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Science News Archive December 2022 - Page 24


Page 24 of 31

Small solar flares in large laser bodies

Scientists recreated small solar flares in a lab using high-powered lasers, shedding light on the mechanisms behind magnetic reconnection. They recorded electrical currents and plasma acceleration, providing new insights into this fundamental astronomical phenomenon.

SourceKyushu University·JournalPhysical Review E·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 7, 2022

Rare cosmic explosion blasts hole in established science

A blast of high-energy light from a galaxy 1 billion light-years away challenges long-held theories on gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The event, detected by NASA's Swift Observatory and Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, reveals that kilonovae triggered by neutron star collisions can also produce long GRBs.

SourcePenn State·JournalNature·TypeObservational study·DateDec 7, 2022

Coupled computer modeling can help more accurately predict coastal flooding, study demonstrates

A new coupled computer modeling approach can accurately predict compound flooding events, such as the one caused by Hurricane Florence in 2018. This technique combines ocean and river models to better capture the interactions between storm surges and rain-induced flooding.

SourceLouisiana State University·JournalJournal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 7, 2022

Patient’s own immune cells effective as living medicine for melanoma

The TIL trial has demonstrated that cell therapy using patient's own immune cells is an extremely powerful immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma, with significant shrinkage of metastases in half of patients. Progression-free survival after six months was 53%, significantly better than standard immunotherapy with ipilimumab.

SourceNetherlands Cancer Institute·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateDec 7, 2022

BioOne and SPIE publish case study on nonprofit platform partnership

A new case study explores the early years of BioOne and SPIE's nonprofit platform partnership, highlighting its potential to reduce costs and enhance strategic development. The authors share key lessons learned, including the importance of regular communication and reciprocal service-level agreements.

SourceBioOne·JournalLearned Publishing·TypeCase study·DateDec 7, 2022

A novel, space-time coding antenna developed at CityU promotes 6G and secure wireless communications

A new space-time coding antenna developed at City University of Hong Kong enables manipulation of beam direction, frequency, and amplitude for improved user flexibility in 6G wireless communications. The antenna relies on software control and combines research advances in leaky-wave antennas and space-time coding techniques.

SourceCity University of Hong Kong·JournalNature Electronics·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 7, 2022

National study confirms breakthrough COVID cases are less severe than COVID in unvaccinated adults

A national study confirms that vaccination significantly reduces disease severity and hospitalization risk for COVID-19, even among individuals who develop breakthrough cases. Hospital stays are shorter, ICU admissions are less common, and hospital deaths are lower among vaccinated adults compared to unvaccinated individuals.

SourceRegenstrief Institute·JournalThe Journal of Infectious Diseases·DateDec 7, 2022

What makes a movement go viral? Social media, social justice coalesce under #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd

A USC study found that Instagram posts fueled the #BlackLivesMatter protests after George Floyd's death, amplifying conversations around civil rights and shaping large-scale movements. The research showed that visual content, such as images and videos, played a crucial role in reframing narratives and mobilizing coalitions around racia...

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalPLOS ONE·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 7, 2022

Ancient amphibians had their bones cooked

Scientists have solved a decades-long puzzle about why ancient tetrapod fossils in Ireland's Jarrow Assemblage had their internal bone structure altered. The team used CT scans and laser ablation to analyze the chemistry of the bones, finding evidence of superheated fluids that cooked and melted the bones.

SourceTrinity College Dublin·JournalPalaeontology·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 7, 2022

Researchers hope to integrate social determinants of health and eradicate inequities in atrial fibrillation diagnosis, management and outcomes

Atrial fibrillation diagnosis and management are often hindered by social determinants of health, which can lead to adverse outcomes. Researchers hope to address this issue by integrating SDOH into AF research, enabling more equitable access to care and management decisions.

SourceBoston University School of Medicine·JournalJAMA Cardiology·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 7, 2022

The costs of racial discrimination in the labor market

New research reveals that reducing racial wage gaps would boost overall income by up to 4%. Closing these gaps would alleviate skill misallocation, unemployment, and improve labor market efficiency. The study aims to highlight the economic benefits of addressing inequality in the workplace.

SourceWiley·JournalEconomic Inquiry·DateDec 7, 2022

A commercial real estate agent’s gender does matter – to the seller

Researchers at The University of Alabama found that properties listed by women agents sold for significantly less than those marketed by men. However, when adjusted for property attributes, there was no significant difference in price or time on the market between male and female real estate agents.

SourceUniversity of Alabama in Tuscaloosa·JournalJournal of Real Estate Research·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 7, 2022

Circular bioplastics offer solution for climate crisis and growing resource consumption

A circular bioeconomy can reduce plastic sector's climate impacts, but meeting Paris Climate Accord goals may lead to more plastic landfilling. A fully circular plastic sector is only possible if demand for plastics is curbed, presenting opportunities for negative emissions via biogenic carbon storage.

SourceUniversiteit Utrecht Faculteit Geowetenschappen·JournalNature·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 7, 2022

Toddlers' first lies are probably spontaneous rather than deliberate, as toddlers who lie tend to be less able to resist temptation, according to researchers who asked 252 young kids not to peek at a toy

A recent study published in PLOS ONE explored the relationship between lying and temptation resistance in toddlers. Researchers discovered that young children who lie tend to struggle with self-control, leading them to falsely admit to peeking even when they didn't.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateDec 7, 2022

Flameproofing lithium-ion batteries with salt

Researchers have created a non-flammable electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries by increasing the amount of salt in a polymer-based solution. This 'SAFE' electrolyte proves to be stable at high temperatures, allowing batteries to function safely and efficiently. The development could lead to improved performance, reduced space occupied ...

SourceDOE/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory·JournalMatter·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 7, 2022

Socialness is in the eye of the beholder

A new Dartmouth study uses a subjective approach to investigate how people perceive social interactions. The results show that the brain responds more strongly to information interpreted as social versus non-social, highlighting humans' tendency to see social connections.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalJNeurosci·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 7, 2022

Heart attack on a chip

Researchers at USC developed a 'heart attack on a chip' device to study heart attacks and test new personalized medicines. The device replicates the effects of an oxygen gradient on cardiac tissue function, shedding light on the mysteries of heart cell communication and change after a heart attack.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 7, 2022

COVID-19: vaccines halve the risk of reinfection

A recent study published in Frontiers in Medicine found that COVID-19 vaccines significantly reduce the likelihood of reinfection and severe symptoms. Vaccinated individuals who have recovered from the virus have a 50% to 60% lower risk of reinfection compared to those who are not vaccinated.

SourceUniversità di Bologna·JournalFrontiers in Medicine·TypeMeta-analysis·DateDec 7, 2022

Artificial Intelligence in Health: USC Researchers receive $10.5 million to develop cutting edge machine learning approaches in cancer research

The National Cancer Institute awards $10.5 million to USC's Division of Biostatistics to develop statistical methods for uncovering new risk factors associated with cancer by integrating large volumes of health, genomic, and exposure data. The project aims to provide new insights into complex biological processes and discoveries of nov...

A genomic assay may predict long-term prognosis in premenopausal patients with hormone receptor-positive early-stage breast cancer

A genomic assay called Breast Cancer Index (BCI) has been shown to predict the risk of distant recurrence in premenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early-stage breast cancer. Patients with high BCI scores are at increased risk of recurrence, while those with low scores may benefit more from ovarian suppression therapy.