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Science News for October 24, 2019


A tale of two cities: Impact of reducing teens' access to flavored tobacco products

A new study found that enforcing restrictions on flavored tobacco products led to decreased teen use of both flavored and non-flavored tobacco. In contrast, a nearby community without such restrictions saw an increase in tobacco use among youth. The study suggests that flavor restriction policies can curb youth tobacco use in as little...

SourceElsevier·JournalAmerican Journal of Preventive Medicine·DateOct 24, 2019

Babies understand counting years earlier than believed

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University discovered that babies can recognize counting as a way to describe quantity, even before they can verbally express the numbers. The study found that when toys were counted aloud, babies showed an understanding of the approximate number and expected more than one toy to be pulled from the box.

SourceJohns Hopkins University·JournalDevelopmental Science·DateOct 24, 2019

Scientist confirm a new 'magic number' for neutrons

Researchers at RIKEN have confirmed that atomic nuclei with 34 neutrons are more stable than expected, exhibiting strong shell closure. This finding demonstrates that 34 is a 'magic number', a set of numbers where the shells are completely filled and the nucleus exhibits unique properties.

SourceRIKEN·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateOct 24, 2019

Lassa fever: Vaccine set to be trialed

A vaccine for Lassa fever, a hemorrhagic disease causing up to 6,000 deaths annually, is set to enter human clinical trials. The measles platform-based vaccine demonstrated the best protection against the virus in preclinical tests.

SourceInstitut Pasteur·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateOct 24, 2019

New survey shows link between comprehensive antibiotic stewardship programs and infection preventionist certification

A nationally representative survey found that nursing homes with certified infection preventionists were nearly five times more likely to have comprehensive antibiotic stewardship programs. The study highlights the importance of well-trained IPs in reducing the risk of infections and improving patient safety.

SourceElsevier·JournalAmerican Journal of Infection Control·DateOct 24, 2019

Poverty may be more critical to cognitive function than trauma in adolescent refugees

A new study found that poverty worsened the working memory of refugee youth, while exposure to war-related trauma did not have lasting impacts on executive function. The researchers suggest that addressing ongoing poverty is crucial for improving learning outcomes and educational achievement in adolescents affected by war.

SourceSociety for Research in Child Development·JournalChild Development·DateOct 24, 2019

Political affiliation may help drive and shape a person's morals

A new study found that people's moral foundations are better predicted by their political attitudes than vice versa. The researchers tracked participants' moral values and political leanings over time, revealing that those with stable political beliefs were more likely to have consistent moral foundations.

SourcePenn State·JournalAmerican Journal of Political Science·DateOct 24, 2019

Women CEOs judged more harshly than men for corporate ethical failures

A study published by the American Psychological Association found that consumers are less likely to support organizations led by women after an ethical failure, but more willing to forgive them for competence failures. The research highlights the impact of gender stereotypes on consumer perceptions of female-led companies.

SourceAmerican Psychological Association·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·DateOct 24, 2019

Where the sun doesn't shine? Skin UV exposure reflected in poop

A new study found that skin UVB exposure increases gut microbial diversity and favors the growth of Lachnospiraceae bacteria, which are linked to vitamin D status. The results suggest a potential link between UVB light exposure and the protective effect against inflammatory diseases like MS and IBD.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Microbiology·DateOct 24, 2019

What's driving tropical deforestation? Scientists map 45 years of satellite images

Researchers use new mapping method to identify most vulnerable tropical forest areas, combining 45 years of satellite images with current land use data. The analysis reveals the impact of human activity, such as agriculture and infrastructure development, on deforestation and forest degradation.

SourceThe Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture·JournalInternational Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation·DateOct 24, 2019

Bright SPARC

A prototype of a cloud-based informatics and resource-discovery tool will be built to help CTSA hubs measure their impact and compare efforts. The e-SPARC tool aims to provide a one-stop shop for investigators planning trials, while also supporting NCATS monitoring and improvements.

New Colorado fossil record documents life's rebound after Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction

A new study in Science documents life's rebound after the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event through a collection of fossils found in central Colorado. The findings provide a detailed snapshot of the first million years of taxonomic and ecological recovery, revealing a dynamic interplay between plants, animals, and climate.

US corn yields get boost from a global warming 'hole'

A Dartmouth study found that a global cooling phenomenon, known as the US 'warming hole', has increased corn yields in the Corn Belt region by 5-10% per year. The cooler temperatures and increased rainfall allowed corn to mature slower, reducing heat stress and increasing grain accumulation.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalEnvironmental Research Letters·DateOct 24, 2019

For better research results, let mice be mice

A new study from the University at Buffalo found that how mice are raised affects their acoustic behavior, which can inform research on human communication disorders. Socially isolated mice required more time to learn to discriminate between ultrasonic vocalizations than socially housed mice.

SourceUniversity at Buffalo·JournaleNeuro·DateOct 24, 2019

Through the FUBImethod, children engage in designing full-body interactive experiences

Researchers propose FUBImethod, a six-stage strategy for co-designing interactive experiences based on full-body interaction. Children's natural playfulness and expertise in movement are leveraged to strengthen their perspective in the creative process, leading to more effective design outcomes.

SourceUniversitat Pompeu Fabra - Barcelona·JournalInternational Journal of Human-Computer Studies·DateOct 24, 2019

Food markets near Ethiopia's poor provide fewer choices at high price, impacting child health

A new study from IFPRI found that rural poor in Ethiopia tend to live near lower-quality markets with fewer food groups sold at high prices. This limits children's access to non-staple foods, leading to poor diets. The study highlights the importance of improving access to high-quality markets for better child nutrition.

SourceInternational Food Policy Research Institute·JournalAmerican Journal of Agricultural Economics·DateOct 24, 2019

Artificial pancreas system better controls blood glucose levels than current technology

A multicenter randomized clinical trial found that the new artificial pancreas system improved participants' blood glucose control throughout the day and overnight, outperforming existing treatments. The system significantly increased time with target blood glucose levels and showed improvements in other diabetes control measurements.

SourceUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateOct 24, 2019

Rare diseases: Over 300 million patients affected worldwide

A recent study by Inserm US14 found that more than 300 million people worldwide are currently living with a rare disease, which represents around 4% of the world's population. The study analyzed data from the Orphanet database and estimated that this number could be higher due to many cases being unrecorded in healthcare systems.

SourceINSERM (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale)·JournalEuropean Journal of Human Genetics·DateOct 24, 2019