Thursday 23 May 2019

Obsessive-compulsive disorder research needs more focus on patients, new study asserts

For people living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), scientific research into their condition is not an abstract concept; it can have profound real-life implications.

* This article was originally published here

New York subway riders will be able to tap and pay the fare starting May 31

New Yorkers routinely grumble about overcrowded subways and having to wait on long lines to purchase or refill their Metro Cards.

* This article was originally published here

High-deductible health plans may be harmful for patients with COPD

(HealthDay)—For patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) are associated with increased likelihood of reporting foregoing care because of costs and cost-related nonadherence, according to a study presented at the American Thoracic Society 2019 International Conference, held from May 17 to 22 in Dallas.

* This article was originally published here

Scientists create new standard genome for heavily studied worm

A new Cornell University-led study finds that the genome for a widely researched worm, on which countless studies are based, was flawed. Now, a fresh genome sequence will set the record straight and improve the accuracy of future research.

* This article was originally published here

This robot helps you lift objects—by looking at your biceps

We humans are very good at collaboration. For instance, when two people work together to carry a heavy object like a table or a sofa, they tend to instinctively coordinate their motions, constantly recalibrating to make sure their hands are at the same height as the other person's. Our natural ability to make these types of adjustments allows us to collaborate on tasks big and small.

* This article was originally published here

Try this whole-grain lemony quick bread

(HealthDay)—If you love quick breads but crave a healthier treat, this lighter take on Grandma's traditional recipe serves up a lemony lift. And because it calls for whole grains, dried fruit and nuts, it's packed with goodness.

* This article was originally published here

Hot spots in rivers that nurture salmon 'flicker on and off' in Bristol Bay region

Chemical signatures imprinted on tiny stones that form inside the ears of fish show that two of Alaska's most productive salmon populations, and the fisheries they support, depend on the entire watershed.

* This article was originally published here

Researchers create soft, flexible materials with enhanced properties

A team of polymer chemists and engineers from Carnegie Mellon University have developed a new methodology that can be used to create a class of stretchable polymer composites with enhanced electrical and thermal properties. These materials are promising candidates for use in soft robotics, self-healing electronics and medical devices. The results are published in the May 20 issue of Nature Nanotechnology.

* This article was originally published here

Experimental brain-controlled hearing aid decodes, identifies who you want to hear

Our brains have a remarkable knack for picking out individual voices in a noisy environment, like a crowded coffee shop or a busy city street. This is something that even the most advanced hearing aids struggle to do. But now Columbia engineers are announcing an experimental technology that mimics the brain's natural aptitude for detecting and amplifying any one voice from many. Powered by artificial intelligence, this brain-controlled hearing aid acts as an automatic filter, monitoring wearers' brain waves and boosting the voice they want to focus on.

* This article was originally published here

Home-schoolers see no added health risks over time

Years of home-schooling don't appear to influence the general health of children, according to a Rice University study.

* This article was originally published here

Translational research uncovers new treatment for fatty liver disease

A team of researchers led by Duke-NUS Medical School and National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS) found that deactivating the interleukin 11 (IL11) protein with therapeutic antibodies reverses inflammation and scarring of the liver in patients suffering from untreatable non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The findings, published in Gastroenterology, have implications for the development of drugs to treat the disease.

* This article was originally published here

How does the nervous system create behavior? Muscle activity map in Hydra gives insight

Accomplishing perhaps a world first, researchers at Columbia University and the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) have mapped the full-body muscular activity of an animal while it was moving and behaving.

* This article was originally published here

Clocks, gravity, and the limits of relativity

The International Space Station will host the most precise clocks ever to leave Earth. Accurate to a second in 300 million years the clocks will push the measurement of time to test the limits of the theory of relativity and our understanding of gravity.

* This article was originally published here

Ultra-small microorganisms contribute to global carbon cycles

Scientists report that ultra-small microorganisms make greater contributions to global carbon cycles than previously realized and are crucial to the health of the oceans.

* This article was originally published here