Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News Archive August 2021 - Page 33


Page 33 of 38

To advance human rights, consult neuroscience

Researchers at Brown University introduce 'dignity neuroscience,' arguing that universal rights are rooted in human brain science. The concept posits five core elements - agency, autonomy, and self-determination; freedom from want and fear; uniqueness; and unconditionality - which reflect fundamental features of the human brain.

SourceBrown University·JournalAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciences·TypeLiterature review·DateAug 5, 2021

COVID-19 boost for baby sleep

A new study published in Sleep Medicine has found that the COVID-19 pandemic brought about increased infant sleep duration and decreased daytime drowsiness in parents. However, it also introduced more screen time for babies and mild increases in depressive symptoms among parents.

SourceFlinders University·JournalSleep Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateAug 5, 2021

Antibody findings spark ideas for pan-coronavirus vaccine

Scientists identified five human monoclonal antibodies that can neutralize multiple beta-coronaviruses by targeting a conserved structure in the spike protein. These antibodies showed promise in reducing viral load and enhancing immune responses in hamsters, providing potential inspiration for broadly protective vaccines.

SourceUniversity of Washington School of Medicine/UW Medicine·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 5, 2021

Study finds improvement for those receiving medication for opioid use disorder with contingency management used

Contingency management has been shown to be efficacious in addressing key clinical problems among patients receiving medication for opioid use disorder. The study found that CM improved outcomes on psychomotor stimulant use, polysubstance use, illicit-opioid use, cigarette smoking, therapy attendance, and medication adherence.

SourceLarner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont·JournalJAMA Psychiatry·TypeLiterature review·DateAug 4, 2021

Up in smoke

Researchers developed a method combining meteorological models with NASA satellite data to estimate smoke height and predict its downward spread. This can help forecasters issue accurate warnings for nearby residents, protecting those with lung and heart conditions.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalJournal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres·DateAug 4, 2021

Study links high lipid levels in early pregnancy with congenital heart disease in children

A study published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica found that pregnant women with elevated blood lipids, particularly triglycerides and Apolipoprotein-B, were more than twice as likely to deliver children with congenital heart disease. The research highlights the importance of maintaining good health during pregnancy an...

SourceWiley·JournalActa Obstetricia Et Gynecologica Scandinavica·DateAug 4, 2021

Enzyme from Amazon fungus could enhance efficiency of second-generation ethanol production

Researchers discovered an enzyme from Amazon fungus Trichoderma harzianum capable of breaking down diverse plant biomass sugars, enhancing the efficiency of second-generation ethanol production. The enzyme's industrial use is now viable at low cost due to genetic engineering techniques.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalScientific Reports·TypeNews article·DateAug 4, 2021

A new way to treat PTSD?

Researchers discovered a new way to treat PTSD by targeting epigenetic modifications. Combining two natural products, SAMe and vitamin A, reversed PTSD-like behaviors in animals. This approach offers hope for a non-toxic treatment that addresses the underlying genetic cause of the disease.

SourceBar-Ilan University·JournalMolecular Psychiatry·DateAug 4, 2021

Researchers discover new strategy for developing human-integrated electronics

Scientists at the University of Chicago have developed a new approach called click-to-polymer (CLIP) to attach functional units to polymer semiconductors, overcoming limitations in their functionality. The CLIP method enables the creation of multifunctional conjugated polymers for human-integrated electronics, including disease detecto...

SourceUniversity of Chicago·JournalMatter·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 4, 2021

When vibrations increase on cooling: Anti-freezing observed

Researchers have observed a unique phenomenon where vibrations in a nickel oxide material increase with cooling, leading to the formation of faster fluctuations and ordered regions. This behavior is unusual and differs from the expected trend, which is that less thermal energy leads to more fluctuations freezing and order growing.

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateAug 4, 2021

Do cancer survivors experience accelerated aging?

A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that cancer survivors, especially older individuals, are more likely to experience accelerated functional decline. Cancer survivors had lower physical performance scores, steeper declines in grip strength and gait speed compared to non-cancer survivors.

SourceWiley·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateAug 4, 2021

Debt crises: Politics determine how developing countries borrow

A new study by researchers at Princeton University found that developing countries tend to borrow in domestic currencies when issuing sovereign bonds, allowing them to act on their domestic policy preferences. This choice affects the types of pressures creditors put on governments and the ease or difficulty in paying off debts.

SourcePrinceton School of Public and International Affairs·JournalInternational Organization·DateAug 4, 2021

Pandemic job search anxiety is common; how you channel it may make the difference

Researchers found that job seekers who channel their anxiety through problem-solving pondering are more likely to exert effort in productive ways, such as focusing on reevaluating and improving their job search behaviors. In contrast, those who engage in affect-focused rumination, feeling afraid or upset about their job search, are les...

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalJournal of Applied Psychology·TypeSurvey·DateAug 4, 2021

New study exposes big differences amongst Amazonian countries in their rates of forest recovery as well as deforestation

A new study reveals significant differences in forest recovery rates across Amazonian countries, with some experiencing little to no recovery even 20 years after deforestation. The research highlights the need for targeted interventions to protect and restore remaining forests.

SourceBangor University·JournalEnvironmental Research Letters·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 4, 2021

Observatories assemble: NASA's Juno spacecraft joins w. M. Keck observatory and Japan's Hisaki satellite to solve “energy crisis” on Jupiter

A team of scientists assembled observations from NASA's Juno spacecraft, W.M. Keck Observatory, and Japan's Hisaki satellite to discover the source of Jupiter's thermal boost. They found that Jupiter's intense aurora is responsible for heating the entire planet's upper atmosphere, contrary to previous models.

SourceW. M. Keck Observatory·JournalNature·DateAug 4, 2021

Study reveals how smell receptors work

Olfactory receptors respond to a variety of odors by binding to large numbers of different molecules, rather than specific chemical features. The team discovered that the amino acids lining the pocket don't form strong chemical bonds with odorants, but instead recognize their general chemical nature.

SourceRockefeller University·JournalNature·DateAug 4, 2021

Visualizing stress in plastics

A research team led by Prof. Dr. Michael Sommer has developed a new dye molecule that can visualize stress in plastics by changing color, allowing for the differentiation between stresses of different magnitude. This technology has great advantages for monitoring material integrity and could lead to improved mechanical properties.

SourceChemnitz University of Technology·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 4, 2021

Scientists show a single catalyst can perform the first step of turning CO2 into fuel in two very different ways

Researchers at Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have created a new catalyst that accelerates the first step in turning carbon dioxide into fuel in two different ways: with heat and electricity. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient and sustainable production of chemicals and fuels by reducing greenh...

SourceDOE/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory·JournalAngewandte Chemie·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 4, 2021