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Science News Archive December 2018 - Page 11


Page 11 of 33

The importance of 'edge populations' to biodiversity

A study published in Ecology Letters found that edge populations of plants, such as yellow rattle, are better suited to surviving climate change. These populations have adapted to high-elevation summers by flowering earlier, allowing them to thrive in areas where lower elevation populations fail.

SourceMcGill University·JournalEcology Letters·DateDec 18, 2018

'Pause' in global warming was never real, new research proves

A team of climate researchers reviewed existing data and concluded there has never been a statistically significant 'pause' in global warming. The studies, published in Environmental Research Letters, reassessed the data and put it into historical context to find no evidence for a divergence between model projections and observations.

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalEnvironmental Research Letters·DateDec 18, 2018

Does political party trump ideology?

A recent study published in American Political Science Review found that people's policy positions shift when informed of their party leader's stance on a controversial issue. Researchers used President Trump's statements to test the effect of party loyalty versus policy loyalty.

SourceBrigham Young University·JournalAmerican Political Science Review·DateDec 18, 2018

The full story on climate change requires the long view

A new study by Colorado State University researchers provides a long view of what nine different world regions have contributed to climate change since 1900. The analysis shows that China's contribution will increase as it implements clean air standards, while North America remains the largest contributor.

SourceColorado State University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 17, 2018

Microtube with built-in pump

Scientists at Tsinghua University and Beihang University developed a 'microtube pump' that can transport tiny amounts of fluid using sunlight-powered capillary forces. The pump consists of two layers with asymmetric properties that work together to accelerate water droplets to exceptional speeds.

SourceWiley·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateDec 17, 2018

Two dimensions are better than three

Susan Fullerton is developing all 2D materials for next-generation electronics, with potential applications in information storage, brain-inspired computing, and security. Her research uses a novel approach to ion utilization, which could represent a paradigm shift in high-performance computing.

Green leafy vegetables may prevent liver steatosis

A diet rich in green leafy vegetables, especially those high in inorganic nitrate like spinach and rocket, may prevent liver steatosis. Researchers found that increased nitrate intake reduced fat accumulation in the liver and improved insulin/glucose homeostasis in mice with type 2 diabetes.

SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 17, 2018

Data storage using individual molecules

Physicists from the University of Basel created a network with pores about one nanometer in size and controlled the physical state of individual Xenon gas atoms between solid and liquid by temperature and electrical pulses. The study paves the way for the development of new, smaller data storage devices.

SourceUniversity of Basel·JournalSmall·DateDec 17, 2018

Growing a brain

Researchers discovered a two-step control mechanism in neural stem cells that differentiates into neurons and astrocytes. PRC1 represses genes related to neuronal function temporarily and permanently at two distinct stages of brain development.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalDevelopmental Cell·DateDec 17, 2018

School-based nutritional programs reduce student obesity

A new study led by Yale University finds that school-based nutritional programs limit increases in body mass index (BMI) among middle school students. Students in schools with enhanced nutrition policies and programs reported healthier behaviors and had lower BMI trajectories compared to those without such support.

SourceYale University·JournalAmerican Journal of Preventive Medicine·DateDec 17, 2018

Understanding food's carbon footprint

A study found that people underestimate the environmental impact of food, especially meat, but can be helped by labels. The researchers asked participants to rate the energy used and greenhouse gas emissions generated by different foods and appliances.

SourceDuke University·JournalNature Climate Change·DateDec 17, 2018

Warning over deep-sea 'gold rush'

Scientists recommend measures to prevent environmental damage from seabed mining, including improved monitoring and protection of Marine Protected Areas. They suggest moving towards a circular economy that reduces demand for virgin minerals.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalFrontiers in Marine Science·DateDec 17, 2018

Magnesium isotopes reflect early lunar history

Researchers analyzed magnesium stable isotopes in lunar rock samples, finding they match the Inner Solar System's bulk composition before fractionation occurred. The results suggest the initial Moon impact did not separate isotopes and instead indicate a lunar magma ocean that re-melted and affected later basalt formations.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 17, 2018

School nutrition policy implementation slows weight gain in middle school students

A new study found that implementing strong school nutrition policies is associated with healthier weight trajectories in middle school students. The study, which followed 595 students over three years, found that students from schools with nutrition policy interventions experienced less than a 1% increase in body mass index (BMI), whil...

SourceUConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity·JournalAmerican Journal of Preventive Medicine·DateDec 17, 2018

Daily medication more cost-effective than monthly injections for opioid use disorder

A daily dose of buprenorphine-naloxone is cost-effective compared to monthly injections of extended-release naltrexone, with similar effectiveness in quality of life and time abstaining from opioids. The researchers conclude that buprenorphine-naloxone should be preferred as the first-line treatment for opioid use disorder.

SourceAmerican College of Physicians·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·DateDec 17, 2018

Real-time feedback tames Parkinson's brainwaves

Researchers developed a method to translate brain activity into visual representations, enabling patients to increase or decrease beta waves associated with symptoms. Although no improvement in symptoms was observed, the study demonstrates a new approach toward managing disease-related brain activity that could inform new treatments.

SourceSociety for Neuroscience·JournaleNeuro·DateDec 17, 2018

Defining quality virus data(sets)

A recent report from a joint effort between researchers and experts has provided guidelines for defining the quality of uncultivated virus genomes. The new standards aim to improve the analysis and characterization of these viruses, which are increasingly being identified through genome sequencing and analyses.

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateDec 17, 2018

Implicit perception of gaze

A study involving over 800 participants found that unconscious assumptions about extramission theory led to different force estimates when a person gazed at an object. The results suggest the brain constructs a social model with an invisible energy beam from others' eyes, influencing perception.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 17, 2018

Physicists studied the influence of magnetic field on thin film structures

Researchers discovered that an inhomogeneous magnetic field affects the magnetization reversal mechanism of exchange-coupled structures, increasing sensitivity of magnetic field detectors. The study reveals a step-wise hysteresis loop and changes in the shape of the loop with varying magnetic field gradients.

SourceImmanuel Kant Baltic Federal University·JournalJournal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials·DateDec 17, 2018