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Science News Archive December 2021 - Page 24


Page 24 of 33

Streetwise bees cut corners to find food

New research shows that bumblebees waste no time enjoying flowers but instead learn the bare minimum about where to land and find food. Bees extract just the necessary information from artificial flowers, suggesting a simple, low-effort form of learning is sufficient in some situations.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalFrontiers in Physiology·DateDec 8, 2021

Study finds that bio-based cellulose acetate plastic widely used in consumer goods disintegrates in the ocean much faster than assumed

A new study finds that bio-based cellulose acetate plastic widely used in consumer goods disintegrates and degrades in the ocean on timescales of months, contrary to previous assumptions of decades. The rapid degradation is attributed to marine microbes, which can break down CDA-based materials using esterase and cellulose enzymes.

SourceWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution·JournalEnvironmental Science & Technology Letters·TypeObservational study·DateDec 8, 2021

How the body uses fat to fight infection

Researchers discovered that blood stem cells use high-energy fatty acids from the body's fat stores to power up their response to infection. This finding could lead to new approaches in treating bacterial infections, particularly in vulnerable and older individuals.

SourceUniversity of East Anglia·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 8, 2021

World’s largest pterosaur leaped aloft to fly

New research on the world's largest pterosaur, Quetzalcoatlus, reveals that it likely leaped into the air before lifting off, using its wings to generate lift. The study, published by the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, is the most comprehensive on the species yet and provides new insights into its flight mechanics.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalJournal of Vertebrate Paleontology·DateDec 8, 2021

Orangutan mothers help offspring to learn

A new study reveals that orangutan mothers are proactively involved in teaching their young, tailoring behavior to match age and abilities. They adjust tolerance levels during feeding interactions, facilitating learning opportunities and enabling immatures to acquire complex foraging skills.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalScientific Reports·DateDec 8, 2021

Bird singing contests: A clash of culture and conservation

Researchers found bird-singing contests taking place in at least 22 countries using 36 species of birds, with pressure on wild populations like the White-rumped Shama and Orange-headed Thrush. The practice also drives demand for songbirds in Southeast Asia, a region where more species are threatened by trade

SourceCornell University·JournalGlobal Ecology and Conservation·TypeLiterature review·DateDec 8, 2021

Afghan refugees face discrimination, employment and social challenges in Australia

New Edith Cowan University research reveals Afghan refugees value Australia's security, but face barriers to employment, discrimination, and socio-religious challenges. Many struggle with job recognition, workplace discrimination, and cultural identity issues, affecting their integration into Australian society.

SourceEdith Cowan University·JournalInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·TypeSurvey·DateDec 8, 2021

New study finds COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated anxiety and depression in racial and ethnic minority children

A new study has revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on urban, racial, and ethnic minority children aged five to 11 years old. The research found increased rates of depression and anxiety problems among these children compared to before the pandemic, with rates rising from 5 percent to 18 percent.

SourceBoston Medical Center·JournalChild and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health·DateDec 8, 2021

Year in pharma: COVID-19 and beyond

The COVID-19 pandemic drove significant advancements in pharmaceutical technology, with mRNA-based vaccines proving highly effective. Oral antiviral pills, such as Merck's molnupiravir and Pfizer's PF-0732133, showed promise in reducing hospitalization and death rates among unvaccinated individuals.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalChemical & Engineering News·DateDec 8, 2021

Sleep, a creativity booster?

Researchers found a specific phase of sleep after falling asleep that triples the chances of finding creative solutions, making it a potential tool for stimulating creativity in everyday life. This discovery opens a new field of study on brain mechanisms of creativity and challenges the common view of sleep as a waste of time.

SourceInstitut du Cerveau (Paris Brain Institute)·JournalScience Advances·DateDec 8, 2021

2021 Susan G. Komen Brinker Award recipient presents pioneering new study results on predicting treatment response for breast cancer patients

A groundbreaking study led by Dr. Carlos Caldas has identified a way to predict treatment response in breast cancer patients before treatment begins. The research, published in Nature, uses machine learning algorithms to analyze tumor tissue and DNA/RNA profiles, providing a robust test for predicting therapy response.

SourceSusan G. Komen·JournalNature·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 8, 2021

Modeling emissions pathways for India’s climate amid COVID-19 recovery

A new study models India's climate change impact from varying emissions strategies during the COVID-19 recovery. The research finds that greener scenarios may drive a positive feedback loop, while extreme temperature and precipitation events are expected to increase in magnitude and frequency regardless of the emissions commitments.

Long-term exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of pesticides has deleterious effects on shellfish

A new study found that chronic pesticide exposure has detrimental effects on soft-shell clam growth, condition, and feeding rates. The researchers monitored clams in laboratory conditions over 90 days, exposing them to environmentally relevant concentrations of four pesticides registered for use in forest management.

SourcePortland State University·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 8, 2021

You can help scientists study the Sun

The Solar Jet Hunter project, led by researchers at the University of Minnesota and supported by NASA, allows volunteers to identify solar jets in images captured over 11 years. By annotating images, citizen scientists contribute to a database that helps narrow down data on the Sun for further review.

SourceUniversity of Minnesota·TypeObservational study·DateDec 8, 2021

Alpha-1 Biologics announces positive data published in Frontiers in Oncology on Alphataxin in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy that suppressed murine renal cancer and metastasis

Alphataxin, a small-molecule drug, has been shown to significantly suppress tumor growth in mouse models of kidney cancer, including those with lung metastasis. The treatment also increased the formation of CD4+ T cells, which is essential for the immune system's ability to kill tumor cells.

SourceLaVoieHealthScience·JournalFrontiers in Oncology·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 8, 2021

Racial bias among doctors may exacerbate disparities in HIV prevention, Rutgers-led study finds

A Rutgers-led study found that racial biases among health care providers may limit the number of Black women taking a daily pill to prevent HIV infection. The study also highlights how providers' racist beliefs can disadvantage Black women's access to PrEP, a medication up to 92% effective when taken correctly.

SourceRutgers University·JournalJournal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes & Human Retrovirology·DateDec 8, 2021

Protein region on COVID’s viral spike senses temperature, drives seasonal mutation patterns

Researchers identify a molecular culprit for COVID-19's seasonal nature, finding a galectin-like structure on the spike protein that responds to external seasonal patterns. This discovery could help predict future mutations and potentially pave the way for new therapeutics or vaccines.

SourceUniversity of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences·JournalMethods of Microbiology and Molecular Biology·DateDec 8, 2021

Early psychosis program makes recovery a reality for young people: study

A new study by Orygen has shown that early psychosis programs delivered in Australian headspace centres significantly improved the clinical and functional outcomes of young people. At six months, both groups experienced considerable improvement in psychological distress and psychosis symptoms.

SourceOrygen·JournalAustralian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry·TypeContent analysis·DateDec 8, 2021

Imagining future guilt helps athletes turn away from doping - study

Researchers discovered that appealing to athletes' sense of 'future guilt' through psychological intervention was a more powerful initial reaction than education programmes highlighting the risks of doping. The study also found that receiving useful information about doping strengthened athletes' confidence to resist temptation.

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalPsychology of Sport and Exercise·TypeObservational study·DateDec 8, 2021