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Science News Archive April 2018 - Page 26


Page 26 of 42

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

Italy: Ongoing hepatitis A virus outbreak among men who have sex with men is linked to current outbreaks in Europe

A study found that the Italian outbreak is predominantly caused by strains linked to recent European outbreaks, highlighting the risk of acute HAV infection via sexual transmission in high-risk groups like MSM. The study also emphasizes the importance of hepatitis A vaccine coverage and awareness campaigns for prevention.

Protein moonlighting

Researchers at UCSB discovered that syntaxin 3S, a soluble form of SNARE protein, regulates gene expression in the nucleus, potentially playing a role in cancer progression. This finding opens up a new field of research into the moonlighting properties of proteins.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·DateApr 12, 2018

Healthy soil lifts animal weight

A new study by Rothamsted Research reveals that well-designed grazing practices can improve animal growth and wellbeing, linked to soil health and pasture value. The study developed a method to measure individual fields' contribution to animal performance, providing insights into sustainable production.

SourceRothamsted Research·Journalanimal·DateApr 12, 2018

New study finds genetic evidence that magnetic navigation guides loggerhead sea turtles

A new study by UNC-Chapel Hill biologists found that loggerhead sea turtles genetically similar to one another nest on beaches with similar magnetic fields. The research implies that turtles can mistakenly nest at different beaches with similar magnetic fields, even if it's geographically far away from their hatching beach.

Art is in the eye of the beholder

A study published in Acta Psychologica found that people's personality traits influence their eye movements when viewing abstract artwork. Volunteers who tended towards neuroticism spent more time looking at the left side of images, while those with schizophrenia-like traits looked less often at the top.

SourceJames Cook University·JournalActa Psychologica·DateApr 12, 2018

The fewer the deadlier

Researchers discovered that HTLV-1 survives by evading immune surveillance through transient Tax expression in infected cells. This unique strategy allows the virus to maintain a population of infected leukemic cells, making it a potential target for new therapies.

SourceKyoto University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 12, 2018

Newly identified gene mutation results in intellectual disability and developmental delay

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have discovered a genetic mutation associated with intellectual disability, developmental delays, autism spectrum disorder, and congenital cardiac anomalies. The mutation, in the NAA15 gene, is linked to Ogden syndrome, a more severe condition also caused by a mutation in the NAA10 gene.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalAmerican Journal of Human Genetics·DateApr 12, 2018

An unexpected discovery in a central line

A 6-year-old boy with intestinal pseudo-obstruction and chronic health issues develops a rare fungal infection Mucor velutinosus in his central line. He is successfully treated with an antifungal drug, highlighting the importance of thorough investigation and good antibiotic stewardship.

SourceChildren's National Hospital·JournalJournal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society·DateApr 12, 2018