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Science News for May 14, 2018


Large gender imbalance in funding given for cancer research

A study published in BMJ Open reveals a large gender imbalance in cancer research funding, with male researchers receiving far greater funding than their female equivalents. The analysis of public and philanthropic funding data showed that men received 1.3 times more grants and £38% higher average grant values than women.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalBMJ Open·DateMay 14, 2018

Motivation to move may start with being mindful

A new study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that a mindfulness-based stress reduction program was as effective as structured exercise programs in increasing physical activity and extending life expectancy. The program involved 2.5 hours of meditation, self-awareness, and breathing exercises per week.

SourceIowa State University·JournalJAMA Psychiatry·DateMay 14, 2018

Email encryption standards hacked

Researchers demonstrated that two common email encryption standards are vulnerable to attacks, compromising secure communication. The S/MIME standard is not suitable for secure communication due to outdated cryptography, while OpenPGP can be configured securely but often isn't.

Rhino horn used to comfort the terminally ill in Vietnam

A new Danish-Vietnamese study has found that Vietnamese consumers buy rhino horn for symbolic gestures to console terminally ill family members, rather than traditional medical reasons. The study suggests that a legal trade of farmed rhino horn is unlikely to reduce poaching, and that other strategies are needed to address the problem.

SourceUniversity of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science·JournalHuman Dimensions of Wildlife·DateMay 14, 2018

Researchers identify the most accurate risk prediction models for selecting whom to screen

Four risk prediction models have been shown to be most accurate for selecting the highest risk ever-smokers for lung cancer screening, suggesting that these findings can inform future lung cancer screening guidelines. The models picked similar numbers of ever-smokers and showed the best agreement on which ever-smokers to select.

SourceAmerican College of Physicians·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·DateMay 14, 2018

Lignin -- A supergreen fuel for fuel cells

Researchers at Linköping University have developed a lignin-based fuel cell that converts the chemical energy of forest fuels into electricity without emitting carbon dioxide. The use of conducting polymer PEDOT:PSS as both electrode and proton conductor enables efficient proton-coupled electron transfer reactions.

SourceLinköping University·JournalAdvanced Sustainable Systems·DateMay 14, 2018

Elastic microspheres expand understanding of embryonic development and cancer cells

Researchers have developed a technique to quantify 3D forces within cells using elastic microspheres filled with fluorescent nanoparticles. The study found that these mechanical forces play a fundamental role in cell physiology and may help unlock mysteries related to embryonic development and cancer stem cells.

Uncertainty in long-run economic growth likely points toward greater emissions, climate change costs

Researchers found substantially higher uncertainty than assumed in current climate change studies, with a median per capita output growth rate of 2.03% per year. This new understanding of uncertainty will affect policy planning globally.

SourceUniversity of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 14, 2018

Hungry, hungry hippos

A new study by UC Santa Barbara community ecologist Keenan Stears examines how hippos shape the ecology of freshwater ecosystems. The research found that high-density hippo pools with excess nutrients cause dissolved oxygen levels to decline, leading to a decline in fish diversity and abundance.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 14, 2018

Shedding light on a cyclic molecule with a twist

Researchers at Kobe University have discovered a Möbius aromatic molecule that exhibits strong antiaromatic properties when exposed to light. The twist in the molecule's structure allows for high energy levels and magnetism, which could be utilized in eco-friendly organic devices such as solar cells and electroluminescent elements.

SourceKobe University·JournalThe Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters·DateMay 14, 2018

Memory transferred between snails

A study published in eNeuro demonstrates that memories can be transferred between organisms by extracting ribonucleic acid (RNA) from a trained animal and injecting it into an untrained animal. This finding provides new clues in the search for the physical basis of memory.

SourceSociety for Neuroscience·JournaleNeuro·DateMay 14, 2018

Identifying PTSD could be affected under proposed changes to global diagnostic tool

An international study found that proposed changes to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) could lead to a 57% reduction in moderate PTSD diagnoses. The study examined almost 4,000 individuals from six countries and showed that severe PTSD cases increased by up to 36%, while moderate cases decreased by more than half.

SourceNYU Langone Health / NYU Grossman School of Medicine·JournalPsychological Medicine·DateMay 14, 2018

Gender discrimination results in the deaths of extra 239,000 girls per year in India

A new study reveals that India experiences an average of 239,000 excess female child mortality annually, primarily in rural areas with lower education and socioeconomic development. The researchers argue that addressing gender discrimination is crucial to reducing mortality rates among girls under five.

SourceInternational Institute for Applied Systems Analysis·JournalThe Lancet Global Health·DateMay 14, 2018

New 'Scoring' System for Advanced Colorectal Cancer

A new 'scoring' system developed by Johns Hopkins Medicine enhances the prediction of survival in people with colorectal cancers that have spread to the liver. The system includes traditional Fong indicators plus genetic and morphological evaluation (GAME) factors, which outperform the existing Fong system in predicting patient outcomes.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalBJS·DateMay 14, 2018

Scientists discover a variation of the genome predisposing to Alzheimer's disease

Researchers found that inheriting a variation in the PM20D1 gene increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, making it an excellent candidate for clinical prevention trials. The study highlights the importance of international scientific collaboration and multidisciplinary research to tackle complex diseases like dementia.

Plant peptide spells relief from salty stress

Researchers at RIKEN have discovered a hormone-like peptide in plants that increases their resistance to excessive salt. The peptide, AT13, enhances salinity stress tolerance and can be applied as a natural supplement for crops growing in high-salt conditions.

SourceRIKEN·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 14, 2018

Scientists in Russia and Singapore investigate inorganic biomaterials with antimicrobial properties

Researchers from Lobachevsky University and Nanyang Technological University have developed a new method for obtaining bismuth-containing apatite, a material with antimicrobial properties. The team used solid-phase synthesis and thermodynamic modeling to study the compound's crystal structure and behavior under operating conditions.

SourceLobachevsky University·JournalThe Journal of Chemical Thermodynamics·DateMay 14, 2018

Using MRSA's strength against it

Researchers at Michigan State University have identified how MRSA absorbs human fatty acids to resist antimicrobials, providing a new target for developing more effective treatments. By inhibiting the cell membrane's ability to produce lipids, scientists may improve the efficacy of existing antibacterial agents like triclosan.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalJournal of Bacteriology·DateMay 14, 2018

Nouns slow down our speech

Researchers found that nouns slow down speech more frequently than verbs, indicating difficulties with planning noun utterances. This discovery has implications for understanding human language processing and suggests universal long-term effects on grammar evolution.

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 14, 2018

Cystitis treatment: Back to the 1950s

A recent study found that one of the most widely prescribed antibiotics does not meet expected success rates, while another is as effective as newer drugs. The study suggests re-evaluating old antibiotics against modern standards to ensure patient well-being and restrict newer antibiotic use.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalJAMA·DateMay 14, 2018

Biologists ID temporal logic of regulatory genes affecting nitrogen use efficiency in plan

A team of biologists and computer scientists have developed a time-based machine-learning approach to understand the temporal logic of nitrogen signaling in plants. This discovery has significant implications for global food production and sustainable agriculture by potentially offering new ways to monitor and enhance crop growth using...

SourceNew York University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 14, 2018

Parents say intense gun violence in PG-13 movies appropriate for teens 15 and older

A study by the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that parents think PG-13 movies with unjustified gun violence are more suitable for 16-year-olds than those with justified violence. Parents also reported becoming desensitized to violence when repeatedly exposed to it, but this was more pronounced in scenes without justification.

Treatment for MRSA no longer more costly than for susceptible Staph aureus infections

Researchers analyzed national hospitalization data from 2010-2014 and found that MRSA-related hospitalization costs were approximately the same as or less expensive than hospitalizations with MSSA infections. However, patients with MRSA infections had a greater likelihood of mortality than those with MSSA.

SourceCenter for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy·JournalClinical Infectious Diseases·DateMay 14, 2018

High levels of workplace exercise linked to early death

A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that men with highly physical jobs have an 18% higher risk of early death compared to those with inactive work. The analysis controlled for leisure time physical activity and found no such association among women.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalBritish Journal of Sports Medicine·DateMay 14, 2018

American tropics, Amazon origins

A recent study suggests that plants and animals in Latin America originated from the Amazon, highlighting a dynamic process of colonization and speciation. The research found that natural dispersal events played a crucial role in shaping the American tropics' exceptional biodiversity.

SourceHarvard University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 14, 2018

Study reveals how the brain decides to make an effort

A new study published in PNAS found that the brain's ventromedial prefrontal cortex plays a key role in forming expectations underlying effort-based choices. The study used fMRI to model neural computations for effort and reward, revealing a clear role for three brain regions: the vmPFC, dACC, and aI.

SourceEmory Health Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 14, 2018

Research examines wing shapes to reduce vortex and wake

New research at the University of Illinois reveals that wing geometrics can be designed to reduce or eliminate wingtip vortices almost entirely. The study simulated flow about three classic wing configurations, finding that Jones and Prandtl wing designs had weaker wakes. The findings hold implications for aircraft design, flight safet...

Stress regulates self-harm in rats

Researchers manipulated brain activity and stress hormone levels to control self-inflicted bite wounds in rats, identifying key brain regions involved in self-injurious behavior. The study provides new insights into the regulation of compulsive self-biting and its relationship with stress and reward processing.

Study shows yogurt may dampen chronic inflammation linked to multiple diseases

A recent study found that yogurt consumption can improve the integrity of the intestinal lining and reduce pro-inflammatory molecules, thereby reducing chronic inflammation. The study enrolled 120 premenopausal women who consumed either low-fat yogurt or non-dairy pudding for nine weeks, showing significant improvements in certain key ...

SourceUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison·JournalJournal of Nutrition·DateMay 14, 2018