Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News Archive January 2016 - Page 4


Page 4 of 31

Small is different

Researchers at TUM and Georgia Institute of Technology found that the size of platinum catalyst particles significantly affects reactivity, with clusters having fewer atoms showing lower activity. The discovery could lead to more efficient production of margarine and other chemicals, as well as new materials.

SourceTechnical University of Munich (TUM)·JournalNature Communications·DateJan 28, 2016

Scientists decode brain signals nearly at speed of perception

Researchers used electrodes implanted in the temporal lobes of awake patients to decode brain signals and predict what object patients were seeing with over 95% accuracy. The study's findings have significant implications for understanding human perception and could lead to new treatments for paralysis and stroke patients.

SourceUniversity of Washington School of Medicine/UW Medicine·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateJan 28, 2016

Germs, humans and numbers

A new estimate reveals that the ratio of bacterial to human cells in the body is closer to 1:1, with approximately 40 trillion bacterial cells and 30 trillion human cells. This revision challenges the long-held assumption that there are ten times more bacterial cells than human cells.

Epigenetic switch for obesity

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics found a novel epigenetic switch regulating genes in mice, leading to two distinct phenotypes. This discovery fundamentally alters our understanding of how epigenetics influences gene outcomes and has implications for obesity and other diseases.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalCell·DateJan 28, 2016

CRISPR used to repair blindness-causing genetic defect in patient-derived stem cells

Researchers used CRISPR to repair a genetic mutation responsible for retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited condition causing blindness in at least 1.5 million cases worldwide. The study marks the first time researchers have replaced a defective gene associated with a sensory disease in stem cells derived from a patient's tissue.

SourceColumbia University Irving Medical Center·JournalScientific Reports·DateJan 27, 2016

What a moth's nose knows

Researchers found that moths with transplanted antennae responded to novel pheromone blends not seen in nature. The moths' brains integrated signals from the antennal lobe to create a sense of reality, even when the sensory input was altered.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalPLOS ONE·DateJan 27, 2016

Good boss? Bad boss? Study says workers leave both

Research by a University of Illinois business professor reveals that high-quality boss-worker relationships are positively related to higher salaries and greater responsibility in the next job. However, employees still leave their good managers due to limited internal opportunities for growth. Retaining valued employees can lead to inc...

'Lifespan machine' probes cause of aging

A study published in Nature suggests that aging does not have a single molecular cause but is rather a systemic process. Researchers found a statistical regularity in how genetic and environmental factors affect the life span of Caenorhabditis elegans worms, revealing an unexpected uniformity among life span distributions.

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalNature·DateJan 27, 2016

Mercury levels in rainfall are rising in parts of North America, study finds

Researchers found recent increases in mercury concentrations in rainfall at many sites across the continent, with positive trends in central regions consistent with increased emissions from Asia. The findings suggest that reductions in North American mercury emissions are primarily benefiting the eastern United States.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Cruz·JournalThe Science of The Total Environment·DateJan 27, 2016

New detection method for Goby invasion

Researchers at the University of Basel have developed a simple and effective test to detect Ponto-Caspian gobies in streaming and stagnant water. The method uses environmental DNA analysis, reacting exclusively to the genetic material of invasive gobies, making it a cost-efficient alternative to traditional methods.

SourceUniversity of Basel·JournalPLOS ONE·DateJan 27, 2016

Eating soy may protect women from health risks of BPA

A recent study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that consuming soy regularly may protect women undergoing infertility treatments from poor success rates linked to bisphenol A exposure. Women who did not eat soy foods had lower embryo implantation rates and fewer live births with ...

SourceThe Endocrine Society·JournalThe Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism·DateJan 27, 2016

Four factors predict neurodevelopmental outcomes for children with low birth weight

A new study found that medical complications at birth, maternal education, early motor assessments, and early cognitive assessments are key predictors of later cognitive function and motor performance in children born premature. Research also shows that mild impairments remain a challenge for preterm children into later childhood.

SourceNew York University·JournalResearch in Developmental Disabilities·DateJan 27, 2016

New way to detect human-animal diseases tested in lemurs

Researchers used whole-transcriptome sequencing to screen for blood-borne diseases in wild lemurs and found several strains of parasites similar to those causing Lyme disease. The approach could pave the way for earlier detection of future outbreaks of zoonotic diseases that move between animals and people.

SourceDuke University·JournalBiology Letters·DateJan 27, 2016