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Science News Archive August 2015 - Page 30


Page 30 of 32

A droplet's pancake bounce

Researchers developed a novel surface structure with gradient features to control droplet bouncing, enabling anti-icing capabilities for various applications. The new surface design prevents ice formation and reduces the contact time between droplets and surfaces.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateAug 4, 2015

Researchers strategize to outsmart bacteria

Researchers at Rice University have identified a genetic mechanism that enables bacteria to become more resistant to antibiotics while also spreading their resistance rapidly. The discovery highlights the need for new strategies to predict and prevent the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, potentially halting or slowing down t...

SourceRice University·JournalMolecular Biology and Evolution·DateAug 4, 2015

Teen marijuana use not linked to later depression, lung cancer, other health problems, study finds

A study of 408 teenage males found that chronic marijuana use was not linked to later physical or mental health issues such as depression, psychotic symptoms or asthma. The researchers controlled for other factors that could have influenced the findings, including cigarette smoking and access to health insurance.

SourceAmerican Psychological Association·JournalPsychology of Addictive Behaviors·DateAug 4, 2015

Keeping algae from stressing out

Researchers identify two transcription factors that regulate lipid accumulation in stressed algae, enabling sustainable fuels production. The study also demonstrates a strategy for overexpressing PSR1 to trick cells into producing lipids without dying.

SourceDOE/Joint Genome Institute·JournalNature Plants·DateAug 4, 2015

Molecular tinkering doubles cancer drug's efficacy

Researchers at Duke University have successfully packaged a widely used cancer drug into nanoparticles, more than doubling its effectiveness in mice. The new approach delivers the drug directly to tumors while reducing side effects and improving targeting, showing transformative results for patients.

SourceDuke University·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 4, 2015

Protecting the environment by re-thinking death

Researchers have developed a new model of survival that can predict the potential harm caused by thousands of chemicals used daily. By considering death as a continuum between random events and individual tolerance, scientists can analyze every chemical using high-throughput screening, paving the way for further testing.

SourceUniversity of York·JournalEnvironmental Science & Technology·DateAug 4, 2015

New benchmarks for molecular spectroscopy

The study provides a high-resolution readout of the energy levels for cations from their vibrational ground state to excited states, furthering our understanding of the coupled vibrations in the Renner-Teller effect. The results also shed light on the electronic structure of organic molecules.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalThe Journal of Chemical Physics·DateAug 4, 2015

Feed supplement greatly reduces dairy cow methane emissions

A new feed supplement has been shown to reduce dairy cow methane emissions by 30% without affecting feed intake, fiber digestibility, or milk production. This could have significant implications for global climate change, as animal agriculture is a major source of methane emissions.

SourcePenn State·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 4, 2015

Coordinated effort by health care facilities can prevent many hospital-acquired infections

Researchers developed a model to project number of CRE infections when hospitals work together to enhance infection controls, showing a 74% reduction compared to independent approach. The model highlights the importance of coordination and communication among facilities in preventing antibiotic-resistant infections.

SourceUniversity of Utah Health·JournalMMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report·DateAug 4, 2015

HIV grows despite treatment, study finds

A recent study found that HIV virus can persist and continue to grow in patients receiving uninterrupted treatment for up to 14 years. This persistence occurs due to the virus's ability to hide inside blood cells responsible for immune response, copy itself, and automatically incorporate its genetic information into DNA.

SourceUniversity of Liverpool·JournalEBioMedicine·DateAug 4, 2015

Team advances therapy preventing addiction relapse by erasing drug-associated memories

Scientists from the Scripps Research Institute have developed a new therapy that selectively erases drug-associated memories, preventing relapse in animal models of methamphetamine addiction. The treatment, which involves a single injection of blebbistatin, successfully disrupted long-term storage of drug-related memories and blocked r...

SourceScripps Research Institute·JournalMolecular Psychiatry·DateAug 4, 2015

Cosmological 'lost' lithium: An environmental solution

A new stellar model developed by researchers at SISSA reveals that cosmological 'lost' lithium in metal-poor stars was not destroyed, but rather accreted from the surrounding environment. The model, which agrees with observations, provides a plausible explanation for the low abundance of lithium-7 in ancient stars.

SourceInternational School of Advanced Studies (SISSA)·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateAug 4, 2015

Waiting for pleasure

A study published in European Journal of Neuroscience found that the hippocampus and nucleus accumbens work together to make decisions about time and reward. Effective 'disconnection' of these structures can lead to impulsive behavior, suggesting potential therapeutic targets for psychiatric disorders.

SourceMcGill University·JournalEuropean Journal of Neuroscience·DateAug 4, 2015