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| Stargazing in the brain: 'Star-like' cells display unique activity patterns Posted: 09 Feb 2022 12:48 PM PST The way we experience the world occurs due to complex and intricate interactions between neurons in the brain. Now, a study suggests that astrocytes -- star-shaped, non-neuronal cells in the brain -- might also play an important role in processing information, and perhaps even memory. |
| New soft robot material to morph from ground to air vehicle using liquid metal Posted: 09 Feb 2022 12:48 PM PST Imagine a small autonomous vehicle that could drive over land, stop, and flatten itself into a quadcopter. The rotors start spinning, and the vehicle flies away. Looking at it more closely, what do you think you would see? What mechanisms have caused it to morph from a land vehicle into a flying quadcopter? You might imagine gears and belts, perhaps a series of tiny servo motors that pulled all its pieces into place. |
| Cautiously optimistic: Study looks for riskiest tree disease spreaders, finds none Posted: 09 Feb 2022 12:48 PM PST Fungal disease represents one of the greatest threats to tree industries and forests in the United States. They're carried by invasive wood borers from overseas. A pre-invasion risk assessment tested 111 fungi samples extracted from 55 Eurasian beetles. None of the greenhouse-grown oak or pine saplings inoculated with the fungi died during the study period, and only a few fungi were shown to be weak pathogens. |
| Tiny electrical vortexes bridge gap between ferroelectric and ferromagnetic materials Posted: 09 Feb 2022 08:22 AM PST Ferromagnetic materials have a self-generating magnetic field, ferroelectric materials generate their own electrical field. Although electric and magnetic fields are related, physics tells us that they are very different classes of material. Now the discovery of a complex electrical 'vortex'-like pattern that mirrors its magnetic counterpart suggests that they could actually be two sides of the same coin. |
| Hungry for love: Gut molecule discovered that flips the feeding-to-mating switch Posted: 09 Feb 2022 08:22 AM PST Scientists have identified a molecule released from the gut after a protein-rich meal that switches the focus of fruit flies from eating to courtship. The discovery of Dh31, a type of chemical messenger, opens the door to unexplored areas of gut-to-brain communication. |
| Posted: 09 Feb 2022 08:21 AM PST Scientists who have developed an inhaled form of COVID vaccine have confirmed it can provide broad, long-lasting protection against the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern. The research reveals the immune mechanisms and significant benefits of vaccines being delivered directly into the respiratory tract, rather than by traditional injection. |
| Posted: 09 Feb 2022 08:21 AM PST The fungus-derived compound neoechinulin B demonstrates promising antiviral activity. To realize its potential as an antiviral agent, however, a viable method for preparing more potent derivatives synthetically is necessary. In a recent breakthrough, scientists from Japan designed a simple route for synthesizing neoechinulin B and its derivatives under mild laboratory conditions. Neoechinulin B and six derivatives exhibited excellent antiviral activities against hepatitis C virus and SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| Micrometer-sized particles encased in tailored polymer membranes Posted: 09 Feb 2022 08:21 AM PST Metal hydrides are considered a cutting-edge storage material for hydrogen. These hydrides function even better, if the micrometer-sized hydride particles are coated with a thin polymer film. Using a sophisticated microscopy technique, a team can now successfully show in detail, how the polymer-coated particles transform during charging and discharging with hydrogen. The results are encouraging and bring practical use of the new technology one step closer. |
| A routine prenatal ultrasound can identify early signs of autism, study finds Posted: 09 Feb 2022 08:21 AM PST A routine prenatal ultrasound in the second trimester can identify early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a new study has found. |
| New insight into unconventional superconductivity Posted: 09 Feb 2022 08:21 AM PST Signatures for a novel electronic phase that enables charge to flow spontaneously in loops have been observed in a kagome superconductor. Using ultra-sensitive muon spin spectroscopy, researchers discovered time-reversal symmetry-breaking magnetic fields inside the material, indicating the existence of long-searched-for 'orbital currents'. The discovery aids understanding of high-temperature superconductivity and quantum phenomena underpinning next-generation device research. |
| Mapping mutation ‘hotspots’ in cancer reveals new drivers and biomarkers Posted: 09 Feb 2022 08:21 AM PST Researchers have identified a previously unrecognized key player in cancer evolution: clusters of mutations occurring at certain regions of the genome. These mutation clusters contribute to the progression of about 10% of human cancers and can be used to predict patient survival. |
| Sewer slime can hang on to SARS-CoV-2 RNA from wastewater Posted: 09 Feb 2022 06:34 AM PST Researchers report that sewer slime can accumulate SARS-CoV-2 RNA, which could decompose or slough off later, potentially impacting the accuracy of wastewater epidemiology studies. |
| Why some stony coral species are better at surviving ocean acidification Posted: 09 Feb 2022 06:34 AM PST Hard corals grow by generating calcium carbonate (CaCO3) from seawater and adding it to their skeletons, where it crystallizes. This process -- and coral survival -- are threatened by ocean acidification. However, scientists report that corals produce the CaCO3 in compartments protected from seawater and not, as previously believed, in exposed locations. The findings, and differing crystallization rates, could explain why some species are more resilient to this threat. |
| Protective mutations in COVID-19 Posted: 09 Feb 2022 06:34 AM PST One way in which the body combats COVID-19 is by mutating the coronavirus, making it less harmful. This built-in protective mechanism in cells has a clear connection with decreased viral load in the body, a new study shows. |
| Weight gain in pregnancy may be linked to later growth patterns in daughters Posted: 09 Feb 2022 06:34 AM PST Rapid weight gain in the first and final months of a pregnancy may play a key role in the development of excess fat tissue in children and adolescents -- at least if those children are girls, according to a new study. |
| In a first for 'sonogenetics,' researchers control mammalian cells with sound Posted: 09 Feb 2022 06:34 AM PST Scientists have engineered mammalian cells to be activated using ultrasound. The method paves the way toward non-invasive versions of deep brain stimulation, pacemakers and insulin pumps. |
| Five elements to optimize treatment of in-hospital stroke Posted: 09 Feb 2022 06:34 AM PST An in-hospital stroke is a stroke that occurs during a hospitalization for another diagnosis. In-hospital stroke affects roughly 35,000-75,000 hospitalized people annually in the United States and occurs most often among patients who have undergone a recent procedure or an invasive diagnostic test. The statement details five key suggestions focused on reducing delays and optimizing treatment to improve outcomes for these patients. |
| Scientists create a global repository for cell engineering Posted: 09 Feb 2022 06:34 AM PST An international team has launched CellRepo, a species and strain database that uses cell barcodes to monitor and track engineered organisms. The database keeps track and organizes the digital data produced during cell engineering. It also molecularly links that data to the associated living samples. |
| Advancing genome editing through studying DNA repair mechanisms Posted: 09 Feb 2022 06:33 AM PST Prime editing is an improved variant of the CRISPR/Cas system that can introduce alterations in DNA with exquisite precision. But the method is complex and inefficient. A research group has now been able to show that the DNA mismatch repair process plays an essential role in prime editing. |
| Co-occurring droughts could threaten global food security Posted: 09 Feb 2022 06:33 AM PST Droughts occurring at the same time across different regions of the planet could place an unprecedented strain on the global agricultural system and threaten the water security of millions of people, according to a new study. |
| Posted: 09 Feb 2022 06:33 AM PST Feeling lightheaded upon standing up due to initial orthostatic hypotension (IOH), or a transient decrease in blood pressure and increase in heart rate, is a common but poorly understood condition. A new study offers two simple cost- and drug-free techniques to effectively manage symptoms of IOH and improve quality of life by activating lower body muscle before or after standing. |
| COP26 deal sparks hope for positive tipping points Posted: 08 Feb 2022 07:25 PM PST The Breakthrough Agenda agreed at COP26 could help trigger positive tipping points to tackle the climate crisis, researchers say. |
| A century later, researchers describe second opabiniid ever discovered Posted: 08 Feb 2022 04:17 PM PST An international team of researchers confirm that a specimen previously considered a radiodont is in fact an opabiniid. The new study used novel and robust phylogenetic methods to confirm Utaurora comosa as only the second opabiniid ever discovered and the first in over a century. |
| Antarctic research reveals link between warming and fish abundance Posted: 08 Feb 2022 04:17 PM PST A long-term study in the Southern Ocean reveals a clear correlation between warming waters, decreased sea ice, and reduced abundance of Antarctic silverfish. These small, abundant fish are important prey for penguins, seals, and other regional marine life, in a role similar to that played by anchovies or sardines in more temperate waters. |
| Words are needed to think about numbers, study suggests Posted: 08 Feb 2022 04:17 PM PST Researchers have found a new relationship between counting ability of Tsimane' individuals and their ability to perform matching tasks that involve numbers up to about 25. The results suggest that in order to think about exact numbers, people need to have a word for that number. |
| Initial COVID-19 infection on the single-cell level, revealed Posted: 08 Feb 2022 04:17 PM PST Sequencing more than 170,000 single cells from animal models have provided exceptionally detailed insight into the early immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in the lungs. The findings will help inform future treatment options for the current pandemic and future coronaviruses. |
| Surveillance testing shown to reduce community COVID-19 spread Posted: 08 Feb 2022 04:17 PM PST In early 2020, Georgia Tech researchers designed a saliva-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and encouraged community members to test weekly to track the health of the campus. Their strategy confirmed 62 percent of the campus' positive cases in the Fall 2020 semester. The method of surveillance testing -- focusing on case clusters and then having patients isolate -- reduced positivity rates from 4.1 percent in the beginning of the semester to below 0.5 percent mid-semester. |
| Thawing permafrost could expose Arctic populations to cancer-causing radon Posted: 08 Feb 2022 04:17 PM PST According to a new study, thawing of permafrost due to climate change could expose the Arctic population to much greater concentrations of the invisible, lung cancer-causing gas Radon. |
| Researchers develop methodology for streamlined control of material deformation Posted: 08 Feb 2022 04:17 PM PST Researchers devise a new approach to a highly studied exotic elastic material, uncover an intuitive geometrical description of the pronounced -- or nonlinear -- soft deformations, and show how to activate any of these deformations on-demand with minimal inputs. This new theory reveals that a flexible mechanical structure is governed by some of the same math as electromagnetic waves, phase transitions, and even black holes. |
| Texas power crisis revealed flaw in market’s design Posted: 08 Feb 2022 11:33 AM PST One year after winter storms crippled Texas' electricity grid, contributing to more than 200 deaths, an analysis recommends contracting improvements to reduce decentralized energy markets' vulnerability to rare events. |
| Giant kelp dynamics in the Santa Barbara Channel Posted: 08 Feb 2022 11:33 AM PST What factors drive the health, growth and productivity of giant kelp? There are several, but according to researchers, what you see depends on the scale at which you're observing. |
| Fecal implants drive behavioral and cognitive changes in Alzheimer’s model Posted: 08 Feb 2022 09:44 AM PST New research in mice for the first time draws a definitive causal connection between changes in the gut microbiome to behavioral and cognitive changes in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease. |
| Agricultural fungicides may be driving antimicrobial resistance Posted: 08 Feb 2022 09:44 AM PST New research has shown that compounds used to fight fungal diseases in plants are likely causing resistance to antifungal medications used to treat people. |
| Posted: 08 Feb 2022 08:39 AM PST Using data from over 100,000 malignant and non-malignant cells from 15 human brain metastases, researchers have revealed two functional archetypes of metastatic cells across 7 different types of brain tumors, each containing both immune and non-immune cell types. Their findings provide a potential roadmap for metastatic tumor formation that could be used to design therapies to improve the treatment of metastasized patients. |
| Potential target for treating osteoporosis Posted: 08 Feb 2022 08:39 AM PST Channels on the surface of bone cells called osteocytes help build stronger bones in response to mechanical stress, shows a new study. |
| New findings proliferate questions about hypothetical axionic behavior in weyl semimetals Posted: 08 Feb 2022 08:39 AM PST Researchers say an experimental approach for demonstrating the existence of an axionic behavior in specific materials may not have found it as previously reported. The multinational team was unable to detect the expected increased magnetoconductivity in the charge density wave of a compound made up of tantalum, selenium, and iodine, called (TaSe4)2I. The findings come three years after published research seemed to provide sufficient evidence for an axionic behavior using a similar approach. |
| New set of chemical building blocks makes complex 3D molecules in a snap Posted: 08 Feb 2022 08:39 AM PST A new set of molecular building blocks aims to make complex chemistry as simple and accessible as a toy construction kit. Researchers have developed a new class of chemical building blocks that simply snap together to form 3D molecules with complex twists and turns, and an automated machine to assemble the blocks like a 3D printer for molecules. |
| Discovery could help finetune immunity to fight infections, disease Posted: 08 Feb 2022 08:39 AM PST Scientists supports a novel theory that the innate immune system can respond differently to specific pathogens. This quality, known as immunological specificity, was previously ascribed only to the adaptive immune system. The study suggests that this innate immune specificity is driven by the nervous system and identifies a neuronal protein as a critical link in the process. The findings hold early promise for the treatment of innate immune conditions and could also provide the basis for finetuning an experimental treatment that harnesses the nervous system to fight infection. The latter is particularly significant given the rapid rise in infections caused by antibiotic-resistant superbugs. |
| Identification of a unique 'switch' for blood vessel generation Posted: 08 Feb 2022 08:39 AM PST Researchers discover a 'switch' specific to transcription factors that induce the genes essential for blood vessel development in postnatal periods. Mouse models further showed that the modifiers responsible for the switch are critical for postnatal angiogenesis. |
| Gut bacteria linked to immune suppression in pancreatic cancer Posted: 08 Feb 2022 08:35 AM PST Researchers have shown how probiotic bacteria in the gut could undermine immunity in pancreatic cancer, pointing toward more personalized cancer treatments. |
| Genetic engineering can have a positive effect on the climate Posted: 08 Feb 2022 07:53 AM PST The use of genetically modified (GM) crops in agriculture remains contentious, especially in Europe. According to surveys, many people fear that these could have negative effects for human health and the environment. However, a new study shows that genetically modified crops could actually be good for the environment, and for the climate in particular. Results suggest that the adoption of GM crops in the European Union (EU) could reduce greenhouse gas emissions considerably. |
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