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Science News Archive June 2017 - Page 29


Page 29 of 40

How the brain recognizes what the eye sees

Researchers analyzed how neurons in V2 respond to natural scenes, discovering three principles: combining edges, cross-orientation suppression, and repeating patterns. This work provides insight into the brain's ability to recognize faces, cars, and other objects.

SourceSalk Institute·JournalNature Communications·DateJun 8, 2017

Sanitation access linked to children's growth and health

A new study found that sanitation access is crucial for children's growth and health, with households having access to toilets or latrines seeing improved stunting, anemia, and diarrhea rates. Increasing community-level sanitation access can also have a significant impact on child health.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases·DateJun 8, 2017

Control of material crystallization by agitation

A team at Osaka University found that agitating amorphous materials at a certain frequency accelerates crystallization, indicating a new method for controlling the formation of crystalline materials. The study used colloidal systems to model atomic materials and identified a specific vibrational mode facilitating crystallization.

SourceOsaka University·JournalScientific Reports·DateJun 8, 2017

World's first success in asymmetric borylation of ketones

Researchers at Hokkaido University have successfully developed a method for the catalytic asymmetric borylation of ketones, a breakthrough expected to facilitate the development of new medicines and functional chemicals. The team has identified a suitable catalyst element called chiral NHC complex for efficient reaction with diboron.

SourceHokkaido University·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateJun 8, 2017

Research targets PFOA threat to drinking water

Researchers have developed a novel material that rapidly removes perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) from water, achieving concentrations below 10 parts per trillion. The material, made from a networked polymer, has shown greater affinity for PFOA than activated carbon and can be regenerated multiple times.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateJun 8, 2017

The art market bubble has burst

The art market price index, compiled by Prof. Roman Kräussl, shows a significant decline in post-war and contemporary art prices, with a 21% drop in 2016. This confirms a burst of the market bubble, which had been growing since 2009.

SourceUniversity of Luxembourg·JournalReview of Financial Studies·DateJun 8, 2017

How plants prevent oxidative stress

Researchers discovered the P700 oxidation system in plants to suppress reactive oxygen species production, allowing safe photosynthesis. The system starts functioning when excess light energy is present, serving as a warning marker for oxidative stress.

SourceKobe University·JournalThe Plant Journal·DateJun 8, 2017

Research for an oil (palm) change

A new technique developed by James Cook University scientists helps oil palm growers predict crop yield, nitrous oxide emissions and nitrogen leaching. The research provides valuable information for on-farm decision making, enabling growers to make decisions that balance productivity and environmental sustainability.

SourceJames Cook University·JournalField Crops Research·DateJun 8, 2017

Study reveals sweetened drinks during pregnancy puts infants at higher risk for obesity

A recent Danish study found that maternal daily consumption of artificially-sweetened beverages during pregnancy was associated with a higher body mass index score and increased risk of overweight/obesity at 7 years. This study suggests that substituting SSBs with artifically sweetened beverages may increase offspring obesity risk.

SourceOxford University Press USA·JournalInternational Journal of Epidemiology·DateJun 8, 2017

Calculator estimates success of kidney transplants with particular donor-recipient pairs

Researchers developed a calculator estimating graft survival after kidney transplant from living donors, accounting for mismatches in age, sex, HLA, and body size. The tool is particularly useful for kidney paired donation, allowing candidates to compare estimated graft survival with different potential donors.

SourceAmerican Society of Nephrology·JournalClinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology·DateJun 8, 2017

Autonomous machines edge towards greater independence

Researchers have developed a method for autonomous learning in self-taught systems, allowing them to evolve and adapt over time. This approach, which incorporates delayed dynamics and feedback loops, has been successfully applied to neural networks and phase oscillators, yielding robust performance with minimal external control.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal B·DateJun 8, 2017

Not so elementary

A team of international physicists, including UC Santa Barbara postdoctoral scholar Manuel Franco Sevilla, reviewed results from three experiments that suggest lepton universality may need to be revised. The findings, published in Nature, indicate a higher-than-expected tau decay rate in all three experiments.

Does your name match your face?

A study published in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review found that people's names are associated with specific face shapes, influencing voting decisions. Candidates with congruent names received an average of 10 more percentage points in their elections than those with incongruent names.

SourceSpringer·JournalPsychonomic Bulletin & Review·DateJun 8, 2017

A fish of all flavors

A study by Osaka University reveals that a single heterodimer of two T1r members can detect a wide range of sweet and savory flavors in humans. The researchers found that the structure of the heterodimer is similar regardless of the amino acid bound, but with varying affinity for each ligand.

SourceOsaka University·JournalNature Communications·DateJun 8, 2017

Study examines adolescents' responses to racism in school

Adolescents' responses to verbal racism in school were influenced by age, ethnicity, and cross-group friendships. Younger and majority-ethnic adolescents showed more prosocial bystander responses, while older and minority-ethnic adolescents indicated aggressive or passive responses.

SourceWiley·JournalJournal of Community & Applied Social Psychology·DateJun 8, 2017

World first: Stem cell treatment for lethal STAT1 gene mutation -- shows 'disappointing' but promising results

Researchers conducted a study assessing stem cell transplantation for patients with a rare 'gain of function' STAT1 gene mutation. The treatment showed encouraging results, with five patients being completely cured and disease-free, but the overall success rate was disappointing at 40%. Experts propose adjusting treatment parameters, s...

SourceHiroshima University·JournalJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology·DateJun 8, 2017

From the somatic cell to the germ cell

Researchers identified multiple genes that enable somatic cells to switch to germline fate in plants. The discovery provides molecular evidence for the evolution of reproductive systems in ancient plants, showing how plants limit switching to create a single germ cell.

SourceUniversity of Freiburg·JournalScience·DateJun 8, 2017

Kidney graft success -- does age and sex matter?

A new study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology found that young women have poorer transplant outcomes compared to young men, while women over 45 have similar or better outcomes. The research suggests personalized immunosuppression strategies based on age and sex could improve graft success.

SourceMcGill University Health Centre·JournalJournal of the American Society of Nephrology·DateJun 8, 2017