Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News Archive April 2019 - Page 15


Page 15 of 44

Mount Sinai study: Intervention in preschool -- an opportunity to promote healthy lifestyle

A Mount Sinai study shows that preschool intervention can improve healthy lifestyle habits in young children, with 12% increase in knowledge and attitudes towards a healthy lifestyle. The intervention group also showed improved behaviors in physical activity, diet, and emotional management.

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology·DateApr 22, 2019

How does wildlife fare after fires?

A La Trobe University study has found that wildlife restores itself after bushfires, but the surrounding habitat determines which species survive. The research highlights the importance of considering landscape context when planning strategic burns to protect native wildlife.

SourceLa Trobe University·JournalWildlife Research·DateApr 21, 2019

Collecting the right quantity of evidence: How the brain makes a difficult decision

Two studies investigate perceptual decision making in rats and humans, showing that the brain compares incoming sensory evidence to express a decision as soon as it reaches a fixed boundary. The findings support the 'bounded integration' model, which explains how the nervous system accumulates information over time.

Study finds that quitting smoking during pregnancy lowers risk of preterm births

A Dartmouth-led study published in JAMA Network Open found that quitting smoking during pregnancy reduces the risk of preterm birth. The probability of preterm birth decreased by up to 20% if cessation occurred at the beginning of pregnancy. However, only about 25% of women who smoked prior to pregnancy were able to quit throughout the...

SourceThe Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth·JournalJAMA Network Open·DateApr 19, 2019

Weapons trade reveals a darker side to dark web

Research published in Deviant Behavior found that the dark web is a hub for anonymous handgun sales, with 64% of products advertised being handguns. The study sheds light on a niche market where buyers can circumvent stricter gun laws, highlighting the need for further investigations and potential regulation.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalDeviant Behavior·DateApr 19, 2019

Plants are also stressed out

Researchers discover GUN1 plays a crucial role in regulating chloroplast-to-nucleus communication, enabling plants to respond to stress. This finding may help breed plants that can better withstand environmental stressors and maintain food production.

SourceSalk Institute·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 19, 2019

Late dinner and no breakfast is a killer combination

A study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that people who skip breakfast and eat dinner near bedtime have a four to five times higher likelihood of death, another heart attack, or angina within 30 days after hospital discharge for heart attack. Late-night dinner eating was also associated with poorer outc...

SourceEuropean Society of Cardiology·JournalEuropean Journal of Preventive Cardiology·DateApr 18, 2019

Flies smell through a Gore-Tex system

A research group has identified the gene responsible for the formation of nanopores in fruit flies, allowing them to detect chemicals in the air. The gore-tex gene plays a crucial role in envelope curvature and odor receptivity, essential functions for insects.

SourceRIKEN·JournalCurrent Biology·DateApr 18, 2019

In vivo super-resolution photoacoustic computed tomography by localization of single dyed droplets

Researchers at Caltech Optical Imaging Laboratory created a technique to break the acoustic diffraction limit in PACT by localizing single dyed droplets flowing in blood vessels, achieving six-fold finer resolution. The droplets provide excellent tracers for super-resolution imaging and enable tracking of blood flow speed.

Decline in measles vaccination is causing a preventable global resurgence of the disease

A recent commentary warns of a preventable global resurgence of measles due to declining vaccination rates. Measles is an extremely contagious illness that can cause severe complications and death in vulnerable populations. Without renewed focus on measles vaccination efforts, the disease may rebound in full force.

SourceNIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateApr 18, 2019

When the physics say 'don't follow your nose'

Engineers at Duke University create a smart robotic system that uses physics-based models and path planning algorithms to locate gaseous leaks in complex environments. The system can handle multiple sources and measure contamination rates, offering a more robust approach than existing heuristic methods.

SourceDuke University·JournalIEEE Transactions on Robotics·DateApr 18, 2019

IPOs help communities prosper, new research shows

Researchers found that IPOs lead to an increase in home prices and consumer spending in surrounding areas, with each $10 million in proceeds generating 0.7 new businesses and 41 new local jobs. However, IPO activity can also lead to gentrification and price out middle-to-lower-income residents.

SourceRice University·JournalJournal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis·DateApr 18, 2019

Can science writing be automated?

A team of scientists at MIT developed a neural network that can read scientific papers and generate a plain-English summary. The system, called RUM, uses vectors rotating in multidimensional space to represent words and improve memory and recall capabilities.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalTransactions of the Association for Computational Linguistics·DateApr 18, 2019