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Science News Archive April 2006 - Page 10


Page 10 of 15

Racially diverse mock juries have wider ranging and more accurate deliberation discussions

Diverse mock juries showed fewer errors and greater willingness to discuss race-related issues compared to all-White groups. White participants in diverse juries were also more willing to discuss racism and cited case facts accurately. This suggests that diversity may lead to more thorough and competent decision-making.

SourceAmerican Psychological Association·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·DateApr 9, 2006

A large step forward in the fight against African sleeping sickness

Researchers at VIB have made a significant breakthrough in combating African sleeping sickness by developing a nanobody that carries an ApoL-1 variant to the surface of the parasite. This treatment has shown promising results in mice, with infected animals surviving after a single treatment and the parasite being removed from their blood.

Responsibility in gambling?

A £920,000 ESRC-funded research venture aims to investigate the effects of gambling on those involved and the broader community. The study will examine social contexts for problem gambling, internet gambling, brain responses, and family life, with the goal of developing policies and services to prevent problem gamblers.

Solitons seen in a solid

Researchers at the University of California - Davis have detected lattice solitons in heated uranium crystals using X-ray and neutron scattering experiments. The isolated vibrations play an important role in uranium metal, shedding new light on a previously unknown property of solid materials.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateApr 7, 2006

Fighting nutrition misinformation:

The American Dietetic Association's new position statement warns of common inaccuracies in media coverage of nutrition studies. Journalists should ensure research is conducted by credible institutions and qualified researchers, and that results reflect appropriate context.

The price of managerial neglect

A new method by University at Buffalo engineers calculates the expected cost of managerial neglect in processes with variability, such as supply chains. The model can help managers justify investments for improvement and save up to 50% in costs over three years.

SourceUniversity at Buffalo·JournalThe Engineering Economist·DateApr 7, 2006

Penn State to recycle tires into roads

Penn State's Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies is recycling 500,000 discarded tires into road fill, reducing sediment pollution and mosquito breeding grounds. The project uses bailed tires to fill degraded dirt roads, incorporating drainage structures to prevent water runoff.

Is the brain wired for faces?

A new study published in Neuron suggests that facial recognition relies on a similar neural mechanism as other object recognition, rather than specialized processing. The researchers used computational modeling and fMRI to find that a small group of neurons in the fusiform face area is highly selective for different faces.

Healing honey: The sweet evidence revealed

Honey's antibacterial quality rapidly clears existing infection, while also protecting wounds from additional infections. The sweetener stimulates the growth of granulation and epithelial tissues to speed up the healing process.

SourceSAGE·JournalThe International Journal of Lower Extremity Wounds·DateApr 6, 2006

Americans love competition, but is it pushing our scientists too far?

A study by University of Michigan researcher Raymond De Vries found that everyday problems in scientific research are most common, including struggles with data interpretation and adherence to scientific rules. The study also found that unbridled competition and organizational injustices contribute to scientific misconduct.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalJournal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics·DateApr 6, 2006

Hidden structure revealed in characteristics of transistor laser

Scientists at the University of Illinois have discovered significant structure in the current-voltage characteristics of a transistor laser, allowing them to study the elusive electronic structure. The research enables the development of transistor lasers that can operate at different speeds for various commercial applications.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateApr 6, 2006

Towards the mechanism of cell respiration

Researchers have made significant breakthroughs in understanding the cell respiration mechanism, led by Academy Professor Mårten Wikström. The study reveals the coupling between the proton pump and oxygen reduction, shedding light on how energy is transduced from foodstuffs to cells.

SourceUniversity of Helsinki·JournalNature·DateApr 6, 2006

BCG vaccination is highly cost-effective

The BCG vaccine is highly cost-effective in preventing severe childhood tuberculosis, with an estimated cost of US$200 per year of healthy life gained. The largest impact was found in southeast Asia, Africa, and the western Pacific region, where TB infection rates and BCG coverage are highest.

SourceThe Lancet_DELETED·JournalThe Lancet·DateApr 6, 2006