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Science News Archive 2018 - Page 338


Page 338 of 473

Marine fish won an evolutionary lottery 66 million years ago, UCLA biologists report

A UCLA-led team of biologists reports that a six-mile-wide asteroid crash 66 million years ago created an enormous evolutionary void for marine fish to diversify. Today's rich biodiversity among marine fish shows the fingerprints of this mass extinction, with six major acanthomorph groups producing almost all marine fish diversity.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalNature Ecology & Evolution·DateApr 17, 2018

Honeybees are struggling to get enough good bacteria

A new study suggests that human changes to the landscape, such as monoculture farming and forestry, are affecting honeybees' long-term food supply. The diversity of bacteria associated with bee bread, a crucial food source for young bees, is lower in hives near agriculturally improved grasslands and coniferous forests.

SourceLancaster University·JournalEcology and Evolution·DateApr 17, 2018

Study finds high rates of type 1 diabetes near food swamps

A study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of the Endocrine Society finds higher rates of type 1 diabetes in areas with a high proportion of fast food restaurants and convenience stores. The research suggests that an adverse food environment may contribute to the development of type 1 diabetes, particularly among adults.

SourceThe Endocrine Society·JournalJournal of the Endocrine Society·DateApr 17, 2018

High-quality nursing homes lower risks for long-term care placement for older adults

A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that older adults in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) with higher quality ratings had significantly lower risks for placement in long-term care facilities. The researchers used data from over 500,000 people aged 65 and older to examine the role of SNF quality in...

SourceAmerican Geriatrics Society·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateApr 17, 2018

OncoDNA announces publication of peer-reviewed study in Oncotarget assessing the utility of its unique biomarker analysis and interpretation platform in clinical decision making

A peer-reviewed study published in Oncotarget found that OncoDNA's comprehensive testing and analysis services, combining multiple biomarkers, increased oncologists' ability to make informed treatment decisions. The study showed a significant improvement in overall survival for late-stage patients, from six months to over 12 months.

SourceImpact Journals LLC·JournalOncotarget·DateApr 17, 2018

Bugged out by climate change

Research tracked changes in Arctic arthropod populations in response to warming temperatures, finding more plant-eating and parasitic insects, and fewer detritivores. The study suggests that water availability will play a key role in determining which bug species can thrive in a warming Arctic.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalRoyal Society Open Science·DateApr 17, 2018

New type of opal formed by common seaweed discovered

Researchers at the University of Bristol have discovered a novel type of opal formed by brown algae, exhibiting iridescence due to self-assembled oil droplet nanostructures. The seaweed's chloroplasts-containing cells can switch on and off this dynamic self-assembly, creating changing opals that react to sunlight.

SourceUniversity of Bristol·JournalScience Advances·DateApr 17, 2018

Biophysics: Making patterns robust

Researchers have developed a model that explains how biological patterns can form and maintain stability even when protein concentrations are altered. The Min system, used to study cell division, has been found to use a conformational switch in the MinE protein to achieve robustness.

SourceLudwig-Maximilians-Universität München·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 17, 2018

New findings to help in the fight against wombat mange

Scientists have discovered that sarcoptic mange causes significant loss of body heat and increased metabolic rate in Tasmanian wombats, leading to reduced foraging and increased mortality. The research suggests that dietary supplementation may help address these issues, offering new hope for the management of wombat mange.

SourceUniversity of Tasmania·JournalRoyal Society Open Science·DateApr 17, 2018

Calculus III for cells

Researchers investigated how cells respond to cylindrical surfaces and a sphere-with-skirt geometry, finding that cells change their shapes and internal structures. Cells on stiff surfaces form stress fibers, which are influenced by surface curvature, enabling new tools in biology.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalBiophysical Journal·DateApr 17, 2018

Researchers find resilience counteracts effects of childhood abuse and neglect on health

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that individuals with schizophrenia who experienced childhood trauma had improved health outcomes when they possessed high levels of psychological resilience. The research team evaluated data from 114 participants with schizophrenia and 101 non-psychiatric comparison subjects.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalJournal of Clinical Psychiatry·DateApr 17, 2018

Alpine grassland productivity not sensitive to climate warming on third pole

Research in Tibetan alpine grasslands found that climate warming does not decrease productivity, but rather changes the composition of plant species to stabilize production. The study's findings suggest that shifting species composition enables communities to access more water and buffer against drought-induced declines.

SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 17, 2018

Abramson Cancer Canter studies show promise of immunotherapy combinations, including CAR T

Researchers at the Abramson Cancer Center have discovered promising immunotherapy combinations for treating glioblastoma, head and neck cancer, and pancreatic cancer. CAR T cell therapy combined with checkpoint inhibitors has shown enhanced effectiveness in glioblastoma, while targeting a novel immune checkpoint in head and neck cancer...

Back to the beginning

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a new process to generate NP-like cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). The team mimicked the embryonic development process to produce nucleus pulposus cells, which could potentially be used to treat degenerative disc disease.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalStem Cell Research & Therapy·DateApr 17, 2018