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Science News Archive September 2020 - Page 28


Page 28 of 49

PTSD may double risk of dementia

A new meta-analysis of global evidence found that people with PTSD are up to twice as likely to develop dementia later in life. The study analyzed data from over 1.6 million people and found a significant association between PTSD and increased dementia risk, which may be related to hypervigilance and social withdrawal.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalThe British Journal of Psychiatry·DateSep 15, 2020

Chimpanzees show greater behavioural and cultural diversity in more variable environments

Chimpanzees exhibit diverse behaviours across various contexts, including tool use, foraging on insects and honey, and thermoregulatory habits. Environmental variability is positively associated with behavioural and cultural diversity, suggesting that species adapt to uncertainty through mechanisms like innovation and cognitive capacity.

SourceMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology·JournalNature Communications·DateSep 15, 2020

Study suggests financial holdings influenced key votes for house lawmakers

A recent study found strong associations between financial holdings of legislators and their votes on key financial legislation, suggesting that many lawmakers voted in ways that benefited their personal finances. Researchers analyzed data from five key pieces of economic legislation between 1999 and 2008, finding that legislators larg...

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalLegislative Studies Quarterly·DateSep 15, 2020

Personal protective respirator masks (PPE) often do not fit correctly, especially for women and Asian healthcare workers

A review of personal protective respirator mask use reveals that initial fit-pass rates are lower among females and Asians compared to males and Caucasians. Correct respirator fit appears more important than filtration capacity for airborne protection. Fit-testing is recommended, with annual testing suggested due to its cost-effectiven...

SourceAAGBI·JournalAnaesthesia·DateSep 15, 2020

Single photons from a silicon chip

Researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf have designed a silicon-based light source to generate single photons, a crucial component for quantum cryptography and communication. The prototype can produce 100,000 single photons per second and is stable even after several days of continuous operation.

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf·JournalOptics Express·DateSep 15, 2020

Aiming for accuracy

Researchers say AI and machine learning can help improve the peer review process by detecting discrepancies in research papers. With many COVID-19 studies published without thorough review, AI-powered tools may be able to analyze large amounts of data and identify patterns that human reviewers might miss.

SourceUniversity of New Mexico Health Sciences Center·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateSep 15, 2020

Michael Mann receives World Sustainability Award

Michael E. Mann, a leading climate researcher, has received the 2020 World Sustainability Award for his groundbreaking work on climate change and sustainability. He is recognized for his contributions to understanding human impact on climate change and advancing climate modeling and statistical methods.

Exercise protocol mitigates one of the most incapacitating symptoms of Parkinson's disease

Researchers developed a complex physical exercise protocol to stimulate different motor and cognitive skills simultaneously, restoring brain regions associated with freezing of gait in advanced-stage Parkinson's disease patients. The protocol reduced symptoms by 60% and improved brain plasticity, providing new hope for treatment.

Human white blood cells use molecular paddles to swim

Researchers have discovered that human white blood cells use a new mechanism called molecular paddling to swim and migrate through fluids without changing shape. This discovery sheds light on the mechanisms of cell migration, which could impact our understanding of immune responses and cancer research.

SourceCell Press·JournalBiophysical Journal·DateSep 15, 2020

Loneliness predicts development of type 2 diabetes

A study published in Diabetologia found that loneliness predicts the development of type 2 diabetes, even after accounting for other factors. The researchers analyzed data from over 4,100 adults and discovered that individuals experiencing chronic loneliness were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes over a period of 12 years.

SourceKing's College London·JournalDiabetologia·DateSep 15, 2020

OBS deep seismic survey uncovered crustal structure mystery of NW sub-basin of the SCS

A recent study used OBS data to clarify the formation mechanism of the Double-peak seamount in the Northwest Sub-basin (NWSB) of the South China Sea (SCS). The survey revealed a high velocity layer at the bottom of the crust, indicating possible in-situ mantle serpentinization or lower crust magma underplating. The study enriches the d...

SourceScience China Press·JournalScience China Earth Sciences·DateSep 15, 2020