Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News for June 24, 2019


Playing 'tag': Tracking movement of young oysters

Researchers use harmless fluorescent dye to track oyster larval movements in Mobile Bay, finding larvae are transported from lower bay to Mississippi Sound via freshwater flow paths. This approach can be applied to other marine species, aiding restoration and management of larval transport pathways globally.

SourceDauphin Island Sea Lab·JournalEstuaries and Coasts·DateJun 24, 2019

Big data says food is too sweet

A study analyzing nearly 400,000 food reviews found that many people think today's foods are too sweet, with sweet being the most frequently mentioned taste quality. The researchers used machine learning to identify words related to taste and found that over-sweetness was mentioned 25 times more often than under-sweetness.

SourceMonell Chemical Senses Center·JournalPhysiology & Behavior·DateJun 24, 2019

Seeing the doctor? Relax, you'll remember more

A new study found that patients who meditate or listen to calming music before receiving written health information are more likely to pay attention and retain the details. The researchers recommend using this time wisely by relaxing in the waiting room, such as meditating or listening to calming music.

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalPersonality and Social Psychology Bulletin·DateJun 24, 2019

What influences how parents and their gay adolescent sons discuss sexual health at home?

A study published in the American Journal of Sexuality Education found that even when parents aim to avoid heteronormative stereotypes, external factors like mass media and religion can still reinforce them. Parents' mindful awareness of their conversations with other children and their influence on what they hear from friends and see ...

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalAmerican Journal of Sexuality Education·DateJun 24, 2019

Culture shapes how we learn to reason?

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that cultural environment influences early diversity in abstract thought. Chinese children demonstrated superior relational reasoning skills compared to US children, with significant differences emerging around age 3.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 24, 2019

Stanford researchers teach robots what humans want

Researchers at Stanford University developed a new system that combines demonstrations and user preference surveys to set goals for autonomous systems, achieving better results in simulations and real-world experiments. The system improved upon previous methods, reducing the time required to generate instructions by 15-50 times.

Chronic conditions -- not infectious diseases -- are top 5 causes of early death in China

A new study reveals that chronic diseases such as stroke, ischemic heart disease, and lung cancer are now the leading causes of premature death in China. The study's findings show a significant shift from communicable to chronic conditions over nearly three decades, largely due to economic growth and increasing education levels.

Noninvasive view into the heart

A study by Goethe University Frankfurt has demonstrated the safety and efficacy of non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in guiding therapy decisions for patients with stable chest pain and coronary heart disease. MRI measurements were found to be as safe as cardiac catheterization, with reduced need for invasive procedures.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateJun 24, 2019

Targeting individual atoms

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new method to directly track the precession of single nuclear spins, allowing for precise molecular analysis. This breakthrough enables scientists to study molecules at the atomic level, with potential applications in fields like materials science and chemistry.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·DateJun 24, 2019

Could coffee be the secret to fighting obesity?

Researchers at the University of Nottingham discovered that drinking coffee can stimulate 'brown fat', increasing body heat and burning calories. This could be a key to tackling obesity and diabetes. The study used thermal imaging to trace brown fat reserves and found that caffeine had a direct effect on its functions.

SourceUniversity of Nottingham·JournalScientific Reports·DateJun 24, 2019

How trees affect the weather

Researchers found that certain plant and tree traits exacerbate drought conditions by rapidly releasing water vapor into the air. This can lead to more frequent and intense droughts in hot climates, even in regions with adapted plant species.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 24, 2019

More women in US receive 3D mammography but disparities remain

A recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that the use of 3D mammography has risen substantially in the US, with DBT being more rapidly adopted in areas with higher incomes, greater education, and larger white populations. However, disparities in care persist, reflecting uneven adoption across regions and demographics.

SourceYale University·JournalJAMA Internal Medicine·DateJun 24, 2019

New reports provide guidance for obesity care

The Obesity Society has developed two new resources to improve obesity medicine education in medical schools and advanced healthcare providers. The resources include the first set of competencies for caring for patients with obesity and a proposed standard of care for adults with obesity, aimed at enhancing patient care.

SourceThe Obesity Society·JournalObesity·DateJun 24, 2019

Why money cannot 'buy' housework

A new study by Lancaster University finds that household finances and control of financial decisions are linked to the time spent on routine housework, with women doing most of it. Despite earning more, women have limited control over their own earnings and household finances, leading to a glass ceiling in the labour market.

SourceLancaster University·JournalJournal of Marriage and Family·DateJun 24, 2019

Galaxy clusters caught in a first kiss

Two giant galaxy clusters are caught in the act of colliding for the first time, providing valuable insights into the formation of large-scale structures. The clusters' merger shock wave is expected to have a significant impact on the evolution of galaxy clusters and cosmic structure.

SourceRIKEN·JournalNature Astronomy·DateJun 24, 2019

SLAS Discovery announces its July feature article, '3D Cell-Based Assays for Drug Screens: Challenges in Imaging, Image Analysis, and High-Content Analysis'

The switch from 2D to 3D cell cultures in drug discovery improves the accuracy of human physiological conditions and increases the success rates of drugs. High-content analysis with 3D cell cultures is expected to increase the quality of compounds progressing to preclinical stages.

Speeding up single-cell genomics research

Researchers at Harvard University have developed a new platform for rapid single-cell sequencing, combining microfluidics and novel software to scale up single-cell ATAC-seq. This approach enables the analysis of gene control in individual cells, revealing new insights into cell development and disease processes.

SourceHarvard University·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateJun 24, 2019

Americans overestimate income for children from wealthy and middle-income families -- and underestimate it for children from poor ones

A new study by New York University sociologists found that Americans tend to overestimate the future income of children from wealthy and middle-income families while underestimating it for those from poor families. The research challenges the prior belief that Americans hold an optimistic view about economic mobility.

SourceNew York University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 24, 2019

Monarch butterflies bred in captivity may lose the ability to migrate, study finds

A new study by scientists at the University of Chicago found that commercially bred monarch butterflies do not fly southward even in offspring raised outdoors. This suggests that captive breeding disrupts the monarch's migratory behavior and genetic differences between captive and wild populations may be to blame.

SourceUniversity of Chicago·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 24, 2019

Tapping into the way cells communicate

Researchers have developed a platform to record cell messages in depth, uncovering the precise ways cells communicate. This breakthrough enables the creation of 'cell-less' therapies that aid in repairing cardiac tissue without stem cell transplantation.

SourceUniversity of Connecticut·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 24, 2019

New therapy promotes vascular repair following stroke

A new therapy has shown promise in promoting vascular repair following a stroke, leading to improved motor functions and regeneration of damaged blood vessels. Researchers used anti-Nogo-A antibodies in mice and found better recovery and reduced motor function impairment compared to control groups.

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 24, 2019

How to bend waves to arrive at the right place

Researchers at TU Wien have developed a method to manipulate the 'branched flow' of waves, which can be exploited to send waves along specific paths. The technique uses numerical simulations to calculate the optimal wave shape and can be applied to various types of waves, including light, sound, and sonar waves.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 24, 2019

Clinical trials beginning for possible preeclampsia treatment

Researchers at Lund University have made significant strides in developing a potential drug to combat preeclampsia, a life-threatening condition affecting millions of pregnant women worldwide. The study's findings confirm the therapeutic effects of alpha-1-microglobulin and suggest a promising path forward for patients with the disease.

SourceLund University·JournalScientific Reports·DateJun 24, 2019

Study shows visual framing by media in debates affects public perception

A new study by University of Arkansas researchers found that media framing in presidential debates significantly impacts public perception. Donald Trump emerged as a clear winner in terms of visual techniques used by the media, such as solo shots and increased camera time. In contrast, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders received more c...

SourceUniversity of Arkansas·JournalPolitics and the Life Sciences·DateJun 24, 2019

Long duration of sperm freezing makes no difference to live birth rates in large sperm bank study

A large-scale study found that long-term cryopreservation of semen does not affect pregnancy and live birth rates in women using donor sperm. The study analyzed 119,558 semen samples stored for up to 15 years and found similar success rates in IVF and donor insemination, despite a decline in frozen sperm survival rate over time.

Roads and deforestation explode in the Congo basin

Logging roads are expanding dramatically in the Congo Basin, leading to catastrophic collapses in animal populations and widespread deforestation. The study found that new road construction has quadrupled since 2000, causing a significant threat to endangered species such as forest elephants and gorillas.

SourceJames Cook University·JournalNature Sustainability·DateJun 24, 2019

Helping the body's ability to grow bone

Researchers at the University of Portsmouth used synchrotron X-ray computed tomography to examine the performance of four different bone-biomaterial systems. They found that strain can be used to understand and potentially predict clinical outcomes of biomaterials in a living body.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering·DateJun 24, 2019

Big city growth escalates the urban-rural divide

A new study challenges the long-held assumption that cities grow in parallel, revealing a widening urban-rural divide and increased regional inequality. The research uses Swedish population registers to analyze city growth trajectories, finding that smaller cities face significant economic shocks and structural changes.

SourceLinköping University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 24, 2019

An 'awe-full' state of mind can set you free

A new study finds that inducing a sense of awe through watching movies can significantly reduce positive emotion and anxiety during periods of uncertainty. Researchers found that participants who watched an awe-inducing video experienced less stress and more positive emotions compared to those who watched neutral or happy videos.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalThe Journal of Positive Psychology·DateJun 24, 2019

Ant farmers boost plant nutrition

Research shows that ant farming has remodelled plant physiology, leading to the evolution of ultra-absorptive plant structures. These structures actively target ant-derived nutrients, providing a key asset for epiphytes living in soilless canopies.

SourceUniversity of Oxford·JournalNew Phytologist·DateJun 24, 2019

Islamic values play a significant role in the travel decisions of Muslim tourists

A new study by the University of Portsmouth reveals that Islamic values play a significant role in Muslim tourists' travel decisions. The research found that Muslim travelers prioritize halal facilities, prayer spaces, and adherence to Sharia law when choosing destinations, driving growth in the global halal tourism market.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalInternational Journal of Tourism Research·DateJun 24, 2019

Researchers identify genes linked to sex differentiation in giant Amazon fish

Brazilian and German scientists have discovered genes linked to sex differentiation in the giant Amazon fish, enabling early sexing and paving the way for genetic improvement. The research, supported by FAPESP, has significant implications for the Brazilian aquaculture industry and the conservation of this iconic species.

Broad Institute researchers use novel field-ready CRISPR platform to detect plant genes

Researchers have developed a novel CRISPR-based platform called SHERLOCK that enables the detection and quantification of plant genes. The platform is rapid, portable, and low-cost, with high multiplexing capability, making it an important tool for agriculture in detecting pathogens or pests and in plant breeding.