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Science News Archive July 2020 - Page 7


Page 7 of 47

Supportive communities and progressive politics can reduce suicide risk among LGBTQ girls

New research from UBC shows that supportive communities and a progressive political climate can help mitigate the effects of stigma on mental health among LGBTQ youth. The study found that lesbian and bisexual girls in communities with more supportive events and services were less likely to experience suicidal thoughts or self-harm.

SourceUniversity of British Columbia·JournalPreventive Medicine·DateJul 28, 2020

Iron deficiency during infancy reduces vaccine efficacy

Clinical studies in Kenya suggest that iron deficiency during infancy may reduce the protection provided by vaccinations. In one study, researchers found that anaemic infants had more than twice the risk of lacking protective antibodies against diphtheria and other pathogens.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalFrontiers in Immunology·DateJul 28, 2020

Researchers identify evolutionary origins of SARS-CoV-2

A team of international scientists reconstructed the evolutionary history of SARS-CoV-2 and found that the lineage has been circulating in bats for decades. The study suggests that preventing future pandemics requires better sampling within wild bats and real-time human disease surveillance systems.

SourcePenn State·JournalNature Microbiology·DateJul 28, 2020

How Salt Lake's buildings affect its climate future

University of Utah researchers found that Salt Lake City's buildings will require less natural gas for heating and more electricity for cooling as temperatures rise. The study suggests that local building policy can impact energy use in the future, with multi-family apartment buildings expected to grow in number.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalWorld·DateJul 28, 2020

UMass Amherst biologists zero in on cells' environmental sensing mechanism

Researchers at UMass Amherst have identified a key protein component of the Hedgehog signaling pathway as an important player in phenotypic plasticity, allowing cells to sense and respond to environmental inputs. This finding provides insights into how genes and environment interact to shape anatomical traits.

SourceUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 28, 2020

New scenario for the India-Asia collision dynamics

The study reports a two-stage collision between India and Asia, with the Tethyan Himalaya terrane drifting northward and colliding with Asia at ~61 Ma. The findings match history of India-Asia convergence rates and provide constraints for climate models linking Himalayan orogenesis with global climate change.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·DateJul 28, 2020

Your brain on birth control

A study published in Hormones and Behavior found that oral contraceptive use affects brain structure and function, particularly in women who start taking them during puberty or adolescence. This can lead to altered stress response and changes in working memory processing.

SourceUniversity of Ottawa·JournalHormones and Behavior·DateJul 28, 2020

Prescribed CBD could help people quit cannabis

A randomized clinical trial found that prescribed doses of non-intoxicating CBD reduced cannabis use and increased abstinence days. Participants treated with 400mg or 800mg CBD showed lower levels of cannabis in their urine and more days abstinent compared to placebo.

SourceUniversity of Bath·JournalThe Lancet Psychiatry·DateJul 28, 2020

Text messaging: The next gen of therapy in mental health

A new study found that texting intervention as an add-on to mental health treatment programs improved symptoms and increased participant engagement. The research team developed a text-messaging-based psychotherapy tool that was clinically promising, safe, and feasible for people with serious mental illness.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalPsychiatric Services·DateJul 28, 2020

The amazing travels of small RNAs

A recent study published in Nature Plants reveals that short double-stranded small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are the primary messengers responsible for RNA interference in plants. These siRNAs can travel vast distances, enabling plants to modulate gene expression at a distance and adapt to their environment through phenotypic plasticity.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Plants·DateJul 28, 2020