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Science News for June 8, 2016


Antibodies triggered by avian influenza virus vaccine illuminate a new path toward a universal flu vaccine

A new study suggests that an avian influenza virus vaccine can trigger broad and durable protection against multiple flu strains, offering a promising path toward a universal flu vaccine. The research identifies unique epitopes on the virus and highlights the potential of non-neutralizing antibodies in providing protection.

Centuries-old database reveals clues on human reproductive habits, trends

A centuries-old database was used to study reproductive patterns and parental investment, revealing that parents and offspring do not have similar lifespans or reproductive success. Siblings who share the same mother and father exhibit similar lifespans and reproductive success, suggesting a balance between investment and reproduction.

SourceUniversity of Missouri-Columbia·JournalRoyal Society Open Science·DateJun 8, 2016

Chivalry is not dead when it comes to morality

A study by New York University found that women are more likely to be saved or not harmed in moral dilemmas compared to men. In experiments involving the trolley dilemma and financial rewards, women showed a stronger aversion to harming females than males, even when it came at their own expense.

SourceNew York University·JournalSocial Psychological and Personality Science·DateJun 8, 2016

Black hole fed by cold intergalactic deluge

A new ALMA observation reveals that cold dense clouds can coalesce from hot intergalactic gas and feed a galaxy's central supermassive black hole. This challenges previous views of how supermassive black holes acquire mass, indicating a chaotic and dynamic feeding process.

SourceESO·JournalNature·DateJun 8, 2016

An eco-friendly approach to reducing toxic arsenic in rice

University of Delaware researchers found that incorporating rice husk into soil can decrease toxic arsenic levels in rice grain by 25 to 50 percent. This eco-friendly approach has implications for developing countries relying on rice as a staple food and aims to improve soil quality without negatively affecting yield.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalJournal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry·DateJun 8, 2016

Air pollution affects young people's psychiatric health

A new study from Umeå University in Sweden suggests that exposure to air pollution is associated with an increased risk of psychiatric diagnoses in children and adolescents. The research found a 9% increase in medication for at least one psychiatric diagnosis with a 10 microgram per cubic meter increase in nitrogen dioxide concentration.

SourceUmea University·JournalBMJ Open·DateJun 8, 2016

U-M study highlights multiple factors of ADHD medication use

A large-scale national study found that early use of stimulant medications for ADHD does not increase the risk of substance abuse in later adolescence, while short-term use during middle or high school may lead to higher risks. The research highlights the importance of monitoring teens who start using these medications later in life.

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalJournal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry·DateJun 8, 2016

Female birds select sperm 'super swimmers'

Researchers found that 'super swimmers' with shorter heads and longer tails are better equipped to reach the egg due to their shape. These traits help sperm swim faster through the vagina, increasing the chances of fertilization. The study's findings may lead to new directions in human fertility research.

SourceUniversity of Sheffield·JournalBiology Letters·DateJun 8, 2016

At the LHC, charmed twins will soon be more common than singles

Researchers at the Institute of Nuclear Physics have observed a new mechanism creating particles in high-energy collisions, where charm mesons appear in pairs as often as singles. This effect plays a dominant role in producing charm particles and is expected to become more prominent in future accelerators.

Standard blood pressure target is sufficient for treating some strokes

A recent NIH-funded study found that standard and intensive blood pressure treatments were equally effective in the emergency treatment of acute intracerebral hemorrhage, a type of stroke caused by bleeding into the brain. After 90 days, the rate of death or severe disability was equal for both groups, at around 38 percent.

SourceNIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateJun 8, 2016

Study finds targeting 'ideal cardiovascular health' lowers diabetes risk, but with ethnic differences

A new study published in Diabetologia shows that significant racial/ethnic differences exist in the association between ideal cardiovascular health and diabetes risk. Achieving four or more of the American Heart Association's ideal cardiovascular health components resulted in lower rates of incident diabetes, with 34% and 75% reduction...

SourceDiabetologia·JournalDiabetologia·DateJun 8, 2016

Trauma in childhood linked to drug use in adolescence

A national sample of 10,000 US adolescents found that exposure to abuse and domestic violence before age 11 increased the likelihood of drug use in adolescence. Childhood trauma was particularly harmful, with a greater number of traumatic experiences associated with an increase in risk for marijuana and other drugs.

SourceColumbia University's Mailman School of Public Health·JournalJournal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry·DateJun 8, 2016

Opioids regulate spermatozoon formation

A recent study published in PLoS One has revealed that opioid receptors participate in spermatogenesis, a process crucial for male fertility. The researchers identified the activation of these receptors as regulating the formation of machinery responsible for correctly segregating genetic information during spermatozoa production.

SourceUniversity of the Basque Country·JournalPublication Library and Information Science·DateJun 8, 2016

New chromosome origin element identified

Researchers at Newcastle University have identified a new essential sequence within bacterial genomes required for DNA replication, dubbed the DnaA-trio. This discovery sheds light on a fundamental biological process shared among all living organisms and opens doors to studying enigmatic replication origin elements in higher organisms.

SourceNewcastle University·JournalNature·DateJun 8, 2016

Clinical trial examines treatment of complicated grief

A randomized clinical trial found that psychotherapy for complicated grief is efficacious and adding antidepressant citalopram improves outcomes for those with co-occurring depressive symptoms. The study's results support using antidepressants in conjunction with therapy for relief of co-occurring symptoms.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Psychiatry·DateJun 8, 2016

Barley lowers not one but two types of 'bad cholesterol', review suggests

A review of clinical trials found that barley lowers levels of both low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL), two types of 'bad cholesterol'. The study suggests that barley has similar cholesterol-lowering effects as oats, making it a valuable alternative for those looking to reduce cardiovascular risk.

SourceSt. Michael's Hospital·JournalEuropean Journal of Clinical Nutrition·DateJun 8, 2016

The Witch Report 1600 -- Yorkshire headed the list

Attitudes towards witchcraft varied by social class in 17th-century England, with the educated elite playing a significant role in shaping legal systems. In Yorkshire, there was a greater propensity to believe in covens of witches, as evidenced by a 1621 book titled Deamonologia. The common people, however, focused on practical deeds l...

SourceUniversity of Huddersfield·JournalPostgraduate Perspectives on the Past·DateJun 8, 2016