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Science News for December 11, 2019


Training the brain: resilience program helps student-athletes adjust to college life

A unique resilience program at UMass Amherst has been shown to improve decision-making and emotional awareness among diverse college athletes, while lowering perceived stress. The program, developed by Genevieve Chandler, focuses on active coping, building strength, cognitive awareness, and social support.

SourceUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst·JournalJournal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association·DateDec 11, 2019

Adding tucatinib to drug combination extends survival for advanced HER2+ breast cancer patients

The trial showed that adding tucatinib to capecitabine and trastuzumab improved progression-free and overall survival in advanced HER2-positive breast cancer patients, regardless of whether they had brain metastasis. The treatment combination also increased the overall response rate compared to standard care.

SourceUniversity of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateDec 11, 2019

'Financial infidelity': What defines it, who is at risk, and what are the consequences?

Financial infidelity is defined as hiding financial behaviors expected to be disapproved of from one's partner. Consumers more prone to this often prefer secretive options like personal credit cards and cash. The study found that concealment of financial information in mobile banking apps also increases the risk of financial infidelity.

SourceIndiana University·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateDec 11, 2019

Punching holes in opaque solar cells turns them transparent

Researchers in Korea have developed a strategy to transform opaque solar cells into transparent ones, allowing for more efficient energy harvesting. The transparent solar cells have a high-power conversion efficiency of 12.2 percent and long-term stability, making them ideal for turning windows into solar panels.

SourceCell Press·JournalJoule·DateDec 11, 2019

Tree cavities for wild honeybees

Researchers identified hotspots for wild honeybee nesting sites, including unmanaged forests and coniferous forests in Sweden and Finland. The study suggests that conserving trees with cavities should be included in forest management to support pollinator populations.

SourceUniversity of Würzburg·JournalConservation Letters·DateDec 11, 2019

The songwriter is creative -- the singer, not so much

Researchers found that country music songwriters employ two strategies to co-write songs with less talented but more famous artists: bespoke facilitation, where they take a backseat, and the manipulation dance, where they pre-write most of the song. This approach helps create good songs while avoiding alienating their partner.

SourceOhio State University·JournalSocial Psychology·DateDec 11, 2019

Scientists link decline of Baltic cod to hypoxia -- and climate change

A recent study by Dr. Karin Limburg and Michele Casini reveals that hypoxia caused by climate change is responsible for the declining condition of Baltic cod. The researchers analyzed otoliths, or earstones, found in the fish's hearing and balance system, which showed a clear link between hypoxia and the decline of the species.

Earth was stressed before dinosaur extinction

Fossilized seashells from Antarctica reveal that the Earth's oceans were undergoing significant changes in response to increased carbon dioxide from volcanic eruptions. These findings provide new insights into the causes of the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction event, which led to the demise of the dinosaurs.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalGeology·DateDec 11, 2019

(Noise-) less is more

Researchers at Osaka University developed a high precision 3D circuit simulator to quantify electromagnetic (EM) noise and its origin. The simulator allows for the visualization of EM noise generation and propagation, enabling intuitive understanding of why and where noise occurs, leading to noiseless circuit design.

SourceOsaka University·JournalScientific Reports·DateDec 11, 2019

Deciphering the equations of life

Researchers developed equations to study life's diversity and predict specific traits, including reproduction timing and lifespan. The new theory refines old understandings about life history tradeoffs and has implications for ecosystem models and management decisions.

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 11, 2019

Increasing transparency in the healthcare sector: More might not be better

A new study suggests that increasing quality transparency in healthcare can improve social welfare in the short-term, but may have negative effects in the long-term. Policymakers should target specific patient populations, such as younger or urban patients, and incentivize hospitals to make socially optimal investments.

Helping plant nurseries reduce runoff

Researchers found that additives like dolomite and micronutrient fertilizer can reduce phosphorus concentrations in drainage water by an average of 70%. These amendments help keep phosphorus in the pot, addressing a major environmental concern. The study aims to explore the long-term retention of retained phosphorus in containers.

SourceAmerican Society of Agronomy·JournalSoil Science Society of America Journal·DateDec 11, 2019

A research team develop biotransistors able to hear small beats of live

A research team has developed biotransistors that can record small beats of live cells and micro-tissues, paving the way for drug development and screening. The transistors, made of organic material on a flexible substrate, are biocompatible and offer intrinsic signal amplification, reducing the need for external amplifiers.

SourceSpanish National Research Council (CSIC)·JournalBiosensors and Bioelectronics·DateDec 11, 2019

Study reveals rapid increases in cannabis use among individuals with depression

Research suggests a significant increase in cannabis use among individuals with depression over the past decade. The prevalence of cannabis use was approximately twice as common among those with depression compared to those without it. Daily cannabis use was also more common among those with depression, particularly young adults.

One-third of recent global methane increase comes from tropical Africa

A study published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics reveals that one-third of the recent global methane increase comes from tropical Africa's tropics. The research used satellite data to examine trends in atmospheric methane between 26° N and 26° S, highlighting the importance of individual wetlands like the Sudd in South Sudan.

SourceEuropean Geosciences Union·JournalAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics·DateDec 11, 2019

High doses of vitamin D for critically ill patients yield minimal benefit

A large study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that high doses of vitamin D do not reduce mortality or improve non-fatal outcomes in critically ill patients. The Vitamin D to Improve Outcomes by Leveraging Early Treatment (VIOLET) study included over 200 researchers and showed no difference in mortality rates, hos...

SourceUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateDec 11, 2019

Focus on food security and sustainability

The researchers highlight the urgent need for investment in research infrastructure to provide reliable data on population health, nutrition, and agricultural practices. An international body is proposed to address pressing nutritional and agricultural issues and prepare policy decisions.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalScience Advances·DateDec 11, 2019

New insights to major disease pathways

Australian researchers have discovered a further 148 previously unknown proteins affected by oxidative stress in the human body, linked to major diseases such as heart disease and cancer. The new chemical tool developed at Flinders University's Chalker Lab has mapped over 1000 proteins modified under oxidative stress.

SourceFlinders University·JournalChemBioChem·DateDec 11, 2019

Real-time photoacoustic thermometry of tumors during HIFU treatment in living subjects

Researchers developed a photoacoustic (PA) thermometry system for HIFU treatment guidance, enabling real-time monitoring of temperature increase at tumors during treatment. The system allows for simultaneous ultrasound imaging, PA imaging, and PA thermometry, enhancing the accuracy and safety of HIFU treatments.

SourcePohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH)·JournalIEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering·DateDec 11, 2019

Pathways toward post-petrochemistry

Scientists have introduced a new electrochemical method to produce ethylene from CO at room temperature and standard pressure, achieving high Faradaic efficiency and C2 selectivity. The technique uses a copper catalyst and optimized electrode structure, allowing for efficient separation of gaseous ethylene.

SourceWiley·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateDec 11, 2019

Scientists eager to explain brain rhythm boost's broad impact in Alzheimer's models

Increasing 40Hz gamma rhythm power in the brain has been shown to strengthen neural connections and improve symptoms in Alzheimer's disease models. The study used light flickering or sound buzzing at 40Hz to achieve this effect, which was found to decline pathological amyloid and tau protein buildups and protect neurons from degeneration.

SourcePicower Institute at MIT·JournalTrends in Neurosciences·DateDec 11, 2019

It's time to explain country in indigenous terms

A research paper explores Indigenous Australian place relationships using Yanyuwa terms, highlighting the importance of understanding ecological health through Indigenous knowledges. The study examines human relationships with places that play a key role in ecological health, revealing specific terms for good land and sea management.

SourceFlinders University·JournalOceania·DateDec 11, 2019

Water common -- yet scarce -- in exoplanets

The study found that while water vapour is common in exoplanet atmospheres, its amounts are surprisingly lower than expected. The results also suggest a depletion of oxygen relative to other elements and provide clues into how these exoplanets may have formed without substantial accretion of ice.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateDec 11, 2019

Safer viruses for vaccine research and diagnosis

Researchers have developed a new biotechnology platform to produce safer 'hybrid' viruses for vaccines and diagnostics against mosquito-borne diseases. The Binjari virus, inert to humans, is used to create 'dangerous-looking' viruses like Zika and dengue that cannot grow in humans or animals.

SourceUniversity of Queensland·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateDec 11, 2019

Illumination drives bats out of caves

Researchers found that bats avoid all light colors and prefer dark entrances, regardless of color. Inside caves, bats react sensitively to any light, showing a slight preference for red over amber and white lights only when dark was not an option.

SourceForschungsverbund Berlin·JournalGlobal Ecology and Conservation·DateDec 11, 2019

Skipping one night of sleep may leave insomniacs twice as impaired, study says

A new study published in Nature and Science of Sleep found that individuals with chronic sleep-onset insomnia who pulled an all-nighter performed up to twice as badly on a reaction time task as healthy normal sleepers. This impairment may be hidden during the normal day but exposed after pulling an all-nighter, increasing their risk of...

SourceWashington State University·JournalNature and Science of Sleep·DateDec 11, 2019

Modulation of proliferation factors in lung adenocarcinoma with an analysis of the transcriptional consequences of genomic EGFR activation

The study reveals that EGFR overexpression is associated with lower expression of multiple proliferation genes, leading to replication stress and decreased survival. Interestingly, certain proteins like CLPTM1L and PBXIP1 are upregulated in EGFR-activated cases, but this does not promote increased proliferation.

SourceImpact Journals LLC·JournalOncotarget·DateDec 11, 2019

New insect virus provides a safer platform for flavivirus vaccines and tests

A new species of insect virus, Binjari virus, has been identified that can be engineered to house genes from disease-causing flaviviruses. This non-infectious virus represents a flexible tool for testing diagnostics and vaccines for various infectious diseases, including yellow fever, dengue, and West Nile encephalitis.

SourceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateDec 11, 2019

Insights into psoriasis suggest a new treatment target

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital have uncovered a novel pathway explaining why skin thickens in psoriasis, suggesting new strategies for developing therapies. The study found a defect in the epigenetic covering that resulted in loss of DNA methylation hydroxymethylation mark, leading to dysregulated stem cell behavior.

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology·DateDec 11, 2019

A window into the hidden world of colons

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have created a system that allows real-time observations of individual cells in the colon of a living mouse. This breakthrough enables researchers to study the digestive system's microbiome, inflammatory bowel disease, and colon cancer, as well as explore potential treatments for gastrointestinal...

SourceDuke University·JournalNature Communications·DateDec 11, 2019