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Science News for November 22, 2017


Lightning, with a chance of antimatter

A team of Japanese researchers from Kyoto University used gamma-ray detectors to study the effects of lightning on atmospheric elements. They found that lightning emits positrons, a form of antimatter equivalent to electrons, through interactions with nitrogen and other elements in the atmosphere.

SourceKyoto University·JournalNature·DateNov 22, 2017

Sclerosis medicine can fight multi-resistant bacteria

Researchers have discovered that glatiramer acetate, a widely used multiple sclerosis treatment, can also effectively kill certain multi-resistant bacteria. This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for treating cystic fibrosis patients and may even provide insight into the underlying causes of multiple sclerosis.

SourceAarhus University·JournalScientific Reports·DateNov 22, 2017

Cool lizards are better at learning socially

Researchers found that bearded dragons incubated in colder temperatures learned to open a sliding door faster than those from warmer temperatures. This ability is crucial for adapting to changing environments and may offer a potential buffer against human-induced environmental change.

SourceUniversity of Lincoln·JournalRoyal Society Open Science·DateNov 22, 2017

Certain popular cigars deliver more nicotine than cigarettes

Researchers at Penn State found that popular cigar brands deliver more nicotine than commonly used cigarettes. The study suggests that small cigars, often perceived as safer alternatives, are just as addictive and harmful. The researchers plan to explore further comparisons between the toxins released by cigars and cigarettes.

SourcePenn State·JournalNicotine & Tobacco Research·DateNov 22, 2017

Big data creates family tree of constitutions

Researchers at Dartmouth College created an evolutionary taxonomy of world constitutions using big data and machine learning. The study identifies surprising relationships and unexpected information about constitutional inspirations.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalJournal of the Association for Information Science and Technology·DateNov 22, 2017

A material with promising properties

Researchers at the University of Konstanz have successfully synthesized Europium(II) oxide nanoparticles, a ferromagnetic semiconductor with promising properties for spin-based electronics. The team developed a novel two-stage process to produce high-quality and anisotropic EuO-nanoparticles with tunable magnetic properties.

SourceUniversity of Konstanz·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateNov 22, 2017

Mass media linked to childhood obesity

A strong link has been found between childhood obesity and mass media exposure in European countries. Parents are advised to limit TV viewing and computer use to 1.5 hours a day for children over four years old to promote healthy development.

SourceWiley·JournalActa Paediatrica·DateNov 22, 2017

Managing antibiotics not enough to reverse resistance

Researchers found that bacteria can quickly share genes to maintain resistance, making it unlikely that reducing antibiotic use will reverse the trend. However, conjugation rates can be disrupted and reversed using existing drugs, paving the way for future development of new treatments.

SourceDuke University·JournalNature Communications·DateNov 22, 2017

Children with heart disease are being let down by lack of clinical trials, study finds

A UK study found that less than one per cent of children born with congenital heart disease participate in clinical trials, highlighting a need for improved treatment options. Researchers suggest establishing a congenital heart disease research network to conduct well-designed clinical trials and improve surgical outcomes.

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalEuropean Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery·DateNov 22, 2017

Research points to diagnostic test for top cause of liver transplant in kids

Researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center have identified a strong biomarker candidate for early diagnosis and treatment of biliary atresia, a rare disease causing liver damage in infants. The test, using matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7), shows high sensitivity and specificity in detecting the condition.

SourceCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateNov 22, 2017

Lung cancer triggers pulmonary hypertension

A study published in Science Translational Medicine found that lung cancer often leads to pulmonary hypertension due to immune cell activation and inflammatory processes triggered by cancer cells. This discovery could lead to new therapeutic approaches for developing a treatment.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateNov 22, 2017

Do education and poverty affect knee surgery success?

A study found that individuals with lower education levels experienced worse pain and function after two years if they lived in impoverished communities undergoing total knee replacement. Conversely, educational level was unrelated to outcomes in wealthier areas.

SourceWiley·JournalArthritis Care & Research·DateNov 22, 2017

Scientists find why CP El Niño is harder to predict than EP El Niño

Researchers Prof. Fei Zheng and Jin-Yi Yu found significant skill score differences between EP and CP El Niño events, with EP events better predicted at all lead times. This is attributed to systematic forecast biases and an overly warm eastern Pacific during the spring season for CP El Niño prediction.

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

NIH scientists and collaborators find prion protein in skin of CJD patients

Researchers detected abnormal prion protein in the skin of nearly two dozen CJD patients and found that healthy mice infected with skin extracts developed prion disease. The study raises questions about potential surgical instrument contamination and the use of skin samples as a diagnostic test for human and animal prion diseases.

SourceNIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateNov 22, 2017

Analysis provides reassurance on the safety of biosimilars

A recent study of publicly available regulatory documents found that biosimilars have a comparable safety profile to their originators. The analysis identified only minor differences in safety concerns for most substances, with the exception of infliximab, where more issues were reported.

SourceWiley·JournalBritish Journal of Clinical Pharmacology·DateNov 22, 2017

Scientists identify new marker of arthritis in mice

Researchers have discovered a new marker, Ratiometric thrombin-Activatable Cell Penetrating Peptide, to identify joints with established arthritis and predict subsequent swelling. This imaging tool may help clinicians monitor arthritis development and progression, enabling early intervention.

SourceWiley·JournalArthritis & Rheumatology·DateNov 22, 2017

High yield, protein with soybean gene

Researchers have successfully bred soybeans with both high yields and high protein levels, addressing a long-standing challenge in plant breeding. The genetic findings suggest that a specific gene on chromosome 15 can increase protein concentration without significantly decreasing yields.

SourceAmerican Society of Agronomy·JournalCrop Science·DateNov 22, 2017

Numerical infinities and infinitesimals open new horizons in computations and give unexpected answers to 2 Hilbert problems

A new computational framework allows working with infinities and infinitesimals numerically, giving unexpected answers to two long-standing Hilbert problems. The Infinity Computer supercomputer enables numerical computations with infinite and infinitesimal numbers, previously only symbolically represented.

SourceLobachevsky University·JournalEMS Surveys in Mathematical Sciences·DateNov 22, 2017

ID microstructure of stock useful in financial crisis

Researchers analyze order flow for pairs of NASDAQ 100 stocks and find four groups with large mutual differences, surprising given the lack of reflection in actual prices. This discovery contributes to modeling price evolution and could be used to evaluate the impact of financial crises.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal B·DateNov 22, 2017

A huge hydrogen generator at the Earth's core-mantle boundary

A new study by an international research group has discovered a natural process that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen at the Earth's core-mantle boundary. This reaction could generate massive amounts of free hydrogen, affecting the deep Earth's water and hydrogen cycles. The findings also suggest the potential for large-scale oxyg...

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·DateNov 22, 2017

Communicating at the speed of light

Tingyi Gu, an assistant professor at the University of Delaware, has received a $450,000 grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to develop high-speed and low-power optical interconnects. Her research aims to improve the performance and scalability of devices made with two-dimensional materials.

Fine felted nanotubes

Scientists from Kiel University and University of Trento create stable 3D network of carbon nanotubes using wet chemical infiltration process. The method retains beneficial properties of CNTs, enabling applications in battery technology, medical implants, sensors, and electronic components.

SourceKiel University·JournalNature Communications·DateNov 22, 2017

Weight before pregnancy linked with children's neurodevelopment

Research suggests that mothers who were overweight or obese before pregnancy face a higher risk of compromised neurodevelopmental outcomes in their children, including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Maintaining a healthy weight during pregnancy may also be crucial for optimal brain development.

SourceWiley·JournalObesity Reviews·DateNov 22, 2017

Intranasal ketamine has more minor side effects than intranasal fentanyl in children with acute pain

A study published in Academic Emergency Medicine found that intranasal ketamine had more minor side effects such as bad taste and dizziness compared to intranasal fentanyl in children with suspected extremity fractures. No significant differences were observed in efficacy or pain relief between the two drugs.

SourceSociety for Academic Emergency Medicine·JournalAcademic Emergency Medicine·DateNov 22, 2017

Bacteria as pacemaker for the intestine

Research at Kiel University has discovered that the bacterial colonization of the intestine controls peristaltic functions. The study found that only a balanced microbiome can regulate tissue contractions, with certain molecules secreted by bacteria intervening in the control mechanism.

SourceKiel University·JournalScientific Reports·DateNov 22, 2017

Time between pregnancies may affect autism risk

A study published in Autism Research found a correlation between shorter time intervals between pregnancies and increased risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder in second-born children. The researchers suggested that couples planning pregnancy should discuss their options with a trusted doctor or healthcare provider.

SourceWiley·JournalAutism Research·DateNov 22, 2017

Low-salt & heart-healthy dash diet as effective as drugs for some adults with high blood pressure

A study of over 400 adults with prehypertension found that combining a low-salt diet with the DASH diet substantially lowers systolic blood pressure, especially in those with higher baseline readings. The combination diet resulted in reductions of up to 21mmHg in systolic blood pressure, surpassing the effect of prescription drugs.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology·DateNov 22, 2017

Opening windows and doors may improve sleep

A recent study found that opening windows or doors reduces carbon dioxide levels in bedrooms, correlating with improved subjective sleep assessments. Lower CO2 levels also associated with better objective sleep measures, including efficiency and awakenings.

SourceWiley·JournalIndoor Air·DateNov 22, 2017

Towards better understanding of railway ballast

Researchers from CNRS and INSA Strasbourg propose a new mechanism to explain lower-than-predicted vibrations near tracks as train speed increases. They show that a large part of energy is trapped in the heterogeneous ballast layer, leading to accelerated degradation.

SourceCNRS·JournalComputational Mechanics·DateNov 22, 2017

The genome of Leishmania reveals how this parasite adapts to environmental changes

Scientists demonstrate that Leishmania adaptation results from frequent and reversible chromosomal amplifications, which enables the parasite to maintain genetic diversity while selecting for new alleles. This study has important consequences for understanding human Leishmania infection and identifying parasite drug resistance mechanisms.

SourceCenter for Genomic Regulation·JournalNature Ecology & Evolution·DateNov 22, 2017

Reducing phosphorus runoff

A recent study published in the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation found that farmers prefer cash payments with insurance or tax credits over certifications, but may require more money for these incentives. Researchers met with 49 farmers in northwest Ohio to test different incentives and gather insights on best management practices.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalJournal of Soil and Water Conservation·DateNov 22, 2017

Study examines which adolescents benefit most from sleep interventions

A recent study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry reveals that cognitive-behavioral sleep interventions are most effective for adolescents with higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that sleep improvement treatments can be a useful tool in addressing mental health issues.

SourceWiley·JournalJournal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry·DateNov 22, 2017

New research suggests high-intensity exercise boosts memory

Researchers found that six weeks of intense exercise improved high-interference memory, a type of memory that allows us to distinguish between similar objects. Participants who experienced greater fitness gains also showed increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), supporting the growth and function of brain cells.

SourceMcMaster University·JournalJournal of Cognitive Neuroscience·DateNov 22, 2017

Study examines the effects of a marijuana alternative

Researchers investigated the effects of synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018, finding initial impairments in neurocognitive function and subjective feelings of high. The results suggest that common use scenarios may not be fully represented by the low drug concentrations used in the trial.

SourceWiley·JournalBritish Journal of Pharmacology·DateNov 22, 2017

Leaving the house every day may help older adults live longer

A study of community-dwelling individuals aged 70-90 found that leaving the house daily lowered mortality risk, independent of social, functional, or medical factors. Daily outings facilitated exposure to beneficial experiences and allowed resilient individuals to remain engaged despite physical limitations.

SourceWiley·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateNov 22, 2017