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Science News Archive May 2018 - Page 28


Page 28 of 44

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

Research leads to medication reduction in aged care facilities

A new study published in the Medical Journal of Australia found that a multi-strategic intervention called RedUSe significantly reduced psychotropic medication use in Australian residential aged care facilities. The intervention, which included education and drug audits, resulted in a 40% reduction in antipsychotic or benzodiazepine me...

SourceUniversity of Tasmania·JournalThe Medical Journal of Australia·DateMay 13, 2018

Could a multiverse be hospitable to life?

New research suggests that life could be common throughout the multiverse due to dark energy's impact on star and planet formation. The findings contradict the long-held notion that a specific amount of dark energy is necessary for life to emerge, raising questions about the multiverse theory's ability to explain cosmic origins.

SourceDurham University·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateMay 13, 2018

Mapping movements of ocean creatures great and small

Researchers compiled a massive dataset of movement data for diverse marine megafauna, including whales, turtles, sharks, and birds. The study found that species-specific movement patterns are influenced by habitat, with open-ocean animals moving in straighter lines and coastal animals exhibiting more erratic behavior.

SourceKing Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 13, 2018

Trial shows chemotherapy is helping kids live with pulmonary vein stenosis

A clinical trial conducted by Boston Children's Hospital has shown that adding chemotherapy to a treatment regimen including catheterization and surgery can deter abnormal cellular growth in children with pulmonary vein stenosis. The approach led to the stabilization of PVS progression and prevention of further lung damage in 31% of pa...

SourceBoston Children's Hospital·JournalThe Journal of Pediatrics·DateMay 11, 2018

Opening a new door to immunity

Researchers uncover clue to disease process development by identifying novel way to control innate immune response, which may translate to treatments for conditions such as atherosclerosis, autoimmunity, and heart failure. Animal studies support finding, showing mice with mutated sNASP proteins are more susceptible to septic infection.

SourceUniversity of Missouri-Columbia·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateMay 11, 2018

Is colonialism creating inappropriate regulation of traditional medicine practitioners?

Two commentaries in JACM question whether colonial models devalue traditional and complementary practices. Researchers Heather Boon and Nadine Ijaz argue that biomedical dominance subordinates indigenous knowledge systems, while Editor-in-Chief John Weeks emphasizes the need for re-examining harmful limits of biomedicine's approach.

SourceMary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News·JournalThe Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine·DateMay 11, 2018

Alignment of mother and offspring body clock could prevent diseases such as heart disease and obesity

A new study published in The Journal of Physiology found that proper maternal care can significantly reduce abnormalities in the offspring's body clock, leading to a lower likelihood of developing heart disease. This suggests that early life experiences may play a crucial role in shaping an individual's health later in adulthood.

SourceThe Physiological Society·JournalThe Journal of Physiology·DateMay 11, 2018

Where are HIV diagnoses made?

A study found that late HIV diagnoses remain high, prompting the need for expanded testing. HIV diagnoses are increasingly being made outside of traditional sexual health clinics.

SourceWiley·JournalHIV Medicine·DateMay 11, 2018

Clouds like a semi-transparent parasol

Dr. Anna Possner will join the Goethe University in Frankfurt to investigate the impact of low-level clouds on Earth's surface temperature. Her research focuses on semi-transparent parasols that reflect sunlight but have a minimal effect on heat emission, and she aims to improve understanding of their influence.