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Science News for February 14, 2020


Double success for University drug resistance research

Researchers at Swansea University have published two international studies on antifungal drug resistance, which highlights the growing threat of this disease. The studies investigated different aspects of resistance and examined drug resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus, a fungus that causes life-threatening infections.

SourceSwansea University·JournalmBio·DateFeb 14, 2020

Algorithms 'consistently' more accurate than people in predicting recidivism, study says

A study by Stanford and UC Berkeley researchers found that algorithms are significantly more accurate than humans in predicting recidivism, approaching 90% accuracy. In contrast, human prediction rates were around 60%. The findings have important implications for criminal justice reform and the use of risk-assessment tools.

SourceUniversity of California - Berkeley·JournalScience Advances·DateFeb 14, 2020

Air pollution's tiny particles may trigger nonfatal heart attacks, Yale study finds

A new study found that exposure to ultrafine particles in air pollution may trigger a nonfatal heart attack within hours. The research, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, analyzed data from over 5,900 patients in Germany and found stronger effects on health with particle length and surface area concentrations.

SourceYale School of Public Health·JournalEnvironmental Health Perspectives·DateFeb 14, 2020

Subtle decline in cognition predicts progression to Alzheimer's pathology

Researchers found that subtle differences in cognitive performance can predict the progression of Alzheimer's disease, even before abnormal levels of beta-amyloid plaques accumulate. Low-cost, non-invasive cognitive testing can identify at-risk individuals, making them ideal candidates for therapeutic intervention and clinical trials.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalBiological Psychiatry·DateFeb 14, 2020

Underestimated chemical diversity

A new list of chemicals available worldwide contains 350,000 entries, three times greater than 20 years ago, highlighting a need for international collaboration to track global chemical diversity. The list reveals inadequate descriptions and confidential business information on 70,000 and 50,000 entries, respectively.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalEnvironmental Science & Technology·DateFeb 14, 2020

5,200-year-old grains in the eastern Altai Mountains redate trans-Eurasian crop exchange

New discoveries push back dates for early farming in the region by at least a millennium, providing evidence of adaptable ancient crop plants to new ecological constraints. The study also illustrates how humans cultivated crops at northern latitudes, challenging previous views on cultivation and labor practices in ancient Eurasia.

SourceMax Planck Institute of Geoanthropology·JournalNature Plants·DateFeb 14, 2020

Looking for aliens who might be looking for us

Astronomers led by Penn State graduate student Sofia Sheikh conducted a massive survey of radio emissions from 20 nearby stars, looking for technological signatures of extraterrestrial civilizations. Despite finding no technosignatures, the analysis sets rigorous limits on the presence of advanced civilizations in our galaxy.

Statewide prevalence of gun ownership tied to police use of lethal force

A new study by Carnegie Mellon University researcher Daniel S. Nagin found a strong positive correlation between statewide gun ownership and police use of lethal force, suggesting that more guns lead to more police shootings. The analysis also showed that access to trauma centers can lower rates of deaths in police encounters.

SourceCarnegie Mellon University·JournalThe Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science·DateFeb 14, 2020

Brief bursts, big insights

Researchers developed a new method to analyze short beta wave bursts in real-time, associated with rats' movements and behavior. The study shows that increasing the recurrence of these bursts can improve motion control and neuroprosthetics.

SourceUniversity of Freiburg·JournalCommunications Biology·DateFeb 14, 2020

Our memory prefers essence over form

A study by UNIGE and CY Cergy Paris University reveals that our memory organises experiences based on structural features, rather than superficial similarities. This finding has significant implications for education, highlighting the need to focus on conceptual aspects of situations to help pupils make use of relevant features.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalActa Physiologica·DateFeb 14, 2020

Iodide salts stabilize biocatalysts for fuel cells

Researchers have discovered that adding iodide salts to electrolytes can prevent hydrogen peroxide formation, leading to the stabilization of biocatalysts for fuel cells. This extends the life of catalysts, making them suitable for energy conversion processes such as solar fuel generation and electrosynthesis.

SourceRuhr-University Bochum·JournalNature Communications·DateFeb 14, 2020

Catalyst deposition on fragile chips

Researchers have developed a new method of depositing catalyst particles to tiny electrodes, providing a clean and easy-to-use approach for testing various catalyst materials. This innovative technique allows for the stable and reproducible application of different catalysts on liquid cell TEM chips.

SourceRuhr-University Bochum·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateFeb 14, 2020

Demonstration of world record transmission capacity over a 38-core 3-mode optical fiber

Researchers have successfully demonstrated a world record transmission capacity of 10.66 peta-bit per second over a 38-core 3-mode optical fiber, achieving a spectral efficiency of 1158.7 bits per second per Hz. This breakthrough enables a drastic increase in data-rate per fiber for intra- and inter data-center communication.

Electrons in rapid motion

Scientists successfully track oscillations with a period of about 150 attoseconds, revealing the temporal decay of quantum interference. This experiment paves the way for new applications in studying atomic and molecular processes triggered by high-energy radiation.

SourceUniversity of Freiburg·JournalNature Communications·DateFeb 14, 2020

Computer-generated genomes

The Christen Lab has successfully produced a fully artificial genome, the Caulobacter ethensis-2.0, with over 580 functional genes. This breakthrough demonstrates the promise of synthetic biology in producing designer genomes for industrial and health applications.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 14, 2020

Deconstructing Schrödinger's cat

Laloë's theory combines adding a random term to the Schrödinger equation with another concept from de Broglie and Bohm, relating quantum collapse to the universal gravitational field. This approach can be applied to both macroscopic objects like cats and atoms.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal D·DateFeb 14, 2020

Mapping the landscape of citizen science

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine explores the role of citizen science in supporting science learning and education. The study found that citizen science can facilitate large-scale research, provide opportunities for diverse perspectives, and enhance science education when designed with inc...

Scientists reveal catalytic mechanism of lovastatin hydrolase

The study reveals the structure-function relationship of the specific and efficient lovastatin hydrolase PcEST, which determines its efficient and specific lovastatin hydrolysis. A variant of PcEST improved solubility and thermostability, suggesting a promising application in industrial processes for green production of monacolin J.

SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·DateFeb 14, 2020

A prescription for the pain of rejection: Acetaminophen and forgiveness

Research suggests that taking acetaminophen with a tendency to forgive can reduce social pain by influencing pain signaling in the brain. Forgiveness also lessens feelings of stress and anger following experiences of social exclusion. The combination may provide an antidote to the emotional and physical pains of rejection.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalAnnals of Behavioral Medicine·DateFeb 14, 2020

New technology for pathogen detection driven by lasers

Researchers at Purdue University have developed a lanthanide-based assay coupled with a laser to detect toxins and pathogenic E. coli in various samples. The technology uses a high-powered laser pulse to obliterate a sample, collecting spectral signatures that are compared to a database for identification.

SourcePurdue University·JournalAnalytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry·DateFeb 14, 2020

WHO underestimates the spread of the coronavirus

Researchers at Umeå University reviewed 12 studies on coronavirus transmissibility, finding it to be significantly higher than WHO estimates. The reproduction number calculated from these studies ranges from 2.79 to 3.28, indicating a high risk of rapid spread.

SourceUmea University·JournalJournal of Travel Medicine·DateFeb 14, 2020