Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News Archive 2018 - Page 344


Page 344 of 473

Student develops gaming technology for environmental scientific research

A PhD student at The University of Manchester has developed a new method and software for using computer game technology to simulate complex scientific and engineering applications. Using powerful graphics cards, he can run large-scale simulations over 100 times faster than conventional computers, reducing costs from hundreds of thousa...

SourceUniversity of Manchester·JournalComputer Physics Communications·DateApr 12, 2018

First real-world studies report glecaprevir/pibrentasvir to be effective and well tolerated in chronic HCV infection

Two real-world studies from Italy and Germany report high rates of viral suppression and favourable safety profiles for glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in patients with chronic HCV infection. The treatment was found to be effective across a range of different patient types, with over 98% achieving sustained virological response.

Tiny probe can see and take body temperatures

Researchers at the University of Adelaide have developed a tiny fibre-optic probe that can measure temperature and see deep inside the body. The probe has potential to help study drug-induced hyperthermia and provide insights into other diseases, such as optimising thermal treatment for cancers.

SourceUniversity of Adelaide·JournalOptics Letters·DateApr 12, 2018

The neurons the power parenting

Researchers found that individual aspects of parenting, such as motor behaviors and motivation, are controlled by distinct pools of galanin neurons. This discovery sheds new light on why some people appear to be natural parents while others exhibit abusive behavior.

SourceHarvard University·JournalNature·DateApr 12, 2018

Screening for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with hepatitis C-related cirrhosis achieving sustained virological response is likely to be cost effective

A Canadian study found that biannual ultrasound screening for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with hepatitis C-related liver cirrhosis after achieving a sustained virological response (SVR) to direct-acting antiviral agents is likely to be cost-effective. However, surveillance is unlikely to be cost-effective in patients wit...

Night owls have higher risk of dying sooner

A new study published in Chronobiology International found that night owls have a 10% higher risk of dying than morning larks. This is the first study to look at mortality risk and highlights the importance of allowing evening types greater flexibility in working hours.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalChronobiology International·DateApr 12, 2018

Children's gestures, and what they mean

The EcoGest project aims to understand how children's gestures are connected to communication, with a focus on iconic gestures that pertain to the forms, functions, and movements of objects. Researchers will record children aged 4-5 years old in various communicative situations to analyze their gesturing patterns.

Keeping an eye on the health of structures

Researchers used synthetic-aperture radar data from four satellites to analyze the Lake Urmia Causeway in Iran, finding accelerated deformation due to soil consolidation and human activity. They also developed a predictive model for future deformation, highlighting the potential of space-based monitoring for critical structures.

SourceTokyo Institute of Technology·JournalScientific Reports·DateApr 12, 2018

Hepatitis E virus infections can be life threatening and transmitted through blood products

Researchers found that hepatitis E virus (HEV) infections can be fatal in immunocompromised individuals and are linked to blood-borne transmission, highlighting the importance of HEV RNA screening of all blood products destined for transplant or immunosuppressed patients. The studies also show that HEV infection has been increasing ste...

Marker substance for research into brain diseases

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a marker substance to visualize NMDA receptors on nerve cells using positron emission tomography (PET). This will aid in researching various brain diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and depression. The PET tracer may also help determine the correct dosage of drugs influencing NMDA receptor ...

SourceETH Zurich·JournalJournal of Nuclear Medicine·DateApr 12, 2018

Sexual objectification influences visual perception

Researchers found that symmetrical stimuli are less likely to trigger an inversion effect when targets are sexualized, suggesting a cognitive mechanism behind human sexual objectification. Visual exploration strategies may play a role in this phenomenon, with lower fixations on the face region of sexualized targets.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalPLOS ONE·DateApr 12, 2018

Equal earnings help couples say 'I do' and stay together

A recent study by Patrick Ishizuka at Cornell University suggests that cohabitating couples are more likely to get married when they earn as much as their married peers. When both partners have equal earnings, they are less likely to separate. The study validates a theory called the marriage bar, which states that couples who reach a c...

SourceCornell University·JournalDemography·DateApr 12, 2018

Study explores carbohydrates' impact on head, neck cancers

A new study reports that consuming high amounts of carbohydrates and sugar prior to treatment for head and neck cancer may increase patients' risks of cancer recurrence and mortality. However, moderate fat and starchy food consumption after treatment appears to have protective benefits, reducing disease recurrence and death rates.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalInternational Journal of Cancer·DateApr 12, 2018

'Scaffolding' method allows biochemists to see proteins in remarkable detail

UCLA biochemists have developed a new technique called cryo-electron microscopy that allows them to view large biomolecules like viruses in extraordinary detail. Using this method, they have successfully imaged the smallest protein ever seen by this technique, paving the way for better understanding of disease-causing proteins.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 12, 2018

Understanding a cell's 'doorbell'

A multi-institutional project has provided new understanding of how GPCRs regulate in response to physiological ions like sodium, calcium, and magnesium. This research could lead to more effective drugs for controlling pain, hunger, and other conditions by targeting the receptors' function.

SourceDOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory·JournalNature Communications·DateApr 12, 2018