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Science News Archive 2022 - Page 2


Page 2 of 448

Eye scratching mechanisms in rats

Researchers investigate neural mechanisms behind itchy eyes in rodents and find the GRP-GRPR pathway plays a crucial role in transmitting itch signals. Rats exhibit a right-sided preference when scratching itchy eyes, which could lead to new therapeutic approaches for eye conditions.

SourceOkayama University·JournalProceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·DateDec 27, 2022

Low tortuosity electrode design facilitates the development of high-performance LMO batteries

A new low-tortuosity electrode design for LMO batteries improves lithium-ion diffusion, reduces concentration polarization, and alleviates irreversible phase transitions. This structure gives the battery excellent rate performance and cycling stability, making it a competitive cathode material.

SourceBeijing Institute of Technology Press Co., Ltd·JournalEnergy Material Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 27, 2022

Health care is increasingly unaffordable for people with employer-sponsored health insurance—especially women

Researchers at NYU School of Global Public Health found that healthcare costs and out-of-pocket expenditures have continued to rise despite the Affordable Care Act improvements. Women with employer-sponsored insurance report greater difficulty paying for needed health care services, particularly dental and mental health care.

SourceNew York University·JournalJournal of the American Medical Association·DateDec 27, 2022

tRNA-MaP: functional analyses of RNA-related enzymes using a next-generation DNA sequencer

The study developed a new high-throughput assay method tRNA-MaP to identify characteristic properties of tRNA modification enzymes. Using this technique, researchers predicted numerous natural modifications in Geobacillus stearothermophilus tRNAs and analyzed the substrate recognition mechanism of tRNA m1A22 methyltransferase TrmK.

SourceEhime University·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·DateDec 27, 2022

Unlocking cancer’s ancestry

A new software developed by researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory can accurately infers continental ancestry from tumor DNA and RNA. This technology has the potential to lead to more targeted and personalized cancer treatments by identifying genetic connections between cancer and race or ethnicity.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalCancer Research·DateDec 27, 2022

Spontaneous baby movements have purpose

Researchers found that spontaneous movements in newborns and infants develop patterns of muscle interaction, enabling them to perform sequential movements as infants. This study provides insight into the origin of human movement and may lead to earlier diagnosis of developmental disorders.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateDec 26, 2022

Eating viruses can power growth, reproduction of microorganism

A team of researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has discovered that certain microorganisms, such as Halteria, can eat high numbers of chloroviruses, which are known to infect green algae. This finding suggests that virovory, a virus-only diet, can support physiological growth and even population growth in an organism.

SourceUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 26, 2022

New platform integrates THz photonics with planarized low-loss polymers

A team of scientists developed a novel integrated photonic platform for THz photonics, integrating active and passive components on the same semiconductor platform. The platform enables efficient signal processing at THz and RF frequencies, with improved performance in critical figures such as dispersion, RF, and thermal properties.

Comparing the cost-effectiveness of treatments for blood clots in cancer patients

A new study examines the cost-effectiveness of anticoagulation strategies for blood clots in cancer patients, finding that direct oral anti-coagulant (DOAC) drugs are more effective and cost-effective than low molecular weight heparin (LMWH). DOACs were favored as being more effective and less costly than LMWH in base-case analysis but...

SourceUniversity of California - Davis Health·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·DateDec 26, 2022

AI improves colorectal cancer screening in Lynch syndrome

Researchers found that AI-assisted colonoscopy significantly improved adenoma detection rates in patients with Lynch syndrome, detecting flat adenomas more effectively than standard examinations. The study suggests that AI-assisted real-time colonoscopy is a promising approach to optimize endoscopic surveillance for LS patients.

SourceUniversitatsklinikum Bonn·JournalUnited European Gastroenterology Journal·DateDec 26, 2022

Music and ayahuasca’s role in treating substance use disorders in men

Researchers have discovered the positive impact of icaros on men's recovery from drug and alcohol addictions during ayahuasca healing ceremonies. The study, led by UC Riverside doctoral student Owain J. Graham, found that 86% of patients showed statistically significant improvements on the Addictions Severity Index.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalAnthropology of Consciousness·TypeCase study·DateDec 26, 2022

Slime for the climate, delivered by brown algae

Researchers discovered that brown algae's fucoidan can remove large amounts of carbon dioxide from the global cycle in the long term. The fucoidan is a recalcitrant molecule that does not return to the atmosphere quickly, making the brown algae particularly effective in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

SourceMax Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 26, 2022

DOACs more effective, cost-effective compared to LMWH for cancer-associated thrombosis

A cost-effectiveness analysis of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) versus low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) for cancer-associated thrombosis found that DOACs are more medically effective and cost-effective. The most cost-effective DOAC, apixaban, was also shown to be the least costly anticoagulant.

SourceAmerican College of Physicians·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 26, 2022

Researchers revealed the important role of intermolecular hydrogen bond in the separation and purification of structurally similar compounds

The study reveals that N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) separates carbazole and anthracene due to strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Researchers used advanced liquid-state NMR techniques to analyze the interaction mechanism, finding a C=O···H-N bond between DMF and carbazole.

SourceInstitute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalIndustrial Chemistry and Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 26, 2022

Unraveling the selective transport of sugar and hormone that underlies male fertility in plants

The study reveals that SWEET13 transporter is necessary for pollen production, highlighting the importance of sucrose transport. Researchers used molecular docking and simulation to understand how SWEET13 selectively transports sucrose over gibberellin.

SourceInstitute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 25, 2022

Predicting calving problems before insemination

A predictive model developed by University of Groningen researchers can identify cows at risk of dystocia before insemination. The model, which uses machine learning on a large dataset, suggests that it could roughly halve the risk of calving problems.

SourceUniversity of Groningen·JournalPreventive Veterinary Medicine·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 23, 2022

Artificial intelligence tool developed to help make real-time diagnoses during surgery

A new AI tool developed by Brigham and Women's Hospital improves the accuracy of time-critical pathology diagnostics during surgery. The tool, which leverages deep-learning technology, translates frozen tissue samples into high-quality images, increasing diagnostic accuracy and reducing the need for lengthy laboratory tests.

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalNature Biomedical Engineering·TypeObservational study·DateDec 23, 2022

A seventeen-year landmark study finds that group meditation decreases US national stress

A seventeen-year study by Maharishi International University found that group meditation decreased multiple stress indicators in the US, resulting in reduced murder rates and improved overall well-being. The study suggests that collective consciousness can create coherence through the unified field level of natural law.

SourceMaharishi International University·JournalWorld Journal of Social Science·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 23, 2022

Research team with participation of Chemnitz University of Technology reveals intriguing insights into optical resonances determined by the fascinating topology of the Möbius strip

A study in Nature Photonics reveals the fascinating properties of optical Möbius rings, which exhibit non-integer multiples of wavelength for resonance. The degree of ellipticity in polarization decreases as the strip width narrows, allowing for controlled Berry phase manipulation.

SourceChemnitz University of Technology·JournalNature Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 23, 2022

Novel near-infrared light detection method using upconversion materials is demonstrated

Researchers have developed a novel near-infrared light detection method using core-shell lanthanide nanoparticles to convert weak near-infrared light to visible light with high efficiency. This achievement promotes the proposal of a new resource- and energy-saving near-infrared light detection method, improving optical sensor sensitivi...

SourceJapan Science and Technology Agency·JournalAdvanced Photonics Research·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 23, 2022

Penalties, corruption and legislation are failing to deter harmful gas flaring in Nigeria, study shows

A new study by Dr. Urenmisan Afinotan from the University of Exeter Law School reveals that weak penalties and loopholes in Nigeria's legislation are failing to deter gas flaring in the Niger Delta, despite efforts since the 1960s. The study highlights the need for stronger regulations to mitigate climate change.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalEnvironmental Law Review·TypeMeta-analysis·DateDec 23, 2022

The world's largest turbulence simulation unmasks the flow of energy in astrophysical plasmas

A team of researchers has made a groundbreaking discovery that helps explain how the solar corona can be vastly hotter than its surface. The breakthrough involves magnetic reconnection, which separates and reconnects magnetic fields in plasma, converting turbulent energy into thermal energy at small scales.

SourceDOE/Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory·JournalScience Advances·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 23, 2022

New technique reveals changing shapes of magnetic noise in space and time

Researchers at Princeton University have developed a new technique to measure the spatial structure and time-varying nature of magnetic noise. This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for understanding quantum spin liquids, materials with bizarre quantum behaviors that were previously difficult to analyze experimentally.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 23, 2022

Designing with DNA

A new software program developed by Duke Ph.D. student Dan Fu lets users create 3D structures made of DNA, including tiny vases, bowls, and hollow spheres. The software relies on a way to build with DNA described in 2011 by Hao Yan, which works by coiling a long DNA double helix into concentric rings to form the contours of the object.

SourceDuke University·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 23, 2022

Plants between light and darkness

Researchers discovered two ion transport proteins, VCCN1 and KEA3, that dynamically adjust photosynthetic performance in response to light fluctuations. The study found that these proteins play a crucial role in protecting plants from excessive sunlight and optimizing growth under varying light conditions.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalNew Phytologist·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 23, 2022

Oregon State archaeologists uncover oldest known projectile points in the Americas

Researchers discovered 13 full and fragmentary projectile points in Idaho dating back to around 15,700 years ago, providing significant details about early human life in the Pacific Northwest. The findings suggest a complex technology and potential genetic-cultural connections between ice age peoples of Northeast Asia and North America.

SourceOregon State University·JournalScience Advances·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 23, 2022

People sleep the least from early 30s to early 50s

A recent study published in Nature Communications found that people's sleep duration follows three distinct phases across the lifespan. The study, which analyzed data from 730,187 participants, reveals a decline in sleep duration during mid-adulthood until age 33, followed by a plateau until early 50s.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 23, 2022

A type of simple, DIY air filter can be an effective way to filter out indoor air pollutants

A study by Brown University and Silent Spring Institute found that inexpensive DIY air filters called Corsi-Rosenthal boxes can significantly decrease indoor air concentrations of PFAS and phthalates. The boxes, made from MERV-13 filters, duct tape, a fan, and cardboard, reduced PFAS levels by 40% to 60% and phthalates by 30% to 60%.

SourceBrown University·JournalEnvironmental Science & Technology·TypeObservational study·DateDec 23, 2022