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Science News Archive February 2023 - Page 33


Page 33 of 36

Statistics remove bias from debate about how well mouse models mimic human disease

A team of biostatisticians created a framework to evaluate the congruence and discordance of laboratory animals with specific human diseases. The tool removes bias from scientific interpretation of animal data for human conditions, revealing that some models mimic biological mechanisms well while others poorly.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 2, 2023

Neanderthals hunted elephants: Earliest evidence found of humans killing elephants for food

Neanderthals deliberately hunted down and slaughtered European straight-tusked elephants over 125,000 years ago, providing a significant source of nutrition. The study reveals that Neanderthals came together in larger social groups than previously assumed, with adult male individuals being overrepresented in the assemblage.

SourceJohannes Gutenberg Universitaet Mainz·JournalScience Advances·DateFeb 2, 2023

Sparse, small, but diverse neural connections help make perception reliable, efficient

Researchers mapped every thalamic synapse on 15 neurons in layer 2/3 of the visual cortex in mice and found that despite being weak and sparse, they are reliable and efficient representatives of information. The diversity of thalamic inputs underlies these advantages, allowing a small population of neurons to assemble the overall picture.

SourcePicower Institute at MIT·JournalNature Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 2, 2023

Nematodes can help us detect indoor air impurities

Researchers developed a new method for measuring indoor air quality using transgenic nematode strains that produce fluorescence when exposed to harmful pollutants. The amount of fluorescence can be measured and used to detect various impurities in the air, including fungal samples, surfactants, and volatile compounds.

SourceUniversity of Turku·JournalPathogens·DateFeb 2, 2023

Reducing their natural signals: How sneaky germs hide from ants

A study by Sylvia Cremer and her team reveals that pathogens reduce their chemical detection signals in response to ant's social care intervention. This adaptation allows the fungi to counteract spore removal and escape the ant's immune system, demonstrating the impact of collective hygiene measures on pathogens.

SourceInstitute of Science and Technology Austria·JournalNature Ecology & Evolution·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 2, 2023

Improving CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumours through inhibition of conventional signalling pathway

Researchers have discovered that inhibiting conventional signalling pathway by disrupting LCK allows more efficient tumour cell killing, using FYN protein instead. This approach enhances T-cell function and reduces graft-versus-host disease, making CAR-T therapy more accessible to patients.

SourceNational University of Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine·JournalCell Reports Medicine·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 2, 2023

Genes decide the willow warbler’s migration routes

Researchers at Lund University identified two areas in the genome that decide whether a willow warbler migrates across the Iberian Peninsula or the Balkans. This discovery sheds light on the genetics behind songbirds' migratory behaviour and has implications for understanding how species adapt to climate change.

SourceLund University·JournalNature Communications·DateFeb 2, 2023

Massage therapy improves symptom management for youth receiving hematology and oncology care

A new study found that massage therapy significantly reduces pain, stress, and anxiety in children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer or sickle cell disease. The study published in Pediatric Blood & Cancer reports clinically significant benefits from massage therapy, highlighting its potential as a non-pharmacologic treatment o...

SourceUniversity Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center·JournalPediatric Blood & Cancer·DateFeb 2, 2023

Blood pressure drug may prevent immunotherapy-induced brain swelling in patients with glioblastoma

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital found that losartan can reduce the expression of inflammatory enzymes responsible for immunotherapy-related edema. The study suggests that losartan may allow patients to continue receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors without developing adverse effects in the brain.

SourceMassachusetts General Hospital·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 2, 2023

Harmful bacteria can elude predators when in mixed colonies

A study by Dartmouth College researchers found that bacteria can form protective clusters with rival species, making it harder to kill harmful bacteria. This discovery highlights the importance of studying multispecies biofilm structures and may impact the development of bacteriophages and predatory bacteria as antimicrobial alternatives.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 2, 2023

Near-zero-dispersion soliton and broadband modulational instability Kerr microcombs in anomalous dispersion

Scientists have experimentally obtained a 2/3-octave-spanning microcomb in the broadband modulational instability state, featuring a spectrum from 1240 nm to 1950 nm and a mode spacing of 10 GHz. They also observed a novel soliton structure in near-zero anomalous-dispersion regime, dubbed 'anomalous-dispersion based near-zero-dispersio...

Illinois Tech assistant professor publishes paper in Science on novel chemistry behind ultra-high power density batteries

Assistant Professor Mohammad Asadi has published a paper in Science describing the chemistry behind his novel lithium-air battery design, which could store one kilowatt-hour per kilogram or higher. This breakthrough technology has the potential to revolutionize heavy-duty vehicles such as airplanes, trains, and submarines.

SourceIllinois Institute of Technology·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 2, 2023

Financial coaching for parents in clinic leads to higher attendance at well-child health care visits for their young children

A new study found that financial coaching for parents of infants in a pediatric primary care setting reduced missed well-child care visit rates by half and improved vaccination receipt. The intervention, which connected parents to public benefits and cost-saving services, also increased monthly household income.

February issues of American Psychiatric Association journals cover risk factors for mental illness, substance use in psychiatric care, emergency psychiatry and more

The February issues of the American Psychiatric Association's journals address risk factors for mental illness and substance use in psychiatric care. The research highlights the importance of understanding these factors to improve treatment outcomes and reduce disparities in mental health care.

SourceAmerican Psychiatric Association·JournalAmerican Journal of Psychiatry·DateFeb 2, 2023

State abortion bans based on sex, disability or race aren’t remedies against eugenics

A study by George Washington University professor Sonia M. Suter finds that reason-based abortion bans harm minority groups and restrict reproductive rights. The research challenges the notion that such bans are a remedy against eugenics, revealing instead a performative effort to justify discriminatory policies.

SourceGeorge Washington University·JournalJournal of Law and the Biosciences·TypeMeta-analysis·DateFeb 2, 2023