Specific heart contractions could predict atrial fibrillation UCSF-led team identifies potential new risk factor for cardiovascular patients A commonly used heart monitor may be a simple tool for predicting the risk of atrial fibrillation, the most ...

Burmese python genome reveals extreme adaptation Offers key insights into nature of evolution AURORA, Colo. (Dec. 2, 2013) – Scientists from the University of Colorado School of Medicine who sequenced the genome of the Burmese python have discovered large ...

New study sheds light on the functional importance of dinosaur beaks Beaks are a typical hallmark of modern birds and can be found in a huge variety of forms and shapes. However, it is less well known that keratin-covered beaks had already evolved in ...

A single spray of oxytocin improves brain function in children with autism A single dose of the hormone oxytocin, delivered via nasal spray, has been shown to enhance brain activity while processing social information in children with autism spectrum disorders, Yale School ...

Secrets to 'extreme adaptation' found in Burmese python genome The Burmese python's ability to ramp up its metabolism and enlarge its organs to swallow and digest prey whole can be traced to unusually rapid evolution and specialized adaptations of its ...

Mount Sinai study: Age-related cognitive decline linked to energy in synapses in prefrontal cortex Hormone-replacement therapy may prevent age-related declines in cognitive functioning New York, NY – New York, ...

Researchers revise Darwin's thinking on invasive species Model points way to better understanding chances of invaders succeeding PULLMAN, Wash.-For more than a century and a half, researchers interested in invasive species have looked to Charles Darwin and what has ...

Stanford engineers show how to optimize carbon nanotube arrays for use in hot spots Experimental evidence and computer simulations suggest how to grow structures with the best trade offs between 3 desired characteristics: strength, flexibility and the ability to ...

What makes the deadliest form of malaria specific to people? The biological interactions that make some malaria parasites specific to host species Researchers have discovered why the parasite that causes the deadliest form of malaria only infects ...

Arctic study shows key marine food web species at risk from increasing CO2 A research expedition to the Arctic, as part of the Catlin Arctic Survey, has revealed that tiny crustaceans, known as copepods, that live just beneath the ocean surface are likely to battle ...

Brain connectivity study reveals striking differences between men and women Penn Medicine brain imaging study helps explain different cognitive strengths in men and women PHILADELPHIA—A new brain connectivity study from Penn Medicine ...

How bacteria respond so quickly to external changes Understanding how bacteria adapt so quickly to changes in their external environment with continued high growth rates is one of the major research challenges in molecular microbiology. This is important ...

Culling vampire bats to stem rabies in Latin America can backfire Culling vampire bat colonies to stem the transmission of rabies in Latin America does little to slow the spread of the virus and could even have the reverse effect, according to University of Michigan ...

Cardiovascular Institute: Unfolded protein response contributes to sudden death in heart failure Sudden death affects 50 percent of heart failure patients PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A researcher at the Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) at Rhode Island, The Miriam and Newport hospitals ...

Treatment plans for brain metastases more accurately determined with aid of molecular imaging trace Reston, Va. (December 2, 2013) – Imaging with the molecular imaging tracer 18F-FDOPA can help distinguish radiation-induced lesions from new tumor growth in ...

Researchers turn to machines to identify breast cancer type (Edmonton) Researchers from the University of Alberta and Alberta Health Services have created a computer algorithm that successfully predicts whether estrogen is sending signals to cancer cells to grow ...

Prescription opioid abusers prefer to get high on oxycodone and hydrocodone Researchers investigate factors that influence the choice of abused drugs, reports PAIN® Philadelphia, December 2, 2013 – Prescription opioid abuse has reached epidemic levels in the ...

Rice U. study: It's not easy 'being green' HOUSTON – (Dec. 2, 2013) – Think you don't recycle enough? You're not alone. However, people's ability to overcome self-doubt plays a critical role in how successfully they act in support of environmental issues, according to a new study ...

Information technologies could remove the 'shroud of secrecy' draped across private health care cost PRINCETON, NJ—The "shroud of secrecy" once draped across private health care service costs could be lifted ...

Kids whose bond with mother was disrupted early in life show changes in brain Children who experience profound neglect have been found to be more prone to a behavior known as "indiscriminate friendliness," characterized by an inappropriate willingness ...

UCSB researcher shows microplastic transfers chemicals, impacting health Study demonstrates plastic ingestion delivers pollutants and additives into animal tissue (Santa Barbara, Calif.) — With global production of plastic exceeding 280 metric ...

Bronchial thermoplasty shows long-term effectiveness for asthma Data show improvements maintained for 5 years after procedure DENVER – The beneficial effects of bronchial thermoplasty, a non-pharmacologic treatment for asthma, last at least five years, ...

Integrated pest managment techniques can help manage the Bagrada bug The Bagrada bug, an invasive stink bug, was discovered in the western hemisphere in 2008 near Los Angeles, CA, presumably introduced via container shipments arriving at the Port of ...

A new weapon in the war against superbugs Tel Aviv University researchers find a protein that viruses use to kill bacteria In the arms race between bacteria and modern medicine, bacteria have gained an edge. In recent decades, bacterial resistance to ...

Energy drinks plus alcohol pose a public health threat ANN ARBOR—Mixing energy drinks with alcohol is riskier than just drinking alcohol alone, according to a new study that examines the impact of a growing trend among young adults. Published in the current issue ...