ScienceDaily: Latest Science News |
| Compound shows promise for minimizing erratic movements in Parkinson’s patients Posted: 01 Dec 2021 12:01 PM PST A new study has identified a promising drug candidate to minimize uncontrolled, erratic muscle movements, called dyskinesia, associated with Parkinson's disease. |
| Engineers create perching bird-like robot Posted: 01 Dec 2021 11:53 AM PST With feet and legs like a peregrine falcon, engineers have created a robot that can perch and carry objects like a bird. |
| New way of identifying early risk of cardiovascular disease Posted: 01 Dec 2021 11:53 AM PST The risk of developing cardiovascular disease is strongly associated with 'bad' LDL cholesterol. A large study now shows that two proteins that transport cholesterol particles in the blood provide early and reliable risk information. The researchers now advocate introducing new guidelines for detecting cardiac risk and say the results may pave the way for early treatment, which could help lower morbidity and fatality rates. |
| Targeting the brain’s immune cells may help prevent or treat Alzheimer’s disease Posted: 01 Dec 2021 11:53 AM PST A gene mutation linked to Alzheimer's disease alters a signaling pathway in certain immune cells of individuals with the disease, according to a new study. The team also found that blocking the pathway -- with a drug that's currently being tested in cancer clinical trials -- protects against many features of the condition in a preclinical model. The results could lead to new strategies to block the development of Alzheimer's disease or slow its progression. |
| Effectiveness of ointment that kills antibiotic-resistant bacteria shown Posted: 01 Dec 2021 11:53 AM PST New research shows that use of a topical drug, called AB569, a combination of acidified nitrite and EDTA (or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) promotes killing of antibiotic-resistant bacteria while enhancing the healing of wounds in a variety of burn injuries. |
| Lunar radar data uncovers new clues about moon’s ancient past Posted: 01 Dec 2021 11:53 AM PST The dusty surface of the moon -- immortalized in images of Apollo astronauts' lunar footprints -- formed as the result of asteroid impacts and the harsh environment of space breaking down rock over millions of years. An ancient layer of this material, covered by periodic lava flows and now buried under the lunar surface, could provide new insight into the Moon's deep past, according to a team of scientists. |
| Research reveals new evidence that sugary beverage tax impacts are sustainable, effective Posted: 01 Dec 2021 11:53 AM PST Two new studies based in Seattle provide evidence that public policies to reduce consumption of added sugars through taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages are effective and sustainable. |
| Posted: 01 Dec 2021 10:36 AM PST Biologists have successfully traced a naturally-produced melanoma-fighting compound called 'palmerolide A' to its source: a microbe that resides within Synoicum adareanum, a species of ascidian common to the waters of Antarctica's Anvers Island archipelago. |
| Headwater refuges: Combined effect of drought and fire on stream communities Posted: 01 Dec 2021 10:36 AM PST Life is water, and water is life. This truism certainly applies to the Pacific coast, where streams and rivers function as the region's arteries. The water they carry fosters plant life and wildlife in Southern California's Mediterranean climate. They provide sanctuary during droughts and often serve as the nexus for recovery after fires. |
| Researchers identify key RNA 'gatekeeper' in gene expression, pointing to possible new drug targets Posted: 01 Dec 2021 09:43 AM PST Researchers have identified the first non-coding RNA that controls formation of chromosome loops, which govern gene expression. Jpx RNA was previously thought to be involved only in X chromosome inactivation, a necessary step in development of female embryos. This discovery could create new targets for drug developers. |
| Astronomers discover strangely massive black hole in Milky Way satellite galaxy Posted: 01 Dec 2021 08:20 AM PST Astronomers have discovered an unusually massive black hole at the heart of one of the Milky Way's dwarf satellite galaxies, called Leo I. Almost as massive as the black hole in our own galaxy, the finding could redefine our understanding of how all galaxies -- the building blocks of the universe -- evolve. |
| Arecibo data still has astronomers in a spin Posted: 01 Dec 2021 08:20 AM PST Data collected by the Arecibo Radio Telescope before it collapsed late last year will help astronomers better understand how our local neighbourhood of galaxies formed. Arecibo was the world's largest single-dish radio telescope until it was surpassed in 2016 by China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST). At the end of 2020, Arecibo's 900-ton receiver platform suddenly and spectacularly fell onto the dish below, destroying the telescope. |
| Unorthodox 'exercise in a pill' could offer simple solution for at-risk patients Posted: 01 Dec 2021 08:19 AM PST Unique molecular signals in the body sent to our brain and potentially our eyes immediately after we exercise could be key to helping scientists 'bottle up' the benefits of exercise in a pill for at-risk patients. |
| The secret life of Tasmanian devils is hiding in their whiskers Posted: 01 Dec 2021 08:19 AM PST Researchers have mapped the timescale of the Tasmanian devils' whiskers, showing that their whiskers can capture seasonal dietary changes over at least nine months and potentially up to a year. |
| Posted: 01 Dec 2021 08:19 AM PST A secondary analysis of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (Fragile Families) found a bi-directional relationship where a mother's mental health symptoms impacted the child's mental health symptoms and vice versa, according to researchers. |
| Posted: 01 Dec 2021 08:19 AM PST Researchers used the Frontera supercomputer to explore light-induced superconductivity a pulsed laser, which is believed to be a promising route to room-temperature superconductors. They found that d-wave superconductivity can be enhanced by a pulsed laser, but the light-enhanced superconductivity may be of fluctuating nature. The project applied a recently developed exact diagonalization method which allows precise calculations of up to a trillion matrix elements, but requires large scale high performance computing. |
| Footprints from site a at Laetoli, Tanzania, are from early humans, not bears Posted: 01 Dec 2021 08:19 AM PST The oldest unequivocal evidence of upright walking in the human lineage are footprints discovered at Laetoli, Tanzania in 1978, by paleontologist Mary Leakey and her team. The bipedal trackways date to 3.7 million years ago. Another set of mysterious footprints was partially excavated at nearby Site A in 1976 but dismissed as possibly being made by a bear. A recent re-excavation of the Site A footprints at Laetoli and a detailed comparative analysis reveal that the footprints were made by an early human -- a bipedal hominin. |
| When variations in Earth's orbit drive biological evolution Posted: 01 Dec 2021 08:19 AM PST Coccolithophores are microscopic algae that form tiny limestone plates, called coccoliths, around their single cells. They are responsible for half of the limestone produced in the oceans and therefore play a major role in the carbon cycle and in determining ocean chemistry. A team of scientists show that certain variations in Earth's orbit have influenced the evolution of coccolithophores. |
| Deep learning dreams up new protein structures Posted: 01 Dec 2021 08:19 AM PST Using artificial intelligence and deep learning, researchers have developed a neural network that 'hallucinates' the structures of new protein molecules. The scientists made up completely random protein sequences and introduced mutations into them until the neural network predicted they would fold into stable structures. The software was not guided toward a particular outcome; the proteins were just what the computer dreams up. Next step: using deep learning to try to design proteins with particular functions, such as enzymes or drugs. |
| Researchers unlock biogeographical secrets of deep-sea limpets Posted: 01 Dec 2021 08:19 AM PST Researchers have decoded for the first time the demographic history, genetic structure, and population connectivity of a deep-sea limpet widely distributed in vent and seep ecosystems in the Northwest Pacific. This study not only enhances our knowledge of the historical population divergence and contemporary gene flow of deep-sea organisms under the intricate interactions amongst local habitats, seafloor topography, and ocean currents, but also serves as a scientific basis for better conservation of marine biodiversity and more effective environmental management. |
| Machine learning helps mathematicians make new connections Posted: 01 Dec 2021 08:19 AM PST Mathematicians have partnered with artificial intelligence to suggest and prove new mathematical theorems. |
| The diabetes medication that could revolutionize heart failure treatment Posted: 01 Dec 2021 05:52 AM PST A medication originally used for patients with diabetes is the first to help people with heart failure and could revolutionize treatment. Early research had shown that SGLT2 inhibitors could help around half of heart failure patients -- those with a condition known as reduction ejection fraction. But a new study shows that the medication could be beneficial for all heart failure patients -- including those with a second type of heart failure called preserved ejection fraction. |
| Study links high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease to plastics Posted: 01 Dec 2021 05:51 AM PST In a mouse study, a team led by a biomedical scientist found a phthalate -- a chemical used to make plastics more durable -- led to increased plasma cholesterol levels. |
| Coffee time: Caffeine improves reaction to moving targets Posted: 01 Dec 2021 05:51 AM PST In the first study of its kind to explore caffeine's effects on dynamic visual skills, researchers concluded that caffeine increases alertness and detection accuracy for moving targets. Caffeine also improved participants' reaction times. |
| MRI reveals altered brain structure in fetuses exposed to alcohol Posted: 01 Dec 2021 05:51 AM PST In the first MRI-based study to investigate pre-natal alcohol exposure, researchers found significant changes in the brain structure of fetuses exposed to alcohol compared to healthy controls. |
| CT uncovers bone disease in Tyrannosaurus rex jaw Posted: 01 Dec 2021 05:51 AM PST Researchers have identified bone disease in the fossilized jaw of a Tyrannosaurus rex using a CT-based, nondestructive imaging approach. The imaging method could have significant applications in paleontology, researchers said, as an alternative to fossil assessment methods that involve the destruction of samples. |
| In children with multiple sclerosis, teriflunomide tempers lesion growth Posted: 30 Nov 2021 02:40 PM PST A phase 3 clinical trial tested the safety and efficacy of teriflunomide, an oral immunomodulatory drug, in children with multiple sclerosis. Although the medication did not prevent disease relapses to a greater extent than placebo, the option for some patients to switch from placebo to teriflunomide before the end of the trial likely biased the results against treatment efficacy. The drug appeared to reduce the number of new or enlarged lesions that are detected through MRI. |
| Bringing 400-million-year-old fossilized armored worms to ‘virtual’ life Posted: 30 Nov 2021 02:39 PM PST Scientists have documented the discovery of two new species of fossilized armored worms in Australia -- Lepidocoleus caliburnus and Lepidocoleus shurikenus -- dating from about 400 million years ago. Then, using the micro-CT imaging capabilities of the MU X-ray Microanalysis Core facility, the researchers were able to develop first-of-its-kind digital 3D-models of the species' individual armor plates by virtually examining the armored skeletons of these ancient worms, called machaeridians. |
| Synthetic tissue can repair hearts, muscles, and vocal cords Posted: 30 Nov 2021 12:04 PM PST Combining knowledge of chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering, scientists from McGill University develop a biomaterial tough enough to repair the heart, muscles, and vocal cords, representing a major advance in regenerative medicine. |
| Brief presence of water in Arabia Terra on Mars Posted: 30 Nov 2021 12:04 PM PST Scientists recently discovered that water was once present in a region of Mars called Arabia Terra. |
| High-speed holography of cells spots physical beacons of disease Posted: 30 Nov 2021 12:04 PM PST Biomedical engineers have engineered a holographic system capable of imaging and analyzing tens of thousands of cells per minute to both discover and recognize signs of disease. |
| Summer rains in American Southwest are not your typical monsoon Posted: 30 Nov 2021 12:04 PM PST Monsoons are continental weather events produced when intense summer sunlight heats land more than ocean. But new supercomputer simulations show that North America's only monsoon works differently. The North American monsoon, which drenches western Mexico and the American Southwest each summer, is generated when the jet stream collides with the Sierra Madre mountains, which diverts it southward and upward, condensing moisture laden air from the eastern Pacific into torrential rains. |
| Posted: 30 Nov 2021 11:15 AM PST As an autoimmune disease, Type 1 diabetes raises important questions about immune cell activity that have broad implications for immunotherapy. |
| Holistic framework can assess fisheries’ strengths and potential weaknesses Posted: 30 Nov 2021 10:02 AM PST A new decision-making framework designed by an international team of fisheries researchers can help fisheries bolster their ability to adapt to a warming world. The tool is meant to take a lot of the guesswork out of finding resilience in a time of climate change. |
| Time crystal in a quantum computer Posted: 30 Nov 2021 10:02 AM PST Researchers have created and observed a new phase of matter, popularly known as a time crystal. |
| As LA traffic slowed amid the pandemic, researchers gained new insight into air pollution Posted: 30 Nov 2021 10:02 AM PST Car tailpipes spew out molecules of ammonia, a harmful air pollutant that can lead to thousands of premature deaths every year. New research shows that vehicles may produce a lot more of these emissions than federal and state regulators have believed. |
| Biosensor barcodes identify, detail ‘chatting’ among cancer cells Posted: 30 Nov 2021 10:02 AM PST Ever since the first barcode appeared on a pack of chewing gum in 1974, the now-ubiquitous system has enabled manufacturers, retailers and consumers to quickly and effectively identify, characterize, locate and track products and materials. Scientists now demonstrate how they can do the same thing at the molecular level, studying the ways cancer cells 'talk' with one another. |
| Ubiquitous food additive alters human microbiota and intestinal environment Posted: 30 Nov 2021 10:02 AM PST New clinical research indicates that a widely used food additive, carboxymethylcellulose, alters the intestinal environment of healthy persons, perturbing levels of beneficial bacteria and nutrients. These findings demonstrate the need for further study of the long-term impacts of this food additive on health. |
| Posted: 30 Nov 2021 10:02 AM PST Botonists reveals that the unique timing of spore dispersal in the sensitive fern, known as Onoclea sensibilis, is determined by a structural mechanism of humidity-driven movement in spore bearing leaves. |
| Scientists develop lead-absorbing tape to boost viability of rising star in solar power industry Posted: 30 Nov 2021 10:02 AM PST Scientists describe development of a cost-effective Scotch-tape-like film that can be applied to perovskite solar cells and capture 99.9% of leaked lead in the event of solar cell damage. |
| Extraordinary Roman mosaic and villa discovered beneath farmer's field in Rutland, UK Posted: 30 Nov 2021 09:16 AM PST Archaeologists have unearthed the first Roman mosaic of its kind in the UK. |
| 3D printing of blood plasma may speed up wound healing Posted: 30 Nov 2021 08:25 AM PST New research suggests that effective wound healing may be aided by replicating a crucial component of our blood. |
| Successful treatment in mice for severe childhood cancer Posted: 30 Nov 2021 08:25 AM PST In mice with high-risk neuroblastoma, tumors disappeared in response to a new combination treatment with precision medicines, a recent study shows. This is a vital step toward a potentially curative treatment for a form of cancer affecting young children that is currently difficult to treat. |
| Reshaping the plastic lifecycle into a circle Posted: 30 Nov 2021 08:25 AM PST New research gives a bird's-eye view of the scale of plastic creation globally, tracing where it's produced, where it ends up, and its environmental impact. |
| Scientists can control brain circuits, behavior, and emotion using light Posted: 30 Nov 2021 08:25 AM PST Scientists can control brain circuits, behavior, and emotion using light. Researchers developed a new optogenetic tool, 'Opto-vTrap', which is expected to contribute to treatment for epilepsy, muscle spasms, and skin wrinkles. |
| 3D laser nanoprinters become compact Posted: 30 Nov 2021 07:15 AM PST Lasers in conventional laser printers for paper printouts are very small. 3D laser printers for 3-dimensional microstructures and nanostructures, by contrast, have required big and expensive laser systems so far. Researchers now use another process for this purpose. Two-step absorption works with inexpensive and small, blue laser diodes. As a result, much smaller printers can be used. |
| Global HIV viral suppression rates too low among children and adolescents Posted: 30 Nov 2021 07:15 AM PST An analysis in the lead up to World AIDS Day reveals that HIV is 'virally suppressed' in only 59 per cent of children and adolescents on treatment. |
| Constraining quantum measurement Posted: 30 Nov 2021 07:14 AM PST The quantum world and our everyday world are very different places. Physicists now investigate how the act of measuring a quantum particle transforms it into an everyday object. |
| Posted: 30 Nov 2021 07:14 AM PST Researchers have developed a new photocatalyst made from an aerogel that could enable more efficient hydrogen production. The key is sophisticated pretreatment of the material. |
| Reduced meat diet has many advantages Posted: 30 Nov 2021 07:14 AM PST Which diet is better: moderately reduce meat consumption and eat more fruit, vegetables and wholegrain products or eating more fish and seafood? Or even switch completely to a vegan diet? A new study shows that the answer to these questions is not as clear-cut as one might think -- depending on which impacts one closely looks. |
| Diversity of the gut microbiome in gorillas Posted: 30 Nov 2021 07:14 AM PST A new study sheds light on the gut microbiome of gorillas, moving researchers closer to developing tools that can use the microbiome to diagnose potential health challenges for gorillas in human care. Specifically, the study found significant diversity among gorilla microbiomes, suggesting that what constitutes a 'healthy' microbiome can vary between individuals. |
| Breakthrough tool to show how much exoskeletons reduce back injury risk Posted: 30 Nov 2021 07:14 AM PST A study reveals a breakthrough tool to assess the effect of exoskeletons on injury risk. The tool, called Exo-LiFFT, is an interactive calculator that will help companies looking for ways to overcome workforces struggling with musculoskeletal injuries, missed work, and accelerated retirement amongst skilled laborers. |
| Nonverbal social interactions – even with unfriendly avatars – boost cooperation Posted: 30 Nov 2021 07:14 AM PST Scientists used animated humanoid avatars to study how nonverbal cues influence people's behavior. The research offers insight into the brain mechanisms that drive social and economic decision-making. |
| Cell types of the iris in mice Posted: 30 Nov 2021 07:14 AM PST Researchers report they have genetically mapped the cell types that make up the mouse iris -- the thin disc of pigmented tissue that, in humans, gives eyes their distinct colors. |
| Correcting inherited gene alterations speeds up Posted: 30 Nov 2021 07:14 AM PST Researchers have developed a method to precisely and rapidly correct genetic alterations in the cultured patient cells. |
| Male animals are subject to stronger evolutionary pressures than females Posted: 30 Nov 2021 07:14 AM PST Male animals are subject to stronger selection pressures than females, which may allow populations to adapt to environmental change more efficiently. |
| Ancient lineage of algae found to include five 'cryptic' species Posted: 30 Nov 2021 07:14 AM PST All land plants originated from a single evolutionary event when freshwater algae got a foothold on land. The group of algae that would later give rise to land plants had already been living in freshwater and terrestrial habitats for over one billion years. A tiny group of these algae, most distantly related to land plants, still lives. A team homed in on one species, Chlorokybus, which lives in wet soil and rock cracks, to find that it contains not one, but at least five different species. |
| Courting success: Why the 'head' outsmarts the body in basketball Posted: 30 Nov 2021 07:14 AM PST A new study reveals why coaches believe 'game intelligence,' work ethic and competitiveness are far more important than physical fitness in determining success on the basketball court. |
| Potential new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease would be relatively cheap Posted: 30 Nov 2021 07:12 AM PST Researchers have discovered a protein involved in the development of Alzheimer's disease. Studies in mice showed that eliminating this protein entirely or using drugs to block its function reduced physical changes in the brain associated with the disease and improved memory. Drug therapy that aims to block the protein's activity could be a more effective treatment than what is currently available, as well as being cheaper. |
| Early interventions could help counteract muscle loss Posted: 30 Nov 2021 05:43 AM PST Weakening muscles are a natural part of the aging process, but for some people with a condition called sarcopenia the decline is abnormally fast. A new study suggests that the early stages of sarcopenia could be counteracted with timely interventions designed to preserve physical and cognitive function and manage chronic conditions. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |