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Science News Archive 2019 - Page 206


Page 206 of 486

A first bad apple spoils the bunch

A new study by Cass Business School academic Dr Janina Steinmetz confirms that people tend to judge entire groups based on the performance of their first member. The research found that a bad experience at the 'first' register or position leads to harsher judgments about the group, while a good experience results in greater positivity.

SourceCity St George’s, University of London·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·DateJul 30, 2019

'Tickle' therapy could help slow aging

A new study at the University of Leeds suggests that transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) may help slow down an important effect associated with ageing. The therapy, which delivers a small electrical current to the ear, has been shown to improve physiological and wellbeing outcomes in over-55s.

Learning in virtual spaces

Researchers at the University of Würzburg are developing a social-VR platform called ViLeArn to explore the potential of virtual reality in education. The platform allows students to engage in fully equipped virtual teaching environments, fostering collaboration and creativity.

Pre-eclampsia increases risk of end stage kidney disease, study finds

A new study published in PLOS Medicine found that women who developed pre-eclampsia during pregnancy were nearly five times more likely to develop end stage kidney disease (ESKD) than those who did not. The study analyzed data from over 1 million healthy women and revealed a significant association between pre-eclampsia and ESKD risk.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateJul 30, 2019

UW study: House move during early pregnancy linked to heightened premature birth risk

A UW study found that moving to a new home during the first three months of pregnancy increases the risk of low birthweight, premature birth, and smaller-than-expected babies. Despite limitations, the researchers suggest counseling patients on stress-mitigating techniques and care continuity may be beneficial.

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health·DateJul 30, 2019

Boosting the anti-inflammatory action of the immune system

Researchers have identified a molecule called Gas6 that induces macrophages to clean up cellular debris and reduce inflammation. Boosting Gas6 levels in macrophages has been shown to resolve inflammation in mouse models of acute lung injury, holding promise for treating diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis.

SourceUniversity of Illinois Chicago·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 30, 2019

Expanding functions of conducting microbial nanowires for chemical, biological sensors

Researchers at UMass Amherst have expanded the functions of conducting microbial nanowires, developing them into sustainable chemical and biological sensors. The new nanowires can be modified with peptides to specifically bind chemicals or biologics, offering promising possibilities for biomedical and environmental applications.

SourceUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst·JournalACS Synthetic Biology·DateJul 29, 2019

Researchers build artificial cells that sense and respond to their environment

Artificial cells have been created by Imperial College London scientists that can sense changes in their surroundings and respond with drug molecules or harm removal. This breakthrough uses a simpler approach to mimic complex biological responses, making it easier to engineer artificial cells for various biotechnological applications.

SourceImperial College London·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 29, 2019

Study reveals how bacteria beat immune systems

A new study by University of Exeter researchers shows that pathogens can evolve to become more virulent without increasing their rate of replication. This suggests that manipulating host immune systems may play a role in generating symptoms necessary for transmission.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 29, 2019

Repurposed potential drug for MRSA

Researchers have identified a repurposed compound, bithionol, with selective membrane-targeting properties that effectively kill MRSA persister cells without harming mammalian cell membranes. This breakthrough suggests potential therapeutic applications for bithionol in treating recalcitrant MRSA persister-caused infections.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 29, 2019

Dragon heart

The study provides insight into how the Komodo dragon's DNA encodes its astounding characteristics, including its ability to detect prey from far away. The team discovered changes in genes that increase the lizard's aerobic capacity, allowing it to achieve near-mammalian metabolism.

SourceGladstone Institutes·JournalNature Ecology & Evolution·DateJul 29, 2019

New software brings lower-resolution cryo-EM maps into focus

Researchers at Purdue University have developed a new software called Emap2sec that can identify secondary structures in proteins from lower-resolution cryo-EM maps. This technique has the potential to speed up protein structure analysis and improve accuracy, enabling researchers to develop more effective drugs for various diseases.

SourcePurdue University·JournalNature Methods·DateJul 29, 2019

Induced seismicity and fluid injection

Researchers developed a model forecasting earthquake hazards in Oklahoma due to fluid injection, highlighting the importance of pore pressure diffusion and poroelastic stresses. The study found that mandatory reduction in injection volumes substantially reduced earthquake probability in western Oklahoma but not central Oklahoma.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 29, 2019

Simultaneous infection by 2 viruses the key to studying rare lymphoma

Researchers have successfully created stable, cancer-like cells in the lab by simultaneously infecting white blood cells with two viruses, Epstein-Barr Virus and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus. This breakthrough opens up new opportunities for understanding the progression of this rare blood cancer and developing treatments.

SourceUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 29, 2019

Predicting earthquake hazards from wastewater injection

Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a method to predict seismic activity from wastewater disposal, which can help the energy industry manage injection-caused earthquakes and reduce risks. The team's physics-based framework successfully reproduces the distribution of actual earthquakes by frequency, magnitude, and time.

SourceArizona State University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 29, 2019

Researchers discover therapy to treat drug-resistant acute lymphoblastic leukemia

A new combination treatment regimen enhances the immune system's ability to kill leukemias that do not respond to standard treatments. The regimen includes a therapeutic antibody designed to attract natural killer immune cells to cancer cells, resulting in increased killing of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells by up to 35%.

SourceCase Western Reserve University·JournalCancer Immunology Research·DateJul 29, 2019

DIY balloon pump takes microfluidics to the people

Researchers at RMIT University have developed a simple pressure pump made from balloons and nylon stockings that can be used to test water contaminants and blood samples. The low-cost device has been tested in various experiments, including detecting aquatic parasites and cancer cells.

SourceRMIT University·JournalLab on a Chip·DateJul 29, 2019

Scientists film molecular rotation

Researchers at DESY used precisely tuned laser light to capture the ultrafast rotation of carbonyl sulphide molecules, revealing the intricate dance of quantum mechanics. The resulting 'molecular movie' provides new insights into molecular dynamics and has potential applications for studying other molecules and processes.

SourceDeutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 29, 2019

Supposed disorder is not disorder after all

A team of researchers at Ruhr-Universität Bochum has shown that the supposed disorder in the HMGA1a protein is not disorder after all. The protein adopts dynamic, more compact structures that depend on its phosphorylation state. This discovery could lead to new therapeutic strategies for cancers caused by HMGA1a.

SourceRuhr-University Bochum·JournalNucleic Acids Research·DateJul 29, 2019