17:50 23 February 2009
Map-reading
skills change how we view beauty
Evolutionary traits that our hunter-gatherer ancestors developed could
explain why beautiful landscapes activate the brains of men and women
differently
22:00
23 February 2009
Public Release: 24-Feb-2009
Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Million women study shows even moderate alcohol consumption associated with increased cancer risk
Low to moderate alcohol consumption among women is associated with a
statistically significant increase in cancer risk and may account for
nearly 13 percent of the cancers of the breast, liver, rectum and upper
aero-digestive tract combined, according to a report in the Feb. 24
online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Contact: Caroline McNeil
jncimedia@oxfordjournals.org
301-841-1287
Journal of the National Cancer InstitutePublic Release: 24-Feb-2009
Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Goserelin improves long-term survival in premenopausal women with early breast cancer
Goserelin, a lutenizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist, reduces the
long-term risk of disease recurrence and deaths in premenopausal women
with early breast cancer who did not take tamoxifen, according to trial
data reported in the Feb. 24 online issue of the Journal of the
National Cancer Institute.
Contact: Caroline McNeil
jncimedia@oxfordjournals.org
301-841-1287
Journal of the National Cancer InstitutePublic Release: 24-Feb-2009
Stem Cells
Researchers generate functional neurons from somatic cells
In a new study, researchers were able to generate functionally mature
motor neurons from induced pluripotent stem cells, which are engineered
from adult somatic cells and can differentiate into most other cell
types.
Contact: Sean Wagner
journalnews@bos.blackwellpublishing.net
781-388-8550
Wiley-Blackwell
Fear
of heights linked to vertical perception
People
who have an extreme fear of heights also have trouble accurately
gauging vertical distances – but does fear drive error or error drive
fear?
00:01 25 February 2009
Public Release: 24-Feb-2009
Psychological Science
Gestures lend a hand in learning mathematics
Gesturing helps students develop new ways of understanding mathematics.
Scholars have known for a long time that movements help retrieve
information about an event or physical activity associated with action.
A report published in the current issue of the journal Psychological
Science, however, is the first to show that gestures not only help
recover old ideas, they also help create new ones. The information
could be helpful to teachers.
NIH/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Contact: William Harms
w-harms@uchicago.edu
773-702-8356
University of ChicagoPublic Release: 24-Feb-2009
Hippocampus
Physical fitness improves spatial memory, increases size of brain structure
When it comes to the hippocampus, a brain structure vital to certain
types of memory, size matters. Numerous studies have shown that bigger
is usually better. Now researchers have found that elderly adults who
are more physically fit tend to have bigger hippocampi and better
spatial memory than those who are less fit.
Contact: Diana Yates
diya@illinois.edu
217-333-5802
University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignPublic Release: 24-Feb-2009
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
UCR scientists identify stem-cell genes that help form plant organs
A team of UC Riverside researchers has identified all the genes
expressed in the stem cells of Arabidopsis, a mustard-like plant that
is a model for studying plant biology. The achievement paves the way to
developing better varieties of crops and plants. Besides revealing the
molecular pathways that stem cells employ, the discovery also can help
scientists better understand why stem cells -- in both plants and
animals -- give rise to specialized cells at all.
National Science Foundation
Contact: Iqbal Pittalwala
iqbal@ucr.edu
951-827-6050
University of California - RiversidePublic Release: 24-Feb-2009
Stroke
Stroke treated significantly faster and just as safely by medical residents
Medical residents with appropriate training can safely administer
stroke treatment, a decision typically reserved for attending
physicians, a new study by researchers at Washington University School
of Medicine in St. Louis and neurology residents at Barnes-Jewish
Hospital has found.
NIH/National Institute of Stroke and Neurological Disorders, Lillian
Strauss Fund for Neuroscience Research, James S. McDonnell Foundation
Contact: Michael C. Purdy
purdym@wustl.edu
314-286-0122
Washington University School of MedicinePublic Release: 24-Feb-2009
Annals of Neurology
Stunning finding: Compounds protect against cerebral palsy
Two compounds developed by Northwestern University chemists have been
shown to be effective in pre-clinical trials in protecting against
cerebral palsy, a condition caused by neurodegeneration that affects
body movement and muscle coordination. There was a remarkable
difference between animals treated with a small dose of one of the
compounds and those that were not. The findings suggest a preventive
strategy for cerebral palsy may be feasible for humans in the future.
National Institutes of Health, Robert A. Welch Foundation
Contact: Megan Fellman
fellman@northwestern.edu
847-491-3115
Northwestern University
From One Genome, Many Types of Cells. But How?One
of the enduring mysteries of biology is that a variety of specialized
cells collaborate in building a body, yet all have an identical genome.
Somehow each of the 200 different kinds of cells in the human
body must be reading off a different set of the hereditary
instructions written into the DNA.
By NICHOLAS WADEPublished: February 23, 2009
'Happiness'
gene helps you look on the bright sidePositive people may owe their optimism to a gene variant that
helps them dwell on the good and ignore the bad
11:03 25 February 2009
Why
do some people kill themselves?A grand theory of suicide promises to answer this question
once and for all, says Robert Pool
FEATURE: 18:00 25
February 2009
Asteroid
belt may bear scars of planets' migrationThe
giant planets are thought to have moved out of their original orbits
billions of years ago – the shifts may be recorded in the asteroid belt
19:12 25 February 2009
Public Release: 25-Feb-2009
American Academy of Neurology's 61st Annual Meeting
Neurology
Reproductive factors may protect women from Parkinson's disease
A large new study provides evidence that longer exposure to the body's
own hormones may protect women from Parkinson's disease. The study was
released today and will be presented at the American Academy of
Neurology's 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle, April 25 - May 2, 2009.
Contact: Jenine Anderson
janderson@aan.com
American Academy of NeurologyPublic Release: 25-Feb-2009
New England Journal of Medicine
BUSM researchers encourage use of potassium iodide
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine are strongly
encouraging prenatal vitamin manufacturers to use only potassium iodide
and not other sources of iodine in their products. According to the
researchers, potassium iodide is the best way to ensure that prenatal
vitamins given to expectant mothers receive 150ug of supplemental daily
iodine as recommended by the American Thyroid Association. The
researchers' recommendation appears as a research letter in the Feb. 26
issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Contact: Gina DiGravio
gina.digravio@bmc.org
617-638-8491
Boston UniversityPublic Release: 25-Feb-2009
Journal of Structural Biology
Crab claws pack strengthening bromide-rich biomaterial
Next time you have an unlucky encounter with a crab's pincers, consider
that the claw tips may be reinforced with bromine-rich biomaterial 1.5
times harder than acrylic glass and extremely fracture resistant, says
a University of Oregon scientist.
National Science Foundation
Contact: Jim Barlow
jebarlow@uoregon.edu
541-346-3481
University of Oregon
Earliest 'human footprints' foundThe earliest footprints showing evidence of modern human foot anatomy and gait have been unearthed in Kenya.
26 February 2009
Public Release: 26-Feb-2009
Science
U of T psychologists shed light on origins of morality
People sometimes say that immoral behavior leaves a bad taste in your
mouth. A new U of T study provides evidence of a link between moral
disgust and more primitive forms of disgust related to poison and
disease.
Contact: Kim Luke
kim.luke@utoronto.ca
416-978-4352
University of TorontoPublic Release: 26-Feb-2009
Science
Antibiotic combination defeats extensively drug-resistant TB
A combination of two FDA-approved drugs, already approved for fighting
other bacterial infections, shows potential for treating extensively
drug-resistant tuberculosis, the most deadly form of the infection.
NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Contact: Michael Heller
sciencenews@aecom.yu.edu
718-430-4186
Albert Einstein College of MedicinePublic Release: 26-Feb-2009
Applied Cognitive Psychology
Do doodle: Research shows doodling can help memory recall
Doodling while listening can help with remembering details, rather than
implying that the mind is wandering as is the common perception.
According to a study published today in the journal Applied Cognitive
Psychology, subjects given a doodling task while listening to a dull
phone message had a 29 percent improved recall compared to their
nondoodling counterparts.
Contact: Jennifer Beal
wbnewseurope@wiley.com
44-012-437-70633
Wiley-BlackwellPublic Release: 26-Feb-2009
Youths are most influenced by negative family members and by positive adults outside the family
While children look up to and aspire to be like a positive family
member or peer, they are more likely to imitate traits of other role
models - including negative role models, which can lead to behavioral
problems, according to a Kansas State University researcher.
Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station
Contact: Brenda McDaniel
bmcdani@k-state.edu
785-532-6850
Kansas State University
Fossilised
fish are proof of ancient sex
The
discovery of pelvic claspers in primitive shark-like fish designed to
inject sperm into the female suggests sexual intercourse is much older
than previously thought
THIS WEEK: 12:13
26 February 2009
'Oldest English words' identifiedSome of the oldest words in English have been identified, scientists say.
26 February 2009
Public Release: 26-Feb-2009
HortTechnology
US shiitake market mushrooming
Shiitake mushrooms are the third most popular mushroom species in the
US. In addition to taste, shiitake have a multitude of health benefits.
Low in calories, glucose and sodium, shiitake are high in potassium,
phosphorus, copper and zinc. Researchers from the University of
Missouri surveyed shiitake producers throughout the US to identify
challenges facing growers in the production and marketing of shiitake
mushrooms.
Contact: Michael W. Neff
mwneff@ashs.org
703-836-4606
American Society for Horticultural SciencePublic Release: 27-Feb-2009
Spine
Artificial disc replacement as good or better than spinal fusion surgery
Spine surgeons at the Washington University School of Medicine and
other US centers are reporting that artificial disc replacement works
as well and often better than spinal fusion surgery. The two procedures
are performed on patients with damaged discs in the neck.
Medtronic Sofamor Danek
Contact: Jim Dryden
jdryden@wustl.edu
314-286-0110
Washington University School of MedicineDoctors plan voice box transplantBritish doctors are debating whether it is ethical to start clinical trials to allow voice box transplantation.By Matthew Hill BBC West health correspondent 27 February 2009
Public Release: 1-Mar-2009
Clinical Cancer Research
Vegetable-based drug could inhibit melanoma
Compounds extracted from green vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage
could be a potent drug against melanoma, according to cancer
researchers. Tests on mice suggest that these compounds, when combined
with selenium, target tumors more safely and effectively than
conventional therapy.
American Cancer Society, Foreman Foundation for Melanoma Research,
National Institutes of Health, Elsa U. Pardee Foundation, Melanoma
Research Foundation
Contact: Amitabh Avasthi
axa47@psu.edu
814-865-9481
Penn StatePublic Release: 2-Mar-2009
Pediatrics
USC researchers identify gene variant associated with both autism and gastrointestinal dysfunction
A study led by researchers at the University of Southern California and
Vanderbilt University have identified a specific gene variant that
links increased genetic risk for autism with gastrointestinal
conditions.
Simons Foundation, Nancy Lurie Marks Foundation, Dan Marino Foundation,
NIH/National Institute of Mental Health, NIH/National Institute of
Child Health and Human Development
Contact: Meghan Lewit
lewit@usc.edu
323-442-3941
University of Southern CaliforniaExperts trying to decipher ancient languageALMODOVAR,
Portugal: When archaeologists on a dig in southern Portugal last year
flipped over a heavy chunk of slate and saw writing not used for more
than 2,500 years, they were elated. The enigmatic pattern of inscribed
symbols curled symmetrically around the upper part of the rough-edged,
yellowish stone tablet and coiled into the middle in a decorative style
typical of an extinct Iberian language called Southwest Script.The Associated Press March 1, 2009
PDF
document HERE
WORD
document HERE
