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Driving a car is a key factor in independent living and life satisfaction for older adults. In the U.S., driving is considered an important aspect of personal freedom and gives people a sense of control over their lives. Most adults continue to drive as they age--in fact, 81 percent of people aged 65 and older hold a driver's license in this country. However, age-related declines in physical and cognitive functions make driving more difficult for older adults, and many people eventually reduce or stop driving altogether.

An ensemble consisting of a binary mixture of particles of equal size can partition itself into its component fractions - provided that the two species differ in their diffusion constants.

Scientists have identified a quantitative method to measure changes in biomarkers, which may reduce or eliminate the need for invasive biopsies. The method, described in the February 2016 issue of The FASEB Journal uses a novel chimera design of DNA and small DNA with a companion contrast agent to allow antibodies to cross cellular membranes. Once across these membranes, the tissues being evaluated can be imaged a much greater level of detail than what is possible now.

There may be a genetic connection between some mental health disorders and type 2 diabetes. In a new report appearing in the February 2016 issue of The FASEB Journal, scientists show that a gene called "DISC1," which is believed to play a role in mental health disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and some forms of depression, influences the function of pancreatic beta cells which produce insulin to maintain normal blood glucose levels.

Here's a reason for men to eat their lima beans--If research in male fruit flies holds up, it might help you live longer. A new research report published in the February 2016 issue of The FASEB Journal, shows that administering an oral dose of prunetin to male fruit flies extends lifespan, increases fitness levels, and improves their glucose balance. This effect was not found in females. Prunetin is a plant-derived compound that belongs to the isoflavone group.

The Red Sea is known as one of the best tourist destinations for good relaxation and scuba-diving, but no one can even imagine that this place is inhabited by many sea creatures that are still waiting to be discovered. An international team of biologists, which included researchers from the Lomonosov Moscow State University and the Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, found and explored a new kind of beautiful luminous creatures.

CRISPR-Cas9's popularity continues to grow ever since its first use in genome editing in January, 2013. What makes CRISPR-Cas9 so remarkable is its astonishing efficiency and availability; relatively speaking, it is easy to use. Last year, scientists at the Center for Genome Engineering within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) published a paper in Cell Stem Cell describing how they corrected an inverted gene sequence which effectively cured a type of Hemophilia. The Jin-Soo Kim group at IBS has also used CRISPR-Cas9 to perform a process without using foreign DNA to modify crops.

OAKLAND, Calif., February 5, 2016 -- A new study from Kaiser Permanente's Vaccine Study Center found that the Tdap booster vaccine provides moderate protection against whooping cough during the first year after vaccination, but its effectiveness wanes to less than 9 percent after four years among teenagers who have received only a newer form of the whooping cough vaccine (acellular pertussis vaccine) as infants and children. These findings were published today in Pediatrics.

Sufficient intake of fortified dairy products is of significant importance for the serum vitamin D level in primary school children, shows a new study from the University of Eastern Finland. Children who drink at least three glasses of milk per day had a higher serum vitamin D level than their peers who drink milk in lesser amounts. The use of vitamin D supplements was also associated with a higher serum vitamin D level. Furthermore, children who exercise more than 2 hours per day had a higher serum vitamin D level than children who exercise less than 1.5 hours per day.

For the first time ever, researchers from the University of Adelaide have been able to non-invasively study the inner workings of wombat warrens, with a little help from ground-penetrating radar.

Despite being the faunal emblem of South Australia, very little is known about the burrowing habits of the southern hairy-nosed wombat.

• Conversely, nations that produce most greenhouse gases less vulnerable
• Study shows "enormous global inequality" between emitters versus impacted nations
• Countries like U.S., Canada, Russia, and China are climate "free riders," which dis-incentivizes mitigating their emissions
• Problem will worsen in coming decades

Underwater sound linked to human activity could alter the behaviour of seabed creatures that play a vital role in marine ecosystems, according to new research from the University of Southampton.

The study, reported in the journal Scientific Reports published by Nature, found that exposure to sounds that resemble shipping traffic and offshore construction activities results in behavioural responses in certain invertebrate species that live in the marine sediment.

National Institutes of Health researchers have identified a striking signature in tumor DNA that occurs in five different types of cancer. They also found evidence that this methylation signature may be present in many more types of cancer. The specific signature results from a chemical modification of DNA called methylation, which can control the expression of genes like a dimmer on a light switch. Higher amounts of DNA methylation (hypermethylation), like that found by the researchers in some tumor DNA, decreases a gene's activity.

Philadelphia, PA, February 5, 2016 - Since 2012, at least 1,500 individuals have developed Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), resulting in more than 500 fatalities. Only now are results being reported of the first autopsy of a MERS patient, which was performed in 2014. Not only do these findings, published in The American Journal of Pathology, provide unprecedented, clinically-relevant insights about how MERS progresses, they challenge previously accepted ideas about MERS and the relevance of current animal models.

After evaluating content on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis on almost 200 websites, researchers with medical backgrounds found that the information on IPF from these sites was often incomplete, inaccurate and outdated. The study, "Accuracy and Reliability of Internet Resources for Information on Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis" highlights the need for the medical community to continually reassess the accuracy of online information. The research was printed online ahead of print in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.