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Science News Archive 2022 - Page 84


Page 84 of 448

eLife ends accept/reject decisions following peer review

eLife is ending its practice of making accept/reject decisions following peer review, instead publishing every paper it reviews as a Reviewed Preprint. This new model restores control to authors, promoting the assessment of scientists based on their research output rather than publication venue.

SourceeLife·DateOct 20, 2022

Can smartphones predict mortality risk?

Researchers used data from 100,000 UK Biobank participants to develop predictive models of mortality risk using only 6 minutes of steady walking collected by smartphone sensors. These models achieved similar accuracy to traditional measures of gait speed and walk pace.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Digital Health·TypeObservational study·DateOct 20, 2022

Study: Stock purchases by senators generate abnormal returns for firms

A new study by University of Arkansas researchers found that the firms experiencing greater returns around the date of senator's purchase disclosure have direct jurisdiction over them through a committee assignment or sponsorship. This suggests investors' perception of senators trading on inside information may be inaccurate over time.

SourceUniversity of Arkansas·JournalStrategic Management Journal·TypeCase study·DateOct 20, 2022

Mountain gorilla population growth related to group density and female movements

A recent study by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International analyzed demographic data over 50 years to understand factors influencing mountain gorilla population growth. The research found that increased group density led to slower reproduction in females, resulting in a significant slowing of population growth.

SourceDian Fossey Gorilla Fund International·JournalAnimal Conservation·TypeObservational study·DateOct 20, 2022

Rice lab advances water-splitting catalysts

Engineers at Rice University have discovered a method to make oxygen evolution catalysis in acids more economical and practical. They replaced rare and expensive iridium with ruthenium, a far more abundant precious metal, as the positive-electrode catalyst in a reactor that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen.

SourceRice University·JournalNature Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 20, 2022

Sickly shades of grey: Disease outbreaks influence the color of wolves across North America

Research from the University of Oxford and Yellowstone National Park found that wolves with black coats are more likely to survive canine distemper virus (CDV) outbreaks. This suggests that the gene for a black coat may provide protection against the virus, leading to its increased frequency in areas with CDV outbreaks.

SourceUniversity of Oxford·JournalScience·TypeObservational study·DateOct 20, 2022

Two drugs reverse key pancreatic cancer step in the lab

Scientists at the University of Florida have identified two small molecules that inhibit precancerous cell progression and reverse a key process involved in pancreatic cancer progression. This discovery could lead to earlier treatments and improved survival rates for patients with pancreatic cancer.

SourceUniversity of Florida·JournalCell Death Discovery·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 19, 2022

DGIST research team led by Professor Sangaraju Shanmugam developed an eco-friendly ammonia catalyst

A new eco-friendly catalyst has been developed to convert nitric oxide into ammonia with high efficiency and stability. The core-shell nickel nanoparticle coated with nitrogen-doped carbon nanostructured electrocatalysts offers a Faradaic efficiency of 72.3% at low overpotential, making it suitable for large-scale industrial applications.

Engineers record neurons to pinpoint synaptic links

Researchers created a 3D electrode array that maps the locations and activity of up to 1 million potential synaptic links in living brains. The system uses recordings of millisecond-scale evolution of electrical pulses in tens of thousands of neurons, allowing for dense and accurate mapping of brain circuits.

SourceRice University·JournalNature Biomedical Engineering·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 19, 2022

New window into brain’s computational function

The study found that human neocortical pyramidal neurons have a more elaborate structure than other mammals, with larger and more complex dendritic trees. This enhancement may contribute to the brain's increased processing power. The research has implications for understanding how the brain is affected in diseases such as epilepsy.

SourceUniversity of Queensland·JournalCell Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 19, 2022

A 10,000-year-old infant burial provides insights into the use of baby carriers and family heirlooms in prehistory

Researchers found evidence of a 10,000-year-old infant carrier at the Arma Veirana site in Liguria, Italy. The carrier was buried with the infant, nicknamed Neve, who wore over 70 pierced shell beads and pendants that were likely handed down as heirlooms.

SourceUniversity of Colorado Denver·JournalJournal of Archaeological Method and Theory·TypeObservational study·DateOct 19, 2022

Clear as mud

A team of researchers used clear mud to study turbulence in water flows, discovering that low clay concentrations alter the structure of turbulent dynamics. This finding has implications for understanding sediment transport and predicting flow behavior in natural environments.

Does topic consistency matter in movie reviews? A study of critic and user reviews and their impact on movie demand

Researchers found that content overlap between critic and user reviews increases movie demand, particularly for movies with mediocre review ratings. The study suggests that producers and marketers can leverage this by engaging with both professional critics and general consumers to find commonalities in their reviews.

SourceAmerican Marketing Association·JournalJournal of Marketing·DateOct 19, 2022

Trapping polaritons in an engineered quantum box

Australian researchers have engineered a quantum box for polaritons in a two-dimensional material, achieving large polariton densities and a partially 'coherent' quantum state. The novel technique allows researchers to access striking collective quantum phenomena and enable ultra-energy-efficient technologies.

SourceARC Centre of Excellence in Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 19, 2022

Patients believe in psychotherapy more when practitioners demonstrate warmth and competence

Research found that therapists with high warmth and competence can shape patients' expectations by inspiring more positive beliefs about the effectiveness of therapy. This study suggests that practitioners' characteristics, such as warmth and competence, can influence clinical outcomes.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalClinical Psychological Science·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 19, 2022

Researchers develop system to test brain ultrasound treatments in mice

A new system has been developed to deliver ultrasound stimulation to the brain in awake, naturally behaving mice, allowing researchers to evaluate its effects on sleep and working memory. This advance will help scientists test different ultrasound treatment protocols in mouse models of diverse neurological conditions.

SourceWiley·JournalAdvanced Science·DateOct 19, 2022

Shopping vouchers help women to stop smoking during pregnancy

A UK trial found that offering up to £400 in shopping vouchers to pregnant women can more than double the proportion who remain smoke-free by late pregnancy. However, most women relapsed after giving birth. The study suggests that financial incentives can be an effective tool to reduce smoking during pregnancy and improve health outcomes.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalThe BMJ·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateOct 19, 2022

After more than 300 years of study, researchers developed a new way to understand bacteria

A Princeton team invented a way to observe bacteria in 3D environments, finding that colonies consistently form intricate, branching shapes resembling broccoli. They discovered two factors causing these shapes: nutrient and oxygen availability, and the colony's internal structure.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 19, 2022

Durable, inexpensive catalyst reduces carbon footprint of ammonia production

Researchers develop stable catalyst that can produce ammonia at rates similar to conventional metal nitride catalysts, reducing the need for fossil fuels and lowering CO2 emissions. The new catalyst is chemically stable in the presence of moisture, enabling more efficient production under milder conditions.

SourceTokyo Institute of Technology·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 19, 2022

Landscape of molecular contacts: How the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 communicates with human cells

A team of scientists has identified over 200 direct protein-protein contacts between the SARS-CoV-2 virus and human cells, shedding light on the mechanisms underlying severe COVID-19. The study reveals chains of connections between viral proteins and infection-relevant human genes, with implications for disease severity and treatment.

UCLA engineers design AI material that learns behaviors and adapts to changing conditions

Researchers develop mechanical neural networks (MNNs) with tunable beams that can learn behaviors and adapt to external forces. The MNNs, composed of a triangular lattice pattern, exhibit smart properties through machine learning algorithms. Early prototypes overcame lag issues and achieved accurate performance in various applications.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalScience Robotics·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 19, 2022

Switching tracks: Changing the trafficking of the glucagon receptor in the liver regulates its metabolic signaling

Helmholtz Munich researchers identified a novel strategy to alter glucagon receptor signaling by changing its intracellular localization. This approach offers therapeutic potential for treating type 2 diabetes by uncoupling glucose and lipid metabolism-related effects.