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Science News for September 18, 2019


Cross clade immune responses found in South Africa from the RV144/Thai HIV vaccine regimen

The study found significant cellular and antibody responses in South African participants, with higher CD4+ T cell response rates and stronger cross-clade antibody responses compared to Thai participants. The results suggest that the RV144/Thai vaccine regimen can induce a broader immune response across different HIV clades.

SourceHIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN)·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateSep 18, 2019

The life aquatic made clear with freshwater lens

Researchers at Swansea University have created a system that uses a freshwater lens to improve visibility in cloudy waters, allowing scientists to identify fish species with greater accuracy. This breakthrough technology has the potential to monitor wildlife communities around marine renewable developments globally.

SourceSwansea University·JournalLimnology and Oceanography·DateSep 18, 2019

Compound may play role in halting panceatic cancer

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have discovered that the compound 4-HAP can reduce metastatic tumor formation in mouse models of human pancreatic cancer. By stiffening cells and overwhelming their ability to invade nearby tissue, 4-HAP may help halt the progression of disease-like behavior in pancreatic cancer cells.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalCancer Research·DateSep 18, 2019

These pink sea urchins have teeth that sharpen themselves

Pink sea urchin teeth are specially equipped to sharpen themselves through a controlled chipping mechanism, maintaining their sharp edge. The unique structure of the teeth, consisting of ceramic composites and calcite fibers, allows for this self-sharpening process, which is also relevant for designing synthetic materials.

SourceCell Press·JournalMatter·DateSep 18, 2019

Scientists forecasted late May tornado outbreak nearly 4 weeks in advance

A team of scientists at Northern Illinois University successfully forecasted the nation's extensive tornado outbreak in late May 2019, three to four weeks before it occurred. The prediction used historical weather-pattern records and methodologies to predict severe weather across the continental United States with extended lead times.

SourceNorthern Illinois University·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·DateSep 18, 2019

Microbe from New Jersey wetlands chomps PFAS

A newly discovered bacterium, A6, can break down per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by transferring electrons from ammonium or hydrogen gas, rendering them harmless. The degradation process could potentially biodegrade PFAS in contaminated soil and groundwater under appropriate environmental conditions.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalEnvironmental Science & Technology·DateSep 18, 2019

The Lancet Planetary Health: Despite growing burden of diet-related disease, medical education does not equip students to provide high quality nutritional care to patients

A systematic review of 24 studies finds that medical education lacks nutrition knowledge and skills, leading to inadequate care for patients. Researchers call for improved nutrition education integration into the curriculum, benchmarking of nutrition knowledge, and increased funding for innovative initiatives.

SourceThe Lancet·JournalThe Lancet Planetary Health·DateSep 18, 2019

Shedding light on dark matter

A team of researchers, led by Hagit Shatkay, is developing computational methods to accelerate discovery in astroparticle physics, a crucial step towards understanding dark matter. By analyzing noisy sensor data from an underground experiment, the team aims to detect and identify dark-matter particles.

When is a child an adult?

Research finds that pediatricians in many countries do not meet the needs of adolescents, who face complex health burdens including chronic conditions and mental health disorders. The study suggests that investment in adolescent health training is necessary to improve care and address global health disparities.

SourceMurdoch Childrens Research Institute·JournalThe Lancet Child & Adolescent Health·DateSep 18, 2019

Modifying the structure to meet the demands

Recent developments in COFs' postsynthetic functionalization have introduced wide ranges of organic to inorganic functional constituents, enhancing stability and performance. The authors emphasize the importance of functionalization for creating COF-based smart materials, highlighting challenges in their future development.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·DateSep 18, 2019

Wilderness areas halve extinction risk

A University of Queensland and CSIRO study finds that wilderness areas reduce species extinction risk by half, highlighting the urgent need for protection. Vital 'at-risk' wilderness areas require immediate conservation efforts to prevent loss of biodiversity and ecosystem disruption.

SourceUniversity of Queensland·JournalNature·DateSep 18, 2019

Porcupinefish inspires sturdy superhydrophobic material

Scientists have created a durable and flexible super-water-repelling material by drawing inspiration from the spiky yet flexible skin of the porcupinefish. The material retains its water repellency after being repeatedly bent or twisted, making it suitable for applications such as self-cleaning, anti-icing, and corrosion prevention.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·DateSep 18, 2019

CU researchers: Fast MRIs offer alternative to CT scans for pediatric head injuries

Researchers at CU School of Medicine have developed a new imaging method called 'fast MRI' that can effectively identify traumatic brain injuries in children without exposing them to ionizing radiation or anesthesia. The study found that fast MRI was completed successfully in nearly all cases, with accuracy similar to CT scans.

Modeling a model nanoparticle

Researchers developed a universal computer model for metal nanoparticle adsorption, accounting for structural characteristics, metal composition, and adsorbates. The model enables predicting adsorption trends on novel nanoparticles, accelerating nanomaterials design.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalScience Advances·DateSep 18, 2019

New tool in fight against malaria

Researchers have designed a new class of modified pantothenamides that stop malaria parasites from replicating in humans and preventing transmission to mosquitoes. These compounds are effective against malaria parasites resistant to currently available drugs.

SourcePenn State·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateSep 18, 2019

Deep dive for dark matter may aid all of data science

Rice astroparticle physicist Christopher Tunnell leads a $1 million NSF-funded project to enhance data science techniques in physical sciences, aiming to push discovery past the tipping point. The study focuses on dark matter searches and employs probabilistic graphical models to improve measurements of particle interactions.

UVA engineering-led team unveils 'Tunabot,' first robotic fish to keep pace with a tuna

Researchers developed Tunabot to better understand fish propulsion, which could lead to faster, more efficient propulsion systems for underwater vehicles. The robot's design was informed by studies of yellowfin tuna and mackerel, and its performance data sets a high standard for the field of fish robotics.

Extreme flooding from storm surge and heavy precipitation projected to increase higher probability of compound flooding from precipitation and storm surge in Europe under anthropogenic climate change

Compound flooding events are projected to occur more than once every six years along the UK and Dutch coastlines. The probability of high sea levels and heavy precipitation occurring simultaneously will heavily increase in Northern Europe under a warmer future climate.

Immigrants who committed felonies less likely than nonimmigrants to commit another felony

A new study by Florida State University researchers found that immigrants are significantly less likely to reoffend after release from prison compared to nonimmigrants. The study analyzed data from over 192,000 individuals and found that 32% of nonimmigrants were reconvicted within three years, while only 19% of immigrants were.

SourceCrime and Justice Research Alliance·JournalJustice Quarterly·DateSep 18, 2019

The rise, fall and resurgence of gene therapy

After a tragic death in 1999, gene therapy faced a setback, but James Wilson's rediscovery of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) paved the way for its resurgence. Today, AAVs are used in nearly 100 drug development programs and have been approved by the FDA for treating a fatal neurological disease.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalChemical & Engineering News·DateSep 18, 2019

Randomized quality improvement projects help assess effectiveness of patient-focused programs

The study implemented randomized quality improvement projects across NYU Langone Health, finding that changing prompts for tobacco cessation counseling increased medication prescription rates. Post-discharge phone calls were largely ineffective in improving patient satisfaction or hospital readmissions.

SourceNYU Langone Health / NYU Grossman School of Medicine·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateSep 18, 2019

The future of 'extremely' energy-efficient circuits

A team of researchers has developed a framework to reduce energy consumption in data centers by up to several orders of magnitude compared to traditional technologies. The approach uses digital logic processes called AQFP and balances the estimation of power needed to process through the system with the energy that the system dissipates.

SourceYokohama National University·JournalScientific Reports·DateSep 18, 2019

Study points to new drug target in fight against cancer

A study has identified a potential new drug target in the fight against cancer by targeting a protein that blocks the primary gateways in mitochondria. The research found that mitoNEET can close voltage-dependent anion channels (VDACs), which normally allow metabolites and signaling molecules to pass through.

SourceRice University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 18, 2019

Winning-at-all-costs in the workplace: Short-term gains could spell long-term disaster

Researchers found that Machiavellian employees are more likely to prioritize personal goals over teamwork and civility. This environment can lead to disastrous consequences, as seen in Enron and subprime mortgage crises. Employees with bottom-line mentality tend to act in self-interest, even engaging in unethical behaviors.

SourceSan Diego State University·JournalHuman Resource Management Journal·DateSep 18, 2019