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Science News Archive August 2022 - Page 3


Page 3 of 38

Returning to football after COVID-19 infection

A study by LSU found that elite student-athletes could safely return to practice and play football after COVID-19 isolation, with their immune system returning to baseline levels. This contrasts with older adults with comorbidities, who are at higher risk for serious side effects.

SourceLouisiana State University·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 30, 2022

New labeling approach enables examination of packages cells send out to gain insight about health

Researchers have developed a new labeling technique to analyze exosomes from specific cell types, providing insights into their role in both health and disease. The technique allows for the identification of protein cargo and RNA in exosomes, enabling the study of cellular communication and potential monitoring of response to treatment.

SourceMedical College of Georgia at Augusta University·JournalJournal of Extracellular Vesicles·DateAug 30, 2022

Wildlife hunting motivations vary across Africa and Europe

Research reveals that wildlife hunting motivations differ across Africa and Europe, shifting from economic to socio-cultural and recreational factors as socio-economic conditions increase. Hunting intensity is surprisingly constant, while densely populated areas experience increased conflict-related killings.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·TypeSurvey·DateAug 30, 2022

SUTD researchers develop new strategies to teach computers to learn like humans do

Researchers from Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have developed a new Brain-Inspired Replay model that enables continual learning in edge computing systems without storing data. This approach achieves state-of-the-art accuracy and high energy efficiency, overcoming the stability-plasticity issue in traditional models.

SourceSingapore University of Technology and Design·JournalAdvanced Theory and Simulations·DateAug 30, 2022

Probing sustainable agromet services and outcomes on agriculture in Laos

A case study in Laos explores the application of climate services for agriculture, demonstrating improved agricultural planning and decision-making through ICT-based platforms like LaCSA. The project successfully co-created agromet services with local stakeholders, increasing capacities and promoting resilience to climate risks.

Study reveals flaws in popular genetic method

A new study from Lund University reveals that the most common analytical method in population genetics is deeply flawed, leading to incorrect results and misconceptions about ethnicity and genetic relationships. The method has been used in hundreds of thousands of studies, including medical genetics and commercial ancestry tests.

SourceLund University·JournalScientific Reports·DateAug 30, 2022

New blood test for ALS promises rapid diagnosis

Researchers at Brain Chemistry Labs have developed a new blood test for ALS using microRNA sequences, which accurately discriminated between patients and healthy individuals. The test works even with varying environmental conditions, offering hope for rapid diagnosis and improved patient outcomes.

SourceBrain Chemistry Labs·JournalJournal of the Neurological Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 30, 2022

Exposure to past temperature variability may help forests cope with climate change

A new study found that regions with high past temperature variability tend to be less sensitive to current and future climate changes, offering hope for forests' ability to adapt. The research highlights the importance of considering legacy effects of past climate conditions in forest management and climate policy.

SourceCary Institute of Ecosystem Studies·JournalEnvironmental Research Ecology·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 30, 2022

Interacting brains sync without physical presence

A study at the University of Helsinki found that brains synchronize in similar ways during cooperative online gaming, leading to better performance and increased empathy. The study used brainwave synchronization measurements to investigate the connection between inter-brain synchronization and game performance.

SourceUniversity of Helsinki·JournalNeuropsychologia·DateAug 30, 2022

Specific components of the tumor immune microenvironment may affect the durability of responses to BCMA CAR T-cell therapy

Researchers found that patients with longer progression-free survival after BCMA-targeted CAR T-cell therapy had more diverse baseline T-cell repertoires, fewer markers of immune exhaustion, and distinct changes to immune cell populations. These factors were associated with improved responses to the treatment.

SourceAmerican Association for Cancer Research·JournalBlood Cancer Discovery·DateAug 30, 2022

3D imaging helps to better understand the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease

Researchers used novel 3D imaging technology to study a human brainstem nucleus and found intriguing complexity and previously undescribed cellular forms of tau pathology. The study reveals dendritic atrophy as an early sign of tau-bearing neuron degeneration, potentially contributing to symptoms like sleep disturbances and anxiety.

SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalActa Neuropathologica·TypeImaging analysis·DateAug 30, 2022

Arctic lakes are vanishing in surprise climate finding

A new study reveals that Arctic lakes have shrunk or dried completely over the past 20 years, threatening local Indigenous communities and industries. The research found that permafrost thaw is accelerating lake drainage, releasing stored carbon into the atmosphere and exacerbating climate change.

SourceUniversity of Florida·JournalNature Climate Change·TypeObservational study·DateAug 30, 2022

Predictability and skill of convection-permitting ensemble forecast systems in predicting the record-breaking “21•7” Extreme rainfall event in Henan province, China

Researchers used convection-permitting ensemble forecast systems to investigate the predictability of a record-breaking extreme rainfall event in Henan province. They found low accuracy at city scale but improved skill with neighborhood probability of precipitation methods.

SourceScience China Press·JournalScience China Earth Sciences·DateAug 30, 2022

Elemental research: Scientists apply boron to tungsten components in fusion facilities

Researchers at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have successfully applied boron powder to tungsten components in tokamaks, improving plasma confinement and reducing the risk of edge-localized modes. The innovative approach uses a PPPL-developed powder dropper to deposit boron coatings while minimizing disruptions to the magnetic field.

SourceDOE/Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory·JournalNuclear Fusion·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 30, 2022

Risk of non-typhoidal salmonella vascular infection increases with atherosclerosis, find NCKU researchers

A study by Taiwanese researchers found that patients with atherosclerosis are at higher risk for life-threatening vascular infections from non-typhoidal Salmonella bacteremia. The study suggests the use of a scoring system to predict infection risk and identifies interleukin-1 beta as a potential biomarker.

SourceCactus Communications·JournalJournal of Microbiology Immunology and Infection·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 30, 2022

Ethnicity, poverty, low community involvement linked to lasting loneliness

A study of 641 participants found that midlife and older Hispanic/Latinx adults were more likely to experience prolonged loneliness, with 16% persistently lonely. The researchers suggest that culturally important familism was disrupted by social distancing, and reduced access to transportation and community activities may contribute to...

SourceUniversity of California - San Francisco·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateAug 30, 2022

Hydrogel glass: a novel glass design for energy saving in buildings

Researchers have developed a novel hydrogel-glass design that enhances indoor illumination while reducing cooling consumption, demonstrating potential for widespread energy savings in buildings. The study published in Frontiers of Optoelectronics shows significant reductions in energy use ranging from 2.37 to 10.45 MJ·m−2 ·year−1.

SourceHigher Education Press·JournalFrontiers of Optoelectronics·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 30, 2022

Drug effects of ketamine in mice can depend on the sex of the human experimenter

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine found that ketamine's antidepressant response in mice is influenced by male administrators. The team discovered a specific brain region, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), responsible for this effect, suggesting new ways to improve antidepressant therapy.

SourceUniversity of Maryland School of Medicine·JournalNature Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 30, 2022

Specialty and standard coffee beans can be sorted using multispectral imaging and artificial intelligence

A Brazilian research team has developed a novel method to sort specialty and standard coffee beans using multispectral imaging and machine learning. The technique, which does not require roasting or human intervention, uses images of the beans at different wavelengths to distinguish between quality levels.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalComputers and Electronics in Agriculture·DateAug 30, 2022

With superconducting diodes, scholars advance work toward ultra-efficient quantum electronic devices

Researchers have demonstrated a prominent superconducting diode effect in a single two-dimensional superconductor using graphene. This breakthrough has significant implications for the study of complex physical behavior in twisted tri-layer graphene and could form the basis for ultra-efficient lossless quantum electronic devices.

SourceBrown University·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 30, 2022

Bone transplant could resolve aging jaw defects

Researchers at Tohoku University have created a scaffold that supports the growth of new bone in large jaw defects in mice, bringing them closer to addressing the issue of aging jaw bone loss in humans. The technique uses a polylactic acid scaffold and has shown promise for treating large bone defects.

SourceTohoku University·JournalPNAS Nexus·DateAug 30, 2022

Living in timber cities could avoid emissions – without using farmland for wood production

A new study suggests that timber cities could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using wood as a building material. The researchers found that housing in mid-rise buildings made of wood could avoid more than 100 billion tons of CO2 emissions by 2100, equivalent to 10% of the remaining carbon budget for the 2°C target.

SourcePotsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 30, 2022

Use more than doubled at self-serve, no-questions-asked UChicago Medicine food pantries during pandemic

During the pandemic, UChicago Medicine's Feed1st pantry program doubled its distribution rates, providing over 42,000 pounds of food to patients and staff. This open-access model maximizes dignity and facilitates use, increasing the likelihood that individuals in need will access food resources.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Medical Center·JournalAmerican Journal of Public Health·DateAug 30, 2022