Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News for July 6, 2016


'The Blob' overshadows El Niño

Research finds The Blob had a stronger negative impact on marine productivity than El Niño off the West Coast, with ocean warming slowing nutrient flow and reducing ecosystem productivity. The study uses real-time data from autonomous gliders to assess the effects of major climate disruptions.

SourceNOAA Fisheries West Coast Region·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·DateJul 6, 2016

Accelerating research into dark energy

Researchers at UCL have created a new approach to simulate virtual universes, allowing for accelerated research into the effects of dark energy and dark matter. By comparing results from large studies to computational models, scientists can gain more accurate predictions and explore alternative versions of these mysterious substances.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateJul 6, 2016

How to get moral 'free-riders' to cooperate

Researchers found that pre-assessment of moral free riders can stabilize costly moral systems and promote cooperation. This approach considers a pool account where individuals can contribute in advance, allowing for more efficient detection of those unwilling to pay for justice.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalBiology Letters·DateJul 6, 2016

A sharper focus for plasmonic lasers

Plasmonic lasers use metal films to confine light energy and have potential applications in integrated optics and ultrafast digital processing. The researchers developed a scheme that emits radiation at extremely long wavelengths with a narrow beam divergence angle of just 4 degrees, the narrowest achieved for such terahertz lasers.

SourceLehigh University·JournalOptica·DateJul 6, 2016

Does chronic pain run in families?

A conceptual model by Amanda L. Stone and Anna C. Wilson suggests that genetic factors, early neurobiological development, and social learning play a role in the transmission of chronic pain from parents to children. The researchers propose five plausible mechanisms for this risk, including genetics, early neurobiological development, ...

SourceWolters Kluwer Health·JournalPain·DateJul 6, 2016

'Origami' is reshaping DNA's future

Researchers are using DNA origami to create large, two-dimensional honeycombs and tubes with precise structures. They aim to develop new medicines by exposing the immune system to DNA origami scaffolds holding virus pieces, and explore protein arrangements for sophisticated medicines and electronic devices.

SourceThe Kavli Foundation·JournalJournal of the American Ceramic Society·DateJul 6, 2016

What does a healthy aging cat look like?

A special issue of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery defines common physical and functional changes in cats during aging. The issue provides assessment criteria for veterinary practitioners to provide the best care to ageing pet cats, as well as resources for future clinical research.

SourceSAGE·JournalJournal of Feline Medicine and Surgery·DateJul 6, 2016

Experts listen in on noisy Falmouth seas

Researchers from the University of Exeter and Bath investigated noise in Falmouth Bay for 14 months, finding varied noise levels affected by natural conditions. This study highlights the need for long-term monitoring to understand human impact on marine environments.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalMarine Pollution Bulletin·DateJul 6, 2016

Computational modeling can predict onset and progression of knee osteoarthritis in overweight people

A new study from the University of Eastern Finland has developed a computational model that can predict the onset and progression of knee osteoarthritis in overweight people. The model analyzes the degradation of the collagen fibril network in articular cartilage and simulates the effect of various loadings on cartilage cells.

SourceUniversity of Eastern Finland·JournalScientific Reports·DateJul 6, 2016

Female bonobos send mixed messages to males

A study of wild female bonobos found that their sexual swellings are unreliable signals of fertility, allowing females to manipulate mate choice. The findings suggest that male bonobos may not be able to successfully compete over females due to the variability in swelling patterns.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalBMC Evolutionary Biology·DateJul 6, 2016

Understanding tsunamis with EM fields

A Kyoto University study shows tsunami-borne EM fields can extract key information about earthquake hypocenters, including fault dip direction, which helps with early warning systems. This discovery could lead to improved tsunami forecasting and timely evacuations.

SourceKyoto University·JournalScientific Reports·DateJul 6, 2016

Cells send out stop signs

Researchers discovered that cells can pack and release ephrins and Eph receptors through extracellular vesicles, allowing them to transmit signals over a distance. This discovery has significant implications for understanding cell communication and developing new treatments for diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalJournal of Cell Biology·DateJul 6, 2016

The taming of the rat

Researchers have selectively bred domesticated rat strains to exhibit tame behavior, with no instances of biting reported. The study also reveals hormonal responses and sex differences in aggression between male and female rats, shedding light on the physiological changes during domestication.

Poor sleep health could contribute to inflammatory disease

A new meta-analysis in Biological Psychiatry reports associations between sleep disturbances and long sleep duration with increased levels of inflammatory markers. Treatments targeting sleep behavior may be a strategy for reversing inflammation and reducing risk of inflammatory illnesses.

SourceElsevier·JournalBiological Psychiatry·DateJul 6, 2016

On the path toward molecular robots

Researchers at Hokkaido University have created light-powered molecular motors that repetitively bend and unbend, bringing us closer to molecular robots. The development enables complex tasks and autonomous chemical reactions, which may lead to applications in medicine and other fields.

SourceHokkaido University·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateJul 6, 2016

Research: Your kids are what you eat

A recent study found that parental diet quality has a significant impact on children's diet quality, with too few vegetables and empty calories being major contributors. Researchers analyzed data from over 600 parent-child duos and found that parents had better diet scores than kids, but only by a small margin.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalJournal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics·DateJul 6, 2016

LSU professor publishes study on state Medicaid provision, federal subsidization

A recent study by LSU Economics and Policy Research Group Director Stephen Barnes explores the determination of state Medicaid provision in the US, finding that federal subsidization leads to a decline in Medicaid coverage. The study also reveals a positive relationship between progressivity of tax structure and Medicaid coverage.

SourceLouisiana State University·JournalReview of Economic Dynamics·DateJul 6, 2016

Wealthier Americans now get much more health care than middle class or poor: Harvard study

A Harvard study reveals that wealthier Americans are getting significantly more healthcare than middle-class and poor individuals, reversing a long-term trend of increased equality. The wealthiest fifth of Americans now consume 43% more healthcare than the poorest fifth, while middle-income people receive 23% less care.

SourcePhysicians for a National Health Program·JournalHealth Affairs·DateJul 6, 2016

Injured muscles 'shocked' back to health

A recent study in rats suggests that acoustic shock waves can accelerate muscle healing by increasing chemical signaling factors and waking up satellite progenitor cells. This technique, called Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT), has promising potential as a non-invasive therapy complementing existing recovery regimes.

Birds get the green (and red) light

A recent study found that Japanese quail grown in green and red light exhibit higher body weights and reproductive development compared to white and blue light. This surprising discovery has potential applications across various fields, including poultry production, cancer research, and endocrine studies.

Your smartwatch is giving away your ATM PIN

Researchers from Binghamton University and Stevens Institute of Technology found that smartwatches can crack private PINs with 80-percent accuracy on the first try. The study used data from embedded sensors in wearable devices to break codes without contextual information, highlighting security vulnerabilities in these devices.

Researchers improve performance of cathode material by controlling oxygen activity

A new method to increase the robustness and energy storage capability of lithium-rich cathode materials has been discovered. Researchers found that introducing oxygen vacancies at the surface of the material using a carbon dioxide-based gas mixture improved its performance, particularly in high-energy applications like electric vehicles.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 6, 2016

New study upends a theory of how Earth's mantle flows

A new study has found that smaller-scale processes in the Earth's mantle have a more significant impact on plate tectonics than previously thought. The research used high-resolution imaging to map the flow of the mantle beneath the ocean's tectonic plates, revealing that convection channels play a crucial role in driving plate movement.

SourceColumbia Climate School·JournalNature·DateJul 6, 2016

What really killed the dinosaurs?

A new study published in Nature Communications suggests that a combination of volcanic eruptions and an asteroid impact led to the mass extinction of dinosaurs. The research, conducted by University of Florida geochemist Andrea Dutton, used a novel technique called clumped isotope paleothermometry to analyze ancient ocean temperatures.

SourceUniversity of Florida·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 6, 2016

People with anger disorder have decreased connectivity between regions of the brain

Research suggests that individuals with intermittent explosive disorder (IED) exhibit reduced connectivity in the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), a region connecting the frontal and parietal lobes. This disruption may impair social cognition, contributing to misunderstandings and misinterpretations of others' intentions.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Medical Center·JournalNeuropsychopharmacology·DateJul 6, 2016

Science could help search for the next tennis champions

A new statistical method developed by researchers at the University of Bath aims to reduce selection bias in elite tennis talent identification. The approach considers biological maturity rather than chronological age, helping to uncover talented players who may be overlooked due to physical advantages gained through early maturation.

SourceUniversity of Bath·JournalPediatric Exercise Science·DateJul 6, 2016