The discovery of a split-second burst of radio waves by scientists using the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico provides important new evidence of mysterious pulses that appear to come from deep in outer space. The finding by an international team of astronomers, published July 10 in The Astrophysical Journal, marks the first time that a so-called "fast radio burst" has been detected using an instrument other than the Parkes radio telescope in Australia. Scientists using the Parkes Observatory have recorded a handful of such events, but the lack of any similar findings ...

A neuroscientist at Rutgers University-Newark says the human brain operates much the same whether active or at rest – a finding that could provide a better understanding of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other serious mental health conditions that afflict an estimated 13.6 million Americans. In newly published research in the journal Neuron, Michael Cole, an assistant professor at the Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, determined that the underlying brain architecture of a person at rest is basically the same as that of a person performing a variety ...

Cold Spring Harbor, NY – For decades, health-conscious people around the globe have taken antioxidant supplements and eaten foods rich in antioxidants, figuring this was one of the paths to good health and a long life. Yet clinical trials of antioxidant supplements have repeatedly dashed the hopes of consumers who take them hoping to reduce their cancer risk. Virtually all such trials have failed to show any protective effect against cancer. In fact, in several trials antioxidant supplementation has been linked with increased rates of certain cancers. In one trial, ...

Depressed men with localized prostate cancer were more likely to be diagnosed with more aggressive prostate cancer, received less effective treatments and survived for shorter times than prostate cancer patients who were not depressed, a UCLA study has found. The negative outcomes may be the result of several factors such as bias against the mentally ill, depression's impact on biological cancer processes, the depressed man's lack of investment in his general health and disinterest in receiving more effective care, and missed opportunities by physicians to educate patients ...

Researchers from the University of Southern California and the Oak Crest Institute of Science have discovered the link between antibiotics and bacterial biofilm formation leading to chronic lung, sinus and ear infections. The study results, published in the current issue of PLOS ONE, illustrate how bacterial biofilms can actually thrive, rather than decrease, when given low doses of antibiotics. "This research addresses the long standing issues surrounding chronic ear infections and why some children experience repeated ear infections even after antibiotic treatment," ...

After central nervous system injury, the increase in Nogo protein is mediated by Nogo-66 receptor gene, leading to the collapse of growth cones and inhibiting the extension of neuronal neurites. Zhiyuan Li and his team, Heibei Xingtai People's Hospital, China used RNA interference to silence Nogo-66 receptor gene expression in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), blocked the inhibitory effect of Nogo protein, promoted the process growth of neurons differentiated by transplanted cells, improved the therapeutic effects and increased the success rate of BMSCs transplantation ...

Activation of Nogo receptor (NgR) is an essential factor of nerve regeneration inhibition, neuronal atrophy and even apoptosis. Upregulation of NgR expression is an important cause of cell apoptosis and visual extinction in some diseases including glaucoma. Whether ganglion cell apoptosis is related to NgR gene expression in diabetes mellitus remains poorly understood. Dr. Xuezheng Liu and his team, Liaoning Medical University, China interfered NgR expression in the retinal ganglion cells of rats with diabetes mellitus and found that Rho kinase expression was obviously ...

Single-chain variable domain fragment (scFv) 637 is an antigen-specific scFv of myasthenia gravis and it can bind to acetylcholine receptor in the residues 67-76 of α-subunit of acetylcholine receptor. Dr. Fanping Meng and his team, College of Medicine, Yanbian University in China conjugated scFv and human serum albumin genes and detected the fusion protein in Pichia pastoris. Results showed that the fusion protein bound to acetylcholine receptors in neuromuscular junction of human intercostal muscle and the inhibition rate of fusion protein binding to acetycholine ...

Hair follicle-derived neural crest stem cells (NCSCs) can be induced to differentiate into Schwann cells (SCs). However, the underlying regulatory mechanism during cell differentiation remains poorly understood. Dr. Yuxin Ni and her team, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, China isolated NCSCs from human hair follicle and induced them to differentiate into SCs. MicroRNA (miR-21) expression was gradually increased during the differentiation of NCSCs into SCs. After transfection with the miR-21 agonist (agomir-21), the differentiation capacity of NCSCs was increased. ...

Recently, local scar adhesion after laminectomy always challenges the worldwide scholars engaged in spine surgery. Mitomycin C, a classical anti-tumor drug, has been attempted to be used to effectively inhibit scar adhesion after laminectomy and some encouraging outcomes have been achieved. However, there is evidence that mitomycin C has inherent toxicity and other side effects when it is locally used. Whether mitomycin C can influence peripheral nerve structure and function remains unclear. Dr. Tao Sui and his team, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, ...

IRVINE, Calif. (July 10, 2014) – Consuming a whole fresh avocado with either an orange-colored tomato sauce or raw carrots significantly enhanced provitamin A carotenoid (alpha- and beta-carotene) absorption and conversion of these carotenoids to an active form of vitamin A, according to new research (1) published in The Journal of Nutrition. Vitamin A is involved in reproductive health and growth promotion; helps support healthy skin, immune function, and vision; and has antioxidant properties. Provitamin A carotenoids, like alpha- and beta-carotene, impart the orange ...

The yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes is ranked amongst the top 100 worst global invasive species and is responsible for catastrophic ecological impacts on islands. A new study published in the open access journal NeoBiota examines and assesses the effects and dangers of the introduction of the yellow crazy ant to the unique,endemic ecosystem of the mature palm forest of the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on the Seychelles. The palm forest of Vallée de Mai is a unique ecosystem containing many endemic species, including the iconic coco de mer palm ...

In some patients, the chronic inflammatory skin diseases psoriasis* and eczema** are similar in appearance. Up to now, dermatologists have therefore had to base their decision on which treatment should be selected on their own experience and an examination of tissue samples. A team of researchers at the Helmholtz Zentrum München and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now analyzed the molecular processes that occur in both diseases and discovered crucial differences. This has enabled them for the first time to gain a detailed understanding of the ways in which ...

Choosing mobile phone cases and customizing phones with charms and decorations may reveal a lot about a person's culture, as well as increase attachment to the devices, according to researchers. In a study on culture and mobile phone customization, researchers found that people from Eastern cultures tend to be more motivated to change the look and sound of their mobile phones than people in Western countries, said S. Shyam Sundar, Distinguished Professor of Communications and co-director of the Media Effects Research Laboratory, Penn State. "People who live in collectivist ...

NEW YORK, NY (July 10, 2014) — Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers have created a way to develop personalized gene therapies for patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a leading cause of vision loss. The approach, the first of its kind, takes advantage of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology to transform skin cells into retinal cells, which are then used as a patient-specific model for disease study and preclinical testing. Using this approach, researchers led by Stephen H. Tsang, MD, PhD, showed that a form of RP caused by mutations to the ...

WACO, Texas (July 10, 2014) — Men who experience hot flashes are unlikely to talk much about it, but they may find relief from their silent suffering if they are willing to try an unusual treatment, according to findings from a Baylor University case study. After seven weeks of hypnotic relaxation therapy, a 69-year-old man who had uncontrolled hot flashes following prostate cancer surgery showed a drastic decrease not only in hot flashes but also an impressive improvement in sleep quality, according to the study. The Baylor study — funded by the National Institutes ...

SEATTLE, WA – As cases of Little League Shoulder (LLS) occur more frequently, the need for additional information about the causes and outcomes of the condition has become clear. Researchers presenting at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting today shared new data identifying associated risk factors, common treatment options and return to play. "Our study examined 95 patients ranging from 8-17 years old diagnosed with Little League Shoulder," commented Benton E. Heyworth, MD, corresponding author from Children's Hospital Boston, ...

SEATTLE, WA – The common elbow surgery made famous by Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, Tommy John, definitely does its job to return pitchers to the mound, but risks for having the surgery may be able to be recognized earlier in a player's career, say researchers presenting their work at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting today. The study was the largest cohort of MLB pitchers, to date, that have undergone UCL reconstruction. "Our results suggest that UCL reconstructive surgery does a tremendous job in allowing players to ...

SEATTLE, WA – Young patients who wait for ACL surgery may be at increased risk for secondary knee injuries, according to research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting. The study adds to existing research noting the risk of secondary meniscal and chondral injuries in pediatric patients. "In reviewing records of young patients who received ACL reconstructions, our data showed higher rates and severity of secondary meniscus injuries when surgery is delayed," noted lead author Allen F. Anderson, MD, from the Tennessee ...

SEATTLE, WA – College athletes experiencing in-season shoulder instability regularly return to play within one week of injury, but developed recurrent instability in 63% of cases, according to research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting. This latest information may help guide team physicians in providing the most optimal treatment plans for injured players. "We examined 45 athletes who suffered an anterior shoulder instability event, and found that 33 (73%) returned to play for at least part of the season after ...

SEATTLE, WA – Shoulder instability is a common injury in football players but the rate of return to play has not been regularly determined following surgery. A new study, discussed at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting today details that return rates for NFL players is approximately 90 percent no matter what the stabilization procedure (open vs. arthroscopic). "Our study highlighted the success rate of return to play following shoulder stabilization surgery. Age, number of games before surgery, and career length were not statistically ...

A recent study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign provides new insights on the physical mechanisms governing the interplay of spin and heat at the nanoscale, and addresses the fundamental limits of ultrafast spintronic devices for data storage and information processing. "Electrons carry a charge as well as spin-angular momentum. In a typical charge current, electrons' spin-angular-momentum is random so there is no spin current," explained David Cahill, a professor of materials science and engineering at Illinois. "However when electrons ...

A hard drive stores bits in the form of tiny magnetic domains. The directions of the magnetic north and south poles of these domains, which are referred to as the magnetization, determine whether they are a 0 or a 1. Data is stored by changing the direction of the magnetization of the associated bits. At present this is done using a write head to create a local magnetic field, which makes a bit change direction. Limit reached The stronger the local magnetic field, the faster the switch takes place. But this is subject to a limit which has now almost been reached. "The ...

WASHINGTON, DC (July 10, 2014) — If you think winning is one of the key determinants that makes organized sports fun for kids think again: Winning along with other mental bonuses ranked near the bottom of 81 determinants of fun, each of which falls into one of 11 big fun factors, according to a new study. Despite the common belief that winning is all important when it comes to the "fun" factor, very little research had been done to actually identify and quantify what goes into this elusive concept—until now. The results of this study might help researchers develop proven ...

Cincinnati, OH, July 10, 2014 -- The World Health Organization recommends that youth participate in a minimum of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) each day. Studies have shown that youth experience most of their MVPA during school hours. Therefore, it stands to reason that increasing outdoor time after school hours would increase MVPA. In a new study scheduled for publication in The Journal of Pediatrics, researchers confirmed that time spent outdoors after school was positively associated with MVPA. Drs. Lee Schaefer and Jonathan McGavock, ...