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Science News for March 15, 2016


New way to harvest stem cells better for donors

Australian scientists have developed a new method for harvesting stem cells that eliminates the need for growth factor injections, reducing side effects for donors. The new method combines two molecules to mobilize stem cells into the bloodstream within an hour of administration.

SourceCSIRO Australia·JournalNature Communications·DateMar 15, 2016

New research shows growing up in poor neighborhoods increases likelihood of obesity

A new study from the University of Colorado Denver shows that adolescents who grow up and consistently live in poor neighborhoods are more likely to become or remain obese in adulthood than their peers. Moving into a poor neighborhood increases risk, while moving out decreases it, with young women at greatest risk.

SourceUniversity of Colorado Denver·JournalJournal of Health and Social Behavior·DateMar 15, 2016

Mismatched expectations most common reason for patients not completing HPV vaccine series

A new study found that conflicting expectations between parents and medical providers about scheduling follow-up appointments is the most common reason for patients not completing the HPV vaccine series. Researchers suggest improving education and dialogue between providers and parents to increase vaccination completion rates.

SourceBoston University School of Medicine·JournalHuman Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics·DateMar 15, 2016

Study says marine protected areas can benefit large sharks

A new study by UM Rosenstiel School researchers found that expanding protected areas in US federal waters would safeguard 100% of core home range areas used by three shark species. The study suggests that protecting sharks' core habitat use areas, where they spend the majority of their time, can provide significant conservation benefits.

Woodlands in Europe: More tree species, more benefits

A study of 200 European forests across six countries found that species-rich forests provide a higher number and variety of services, including air filtration, carbon sequestration, and water supply. The researchers recommend transforming forests into mixed stands to increase biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.

SourceGerman Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 15, 2016

The next step in preventing diabetes

Scientists have developed novel insulin mimetopes that can induce regulatory T cells to produce tolerance against insulin, halting the development of type 1 diabetes in young mice. In a humanized mouse model, the new vaccine efficiently stimulates regulatory T cells, which can impede the immune system's attack on insulin-producing cells.

Study finds racial differences in smoking patterns, screening

New research reveals that African Americans are less likely to start smoking in late teens but continue smoking into later years, leading to lower average pack-years and reduced eligibility for lung cancer screening. This disparity results in higher risk of death from tobacco-related diseases among African Americans.

SourceYale University·JournalNicotine & Tobacco Research·DateMar 15, 2016

Scratching the surface: Real-time monitoring of surface changes at the atomic level

A French research team, led by Dr. Frédéric Leroy, has created a method for real-time monitoring of surface changes at the atomic level. The approach enables them to study the kinetics of silicon dioxide decomposition onto silicon during thermal treatment, revealing a non-homogeneous process involving hole nucleation and opening.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateMar 15, 2016

Sweet corn genes related to crowding stress identified

Researchers at the University of Illinois identified clusters of genes that are associated with yield under crowding stress in sweet corn, finding that high-yielding hybrids utilize gene activities more directly related to carbohydrate accumulation. The study also found a common genetic basis for the yield response in six tested hybrids.

Smartphones could improve skin cancer detection in developing countries

Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston found that smartphones can detect 90% of non-melanoma skin cancers and 60% of melanomas, improving diagnosis in remote areas. A DIY smartphone microscope can be made with a ball lens and tape, and additional studies are needed to enhance detection rates.

SourceUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston·JournalArchives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine·DateMar 15, 2016

Austerity linked to rising mortality rates among older pensioners

New research published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine suggests that austerity measures in England have been associated with significant increases in mortality rates among pensioners aged 85 and over. The study found a 1.4% rise in mortality for every 3% drop in pension credit spending per beneficiary.

SourceSAGE·JournalJournal of the Royal Society of Medicine·DateMar 15, 2016

Digging deeper: Study improves permafrost models, reduces uncertainties

A University of Illinois study found that including four key biophysical processes in computer models can estimate permafrost area and stability more accurately. The new model suggests that permafrost has declined more slowly than previously thought, and its release could impact climate change.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalJournal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems·DateMar 15, 2016

IUPUI psychologists explore pain in Hispanic Americans

A critical review of over 100 studies on pain experience among Hispanic Americans reveals lower rates of chronic pain, but also greater pain sensitivity and less tolerance compared to non-Hispanic whites. The study highlights gaps in current research and calls for further investigation into the role of cultural factors and acculturation.

To increase group exercise, Penn study suggests rewarding the individual and the team

A new Penn study found that team-based incentives, combining individual and team performance rewards, nearly doubled the success rate of achieving exercise goals. Participants in this combined incentive group achieved their goal 35% of the time, compared to 17-18% for control and team incentive groups.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine·DateMar 15, 2016

New microwave imaging approach opens a nanoscale view on processes in liquids

Researchers at NIST and ORNL have developed a new microwave imaging technique that allows for the visualization of processes occurring at boundaries between liquids and solids. This approach enables the study of technologically and medically important processes without damaging samples or interfering with the process being studied.

A rolling stone gathers no mates

Research suggests that if males traveling from far-off areas are less attractive to females, connectivity between populations can be greatly reduced. This finding has significant implications for conservation efforts, highlighting the need for better understanding of animal dispersal and habitat fragmentation.

SourceWildlife Conservation Society·JournalEcological Modelling·DateMar 15, 2016

Molecules that may keep you young and alive

Researchers from Concordia University and Idunn Technologies have discovered six groups of plant extracts that decelerate the aging process in yeast. These extracts, which include a specific willow bark extract, increase chronological lifespan by 475% and have been recognized as non-toxic by Health Canada.

SourceConcordia University·JournalOncoTargets and Therapy·DateMar 15, 2016

Paving the way for metastasis

A new study from MIT reveals how cancer cells take their first steps towards metastasis by remodeling their environment, enabling them to migrate into blood vessels. High levels of the Mena protein, MenaINV, are correlated with metastasis and earlier deaths among breast cancer patients.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalCancer Discovery·DateMar 15, 2016

Winds hide Atlantic variability from Europe's winters

Research by McGill University and the University of Rhode Island reveals that wind patterns change along with sea-surface temperatures, masking the impact on Western Europe's wintertime temperatures. The study suggests that distinct atmospheric pathways may be hiding the ocean oscillation from Europe in winter.

SourceMcGill University·JournalNature Communications·DateMar 15, 2016

New electrode for ion concentration analysis

Researchers at Ruhr-University Bochum developed a new dry electrode for measuring ion concentrations, overcoming size and cost constraints. The system uses solid electrode material with storage capacity for positively charged ions, providing stable results over a lengthy period.

SourceRuhr-University Bochum·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateMar 15, 2016

Oil and natural gas boom causes methane emissions to increase

A recent study by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology reveals a significant correlation between oil and natural gas production in the USA and an increase in atmospheric methane concentrations. The research suggests that thermogenic methane from the oil and gas industry contributes to at least 40% of the global increase in methane concent...

SourceKarlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)·JournalAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics·DateMar 15, 2016

Crowd review

Researchers develop a method to analyze web reviews and extract design intelligence, identifying pros and cons of features. The DFOC approach can enhance creative efficiency and competitiveness by shortening lead times and improving product quality.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Knowledge and Web Intelligence·DateMar 15, 2016

Profane relations: The irony of offensive jokes in India

A study by Dr. Andrew Sanchez shows how joking relationships between colleagues enable people to distance themselves from the values that inform religious and ethnic violence. This exchange of humorous insults implicitly critiques public life of ethnic difference, operating on more tolerant principles rooted in the present.

SourceUniversity of Kent·JournalHistory and Anthropology·DateMar 15, 2016

What incentives work best to get a team to exercise more?

A study by Mitesh Patel found that combining individual and team incentives led to a significant increase in physical activity. Participants who received rewards for both individual and team performance averaged more steps per day than those with individual-only rewards.

SourceSpringer·JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine·DateMar 15, 2016

Outsourcing crystal growth...to space

Japanese researchers grew protein crystals in space using interferometry to measure growth rate and dissolution properties. The results showed an increased growth rate despite expected suppression of solution convection, which may be due to suppressed transport speed of impurity molecules.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalReview of Scientific Instruments·DateMar 15, 2016

Trade in rare plants on social media must be monitored

A recent study found that wild orchids were being traded from all over the world, with rare and threatened species including one assessed as Critically Endangered. The high proportion of wild collected orchids for sale supports calls for better monitoring of social media for trade in wild collected plants.

SourceUniversity of Kent·JournalConservation Biology·DateMar 15, 2016