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Science News Archive August 2015 - Page 8


Page 8 of 32

How plant sensors detect pathogens

A team of scientists has discovered how a plant sensor detects pathogens, bringing unprecedented detail to the 'gene-for-gene' hypothesis. The study reveals that the strength of binding between the sensor and pathogen proteins correlates with the plant's response, opening up new strategies for engineering enhanced resistance.

Water covers 70 percent of the Earth's surface, but only a fraction is fresh

The current issue of Technology and Innovation highlights the challenges of ensuring water security due to growing concerns over fresh water availability. Advances in analytical techniques, nanobiotechnologies, and monitoring methods are being explored to develop innovative solutions for water conservation and quality improvement.

SourceUniversity of South Florida·JournalJournal of Technology and Innovation·DateAug 25, 2015

One dose or 2? Cholera vaccination strategies

A new modeling study suggests that a single dose of cholera vaccine could be as effective as the traditional two-dose regimen in preventing deaths. The researchers estimate that a one-dose campaign reaching half the population would have averted over 78,000 cases and prevented 738 deaths.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateAug 25, 2015

Something to crow about

Researchers found that New Caledonian crows use a combination of social learning and trial-and-error methods to acquire tool shapes. The birds observe another crow's actions, then mimic the end result, rather than copying specific actions, suggesting an alternative explanation for their cumulative technological culture.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalLearning & Behavior·DateAug 25, 2015

New Yorker cartoons reveal attitudes toward parenting

Researchers analyze New Yorker cartoons from 1925 to 2006 to show changing portrayals of children and child-rearing, with a shift from mixed attitudes to increasingly intense parental involvement. The study highlights the paradox of modern, privileged parenting, where parents may opt out due to high costs associated with childcare.

Quantum diffraction at a breath of nothing

Researchers successfully fabricated stable and large gratings in single layer graphene, enabling the study of massive objects' quantum mechanical nature. The team's achievement reduces material thickness to the ultimate limit, increasing interaction time between molecules and masks.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateAug 25, 2015

Flu remedies help combat E. coli bacteria

Researchers at the University of Zurich have discovered that an overproduction of E. coli bacteria is triggered by the availability of sialic acid, leading to intestinal inflammation. A sialidase inhibitor can prevent excessive E. coli formation and alleviate disease symptoms.

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 25, 2015

New Moffitt study finds black women have higher frequency of BRCA mutations than previously reported

A recent study by H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center researchers found a significantly higher frequency of BRCA mutations in young black women with breast cancer, particularly among those under 50. This discovery may contribute to the disparity in aggressive breast cancer rates among black women compared to non-Hispanic white women.