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Science News Archive November 2020 - Page 17


Page 17 of 43

Neurorehabilitation experts highlight breakthroughs in neurogenic pain management

The new issue of NeuroRehabilitation focuses on the challenges of classifying, assessing, and treating neurogenic pain disorders. Experts describe the latest advancements in neurogenic classification and pain management, including new treatment options for peripheral neuropathic pain, complex regional pain syndrome, and craniofacial ne...

SourceIOS Press·JournalNeuroRehabilitation An International Interdisciplinary Journal·DateNov 18, 2020

Antiviral defense from the gut

Researchers at Harvard Medical School have identified a group of gut microbes and a specific molecule that modulate immune responses to viral infections. The study found that these microbes, particularly Bacteroides fragilis, trigger the release of interferon-beta, which confers antiviral protection.

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalCell·DateNov 18, 2020

Antibiotic resistance surveillance tools in Puerto Rican watersheds after Hurricane Maria

Researchers developed an antibiotic resistance surveillance approach by applying DNA sequencing techniques to detect the spread of disease in watersheds impacted by large-scale storms. Baseline levels of antibiotic resistance genes in Puerto Rican watersheds prior to Hurricane Maria are unknown, but the study identified single gene tar...

SourceVirginia Tech·JournalJournal of Environmental Science and Technology·DateNov 18, 2020

Predicting urban water needs

A Stanford University study uses Zillow and census data to identify residential water use patterns and trends in different community groupings. The research found that income levels do not always correlate with water usage, and that changing community development can impact water consumption patterns.

SourceStanford University·JournalEnvironmental Research Letters·DateNov 18, 2020

Review examines sexual aggression in mammals

A recent review of published studies found that male behavior causing harm to females during mating is a common issue in several mammalian orders. The most common response from females was grouping around a dominant male, suggesting that sexual aggression may not be as widespread as previously thought.

SourceWiley·JournalMammal Review·DateNov 18, 2020

Drug discovery: First highly scalable method to monitor protein levels and localizations

Researchers at CeMM have developed a scalable method to study hundreds of proteins in parallel, enabling the observation of changes in protein levels and localization in real-time. This approach has potential applications in discovering new drug treatments and understanding proteome dynamics.

Like fire and ice: Why societies are increasingly fragmenting

A new theory suggests that societies can only be either cohesive or fragmented, with the number of social contacts being the tipping point. As people seek to minimize social stress, they increasingly avoid disagreements and form filter bubbles, leading to a breakdown in constructive communication and potentially threatening democracy.

SourceComplexity Science Hub·JournalJournal of The Royal Society Interface·DateNov 17, 2020

Oil droplet predators chase oil droplet prey

A team of researchers from Penn State describes a system where oil droplets exhibit 'non-reciprocal' interactions, chasing down other droplets that flee like prey. The system is controlled by chemical signaling and can be tuned to understand interactions in many-body systems.

SourcePenn State·JournalNature Chemistry·DateNov 17, 2020

Metal-organic frameworks become flexible

Researchers from TUM and RUB have developed flexible MOFs by adding carbon arms to the organic connecting pieces, allowing them to maintain their shape under pressure. The material's behavior is driven by configurational entropy, which enables it to transform between open-pored and closed-pore structures.

SourceTechnical University of Munich (TUM)·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateNov 17, 2020

Are e-cigarette users at greater risk of poor immune response to flu, COVID?

Researchers found that e-cigarette users exhibited significantly altered immune responses to a model of influenza virus infection, suggesting increased susceptibility to disease. The study also found that vaping changes the expression of genes and production of proteins in respiratory cells.

SourceUniversity of North Carolina Health Care·JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology·DateNov 17, 2020