The following highlights are the top ten most viewed research highlights on the English website of natureasia.com during the past month.
16 September 2018 ～ 16 October 2018
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Nature Communications, September 19, 2018
A synthetic sandalwood odorant stimulates hair growth in experiments using human scalp tissue performed in the laboratory. The findings are reported in Nature Communications this week.
Smell is triggered when odorant molecules are recognized by their receptors at the surface of specialised cells in the nose. However, other cells in the body also express olfactory receptors, which then r...
Original article
doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-05973-0
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Nature Communications, September 19, 2018
When multiple agents use quantum mechanics to predict each other’s observations they will invariably end up with inconsistent results, according to a thought experiment reported in Nature Communications. The findings suggest that current interpretations of quantum theory cannot be extrapolated to consistently describe complex, macroscopic (large enough to be visible with the naked eye) system...
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doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-05739-8
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Scientific Reports, September 21, 2018
Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) bleats signal the caller’s identity at distances of up to 20 metres and their sex at distances of up to 10 metres, according to a study in Scientific Reports. Cues about the identity and sex of the caller contained in bleats may provide important information for pandas interacting at close range in dense bamboo thickets where there is limited opportunity f...
Original article
doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-31155-5
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Nature, September 20, 2018
A causal link between senescent cells and neurodegeneration in mice is reported in a paper published online this week in Nature. The findings could open up a potential new therapeutic avenue for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Previous research has shown that senescent cells (dysfunctional cells that have lost their capacity to divide) accumulate with age throughout the bod...
Original article
doi: 10.1038/s41586-018-0543-y
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Scientific Reports, September 28, 2018
Humpback whale calls can persist across multiple generations, but songs change frequently, according to a study published in Scientific Reports.
Whales produce songs, which are long, repetitive vocal displays, and calls, which include any vocal sound produced outside the patterned and repeated structure of a song. Michelle Fournet and colleagues investigated the stability of humpback wh...
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doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-31527-x
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Nature, September 20, 2018
Mechanical gliders can learn to soar like birds with the help of machine learning, reports a study published online this week in Nature.
Soaring birds ride warm, rising air currents - or ‘thermals’ - to fly and gain height without needing to flap their wings. However, the landscape of these currents is complex and continuously changing, and so exactly how birds find and navigate the...
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doi: 10.1038/s41586-018-0533-0
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Nature, September 27, 2018
Treatment with two monoclonal antibodies can maintain the suppression of HIV-1 and reduce viral load in the absence of antiretroviral therapy (ART), report two small phase 1b clinical trials published this week in Nature and Nature Medicine.
Individuals with an HIV-1 infection require lifelong ART to suppress the virus, and interruptions to treatment can cause the reactivation of vira...
Original article
doi: 10.1038/s41591-018-0186-4
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Scientific Reports, September 28, 2018
Caring for individuals with diseases may have enabled prehistoric humans to prevent disease transmission as social networks became more complex and the threat from socially transmitted diseases increased, according to a study in Scientific Reports.
Sharon Kessler and colleagues used computer modelling to simulate the evolution of care-giving in four different social systems, using commu...
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doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-31568-2
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Scientific Reports, October 5, 2018
Honeybees may gain health benefits, such as protection against certain viruses, from consuming extracts from fungi, a study in Scientific Reports suggests.
Viruses including the deformed wing virus (DWV) and the Lake Sinai virus (LSV) have been reported to play a significant role in the decline of honeybee health worldwide. However, approved antiviral materials are currently unavailable...
Original article
doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-32194-8
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Nature Communications, September 26, 2018
A new strategy to produce low-cost sensors that allow ultrasensitive detection of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) by the naked-eye is described in Nature Communications this week. The sensors, which are paper-based and wearable, could enable users to manage the impact of UVR on their daily lives.
UVR can be classified into UVA, B and C by wavelength. To monitor the impact of different UV ...
Original article
doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-06273-3
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