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Science News for August 13, 2018


Oil palm cultivation in Africa

Researchers found significant overlap between areas suitable for oil palm production and primate conservation priorities in Africa, highlighting the need for sustainable practices to balance both interests. Only a few regions, like Madagascar, were identified as suitable for palm oil production with low conservation risks for primates.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 13, 2018

Switching anti-psychotic medications doesn't improve outcomes in first episode schizophrenia patient

A study published in The Lancet Psychiatry found that switching antipsychotic medications in patients with first-episode schizophrenia does not improve clinical outcomes. Instead, earlier treatment with clozapine, an effective antipsychotic medication, can be started earlier to potentially save time and reduce suffering.

Weather and daily governance

A study analyzed weather data from various sources in the US from 2000 to 2017, revealing links between temperature and risk of fatal crashes, food safety violations, and police stops. Climate projections suggest future warming may impact regulatory oversight, with potential implications for governance.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 13, 2018

Doctor-patient discussions neglect potential harms of lung cancer screening, study finds

A study by researchers from the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center found that doctor-patient discussions about lung cancer screening are often brief and one-sided, failing to address potential harms. The conversation quality was rated as poor, with only a few minutes spent discussing the issue on average.

SourceUNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center·JournalJAMA Internal Medicine·DateAug 13, 2018

Rethinking the stroke rule 'time is brain'

Neurologist Camilo R. Gomez argues that the effect of time on ischemic stroke outcomes varies greatly among patients, with collateral circulation playing a critical role in determining treatment efficacy. He proposes a new approach to stroke care, taking into account individual patient variability and blood circulation patterns.

SourceLoyola Medicine·JournalJournal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases·DateAug 13, 2018

A new artificial quantum material essential in developing high-efficiency computers

Researchers have developed a new artificial quantum material that can control internal resistance in multilayered magnetically doped semiconductors, enabling the creation of high-efficiency computers. The material exploits the Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect, allowing for faster computation speeds and improved energy efficiency.

SourceInstitute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalChinese Physics Letters·DateAug 13, 2018

VOX pops cereal challenge

A new carrier to transfer genes into plants has enabled crop scientists to study traits and diseases in wheat and maize more quickly and easily. The Foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV) has overcome limitations of existing carriers, allowing for the expression of a wide range of proteins in host plants.

SourceRothamsted Research·JournalPLANT PHYSIOLOGY·DateAug 13, 2018

Multimodel ensemble prediction of summer droughts over the Yellow River Basin

Researchers improved soil moisture drought forecasting over the Yellow River Basin by combining climate and land surface hydrology models, achieving higher probabilistic drought forecasting skill and reliability. The multimodel ensemble approach provides valuable information for drought adaptation in this region.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateAug 13, 2018

Scarlet macaw DNA points to ancient breeding operation in Southwest

Researchers found that scarlet macaws sequenced from Chaco Canyon and Mimbres areas in New Mexico shared the same haplogroup, indicating a single breeding population. This contradicts previous theories that ancestral Puebloan people brought birds back from Mexico, as transporting adolescent birds would be logistically difficult.

SourcePenn State·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 13, 2018

How birds learn

Zebra finches learn to distinguish between birdsongs using trial and error or observation. Trial-and-error methods are more robust for generalization, while observation is faster but less effective.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 13, 2018

Novel optics for ultrafast cameras create new possibilities for imaging

MIT researchers developed novel optics that capture images based on the timing of reflecting light inside the optics. This allows for new capabilities in time- or depth-sensitive cameras, such as capturing a trillion-frame-per-second video. The new optics architecture includes semireflective parallel mirrors that reduce focal length by...

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalNature Photonics·DateAug 13, 2018

Historic space weather could clarify what's next

Scientists have discovered a repeatable pattern in how space weather activity changes with the solar cycle, enabling better understanding and planning for space weather. The breakthrough allows for more accurate forecasting of potential threats to Earth from solar flares and extreme space weather.

SourceUniversity of Warwick·JournalSpace Weather·DateAug 13, 2018

When it comes to regrowing tails, neural stem cells are the key

Scientists discovered that neural stem cells in spinal cords are the limiting factor for tail regeneration. Unlike salamanders, lizard neural stem cells cannot produce diverse cell types needed for bony vertebrae development. This finding may aid understanding of why humans can't regenerate their tails.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 13, 2018

Easter Island's society might not have collapsed

Recent study analyzes chemical makeup of tools used to create giant statues, suggesting a sophisticated society where people shared information and collaborated. The results contradict the popular narrative that Easter Island's inhabitants ran out of resources and warred themselves into extinction.

SourceField Museum·JournalJournal of Indo-Pacific Archaeology·DateAug 13, 2018

Research reveals molecular details of sperm-egg fusion

Scientists have described the detailed structure of proteins enabling sperm-egg fusion in two species: Arabidopsis thaliana and Trypanosoma cruzi. The study reveals similarities and differences between the proteins, shedding light on how they work and potentially leading to new insights into human fertilization.

SourceBrown University·JournalPLOS Biology·DateAug 13, 2018

Racial and ethnic minority patients have lower rates of Medicare preventive care visits -- income and education partially explain the difference

A study found that Medicare preventive care visits are lower in racial and ethnic minority patients, with income and education partially explaining the difference. The rate of use increased modestly since its introduction but remains low, highlighting the need to promote its use among beneficiaries and providers.

SourceWolters Kluwer Health·JournalMedical Care·DateAug 13, 2018

Potential biomarker for autism

Researchers have identified altered brain waves and movement abnormalities in young children with autism spectrum disorder, which can be detected as early as infancy using non-invasive neuroimaging techniques. These findings may represent an objective approach to diagnosing autism in young children.

Why zebrafish (almost) always have stripes

A new mathematical model explains the formation of zebrafish stripes by highlighting the crucial role of a single pigment cell type. The model shows that iridophores lead the process, providing redundancies to ensure reliable stripe formation even when cellular processes go wrong.

SourceOhio State University·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 13, 2018

Collaborate, but only intermittently, says new study

Researchers found that groups that interacted only intermittently preserved the best of both worlds, having an average quality of solution nearly identical to those that interacted constantly. However, this intermittent interaction allowed high performers to learn from low performers and achieve even better solutions.

SourceHarvard Business School·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 13, 2018

Researchers uncover a major new vulnerability of childhood leukemia

A team of researchers has discovered a protein called LEDGF/p75 that contributes to the regulation of gene expression in mixed lineage leukemia. The study found that this interaction is strongly modulated by phosphorylation from an enzyme called casein kinase 2, providing a new therapeutic route against the cancer.