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Science News Archive May 2015 - Page 26


Page 26 of 31

The Lancet: Can the Ebola outbreak rejuvenate global health security?

The west African Ebola epidemic has sparked interest in global health security, but its impact on political commitment to public health is uncertain. The crisis has highlighted the importance of securing individuals' access to healthcare as part of global health security. Key challenges include counterfeit medicines, antimicrobial resi...

SourceThe Lancet·JournalThe Lancet·DateMay 7, 2015

BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology names Industrial Biotechnology its official journal

The BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology has selected Industrial Biotechnology as its official journal, providing readers with more in-depth coverage of the industry's science, technology, markets, and policy efforts. The partnership aims to tell compelling stories of industrial biotech development and innovation.

SourceMary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News·JournalIndustrial Biotechnology·DateMay 7, 2015

Plugging up leaky graphene

Researchers have developed a process to repair leaks in graphene membranes, filling cracks and plugging holes using chemical deposition and polymerization techniques. The team created tiny, uniform pores in the material, allowing only water to pass through, resulting in high flow rates and efficient filtration.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalNano Letters·DateMay 7, 2015

Light in sight: a step towards a potential therapy for acquired blindness

Researchers have developed a novel optogenetic protein, Opto-mGluR6, which can be tailored to bring this promising technology closer to medical application. This breakthrough could potentially restore sight in patients suffering from any kind of photoreceptor degeneration, including severe forms of age-related macular degeneration.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateMay 7, 2015

Locating the brain's SAD center

Researchers have localized the seasonal light cycle effects that drive SAD to a small region in the mid-brain called the dorsal raphe nucleus. The study found that serotonergic neurons fire faster in mice exposed to summer-like light cycles, leading to increased levels of serotonin and norepinephrine.

SourceVanderbilt University·JournalCurrent Biology·DateMay 7, 2015

Surprise from the deep ocean

A new study has uncovered Lokiarchaeota, a missing link in the evolution of eukaryotes, revealing unexpected complexity in its genome. The discovery provides insights into the emergence of organelles and cellular structure in early eukaryotic cells.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature·DateMay 7, 2015

Putting a new spin on plasmonics

Researchers at Aalto University have discovered a new method to enhance the polarization of light in ferromagnetic materials. By patterning magnetic materials into arrays of nanoscale dots, they can create highly controllable modifications of light polarization when it reflects from the array. This breakthrough has the potential to adv...

SourceAalto University·JournalNature Communications·DateMay 7, 2015

Parents often misperceive their obese children as 'about the right weight'

A new study found that nearly all parents of overweight boys and approximately 88% of parents of overweight girls perceive their children as 'about the right weight'. The researchers also found that African-American families are more likely to misperceive their child's weight, while family income increases lead to correct perceptions.

Supercycles in subduction zones

Research at ETH Zurich reveals that wider seismogenic zones increase the probability of a supercycle occurring, characterized by several large earthquakes and eventually a giant earthquake. The study proposes a new explanation for the gradual rupture phenomenon, suggesting that physical stresses build up rapidly at the edges of the zone.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Geoscience·DateMay 6, 2015