Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News for October 28, 2019


New clues as to why mutations in the MYH9 gene cause broad spectrum of disorders in humans

Researchers used in vivo imaging to observe how cells move and generate forces in living tissues, revealing new clues on why MYH9 gene mutations lead to various diseases. The study demonstrates that altered myosin activity results in defects in epithelial morphogenesis due to slower cell movements.

SourceColumbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 28, 2019

The Lancet Psychiatry: Insufficient evidence that medicinal cannabinoids improve mental health

A meta-analysis of 83 studies found inadequate evidence for the effectiveness of medicinal cannabinoids in relieving depression, anxiety disorders, ADHD, Tourette syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder, or psychosis. Despite some low-quality evidence suggesting pharmaceutical THC may improve anxiety symptoms, the overall risks and ne...

SourceThe Lancet·JournalThe Lancet Psychiatry·DateOct 28, 2019

Lend me a flipper

Researchers at Kyoto University found that bottlenose dolphins can coordinate their behavior in a rope-pulling task, with initiators waiting for followers to reach the task and followers matching the initiator's swimming speed. This flexible coordination is likely rooted in their patterns of affiliative behavior.

SourceKyoto University·JournalPeerJ·DateOct 28, 2019

New venture team success requires collective ownership -- with boundaries, study says

A study by the University of Texas at Austin found that successful startups require leaders who both seek input and set boundaries with their team members. The researchers call this 'territorial-marking' behavior beneficial for startups. Leaders who establish limits signal their psychological investment, encouraging team members to inv...

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalJournal of information and organizational sciences·DateOct 28, 2019

McLean's Brain Bank receives new contract from NIH

The McLean Hospital Brain Bank has received a new contract from the NIH to fund 180 brains per year, allowing for enhanced procedures and deeper understanding of brain pathology in psychiatric disorders. The center is part of the NeuroBioBank national resource for investigators using postmortem brain tissue.

Salt helps proteins move on down the road

Rice University scientists have developed a strategy to make polymer membrane-based separation of proteins more efficient using salt. The researchers identified competing forces at the nylon surface that could be tuned by salt concentration, allowing for improved separation efficiencies.

SourceRice University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 28, 2019

Follow the dotted line

Researchers at Princeton University have developed a new method to precisely create droplets using a jet of liquid, offering greater flexibility and precision than standard techniques. This breakthrough enables the quick generation of drops with finely controlled sizes and locations within a 3D space.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 28, 2019

Financial incentives plus information decrease patient preference for diagnostic testing

A study published in Academic Emergency Medicine found that providing financial incentives to forego testing significantly decreases patient preference for testing, even when accounting for test benefit and risk. Financial incentives also decreased patient preference for low-value diagnostic testing, such as CT imaging of the head.

SourceSociety for Academic Emergency Medicine·JournalAcademic Emergency Medicine·DateOct 28, 2019

Attacking metastatic breast cancer with sound

Researchers at Tohoku University developed a sound-based treatment that delivers anticancer drugs to lymph nodes affected by breast cancer metastases. The technique involves injecting vesicles carrying drugs into the nodes, which rupture when exposed to high-power ultrasound, releasing the medication.

SourceTohoku University·JournalScientific Reports·DateOct 28, 2019

Topological nanoelectronics

Physicists at JMU have successfully constructed a Quantum Point Contact (QPC) in topological HgTe quantum wells, allowing them to investigate potential interactions between the edge states. This breakthrough could lead to fundamental discoveries in topological nanostructures and innovative applications for information technology.

SourceUniversity of Würzburg·JournalNature Physics·DateOct 28, 2019

Psychiatric diagnoses 'neither necessary nor sufficient' for access to NHS care in UK

A new UK study finds that psychiatric diagnoses are seldom used as entry criteria for NHS mental health services, instead relying on broad clusters of difficulties and the specialist skills of staff. This challenges the long-held assumption that diagnoses are essential for accessing care, opening the way for alternative and more scient...

SourceUniversity of Liverpool·JournalJournal of Mental Health·DateOct 28, 2019

Teaching cars to drive with foresight

Scientists at the University of Bonn develop an algorithm that completes and interprets LiDAR scans to enable self-driving cars to anticipate potential hazards. The system uses a dataset of superimposed point clouds to improve scene understanding, which can lead to significant improvements in autonomous driving safety.

Unearthing history

A team of researchers has identified a fingerprint of oxidizing fluids in ancient subducted oceanic crust found on the Greek island of Sifnos. The discovery, published in Nature Geoscience, reveals that garnet crystals can preserve zonation of iron isotopic composition from early formed core to later forming rims.

SourceBoston College·JournalNature Geoscience·DateOct 28, 2019

Tungsten suboxide improves the efficiency of platinum in hydrogen production

Researchers have developed a new strategy to enhance catalytic activity using tungsten suboxide as a single-atom catalyst, significantly improving hydrogen evolution reaction performance. The study found that the support effect of tungsten suboxide enhances platinum's mass activity for hydrogen evolution by up to 16.3 times.

SourceThe Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateOct 28, 2019

Mutated ferns shed light on ancient mass extinction

Researchers found that increased mercury levels in the environment contributed to the mass extinction of three out of four species on Earth 201 million years ago. The study suggests a cocktail effect of CO2, global warming, and toxic substances like mercury, challenging the traditional theory of greenhouse gas-induced climate change.

SourceAarhus University·JournalScience Advances·DateOct 28, 2019

Advanced cancer drug shrinks and intercalates DNA

Researchers discovered that Pixantrone interacts with cancer DNA by prising apart the double helix structure and compacting its backbone. This mechanism could lead to the development of more effective cancer drugs with reduced harm to healthy cells.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal E·DateOct 28, 2019

Signaling waves determine embryonic fates

Researchers at Rice University discovered dynamic molecular signaling waves that prompt cell differentiation and trigger the formation of germ layers in human embryos. The study counters previous theories by showing gradients do not exist in stem-cell colonies and the process is more dynamic than previously appreciated.

SourceRice University·JournalPLOS Biology·DateOct 28, 2019

Study: Underground fungal relationships key to thriving plants

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi play a crucial role in plant thriving by providing up to 80% of the nutrients and water plants need to grow. The study analyzed over 17,000 trait observations from nearly 3,000 woody plant species and found that these fu...

SourceUniversity of Tennessee at Knoxville·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 28, 2019

Extinction of cold-water corals on the Namibian shelf due to low oxygen contents

A new study published in the journal Geology reveals that cold-water corals on the Namibian shelf have been extinct for over 4,500 years due to low oxygen contents. The researchers attribute this extinction to a shift in the Benguela upwelling system and its associated intensification of the oxygen minimum zone.

Consumer markets, companies linked to habitat loss for rare species in Brazil's savannah

A new study links global consumer markets to habitat loss for rare species in the Cerrado savannah, finding that over half of the impact is attributed to food and products consumed outside Brazil. The study reveals specific links between consumer countries, traders, soy production, and habitat loss.

SourceStockholm Environment Institute·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 28, 2019

Using whole-genome sequencing for early identification and containment of AMR pathogens

A recent study uses whole-genome sequencing to understand the evolutionary history of an XDR-TB strain that emerged in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The research identifies key factors contributing to its spread, including HIV coinfection and human migration, highlighting the importance of early detection and containment strategies.

SourceColumbia University's Mailman School of Public Health·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 28, 2019

Transforming DNA repair errors into assets

A new bioinformatics tool, MHcut, reveals that microhomology-mediated end joining is more common in humans than previously thought. Using this tool and commercial genome-editing technology, researchers created precise gene mutations to model diseases, providing insights into rare and orphan diseases.

SourceKyoto University·JournalNature Communications·DateOct 28, 2019

Mathematics reveals new insights into Marangoni flows

Researchers found that impurities swept away in deeper water decrease in size with surface elasticity, while counterflows cancel out fluid movement. In shallow water, the boundary becomes blurred, revealing new processes in well-studied physics experiments.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal E·DateOct 28, 2019

An amazingly simple recipe for nanometer-sized corundum

Scientists developed a simple method for producing nanometer-sized corundum with high porosity at room temperature. The process involves milling a powder in a ball mill for a few hours, resulting in thermodynamically stable nanoparticles. This breakthrough reduces energy and costs associated with traditional production methods.

Science shows hype about your opponent actually messes with your game

A study from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business found that players perform worse against opponents with rising rankings due to 'status momentum', which affects their mental game. This theory counters the widely debated 'hot hand' concept, suggesting a player's positive momentum can heighten their own performance.

SourceDuke University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 28, 2019

Women surgical residents suffer more mistreatment, burnout, suicidal thoughts

A new study found that women surgical residents are more likely to experience mistreatment, including verbal abuse, sexual harassment, and pregnancy/childcare discrimination, leading to higher burnout rates. The study also revealed that 5.3% of women surgical residents had suicidal thoughts in the last year compared to 3.9% of men.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateOct 28, 2019

Study: In the long run, drugs and talk therapy hold same value for people with depression

A cost-effectiveness analysis suggests that individuals with new diagnoses of major depression should have access to both antidepressants and cognitive behavioral therapy, as the costs and benefits are equivalent after five years. This study provides insights into treatment decisions and could inform future care and insurance coverage.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·DateOct 28, 2019

Let there be...a new light

Researchers have synthesized a new type of chiral light that can tell right- and left-handed molecules apart. This innovative light interacts differently with each type of molecule, allowing for precise control over chemical reactions and potential applications in drug development.

SourceForschungsverbund Berlin·JournalNature Photonics·DateOct 28, 2019

Biomarker for schizophrenia can be detected in human hair

A study found that a subtype of schizophrenia is related to abnormal hydrogen sulfide levels in the brain, which can act as a biomarker. Higher than normal levels of the enzyme Mpst were detected in postmortem brains and hair follicles from people with schizophrenia.

SourceRIKEN·JournalEMBO Molecular Medicine·DateOct 28, 2019

Snail habitats and schistosomiasis transmission

Researchers used drone and satellite imagery to map snail habitats in the Lower Senegal River Basin, finding that non-emergent vegetation was a stronger predictor of human infection than host snail counts. Removing this vegetation may benefit snail control efforts, reducing schistosomiasis transmission risk near human water-contact sites.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 28, 2019

The homeland of modern humans

The study reveals that anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens sapiens) first appeared in a southern African homeland and thrived there for 70,000 years. The researchers used mitochondrial DNA to reconstruct the earliest human population history, suggesting that climate changes triggered early migrations.