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Science News Archive January 2018 - Page 11


Page 11 of 37

Can cruise vacations contribute to well-being?

A new study reveals that cruise vacations offer benefits beyond just fun, with emotional and relational experiences contributing to short-term happiness. Long-term happiness is linked to thinking experiences, including exploring new cultures, practicing introspection, and broadening horizons.

SourceWiley·JournalInternational Journal of Tourism Research·DateJan 24, 2018

National Academies' Gulf Research Program awards $5.3 million to enhance environmental restoration outcomes

The National Academies' Gulf Research Program has awarded $5.3 million to seven new projects focused on enhancing environmental restoration outcomes. Five projects aim to develop or test new monitoring and evaluation methods, while two focus on improving decision-maker access to public health risk information resulting from oil spills.

A call for greater attention to older women's sexual health

The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society article highlights issues in caring for older women's sexual health, including insufficient physician training. Physicians should regularly inquire about sexual activity and function, offering practical advice on common chronic medical conditions and vulvovaginal atrophy.

SourceWiley·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateJan 24, 2018

Star-gazing on the reef

Researchers have discovered that brittle stars use thousands of light-sensitive cells in their skin to navigate complex environments. The team found these photoreceptors on the entire body surface and embedded them in the skin, challenging a long-held lens-based hypothesis.

New meta-analysis: Recreational football is broad-spectrum medicine

A new meta-analysis finds that 3-6 months of football training twice a week improves cardiovascular fitness by 3.51 mL/min/kg, lowers fat mass and resting heart rate, and reduces blood pressure in patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Football is considered broad-spectrum medicine for lifestyle disease prevention.

SourceUniversity of Southern Denmark Faculty of Health Sciences·JournalBritish Journal of Sports Medicine·DateJan 24, 2018

Enzyme with surprising dual function

Scientists at the University of Bonn have found that ceramide synthase not only produces vital lipids but also regulates gene activity, particularly in response to nutritional status. The enzyme's homeodomain plays a crucial role in adapting gene expression to energy requirements.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalCell Reports·DateJan 23, 2018

International organizations partner to spread awareness of revised lung cancer staging criteria

International organizations IASLC and BTOG are partnering to spread awareness of revised lung cancer staging criteria. The new system takes effect this month and aims to provide better care for patients. Key findings highlight improved prognostic factors, tumor size measurements, and coding systems for lung cancers with multiple lesions.

SourceInternational Association for the Study of Lung Cancer·JournalJournal of Thoracic Oncology·DateJan 23, 2018

Reaching the breaking point

A new study from the University of Utah suggests that repeated stress from everyday activities like walking can cause microdamage to bones in older adults, leading to a higher risk of breakage. This theory, known as 'cyclic loading,' challenges the common-held belief that bone breaks are caused by single impacts or forces.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalNature Biomedical Engineering·DateJan 23, 2018

Interacting Antarctic glaciers may cause faster melt and sea level contributions

A new study by Stanford researchers found that a large and unstable Antarctic glacier may be melting farther inland than previously thought, posing a threat to global sea levels. The Pine Island Glacier's Southwest Tributary could trigger or accelerate ice loss in Thwaites Glacier, potentially speeding the rate of sea-level rise.

PCOS may reduce gut bacteria diversity

A new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that women with PCOS have less diverse gut bacteria, which may influence the development of the condition and its impact on quality of life. Elevated testosterone levels in women with PCOS were linked to these changes.

SourceThe Endocrine Society·JournalThe Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism·DateJan 23, 2018

How plants see light

A team of scientists has identified two proteins, PCH1 and PCHL, that regulate the activity of phytochrome B, a key photoreceptor protein in plants. This discovery allows plants to adapt their light sensitivity to different environmental conditions, enabling them to optimize photosynthesis and growth.

SourceUniversity of Freiburg·JournalNature Communications·DateJan 23, 2018

Viral probe gives ringside view of cell-to-cell combat

Researchers used a plant virus to study how plants defend themselves against invading pathogens, revealing key receptor proteins that regulate RNA interference. The findings also identified a suppressor protein named C4 used by the virus to disarm the plant's defence mechanism.

SourceJohn Innes Centre·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 23, 2018

Opening the cavity floodgates

Researchers at the University of Freiburg have identified a specific position on TatC that can be chemically altered by DCCD, inhibiting contact with the Tat substrate. This finding reveals the mechanism of how TatC and TatB components assemble into an active transporter, creating a cavity for protein insertion.

SourceUniversity of Freiburg·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·DateJan 23, 2018

Study: Cells of 3 advanced cancers die with drug-like compounds that reverse chemo failure

Researchers at Southern Methodist University have discovered three drug-like compounds that successfully reverse chemotherapy failure in three of the most commonly aggressive cancers. The compounds were tested on micro-tumors and showed effectiveness against specific cancers, giving hope for developing new drugs to fight cancer.

SourceSouthern Methodist University·JournalScientific Reports·DateJan 23, 2018