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Science News Archive December 2020 - Page 24


Page 24 of 39

Quality suffers for audit offices that emphasize non-audit services, study shows

A recent study from the University of Notre Dame found that audit offices that emphasize non-audit services tend to compromise on audit quality. The researchers examined financial statement restatement rates for clients of audit offices between 2005 and 2015, and discovered a significant reduction in audit quality when an office receiv...

SourceUniversity of Notre Dame·JournalJournal of Accounting and Economics·DateDec 10, 2020

The ethics of human challenge trials

Researchers and ethicists debate the risks and benefits of human challenge trials, which involve deliberately exposing healthy volunteers to coronavirus to test vaccine effectiveness. Despite potential risks, the expert argues that the massive benefits outweigh the concerns, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

SourceRutgers University·JournalThe Journal of Medicine and Philosophy A Forum for Bioethics and Philosophy of Medicine·DateDec 9, 2020

Variation by states in heart transplant outcomes

A study using data from the United Network for Organ Sharing database found variation in heart transplant outcomes across US states between 2011 and 2016. The results showed that some states experienced significant improvements in survival rates, while others continued to struggle with poorer outcomes.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Network Open·DateDec 9, 2020

An eventful year in pharma

The pharmaceutical industry made significant strides in 2020, developing tests, therapeutics, and vaccines to combat COVID-19. Companies like Eli Lilly and Regeneron led the way in making antibody therapies, while Moderna used messenger RNA to develop a potential vaccine with promising early trial data.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalChemical & Engineering News·DateDec 9, 2020

Hydrogels with fine-toothed molecular combs may make enduring glucose-monitoring implants

Researchers at Texas A&M University have designed a hydrogel membrane with fine-toothed molecular combs that can prevent leakage of small molecules while allowing glucose to freely diffuse in and out. The membrane, made from poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), could be used to form biosensors for monitoring sugar levels in diabetics.

SourceTexas A&M University·JournalACS Applied Polymer Materials·DateDec 9, 2020

Uniquely human gene may drive numerous cancers

Researchers discovered that a high proportion of advanced carcinomas carry a mutant form of the Siglec-XII protein, which is rarely expressed in normal humans. This finding may explain why humans are more prone to aggressive cancers compared to chimpanzees.

SourceWiley·JournalFASEB BioAdvances·DateDec 9, 2020

Nature s contributions to people found to be in decline

Declining biodiversity is putting nature's contributions to people at risk, impacting crop yields and soil productivity. The degradation of environmental conditions also increases exposure to floods and storms, affecting human well-being and prosperity.

SourceCNRS·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 9, 2020

Ancient alliance

Researchers discovered that stressed oak trees have more diverse fungal communities than healthy ones, with mutually beneficial relationships providing a buffer against climate change. This symbiotic relationship maintains ecosystem balance and could help conserve tree health in California woodlands.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalFEMS Microbiology Ecology·DateDec 9, 2020

Nebraska anglers are creatures of habit

A new study published in Ecological Applications reveals that Nebraska anglers tend to visit the same seven popular fishing spots consistently, drawn from the same ZIP codes throughout the year. This finding provides valuable insights for natural resource managers seeking to optimize lake management and sustainable fishing experiences.

SourceEcological Society of America·JournalEcological Applications·DateDec 9, 2020

Ultrafast dynamics of chiral spin structures observed after optical excitation

A joint research project has achieved a new milestone in ultra-fast control of magnetism by investigating femtosecond time-resolved x-ray scattering signals. The results indicate a faster recovery of chiral order compared to collinear magnetic order dynamics, suggesting that twists are more stable than straight magnetic configurations.

SourceJohannes Gutenberg Universitaet Mainz·JournalNature Communications·DateDec 9, 2020