Researchers have found a series of markers that indicate which patients are more likely to survive cancers of the base of the tongue and tonsils. Most notably, they found that cancers linked to HPV, or human papillomavirus, are the most responsive to current chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
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Individuals with autism spectrum disorders show profound deficits in social interactions and communications and display repetitive behaviors and abnormal responses to sensory experiences. One aspect of an autistic child’s impaired social abilities is their lack of affiliative behaviors, i.e., behaviors such as touching and hugging that strengthen social bonds.
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Researchers found socially subordinate female rhesus macaques over consume calorie-rich foods, resulting in accelerated weight gain and an increase in fat-derived hormones. The study is a critical step in understanding the psychological basis for the sharp increase in obesity across all age groups since the mid-1970s. This is the first study to show how food intake can be reliably and automatically measured, thus identifying the optimal animal model and setting for future obesity studies.
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The demand for alternative sweeteners to sugar is increasing at a rate of 8% per year. The market is showing more and more interest in natural sweeteners compared to synthetic ones. This research highlights the rise in the market of natural non-caloric sweeteners, particularly those that have a low glycaemic index (GI), and contain polyhydric alcohols.
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Ancient acupuncture and modern myofascial pain therapy each focus on hundreds of similar points on the body to treat pain, although they do it differently, says a physician at Mayo Clinic who analyzed the two techniques.
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Lenses in optical devices are kept in place by adhesives. This can cause problems when the microscopes and cameras are employed inside a vacuum, as the adhesives may release gases that contaminate the lenses. One alternative is to solder them instead.
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A new shape for nanoparticles helps deliver imaging agents.

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A new design could run ultrahigh-resolution climate models.

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Paper-based microfluidic devices could yield cheap, disposable diagnostic tests.

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Insects have provided the inspiration for a team of European researchers seeking to improve the functionality of robots and robotic tools. The research furthers the development of more intelligent robots, which can then be used by industry, and by emergency and security services, among others. Smarter robots would be better able to find humans buried beneath the rubble of a collapsed building, for example.
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