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Science News Archive March 2022 - Page 41


Page 41 of 44

March issues of American Psychiatric Association Journals cover genomics and mental illnesses and associations between recent public health crises with traumatic stress

The March issues of American Psychiatric Association journals focus on the genomics of psychopathology, exploring its relationship with various mental illnesses. Research highlights unique genetic patterns among individuals who die by suicide using violent means.

SourceAmerican Psychiatric Association·JournalAmerican Journal of Psychiatry·DateMar 3, 2022

Ice-free in icy worlds

The Antarctic scallop's microscopic ridges create a regular structure that prevents water from freezing on its surface, allowing it to resist icing. This unique feature provides an advantage for the species, with researchers suggesting potential technological applications for non-icing surfaces in polar shipping.

SourceMax Planck Institute for Polymer Research·JournalCommunications Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 3, 2022

What makes plants electrically excitable

Researchers have identified an important element for electrical communication in plants: the ion channel TPC1. The study reveals how this channel is switched on and off, controlling electrical excitation in plant cells. Understanding TPC1-dependent processes can help better understand similar mechanisms in animal cells.

SourceUniversity of Würzburg·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 3, 2022

Communication defect in psychotic disorders

A team from UNIGE demonstrates that a reduction in gamma wave activation is correlated with the emergence of psychotic symptoms in children and adolescents at genetic risk. This study makes it possible to envisage an early diagnosis and identifies potential therapeutic targets for treating schizophrenia.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalAmerican Journal of Psychiatry·TypeNews article·DateMar 3, 2022

Researchers find that a national housing and support program works to help homeless veterans

Researchers found that a national housing and support program called Housing First was effective in helping homeless veterans access housing and stay in their homes for five years. The study, conducted at the Veterans Administration of Greater Los Angeles, found that strong leadership, organizational resources, and community partnershi...

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalHealth Services Research·TypeObservational study·DateMar 3, 2022

Tiny biohybrid robots for intelligent drug delivery

Biohybrid micro- and nanorobots promise to deliver drugs to body tissues with high precision, enabling tasks such as cancer treatment, cell microsurgery, and tissue engineering. Researchers envision incorporating novel biological components into robots to overcome immune responses and increase efficiency in manufacturing.

SourceBeijing Institute of Technology Press Co., Ltd·JournalCyborg and Bionic Systems·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 2, 2022

First potential immunization against RSV for healthy infants found highly effective in phase 3 trial

A single dose of nirsevimab protected healthy infants from medically attended lower respiratory tract infections caused by RSV with 74.5% efficacy. This breakthrough results suggest a broad immunization approach is needed to mitigate the global burden of RSV on infants and healthcare services.

SourceAnn & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateMar 2, 2022

Neuropathy Score Reporting and Data System (NS-RADS) validated for MR neurography

A multicenter study validates the accuracy and reliability of NS-RADS for classifying and grading peripheral neuropathies, with high interrater agreement across different reader experience levels. The study shows promising results for routine practice, suggesting NS-RADS as a standardized guideline for reporting peripheral neuropathies.

SourceAmerican Roentgen Ray Society·JournalAmerican Journal of Roentgenology·TypeObservational study·DateMar 2, 2022

Discovered: An easier way to create "flexible diamonds"

A team of scientists led by Samuel Dunning has developed an original technique to predict and guide the ordered creation of strong, yet flexible, diamond nanothreads. The innovation allows for easier synthesis of the material, which has potential applications in space elevators, ultra-strong fabrics, and other fields.

SourceCarnegie Institution for Science·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 2, 2022

Better assessment of risk from heart surgery results in better patient outcomes

A large international study assessed patients undergoing heart surgery and measured troponin levels before and after surgery. The findings showed that higher troponin levels are associated with an increased risk of death within 30 days, enabling healthcare teams to monitor patients more effectively.

SourceMcMaster University·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMar 2, 2022

Plotting the placental protein NRK: Understanding the molecular evolution processes underlying placenta acquisition in eutherian ancestors

Researchers from Tokyo Tech elucidated the molecular evolution of NRK, revealing a novel mechanism regulating placental development by modulating the CK2-PTEN-AKT pathway. The study showed that NRK underwent rapid molecular evolution to acquire its function in eutherian ancestors.

SourceTokyo Institute of Technology·JournalMolecular Biology and Evolution·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 2, 2022

Cutting through the clutter

A new tool called vibration of effects (VoE) has been developed to analyze the reliability of reported links between gut microbes and various diseases. The tool found that a third of reported microbe-disease associations were inconsistent, with outcomes changing depending on study design and variable inclusion.

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalPLOS Biology·DateMar 2, 2022

SLAS Technology February issue highlights the “Technology Top Ten” from 2021 and thirteen original articles

The February issue of SLAS Technology features an article on biosensor detection of airborne respiratory viruses, highlighting the effectiveness of this technology in identifying pathogens. Additionally, the issue includes an article on simple assessment of viability in 2D and 3D cell microarrays using single-step digital imaging.

A new molecular family tree of grasses

A new molecular study of grasses reveals a clear picture of their evolutionary relationships, shedding light on the evolution of C4 photosynthesis involved in heat and drought tolerance. The research provides evidence that this type of photosynthesis evolved independently multiple times within different grass lineages.

SourcePenn State·JournalMolecular Plant·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 2, 2022

National Athletic Trainers’ Association position statement: Reducing intentional head-first contact behavior in American football players published in Journal of Athletic Training

The National Athletic Trainers' Association has updated its position statement to reduce intentional head-first contact behavior in American football players. The new recommendations address education and administration, skill development and behavior modification, rules and regulations, and technology and scientific research.

SourceUniversity of Massachusetts Lowell·JournalJournal of Athletic Training·DateMar 2, 2022

A solar illusion: Coronal loops may not be what they seem

A new study led by NCAR suggests that many coronal loops on the Sun are actually wrinkles in a bright plasma veil, rather than distinct strands of plasma. This finding has significant implications for understanding the Sun's atmosphere and density, temperature, and other physical characteristics.

SourceNational Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 2, 2022

Rainfall strongly affects infectious Vibrio bacteria in Ala Wai Canal

A recent study found that rainfall significantly affects the abundance of Vibrio vulnificus in the Ala Wai Canal, with moderate rainfall leading to high concentrations of the bacterium. The researchers suggest that while exposure is still a risk, precautions such as washing off with soap and water can minimize the danger.

SourceUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa·JournalApplied and Environmental Microbiology·TypeObservational study·DateMar 2, 2022

Everybody makes mistakes and so do biological systems: a theoretical framework for generating research questions in biology

Biological systems have the potential to make mistakes, providing a starting point for generating new scientific questions. The authors propose a theoretical framework that describes the nature of mistake-making and its common processes, with applications to blood clotting.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalThe Quarterly Review of Biology·TypeSystematic review·DateMar 2, 2022