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Science News for December 21, 2018


Simple method rescues stressed liver cells

Scientists from Uppsala University have devised a simple method to rescue stressed liver cells by temporarily reducing cellular stress. This approach allows suboptimal human hepatocytes to be revived with restored functionality, increasing the availability of high-quality cells for laboratory experiments.

SourceUppsala University·JournalArchives of Toxicology·DateDec 21, 2018

Paramedics can safely evaluate psychiatric patients' medical condition in the field

Researchers found that paramedics can effectively identify acute psychiatric crises and divert them to specialized psychiatric facilities, reducing wait times for treatment. Over a five-year period, 22,000 psychiatric patients were treated at these facilities after being medically cleared by paramedics.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalAnnals of Emergency Medicine·DateDec 21, 2018

Dust threatens Utah's 'greatest snow on earth'

A University of Utah study found that a single dust storm in 2017 accelerated snowmelt in the Wasatch Mountains by 25 percent. Dust deposition was linked to declining water levels in the Great Salt Lake, which may lead to more frequent and severe snowmelt events.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalEnvironmental Research Letters·DateDec 21, 2018

What do we see in a mirror?

Aalto University scientists develop gradient metasurfaces that can appear 'bright' at one direction and 'dark' for the opposite direction, breaking conventional symmetric responses of mirrors. This innovation uses evanescent fields engineering to engineer contrast ratios in angle spectrum.

SourceAalto University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateDec 21, 2018

Statins are more effective for those who follow the Mediterranean diet

Researchers found that statins combined with a Mediterranean diet reduced cardiovascular mortality, particularly in those who had already experienced a heart attack or stroke. The study suggests that the Mediterranean diet may facilitate the beneficial effect of statins by reducing subclinical inflammation.

SourceIstituto Neurologico Mediterraneo Neuromed I.R.C.C.S.·JournalInternational Journal of Cardiology·DateDec 21, 2018

Study examines primary drivers of increased hospitalizations of homeless individuals

Researchers analyzed over 185,000 hospitalizations for homeless individuals and 32 million for non-homeless individuals between 2007 and 2013. The study found that more than 50% of hospitalizations among homeless individuals were related to mental illness and substance use disorder, differing starkly from non-homeless individuals.

SourceBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center·JournalMedical Care·DateDec 21, 2018

Cholesterol-lowering drugs reduce brown adipose tissue

Research reveals that cholesterol-lowering statin drugs decrease the formation of brown adipose tissue in adults. Brown adipose tissue plays a crucial role in regulating body temperature and insulin sensitivity. The study found that people taking statins have significantly lower rates of brown adipose tissue compared to non-statins users.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalCell Metabolism·DateDec 21, 2018

Interpreting emotions: A matter of confidence

A recent study by UNIGE and HUG researchers found that people's confidence in interpreting others' emotions is often skewed by their personal experiences. The study used functional MRI to examine brain activity during emotional recognition, revealing that areas of the brain linked to autobiographical memory play a key role in determini...

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalSocial Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience·DateDec 21, 2018

Looking at molecules from two sides with table-top femtosecond soft-X-rays

A bright source of femtosecond soft X-ray pulses has been created using extreme high-order harmonic generation process. This enables the simultaneous local probing at both carbon and nitrogen sites within molecules, facilitating multiple-site investigation with potential correlations between these sites upon molecular rearrangements.

SourceForschungsverbund Berlin·JournalThe Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters·DateDec 21, 2018

Electric fish in augmented reality reveal how animals 'actively sense' world around them

Researchers used augmented reality to investigate the link between active sensing movement and sensory feedback in weakly electric fish. The study found that subtle active sensing movements are controlled by sensory feedback, enhancing sensory information reception. This discovery may have implications for neuroscience and robotics.

SourceNew Jersey Institute of Technology·JournalCurrent Biology·DateDec 21, 2018

Readmissions reduction program may be associated with increase in patient-level mortality

A large-scale study by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's Smith Center for Outcomes Research in Cardiology found that the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program may be associated with an increase in patient-level mortality. The researchers evaluated trends in mortality among Medicare patients hospitalized for heart failure, a hear...

University of Birmingham develops sight-saving treatment for eye infection or trauma

The University of Birmingham has developed an innovative eye drop treatment that rapidly reduces sight-threatening scarring to the surface of the eye. This novel treatment, which consists of a fluid gel loaded with a natural wound-healing protein called Decorin, shows promise in promoting scarless healing and improving corneal transpar...

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalRegenerative Medicine·DateDec 21, 2018

Twisting light to enable high-capacity data transmission

Researchers have developed tiny gears made of germanium that can generate a vortex of twisted light, enabling high-capacity data transmission with chip-based optical computing and communication. The new technology has the potential to boost the amount of data that can be transmitted using less light.

SourceOptica·JournalOptics Express·DateDec 21, 2018