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Science News Archive September 2015 - Page 19


Page 19 of 35

Fearless fowl grow and lay better

Researchers at Linköping University found that domesticated animals grew faster and laid larger eggs when selected for reduced fear of humans. The study used red junglefowl and bred them over five generations to demonstrate the link between tameness and desirable traits.

SourceLinköping University·JournalBiology Letters·DateSep 16, 2015

A toddler with type 2 diabetes

A 3-year-old girl with obesity and symptoms of excessive urination and thirst was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, reversing the disease through lifestyle modification and medication, highlighting early screening and diagnosis as key factors in disease management.

Novel competitors affect species' responses to climate change

A new study reveals that competition from previously unknown plant species at lower elevations can be decisive for alpine plants in warmer climates. This finding challenges the assumption that higher temperatures are the primary effect of climate change on alpine species, instead highlighting the importance of competition.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·DateSep 16, 2015

Restoring ocean health

After 10 years of monitoring, a UCSB analysis reveals that MPAs in the Channel Islands network are enhancing ecological communities. Fish species targeted by fishermen have greater density and biomass inside MPAs, while unprotected areas show increases in fished species.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalScientific Reports·DateSep 16, 2015

A quantum lab for everyone

The University of Vienna has created a photorealistic online game, called a 'quantum lab', allowing users to virtually access unique instruments and conduct experiments. The virtual laboratory is designed to make modern science accessible to the general public, university students, and high-school students.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalScientific Reports·DateSep 16, 2015

UI Health validates cure for sickle cell in adults

Researchers at UI Health have successfully transplanted stem cells from healthy siblings into adult patients with sickle cell disease, achieving a 92% cure rate and eliminating the need for chemotherapy. The procedure offers a new prospect for adults with the disease, who previously had limited treatment options.

SourceUniversity of Illinois Chicago·JournalBiology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation·DateSep 16, 2015

Surgical probe seeks out where cancer ends and healthy tissue begins

A new hand-held probe using optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology has been found to correlate well with traditional pathologists' diagnoses in a clinical study, enabling reliable real-time guidance for surgeons. The device can identify differences between cancer cells and normal tissue with high sensitivity and specificity.

Equity gap

A study by Harvard Medical School researchers found that women are nearly 13% less likely to be full professors than their male peers with identical age, experience, and research productivity. Despite efforts to increase equity, the proportion of women at this rank has remained unchanged since 1980.

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalJAMA·DateSep 15, 2015

Making a smart material smarter

A team of researchers from Michigan State University has manipulated vanadium dioxide to make it usable in small devices, allowing for smart antennas with tunable properties. This technology could enable applications such as switching between communication bands or precise microsurgery.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalIEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters·DateSep 15, 2015

Popular hypertension drugs linked to worse heart health in blacks compared to whites

A new comparative effectiveness research study found that African Americans with high blood pressure have poorer cardiovascular outcomes when treated with ACE inhibitors compared to white patients. The study analyzed data from nearly 60,000 patients and found a significant racial disparity in the effectiveness of these drugs.

SourceNYU Langone Health / NYU Grossman School of Medicine·JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology·DateSep 15, 2015