Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News Archive 2019 - Page 434


Page 434 of 486

Sensitive sensor detects Down syndrome DNA

A new biosensor has been developed to detect fetal Down syndrome DNA in pregnant women's blood, offering a fast, sensitive, and cost-effective alternative to traditional tests. The sensor can detect DNA concentrations as low as 0.1 fM/L, making it more sensitive than other reported field-effect transistor DNA sensors.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalNano Letters·DateFeb 13, 2019

Undersea gases could superheat the planet

A new study reveals that naturally occurring carbon gases trapped in undersea reservoirs escaped to superheat the planet in prehistory, disrupting the Earth's atmosphere and causing global warming. The findings challenge the long-standing paradigm that ocean water alone regulated carbon dioxide in the atmosphere during glacial cycles.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalEnvironmental Research Letters·DateFeb 13, 2019

Human cells can also change jobs

Researchers at UNIGE show that human pancreatic cells can be converted to produce insulin in a sustainable way, potentially compensating for lost or dysfunctional cells. The conversion was successful in both diabetic and non-diabetic donors, with modified alpha cells showing improved resistance to autoimmune diabetes.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalNature·DateFeb 13, 2019

Pitch perfect: Strategic language use maximizes the chances of influencing an audience

A new study by Cass Business School academic Dr Ruben van Werven has identified four key language strategies used by influential entrepreneurs to connect with investors. These strategies include implying a point without making it, presenting the imagined future as a reality, being explicit about the current situation, and supporting th...

SourceCity St George’s, University of London·JournalInternational Small Business Journal Researching Entrepreneurship·DateFeb 12, 2019

Laser-induced graphene gets tough, with help

Researchers at Rice University have developed composites of laser-induced graphene that can be used for wearable electronics, heat therapy, water treatment, anti-icing, and antimicrobial surfaces. The new composites were created by infusing LIG with materials like plastic, rubber, and wood, and show improved mechanical robustness.

SourceRice University·JournalACS Nano·DateFeb 12, 2019

Women scarce in the one percent

A new study by University of North Carolina at Charlotte researcher Jill Yavorsky and colleagues finds that men control the majority of income resources in top one percent U.S. income distributions. Women's income alone is sufficient for one percent status in only 5% of elite households, highlighting a glass ceiling that extends beyond...

SourceUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte·JournalAmerican Sociological Review·DateFeb 12, 2019

Large study fails to link phthalates and increased breast cancer risk

A large study examining phthalate exposure and postmenopausal breast cancer found no association between the two. The research, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, suggests that more research is needed to investigate younger women and potential associations between phthalate exposure and breast cancer risk.

SourceUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst·JournalJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute·DateFeb 12, 2019

Consciousness rests on the brain's ability to sustain rich dynamics of neural activity

A study found that consciousness is characterized by a complex configuration of interareal coordination, deviating from anatomical connections. In contrast, unconscious states are marked by positive patterns of interareal coherence dominated by brain region anatomy. The researchers suggest that transient brain signal coordination patte...

SourceUniversitat Pompeu Fabra - Barcelona·JournalScience Advances·DateFeb 12, 2019

The unexpected creates reward when listening to music

Research at McGill University found that musically unexpected events elicit reward prediction errors in the nucleus accumbens, a brain region associated with musical pleasure. This discovery establishes music as a neurobiological reward capable of motivating learning and pleasurable listening experiences.

SourceMcGill University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 12, 2019

Why too much DNA repair can injure tissue

A recent study by MIT researchers found that overactive DNA-repair enzymes can lead to cell death and severe tissue damage in photoreceptor cells, a condition that may be linked to retinal blindness. The enzyme Aag glycosylase plays a key role in this process, promoting an inflammatory response that produces toxic intermediates.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalScience Signaling·DateFeb 12, 2019

Why does bribery work?

A Carnegie Mellon University study found that bribery works because people are motivated by greed, not the desire to reciprocate. When incentives are contingent on choices, bribes distort judgment more. However, when bribes don't influence outcomes, their effectiveness is reduced.

SourceCarnegie Mellon University·JournalJournal of the European Economic Association·DateFeb 12, 2019

Simple and low-cost crack-healing of ceramic-based composites

Researchers at Osaka University demonstrated a world-first room-temperature crack-healing method for ceramic-based composites. The method uses electrochemical anodization to recover the strength of the composites to their original level, overcoming previous limitations with high-temperature heat treatment and resin adhesives.

SourceOsaka University·JournalJournal of the American Ceramic Society·DateFeb 12, 2019