Nerdy Science Blog

Bed bugs (Cimes lectularius) have caused so much troubles in many industries, such as agriculture, housing, travel, hospitality, etc.  Although there are many methods and products available to get rid of the bugs, there are evidences showing bed bugs are becoming more resistance to insecticides, namely pyrethroids.  National Bed Bug Summit was even held in April by Environmental Protection Agency to deal with problems cause by bed bugs.

Desiccant dust is one of the oldest methods used to get rid of bed bugs, and it is still widely used now.  Scientists from Ohio State University and Wittenberg University increase the effectiveness of desiccant dust by applying two pheromones secreted by bed bugs themselves.  The two pheromones are (E)-2-hexenal and (E)-2-octenal, which are secreted by the bugs when they are disturbed or excited.  The pheromones enhanced desiccant dust attracts the bugs to walk through it, and the bed bugs are killed due to dehydration.  Desiccant dusts can be used in many places and are not toxic (but messy).

The study is published in current issue fo Journal of Medical Entomology.  Authors are Joshua B. Benoit, Seth A. Phillips, Travis J. Croxall, Brady S. Christensen, Jay A. Yoder, and David L. Denlinger.

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Scientists at Ohio State University identified a gene that involves in weight gain, which will eventually lead to obesity and also associated disorders.  Scientists studied mice fed with high-fat diet and also regular diet.  It was found that mice with high-fat diet induced production of protein kinase C beta (PKC beta) by the gene in the fat cells of the mice.  Mice which had PKC beta removed through genetic engineering had little weight gain and did not have health effects like those with the active PKC beta gene.  The study will be published in the Journal Hepatology.  This finding can possibly help scientists to come up with a weight loss therapeutic strategy.

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Touching an item may gives you an impulsive urge to buy it, said researchers from Ohio State University and Illinois State University.  The researchers did a simple experiment showing that simply touching an inexpensive coffee mug for few seconds will made people attach to, hence buying it at higher price.  This study shows that people tend to feel ownership to an item as long as they touch it, and the longer the contact with the item, the stronger the feeling is.  The finding is published in the journal Judgment and Decision Making recently.

Does this decision behaviour works on touching living creatures?  Do two strangers touching each other for a while will create attachment?

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