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Science News for August 20, 2019


Selfie versus posie

Researchers at Washington State University found that individuals who post more selfies are viewed as less likeable, more insecure, and less open to new experiences. On the other hand, those who share more posed photos are seen as higher in self-esteem, more adventurous, and having better social skills.

SourceWashington State University·JournalJournal of Research in Personality·DateAug 20, 2019

Discharge incentives in emergency rooms could lead to higher patient readmission rates

A new study from UBC Sauder School of Business shows that pay-for-performance incentive programs in emergency departments can increase return visits and readmissions. The research focused on patients discharged within 20 minutes of the deadline for incentives and found a significant discontinuity around the four-hour mark.

SourceUniversity of British Columbia - Sauder School of Business·JournalAcademic Emergency Medicine·DateAug 20, 2019

Ammonia for fuel cells

Researchers at the University of Delaware have made significant progress in developing a cost-effective fuel cell technology utilizing ammonia, a nitrogen-based liquid fuel. Ammonia has been identified as the lowest-cost fuel produced from renewable energy, with potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and improve efficiency.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalJoule·DateAug 20, 2019

Climate is changing faster than animal adaptation

An international team of scientists analyzed over 10,000 climate change studies and found that birds and other animals cannot adapt quickly enough to keep pace with climate change. This mismatch between the timing of biological events and the availability of food resources poses a significant threat to species survival.

SourceCornell University·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 20, 2019

What's at the 'heart' of a heartbeat?

Atrial fibrillation is a major concern due to its association with serious complications like heart failure and stroke. Researchers have identified a new piece of the puzzle that has changed the field's understanding of the molecular mechanisms leading to atrial fibrillation, involving a phosphatase regulatory subunit known as PPP1R3A.

SourceBaylor College of Medicine·JournalCirculation·DateAug 20, 2019

More children suffer head injuries playing recreational sport than team sport

A study of 8,857 children found that recreational sports led to more serious head injuries than contact sports, with bike riding and skateboarding causing the most frequent serious injuries. The research highlights the need for greater awareness and safety measures in recreational sports to prevent head injuries in children.

SourceMurdoch Childrens Research Institute·JournalThe Medical Journal of Australia·DateAug 20, 2019

Wave climate projections predict risks to Aussie coastlines

Researchers mapped out how much waves are likely to change around the globe under climate change, finding that limiting warming to 2 degrees would keep signals of wave climate change within natural variability. However, 48% of the world's coast is at risk if we don't limit warming, with changes in wave height, period, or direction.

SourceGriffith University·JournalNature Climate Change·DateAug 20, 2019

Scientists find precise control of terminal division during plant stomatal development

Researchers have identified a genetic suppressor of flp stomatal defects, which acts downstream from core cell cycle genes to ensure terminal division during stomatal development. The study found that CDK-mediated phosphorylation at the N-terminus of RPA2a is essential for RPA functioning and localization.

SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 20, 2019

Studying organ crosstalk leads to a deeper understanding of sepsis

Researchers investigated metabolic changes across organs in a large animal model of sepsis, identifying common and organ-specific alterations that could inform new therapeutic approaches. The study, published in The American Journal of Pathology, has the potential to reduce mortality and morbidity associated with sepsis.

SourceElsevier·JournalAmerican Journal Of Pathology·DateAug 20, 2019

Brain takes a beating as arteries age

As humans age, their brains receive increased load from the heart's beating due to stiffening large arteries, causing damage to smallest blood vessels. The hippocampus, crucial for episodic memory, is particularly vulnerable to this increased stress.

SourceUmea University·JournalTrends in Cognitive Sciences·DateAug 20, 2019

Enabling longer space missions

Researchers used computer modeling and laboratory tests to investigate how changing gas flow rates and magnetic field sizes affect Hall thruster performance. They found that maintaining optimal ionization and acceleration regions can prolong the life of these systems, making them suitable for even longer space missions.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal D·DateAug 20, 2019

Helping skin cells differentiate could be key to treating common skin cancer

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have identified LSD1 as a key regulator of skin cell turnover and found that blocking it could be an effective treatment method for non-melanoma skin cancers. The study shows that targeting LSD1 can force skin cells to differentiate, potentially turning tumor cells into healthier cells.

A new path to cancer therapy: developing simultaneous multiplexed gene editing technology

Researchers developed a new gene editing system that simultaneously suppresses proteins inhibiting the immune system in lymphoma cells and activates cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The technology, based on improved CRISPR gene editing, shows promise for treating various diseases including cancer, autoimmune, and inflammatory conditions.

Poo transplants to help save koalas

Researchers found that faecal inoculations changed the koalas' microbiomes, allowing them to eat messmate. This could affect all aspects of their ecology, including nutrition and habitat selection. The study provides a proof of concept for using encapsulated faecal material to introduce new microbes in koalas' guts.

SourceUniversity of Queensland·JournalAnimal Microbiome·DateAug 20, 2019

The journey of the pollen

Researchers from Kiel University discovered a complex interplay of factors influencing pollen adhesion to surfaces. They found that pollen's adhesive properties change depending on the duration of contact and microstructure of the surface, providing new insights into coating processes and transporting medicinal substances.

SourceKiel University·JournalJournal of The Royal Society Interface·DateAug 20, 2019

Biomolecular analyses of Roopkund skeletons show Mediterranean migrants in Indian Himalaya

Ancient DNA data from Roopkund Lake reveals diverse groups of people died at the lake in multiple events around 1000 years apart. The study, published in Nature Communications, found three distinct genetic groups among the skeletons, with ancestries related to present-day India, the eastern Mediterranean, and Southeast Asia.

SourceMax Planck Institute of Geoanthropology·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 20, 2019

Decades-old puzzle of the ecology of soil animals solved

An international research team deciphered the defence mechanism of filamentous fungi, discovering that certain fungal pigments like aurofusarin protect fungi from predation. These pigments were found to repel small soil animals such as worms and springtails, and may have evolved due to extremely high concentrations of defence chemicals.

SourceUniversity of Göttingen·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 20, 2019

Antibiotic use linked to heightened bowel cancer risk

Research published in Gut journal suggests a link between antibiotic use and increased risk of bowel cancer, particularly for cancers of the proximal colon. Conversely, rectal cancer risk was found to be lower among those prescribed antibiotics, possibly due to differences in gut microbiome activity.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalGut·DateAug 20, 2019

Painting a bigger biosociological picture of chronic pain

A recent study published in PLOS Biology has made significant progress in understanding chronic pain by integrating psychosocial factors and neurobiology. The researchers found two key traits - Pain-trait and Emote-trait - that are associated with back pain characteristics, as well as a link between socioeconomic status and chronic pain.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateAug 20, 2019

The Lancet Neurology: High blood pressure and rising blood pressure between ages 36-53 are associated with smaller brain volume and white matter lesions in later years

A study of 502 individuals found that high blood pressure and increasing blood pressure during midlife are associated with reduced brain volume and white matter lesions in later life. However, there is no evidence that these associations are linked to cognitive decline or the build-up of beta-amyloid plaques.

SourceThe Lancet·JournalThe Lancet Neurology·DateAug 20, 2019

How to improve multiple sclerosis therapy

Researchers identify various disease mechanisms underlying progressive MS, highlighting the need for precise therapy approaches targeting different pathomechanisms. Financial obstacles, including patent expirations, also hinder the development of new drugs.

SourceRuhr-University Bochum·JournalNature Reviews Drug Discovery·DateAug 20, 2019

Is pollution linked to psychiatric disorders?

A new study suggests a possible link between environmental pollution and an increase in psychiatric disorders. Poor air quality was associated with higher rates of bipolar disorder, major depression, schizophrenia, and personality disorders in both US and Danish populations.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateAug 20, 2019

A lack of self control during adolescence is not uniquely human

A review of adolescent brains across species reveals that impulsiveness is a biological adaptation crucial for brain maturation. The human brain undergoes significant changes during adolescence, including pruning of neural connections and strengthening of white matter tracts, which enables optimal brain function in the adult stage.

SourceCell Press·JournalTrends in Neurosciences·DateAug 20, 2019