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Science News for August 22, 2017


Religious affiliation impacts language use on Facebook

A study of 12,815 U.S. and U.K. Facebook users found that religious affiliation is associated with the use of positive emotion and social words, while non-religious individuals use more negative emotion and cognitive processes. The researchers also discovered that non-religious people make more frequent mention of the body and death th...

SourceSociety for Personality and Social Psychology·JournalSocial Psychological and Personality Science·DateAug 22, 2017

An AADR perspective on the 'Advancing dental education: Gies in the 21st century' project

The American Association for Dental Research (AADR) suggests that dental schools prioritize research participation, collaboration with other departments, and flexible curricula. AADR also advocates for increased funding from various sources, including the National Institutes of Health, to support dental research and training.

When given the chance to pay less, patients choose cheaper prescription drugs

A study by UC Berkeley researchers found that reference pricing is effective in reducing patient spending on prescription drugs. The policy promotes the use of cheaper alternatives over brand-name options, resulting in a 7% increase in prescriptions filled for low-price reference drugs and a 14% decrease in average price paid.

SourceUniversity of California - Berkeley·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateAug 22, 2017

How do international development projects affect property values?

A University of Illinois economist found that property transactions in Kenya did not show significant price changes due to the Millennium Villages Project, despite increased amenities and subsidies. Residents may be holding onto their land to wait for potential value increases, suggesting a lack of perceived benefits.

A potential breeding site of a Miocene era baleen whale

A potential Miocene-era breeding site of the extinct baleen whale Parietobalaena yamaokai has been identified in Hiroshima, Japan. The discovery suggests that the northern hemisphere may have supported a breeding ground for this species dating back over 15 million years.

SourcePeerJ·JournalPeerJ·DateAug 22, 2017

Getting hold of quantum dot biosensors

Scientists from the University of Melbourne and Huazhong University of Science and Technology have successfully trapped individual quantum dots using an all-silicon nanoantenna. This innovation has the potential to improve the efficiency of nanosensors in detecting biomarkers at low concentrations.

SourceOptica·DateAug 22, 2017

Dogma overturned: New studies into inflammation in the infarcted heart could lead to changes in therapy

Researchers at CNIC and FJD have demonstrated a bimodal postinfarction inflammatory reaction in human patients using advanced MRI technology. The study reveals two distinct edematous reactions occurring at different times after an infarction, with implications for clinical trials and future studies.

Sales newbies, don't fret -- just go above and beyond

A Michigan State University study found that salespeople who control the emotional tone of their buyer-seller relationship by expressing gratitude can foster customer loyalty and gratitude. By going above and beyond, salespeople can potentially outperform even long-term relationships in terms of customer satisfaction.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalJournal of Personal Selling and Sales Management·DateAug 22, 2017

Solidifying advanced alloy design

Researchers developed a framework for designing tailored microstructure patterns in materials using a combination of theory and experiment. They successfully simulated the solidification process of an aluminum-silver-copper alloy, comparing their results with experimental photographs.

SourceGauss Centre for Supercomputing·JournalActa Materialia·DateAug 22, 2017

Bond dissociation energies for transition metal silicides accurately determined

A team of researchers from the University of Utah has investigated the bond dissociation energy property in transition metal silicides, including precise values for six specific compounds. The new method provides an accurate means of estimating bond dissociation energies, with smaller uncertainties than previous approaches.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalThe Journal of Chemical Physics·DateAug 22, 2017

Where do heart cells come from?

Id genes have been linked to heart development for the first time, revealing a new tool to create large numbers of cardiac cells to regenerate damaged heart tissue. The study uses CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing and high-throughput microRNA screening to identify the role Id genes play in heart development.

SourceSanford Burnham Prebys·JournalGenes & Development·DateAug 22, 2017

Supermarkets could trick you into buying fewer calories

Researchers found that six out of eight products saw a 0-7% drop in calorie sales after recipe changes. However, some customers swapped reformulated products for higher-calorie alternatives. The study suggests 'silent' product reformulation may help combat obesity by reducing calorie intake at low cost.

SourceBMC (BioMed Central)·JournalInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity·DateAug 22, 2017

Quantum ruler for biomolecules

Researchers at the University of Vienna developed a quantum ruler for biomolecules using a novel arrangement of nanogratings and laser beams. The technique allows for precise measurement of molecular electronic properties, such as those of vitamins A, E, and K1, with high accuracy.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalAngewandte Chemie·DateAug 22, 2017

New test for rare immunodeficiency

Researchers at the University of Basel developed a rapid test to diagnose Sp110 protein deficiency, a severe immune defect. The test uses flow cytometry to detect the presence of Sp110 protein in patient blood cells, enabling quick diagnosis in hours.

SourceUniversity of Basel·JournalJournal of Clinical Immunology·DateAug 22, 2017

Molecular volume control

Researchers discover latrophilin/CIRL receptor's mechanism of action, using ion channels and intracellular messengers to trigger signal cascades. The study uses Drosophila larvae and super-resolution microscopy to visualize receptor location and signal transmission.

Opioid misuse can be tracked using Twitter

A study found that tweets about opioid misuse on Twitter were strongly correlated with state-by-state information from the National Surveys on Drug Usage and Health. The research used a list of keywords to extract relevant tweets, which were then clustered based on semantic distance and verified by medical toxicologists.

SourceSpringer·JournalJournal of Medical Toxicology·DateAug 22, 2017

Retaining one normal BRCA gene in breast, ovarian cancers influences patient survival

A study found that patients with one normal BRCA gene and germline mutations in breast and ovarian cancers had better survival rates when treated with chemotherapy. The research team evaluated the genetic profiles of 160 tumors and discovered a relationship between BRCA gene retention and resistance to treatment. Patients with normal B...

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 22, 2017

Thoracic kyphosis in those over 50 may not be a predictor of physical decline

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found no correlation between thoracic kyphosis and physical function decline in those over 50. The study used CT scans to evaluate early signs of hyperkyphosis in a relatively young population, contradicting previous assumptions about its predictive value.

SourceHebrew SeniorLife Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateAug 22, 2017

High moral reasoning associated with increased activity in the human brain's reward system

A new study from Penn researchers found a strong association between high moral reasoning and increased activity in the brain's reward system. This link suggests that positive motivations towards others play a crucial role in moral reasoning development, with higher levels of morality linked to more advanced principles and ethical rules.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalScientific Reports·DateAug 22, 2017

Does a mother's pre-pregnancy weight determine her child's metabolism?

A study found associations between parental BMIs and offspring metabolic traits, but the link was not significantly stronger for maternal BMI, arguing against an intra-uterine mechanism. After accounting for offspring BMI, the data suggested that familial factors rather than intra-uterine overnutrition explain the relationship.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateAug 22, 2017

How a bacterium can live on methanol

A team of scientists has identified all the genes required for Methylobacterium extorquens to live on methanol. The bacterium can use either larger carbon molecules or methanol from plants as a nutrient, depending on availability.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalCurrent Biology·DateAug 22, 2017

An echo from the past to the future on abrupt seasonal changes of the general circulation

A recent paper revisits an idea proposed by Chinese meteorologist Duzheng Yeh in 1959 about abrupt seasonal changes in the general circulation. The study's authors successfully reproduce these transitions without lower-boundary inhomogeneities, sparking questions about their underlying causes.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAdvances in Atmospheric Sciences·DateAug 22, 2017

Close friendships in high school predict improvements in mental health in young adulthood

A new longitudinal study suggests that high-quality friendships during adolescence can predict better mental health outcomes in young adulthood. Teens with stronger close friendships tend to experience lower social anxiety and increased self-worth, while those who are popular in high school may be more prone to social anxiety later on.

SourceSociety for Research in Child Development·JournalChild Development·DateAug 22, 2017

Is childhood obesity a psychological disorder?

A recent study published in NeuroImage found that adolescents at risk for obesity have reduced neural activity in attention and self-regulation circuits. The researchers used fMRI to investigate the relationship between neurological activity and risk for obesity, suggesting that interventions targeting self-regulatory systems may be a ...

SourceChildren's Hospital Los Angeles·JournalNeuroImage·DateAug 22, 2017

Firing of neurons changes the cells that insulate them

A new study published in PLOS Biology reveals that different firing patterns of neurons alter proliferation and differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursors, which provide insulation to neuronal axons. The findings suggest a complex interplay between neurons and non-neuronal cells supporting them.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateAug 22, 2017

How cytoplasm 'feels' to a cell's components

Engineers at MIT found that organelles like mitochondria and lysosomes encounter different types of resistance in cytoplasm based on size and speed. The researchers developed a phase diagram to describe the material properties of cytoplasm from an organelle's perspective, which may aid in pharmaceutical designs.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 22, 2017