Life sciences
18 Nov 2016
The highly-colored frogs are also called strawberry poison-dart frogs, sometimes used to poison the tips of blowpipe darts by indigenous people in Central America. The frogs live and reproduce in a variety of lowland and forest habitats.
Neuroscience
16 Nov 2016
Study shows vocal communication in mice is affected by the same gene needed for speech in humans
Health
15 Nov 2016
By Emily Barker, Frontiers Science Writer Dr. Michel Goldman, Field Chief Editor of Frontiers in Medicine, recently founded at the Université libre de Bruxelles the Institute for Interdisciplinary Innovation in healthcare (I3h). Thanks to the Fund Baillet-Latour, the I3h Institute will launch in February 2017 an innovative educational project in translational medicine for students enrolled in different master programs related to healthcare including medicine, pharmacy, public health, but also economics, engineering, and law. The program includes lectures on the different aspects of the future of healthcare given by internationally recognized speakers, as well as case studies with active participation of students. “I think there have been exciting advances in the last few years, but people don’t realize that in order to bring new medicines to the patients you need more than scientific research,” explains Dr. Goldman. “It is not only about drugs. It’s also about medical devices and it’s about using big data, so it means that you have really to bring together different disciplines, and different expertises to translate the progress of research into new therapies for patients.” “The students themselves will have to work together across different disciplines to solve problems in healthcare;” he continues. The course will take […]
Health
11 Nov 2016
By Simon Watt, Science Writer We all know that feeling of suddenly needing to pee, and the agonizing worry that we might not find a toilet in time or make it that far. Sadly, for many people this is a regular occurrence and wetting themselves uncontrollably is an inevitable consequence. Almost 1 in 5 women over the age of 44 suffer from what is known as Urgency Urinary Incontinence (UUI): experiencing a strong sensation of an urgent need to pee, followed by immediate leakage of a large volume of urine. It can severely adversely affect someone’s life, contributing to anxiety, depression and social isolation. In spite of its impact, the causes of the complaint are still relatively unknown. The condition is often attributed to abnormal signalling prompting the bladder muscles to contract involuntarily, but this seems to account for only about three fifths of cases. Scientists are searching for other possible causes of the condition. Some think that understanding the bacteria that live within us may hold the key. The urinary tract has long been thought to be a sterile environment: a place where no bacteria can grow. A new study from Oregon Health and Science University that was published […]
Life sciences
11 Nov 2016
Forest fires hit the headlines all too regularly – in fact, fire affects about 4.64 million km2 of biomass per year, an area almost three times the size of Alaska. But after the fire something remains – stable carbon. This is the dark, charcoal-like form of carbon that’s left on the soil when vegetation is burned. It is not much of a pollutant though – it plays a role in both climate and soil science, because of its ability to absorb sunlight and store nutrients needed for plant growth.
Health
10 Nov 2016
In a randomized double-blind trial, scientists show for the first time that dietary supplementation with daily dose of probiotic bacteria over a period of just 12 weeks is sufficient to yield a small but significant improvement in the cognitive performance of Alzheimer’s patients. For the first time, scientists have shown that probiotics — beneficial live bacteria and yeasts taken as dietary supplements — can improve cognitive function in humans. In a new clinical trial, scientists show that a daily dose of probiotic Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium bacteria taken over a period of just 12 weeks is enough to yield a moderate but significant improvement in the score of elderly Alzheimer’s patients on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale, a standard measure of cognitive impairment. Probiotics are known to give partial protection against certain infectious diarrheas, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, eczema, allergies, colds, tooth decay, and periodontal disease. But scientists have long hypothesized that probiotics might also boost cognition, as there is continuous two-way communication between the intestinal microflora, the gastrointestinal tract, and the brain through the nervous system, the immune system, and hormones (along the so-called “microbiota-gut-brain axis”). In mice, probiotics have indeed been shown to improve learning and […]
Life sciences
10 Nov 2016
By Claudio Bogazzi, Frontiers Frontiers in Physics recently launched a new Research Topic, titled “The Physics associated with Neutrino Masses”. This topic was conceived by three physicists from different institutes: Dr. Aristizabal, Santa Maria University (Chile), Dr. Deppisch, University College of London (UK) and Dr. Merle, Max Planck Institute for Physics (Germany). The idea behind it is to provide a platform for broad discussion about phenomenological and theoretical aspects of neutrino masses and their implications. This topic focuses on one of the biggest challenges the physics community is currently facing. Neutrinos are subatomic particles with a mass so small and so hard to detect that even Wolfgang Pauli, the brilliant physicist who in the 1930s first postulated their existence, announced: “I have done a terrible thing, I have postulated a particle that cannot be detected”. To give you an idea, stop reading for just one second, and look at the palm of your hand. Did you notice anything? No? Well, you probably haven’t felt anything but about 1012 (a trillion!) neutrinos passed through your hand in that time. No wonder that Pauli was so pessimistic about their detection. Fortunately, Pauli was wrong. In 1955, two American physicists, Frederick Reines and Clyde […]
Health
08 Nov 2016
By Freya Wilson, Frontiers Science Writer Medical breakthrough could save babies before birth A recent breakthrough has been made that could help to save babies lives from a syndrome that threatens their survival even before they are born. Alpha Thalassemia Major is a blood disorder inherited from both parents and often results in the death of babies. However, a new possibility for treatment has been found that ensures not only their survival to birth but also curing the syndrome while still in the womb. “One therapy that we’re developing right now is stem-cell transplantation for fetuses that have congenital disorders that affect the blood cells,” said Dr. Tippi Mackenzie, an Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. Mackenzie lab’s recent research looks at a hereditary disease that affects the blood cells known as Alpha Thalassemia Major. This disorder is often incompatible with life and consequently must be identified in utero. “When fetuses have this disorder, they inherit it from both of their parents. The fetus becomes anaemic and can die,” MacKenzie explained. “Alpha Thalassemia major can be fatal to fetuses if they don’t get blood transfusions before birth. And in many cases, the only way to […]
Neuroscience
04 Nov 2016
By Ian Salter, Frontiers Science Writer The use of robotic tutors in primary school classrooms is one step closer according to research recently published in the open access journal Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience. Dr Imbernòn Cuadrado and his co-workers at the Department of Artificial Intelligence in Madrid have developed an integrated computational architecture (ARTIE) for use with software applications in schools. “The main goal of our work was to design a system that can detect the emotional state of primary school children interacting with educational software and make pedagogic interventions with a robot tutor that can ultimately improve the learning experience,” says Luis Imbernòn Cuadrado. Online educational resources are becoming increasingly common in the classroom, although they have not taken into sufficient account that the learning ability of primary school children is particularly sensitive to their emotional state. This is perhaps where robot tutors can step in to assist teachers. Rather than focusing on specific emotions, the researchers first identified three cognitive states (concentrating, distracted and inactive) known to influence the course of learning. Keyboard strokes and mouse actions of children using educational software were used to predict which of these cognitive states the child is experiencing and subsequently linked […]
Humanities
04 Nov 2016
By Elliott Williams, Frontiers For forensic science, technology that assists in the analysis of complex and crucial evidence, such as DNA evidence, has seen rapid advancements, with ever more sensitive tests being introduced. Statistical interpretation of such complicated results has not been as swift. There exists now a lack of communication which spans all levels of those handling and presenting crucial evidence. Statisticians develop software with little input from the forensic scientist user, who does not have the possibility to discuss the intricacies of the results with the court. And in some cases, doesn’t know how the software “black box” generated its data. This is the long needed discussion Sue Pope (Principal Forensic Services) and Alex Biedermann (University of Lausanne) hope their topic, will spark between the statisticians developing analytical methods, the scientists who apply them, and the lawyers presenting the life changing results to the court. We spoke to them to find out more about this important and inter-disciplinary topic “The Dialogue Between Forensic Scientists, Statisticians and Lawyers about Complex Scientific Issues for Court.” Could you briefly give us some background on your Research Topic’s theme? As a working forensic scientist, I have become increasingly aware of the variety […]
Life sciences
03 Nov 2016
by Liam Drew, Frontiers Science Writer It was always thought that olfactory receptors’ sole bodily function was to smell, and could only be found inside a nose. But now a new study, published in Frontiers in Physiology, has found two olfactory receptors in human lung tissue. And when the researchers from Ruhr-University Bochum in Germany activated these receptors, they found that they regulated the way in which the airways smooth muscle cells contracted. Contraction of smooth muscle changes the size of our airways, suggesting that this research may open new avenues for treating chronic breathing disorders — such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis — that constrict and obstruct the airways. No one had previously suspected that olfactory receptors would be present in airways past the nasal cavity. But working with human smooth muscle cells isolated and grown from the healthy parts of airway tissue surrounding excised tumors, Benjamin Kalbe and his colleagues applied a large number of odor molecules and watched two of them activate the muscle cells. Because it is well established which odors activate which receptors, Kalbe and team were able to probe tissue biopsies look for two specific receptors – OR1D2 and OR2AG1, finding found both of […]
Humanities
01 Nov 2016
We are very pleased to announce the launch of the first specialty sections of Frontiers in Education, a new peer-reviewed, open-access journal: Digital Education (led by Chief Editor Prof. Clifford A. Shaffer); Educational Psychology (led by Chief Editor Prof. Douglas Kauffman); Leadership in Education (led by Chief Editor Prof. Margaret Grogan); Public Health Education and Promotion (led by Chief Editors Prof. Connie J. Evashwick, Prof. Marcia G. Ory, and Prof. Matthew Lee Smith); and Special Educational Needs (led by Chief Editor Prof. Geoff Lindsay). One of the first social-sciences journals of the “Frontiers in” series, Frontiers in Education will foster cross-disciplinary work as well as fairness, transparency, and objectivity in the review process (see here for more details on the Frontiers publishing model and peer-review process). Further specialty sections will be added as the journal continues to develop, some of which are already under discussion and include: Assessment, Testing and Applied Measurement; Continuing Education; Education Policy; Language and Literacy Education; and Teacher Education. The launch of a new journal is always an exciting venture, and we would be happy to hear your thoughts or answer any questions you may have. Editorial Contact Journal Manager: Yaelle Bochatay Email: education@frontiersin.org Contribute to the journal There are […]
Life sciences
01 Nov 2016
Frontiers in Earth Science is excited to announce their first Twitter photo competition. Tweet @FrontEarthSci using #FEARTfieldpics with photos of your authorship showing your Earth Science field or lab work for a chance to win great prizes! We will display the best photos submitted by 30th November at our booth (1244) at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in San Francisco, and will announce the winners of the photo competition on December 16th. The top photo will win wireless speakers, and the runners up will win solar chargers. Tweet us your photos using #FEARTfieldpics for a chance to win and to have your photo displayed on our booth at AGU!
Health
31 Oct 2016
By Hedwig Ens, Frontiers The impact of our dietary choices on the global phosphorus footprint shouldn’t be neglected, recent research in Frontiers in Nutrition shows. A shift towards a plant-based diet may be an undervalued solution toward decreasing our environmental impact and attaining phosphorus sustainability. Phosphorus is an element essential for all living beings and is thus critical in food production. Mined phosphate rock is a non-renewable global resource that is nowadays becoming increasingly scarce which poses a severe problem to the farming industry: it needs phosphorus in the form of fertilizers to sustain crop productivity. Crops have two entries into the human food chain: direct consumption or indirect consumption by rearing animals which can be converted to human food. Different food types therefore require different amounts of phosphorus in their production. One kg of phosphorus can for example be used to either produce 3333 kg of starch roots (e.g. potatoes) or 16 kg of beef. The loss of phosphorus to waterways, whether from agricultural fields through runoff or urban sewage through human excreta, can cause severe water quality degradation. This leads to eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, and impairment of our drinking water, recreational areas, and fisheries. As the […]
Health
28 Oct 2016
Frontiers in Pediatrics is thrilled to announce Professor Barbara Ludwikowski (Auf Der Bult Children’Hospital, Hannover) as the new Specialty Chief Editor of the Pediatric Surgery section. In her career as clinical scientist, she has made important scientific contributions to the understanding of urological diseases and genital anomalies in children and infants. As Prof. Ludwikowski emphasizes: “One of the challenges in Pediatric Surgery is the inevitable development of ever more narrow subspecialty areas. While specialization is essential given the constant addition of new knowledge, new diagnostic, treatment modalities and surgical techniques, we should remember what Owen H Wangensteen wrote in his book about the state of general surgery after World War II.” “With the extension of surgery into many new areas since World War II and consequent fragmentation, a more important query confronting surgery today is, can we survive as a unified body? The answer would appear to be free communication between its many disciplines. Tight compartmentalization breeds sterility, the only hope is transpollination, the catalyst of life.” – Wangensteen O, Wangensteen S (1978). The Rise of Surgery. From Empiric Craft to Scientific Discipline. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press Describing her objective for the specialty section, Prof. Ludwikowski aims to […]
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