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Science News Archive March 2016 - Page 29


Page 29 of 41

Physical activity encouraged more in boys than in girls

A study of over 550 Australian children found that girls were 19% less active than boys, with lower fitness levels and weaker home and school support. The authors suggest strategies to increase physical activity for girls should focus on home, school, and extracurricular activities

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateMar 9, 2016

The gut: Performing into old age

A groundbreaking study led by Dr. Dagmar Krüger has revealed that the human gut's secretory capacity does not decline with age, contradicting long-held assumptions. The research team examined over 2200 specimens from 450 patients with bowel disease and found no correlation between intestinal secretion and age or gender.

SourceTechnical University of Munich (TUM)·JournalThe Journal of Physiology·DateMar 9, 2016

Compounds restore antibiotics' efficacy against MRSA

Researchers identified two synthetic compounds that can restore the effectiveness of antibiotics against MRSA by blocking an enzyme involved in bacterial cell wall production. When paired with existing antibiotics, these compounds significantly improved survival rates and reduced infection severity in mice infected with MRSA.

SourceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateMar 9, 2016

New staffing model reveals unintended consequences in public mental health clinics

A new study from the University of Pennsylvania found that therapists working as independent contractors in public mental health clinics reported less willingness to adopt evidence-based psychosocial practices and had lower knowledge about them compared to salaried employees. This shift may be driven by budgetary reasons, with agencies...

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalPsychiatric Services·DateMar 9, 2016

Researchers at the University of Bonn boost fat-burning

A team of scientists at the University of Bonn discovered a switch that can convert unwanted white fat cells into energy-burning brown cells by blocking Gq proteins. This breakthrough has significant implications for obesity treatment, as it may lead to the development of pharmaceutical products that target this pathway.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalNature Communications·DateMar 9, 2016

Colorado River flows reduced by warmer spring temperatures

A new study reveals that warmer spring temperatures have a significant impact on upper Colorado River flows, reducing them more than previously recognized. This finding has implications for drought management and climate modeling, which suggests that warming temperatures will exacerbate drought conditions in the Western US.

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·DateMar 9, 2016

The tortoise and the hare of spinal neural circuits

Researchers found that practicing movements at different speeds improves certain nerve functions, particularly for patients with spasticity after a stroke or spine injury. The study suggests tailoring physical therapy routines to reflect the type of neural circuit controlling the movement for optimal rehabilitation outcomes.

SourceHiroshima University·JournalFrontiers in Human Neuroscience·DateMar 9, 2016

Understanding the dynamics of crowd behavior

A new mechanism reveals counterintuitive rules for individual movement in crowds, with implications for controlling active systems, such as nanoparticle delivery and crowd security. Researchers plan to apply their findings to develop intelligent nanorobots for drug-delivery and environmental sustainability.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalNature Communications·DateMar 9, 2016

Risks less likely to be reported by public-health researchers paid by industry or military

A University of Illinois Chicago researcher found that scientists with financial ties to firms that make, use, or dispose of industrial and commercial products are less likely to find adverse health risks. In contrast, authors employed by the military reported negligible risks in 64% of studies.

SourceUniversity of Illinois Chicago·JournalJournal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine·DateMar 9, 2016

Study: Meditation and ballet associated with wisdom

A study published in PLOS ONE found that meditation and ballet practices are associated with increased wisdom. Meditation was confirmed as a path to wisdom, while classical ballet also showed a link to higher wisdom levels among practitioners. The research suggests that physical practices like ballet may cultivate personal wisdom.

SourceUniversity of Chicago·JournalPLOS ONE·DateMar 9, 2016

Atomic vibrations in nanomaterials

Scientists discovered that surface vibrations in nanomaterials significantly affect their behavior, impacting applications such as solar cells. The researchers found that suppressing these vibrations can lead to higher photocurrent and efficiency in solar cells.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·DateMar 9, 2016

How an artificial protein rescues dying cells

Researchers at Princeton University discovered how a synthetic protein called SynSerB promotes cell growth in serine-depleted E. coli cells. By inducing overexpression of a protein called HisB, SynSerB enables the production of essential amino acid serine, allowing cells to survive.

SourcePrinceton University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 8, 2016