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Science News for September 27, 2019


Light in a new light

A team of LSU researchers has successfully demonstrated a method to generate groups of photons with manipulable quantum properties, known as multiphoton states. By subtracting out some photons, they can reshape the form of the wavepacket and artificially increase the number of photons in it.

SourceLouisiana State University·Journalnpj Quantum Information·DateSep 27, 2019

Extra amino acid could work wonders

Rice University chemist Han Xiao is developing a custom-designed 21st amino acid to make life-saving substances and produce novel proteins for therapies. The goal is to create 'unnatural organisms' that can produce multiple designer amino acids, leading to breakthroughs in immunotherapy and cancer treatment.

Study helps surgeons determine optimal approach for broken hips

A new study found that partial replacement, or hemiarthroplasty, is a viable alternative to total hip arthroplasty for treating displaced femoral neck fractures in patients over age 50. The study reported similar rates of outcome measures between the two techniques, with no significant difference in the incidence of secondary procedures.

SourceLouisiana State University Health Sciences Center·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateSep 27, 2019

CCNY physicists score double hit in LED research

Researchers at City College of New York have successfully demonstrated a light-emitting diode (LED) operating at room temperature, utilizing half-light half-matter quasiparticles in atomically thin semiconductors. This breakthrough has significant implications for LiFi technology, which offers faster data transmission speeds than Wi-Fi.

SourceCity College of New York·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateSep 27, 2019

First large-scale study of universal screening for autism raises questions about accuracy

Researchers found the widely used M-CHAT/F screening tool is less accurate in real-world settings than shown in previous studies. The study also revealed disparities in detecting early autism symptoms in minority, urban, and low-income children. Despite these findings, experts recommend continuing universal screening for all toddlers.

Your energy-efficient washing machine could be harboring pathogens

A study has identified a washing machine as a reservoir of multidrug-resistant pathogens, specifically Klebsiella oxytoca. The bacteria were transmitted to newborns in a neonatal intensive care unit through contaminated clothing washed at low temperatures. Researchers highlight the need for higher temperatures or disinfectants to preve...

SourceAmerican Society for Microbiology·JournalApplied and Environmental Microbiology·DateSep 27, 2019

Study shows nearly half of cancer patients who enter a comprehensive tobacco treatment program quit smoking

A comprehensive tobacco treatment program at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center resulted in an average of 45% smoking abstinence rates among participating cancer patients. This rate surpasses that of previous minimal interventions like quitlines, which averaged less than 20% abstinence rates.

Ultrasound yields similar cancer detection rates after digital mammography, tomosynthesis

A study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology found that ultrasound screening after digital mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis yielded no significant difference in additional cancer detection rate. The findings suggest that DBT does not obviate additional US screening for women with dense breast tissue.

SourceAmerican Roentgen Ray Society·JournalAmerican Journal of Roentgenology·DateSep 27, 2019