Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News Archive August 2020 - Page 12


Page 12 of 45

Early adversity and mental health

A longitudinal study of 167 children found that early adversity increases the risk of depression by flattening testosterone slopes, leading to reduced hippocampal growth and increased emotion dysregulation. The findings suggest a need for interventions targeting mental health problems resulting from early poverty.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 24, 2020

Spurring our understanding

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have identified a gene critical to the development of columbines' iconic spurs, which has led to rapid expansion in the genus. The discovery provides new insights into how key innovations evolve and could shed light on the genetic changes underlying this trait.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 24, 2020

Veterans undergoing elective PCI at community hospitals may have increased chance of death compared to those treated at VA hospitals

According to an analysis of nearly 9,000 veterans, treatment in community facilities for elective PCI is associated with worse outcomes, including a 33% increased hazard of death within the first year after intervention. This trend may be linked to varying levels of expertise among community facilities.

SourceAmerican College of Cardiology·JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology·DateAug 24, 2020

Growth of children living at higher altitudes

Children growing at higher altitudes showed variations in growth rates, with some experiencing slower growth and others faster growth compared to those living at lower elevations. The study's findings suggest that altitude may play a role in shaping children's growth patterns.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Pediatrics·DateAug 24, 2020

Japanese expedition identifies East Antarctic melting hotspot

A Japanese expedition has identified a surprising melting hotspot in East Antarctica, with ice beneath Shirase Glacier Tongue melting at an alarming rate of 7-16 meters per year. This finding could significantly impact predictions of sea level rise and climate change, as the Antarctic ice sheet is Earth's largest freshwater reservoir.

SourceHokkaido University·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 24, 2020

Pigs grow new liver in lymph nodes, study shows

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have discovered that pigs can grow a new liver in their lymph nodes, which could potentially treat various liver diseases. The study found that large animals with damaged livers can regenerate hepatocytes, forming an ectopic liver that takes over liver functions.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalLiver Transplantation·DateAug 24, 2020

Excessive fructose consumption may cause a leaky gut, leading to fatty liver disease

A new study published in Nature Metabolism suggests that excessive fructose consumption can lead to a leaky gut and subsequently cause fatty liver disease. The researchers found that the high fructose corn syrup disrupts the epithelial barrier protecting internal organs from bacterial toxins, leading to chronic inflammatory conditions.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalNature Metabolism·DateAug 24, 2020

Lensless light-field imaging through diffuser encoding

A novel modality for computational light-field imaging using a diffuser as an encoder has been developed, enabling lensless imaging with adjustable spatio-angular resolutions. This approach avoids the resolution limitation of traditional sensors, allowing for viewpoint shifting, post-capture refocusing and depth sensing capabilities.

Are antivitamins the new antibiotics?

Researchers from the University of Göttingen have developed a promising new approach involving antivitamins to combat bacterial infections. The study found that antivitamins can inhibit bacterial proteins, preventing their function and leading to potential antibiotic effects.

SourceUniversity of Göttingen·JournalNature Chemical Biology·DateAug 24, 2020

Autistic people's nerve cells differ before birth

Researchers found autistic nerve cells differ in structure and gene expression from typical individuals as early as 9 days into development. The study used induced pluripotent stem cells to model brain development and provides new insights into the origins of autism.

SourceElsevier·JournalBiological Psychiatry·DateAug 24, 2020

Advanced biofuels show real promise for replacing some fossil fuels

A new study by Colorado State University predicts significant climate benefits from advanced biofuel technologies, accounting for carbon flows and comparing them to grasslands and forests. The team found clear strategies for biofuels to have a net carbon benefit, particularly in regions where planting trees is not an option.

SourceColorado State University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 24, 2020

A leap forward for biomaterials design using AI

A team of researchers at Tokyo Tech successfully used machine learning with an artificial neural network model to predict two key properties of self-assembled monolayers, enabling advanced material screening and design. This approach opens up new possibilities for the development of biomaterials with desired functions.

SourceTokyo Institute of Technology·JournalACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering·DateAug 24, 2020

Citizens' adherence to COVID-19 social distancing measures depends on government response

A new study found that citizens' adherence to COVID-19 social distancing measures depends on government response and citizen perception of trust. The researchers suggest policymakers explore ways to improve adherence, including providing more precise instructions and using social media channels to communicate with citizens.

SourceUniversity of Colorado Denver·JournalJournal of Medical Internet Research·DateAug 24, 2020

Energy-efficient design for mmWave-enabled NOMA-UAV networks

Researchers designed an energy-efficient transmission scheme for mmWave-enabled NOMA-UAV networks by optimizing UAV placement, hybrid precoding and power allocation. The proposed design achieved better performance in user fairness, spectrum efficiency and energy efficiency compared to other schemes without UAV placement optimization.

SourceScience China Press·JournalScience China Information Sciences·DateAug 24, 2020

Hitting the nail on the head: overcoming therapeutic resistance in lung cancer

A team of researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina has identified a critical player in resistance to targeted therapy in lung cancer. The protein NRP2b was found to drive resistance in non-small cell lung cancer cells that had become resistant to therapy, and inhibiting it caused the death of these cells.

SourceMedical University of South Carolina·JournalJournal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery·DateAug 24, 2020

Why COVID-19 infection curves behave so unexpectedly

COVID-19 infection curves showed expected exponential growth, but instead of flattening, they remained constant with a similar number of new infections every day. The complexity scientists proposed a network effect where the virus spread from cluster to cluster, leading to linear growth and low infection prevalence.

SourceComplexity Science Hub·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 24, 2020

ESMO issues first recommendations on using next-generation sequencing for advanced cancers

The European Society for Medical Oncology has issued its first recommendations on the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) for patients with metastatic cancers. The guidelines recommend routine NGS use for four specific cancer types, while also allowing patients to order larger gene panels if feasible and cost-effective. The recomme...

SourceEuropean Society for Medical Oncology·JournalAnnals of Oncology·DateAug 24, 2020

Study identifies first step to beating water scarcity

A new US study reveals that improving water productivity in certain regions and industries can help conserve water. By setting realistic benchmarks, the research found that areas with high water stress have the most potential for water savings, with around half of those gains coming from agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalEnvironmental Research Letters·DateAug 24, 2020

The interplay of nonlinearity and topology--nontrivial eigenmodes coupling induced by nonlinearity

A team of scientists experimentally demonstrated nonlinearity-induced coupling of light into topological edge states using a photonic platform. They developed a general theoretical framework to explain the nonlinear process, revealing that nonlinearity enables energy flow from bulk modes into topological edge modes in linear systems.