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| Scientists identify areas of high marine mammal diversity Posted: 04 Mar 2022 03:29 PM PST Sightings of more than 1 million marine mammals in the federally protected Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument and sites along the Atlantic Coast have been used to identify areas of high marine mammal diversity. These findings underscore the importance of ocean conservation as these waters face increasing impacts from human activities. |
| Possible common thread between many neurodegenerative diseases Posted: 04 Mar 2022 03:29 PM PST Researchers reveal a new fibril in diseased brains, one formed by a protein normally busy cleaning cells. |
| Event horizons are tunable factories of quantum entanglement Posted: 04 Mar 2022 03:29 PM PST Physicists have leveraged quantum information theory techniques to reveal a mechanism for amplifying, or 'stimulating,' the production of entanglement in the Hawking effect in a controlled manner. Furthermore, these scientists propose a protocol for testing this idea in the laboratory using artificially produced event horizons. |
| Meddling with metals: Escaping the tyranny of copper Posted: 04 Mar 2022 03:29 PM PST Researchers have reported a new protein-design strategy to sidestep the Irving-Williams Series, allowing proteins to behind to other metals ahead of copper. |
| Single test for over 50 genetic diseases will cut diagnosis from decades to days Posted: 04 Mar 2022 11:46 AM PST A single DNA test has been developed that can screen a patient's genome for over 50 genetic neurological and neuromuscular diseases such as Huntington's disease, muscular dystrophies and fragile X syndrome. The new test avoids a 'diagnostic odyssey' for patients that can take decades. The team has shown that the test is accurate. They are now working on validations to make it available in pathology labs. They expect it to be standard in global pathology labs within five years. |
| Visualizing the invisible: New fluorescent DNA label reveals nanoscopic cancer features Posted: 04 Mar 2022 11:46 AM PST Researchers have developed a new fluorescent label that gives a clearer picture of how DNA architecture is disrupted in cancer cells. The findings could improve cancer diagnoses for patients and classification of future cancer risk. |
| Making diversity, equity, inclusion integral part of physics education Posted: 04 Mar 2022 09:40 AM PST While many physics instructors are beginning to incorporate lessons on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom, it can often feel like an add-on rather than an integral component of becoming a physicist. Scientists are helping to change this by presenting discussions and activities on DEI as a fundamental and essential part of physics training. The team created two approaches for DEI curriculum, replacing a question on a weekly homework assignment with a reflection essay on a topic important to physicists and including activities and discussions during a two-day unit on representation. |
| Changing the standard of care for stage III melanoma surgery Posted: 04 Mar 2022 09:40 AM PST For years, surgery for patients with stage III melanoma -- melanoma that has spread to the lymph nodes -- involved removing those lymph nodes along with the primary tumor. Known as completion lymph node dissection (CLND), the surgery was meant to ensure that no cancer remained after surgery. More recently, however, cancer surgeons have discovered that CLND has the potential to cause more problems than it solves. In most cases, patients do better on immunotherapy alone than they do when their surgery involves removal of the lymph nodes, due to potential complications from lymph node surgery. |
| Researchers map magnetic fields in 3D, findings could improve device storage capacity Posted: 04 Mar 2022 09:40 AM PST Researchers have mapped magnetic fields in three dimensions, a major step toward solving what they call the 'grand challenge' of revealing 3D magnetic configuration in magnetic materials. The work has implications for improving diagnostic imaging and capacity in storage devices. |
| Artificial intelligence predicts algae potential as alternative energy source Posted: 04 Mar 2022 09:40 AM PST Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists are using artificial intelligence to set a new world record for producing algae as a reliable, economic source for biofuel that can be used as an alternative fuel source for jet aircraft and other transportation needs. |
| During droughts, thirstier mountain forests could mean less water downstream Posted: 04 Mar 2022 08:20 AM PST Researchers found upstream forests' increased water consumption during droughts could leave less water downstream for forests, cities and wildlife during drought. |
| A new study relates liquid fructose intake to fatty liver disease Posted: 04 Mar 2022 08:20 AM PST A high-fat diet is not enough to cause short-term fatty liver disease. However, if this diet is combined with the intake of beverages sweetened with liquid fructose, the accumulation of fats in the liver accelerates and hypertriglyceridemia -- a cardiovascular risk factor -- can appear, according to researchers. |
| Posted: 04 Mar 2022 08:20 AM PST Major automotive manufacturers are ramping up production of electric trucks as a key strategy to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of their vehicles. |
| Microneedle approach to address peanut allergy shows promise in mice Posted: 04 Mar 2022 08:20 AM PST Mice that received treatments with peanut-coated microneedles had significant increased rates of desensitization to peanut allergy compared with epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT), a new study found. The microneedle treatment success was achieved despite applying a dose of peanut protein 10-times lower than the dose delivered by EPIT. Researchers say the findings demonstrate the potential for peanut microneedles to improve food allergen immunotherapy through the skin. |
| Nealtican lava flow field, Popocatépetl volcano: A window to the past and future hazards Posted: 04 Mar 2022 07:10 AM PST The Popocatépetl volcano, located southeast of Mexico City, stands as the second highest peak in Mexico and is considered to be one of the potentially most dangerous volcanoes in the world, given its record of highly explosive eruptions over the last 23,000 years. |
| Posted: 04 Mar 2022 07:10 AM PST Mindfulness meditation is a stress-management practice with ancient lineage that cultivates nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment, often by directing attention to the physical sensations of breathing. But there may be an unanticipated downside to secular mindfulness meditation practices, according to new research. |
| 'Fingerprint' machine learning technique identifies different bacteria in seconds Posted: 04 Mar 2022 07:10 AM PST Bacterial identification can take hours and often longer -- precious time when diagnosing infections and selecting appropriate treatments. There may be a quicker, more accurate process. By teaching a deep learning algorithm to identify the 'fingerprint' spectra of the molecular components of various bacteria, the researchers could classify various bacteria in different media with accuracies up to 98%. |
| AI helped protect businesses from COVID-19 risks Posted: 04 Mar 2022 07:09 AM PST A new study has found that artificial intelligence (AI) apps helped protect small and medium-sized businesses against many of the risks that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic -- yet only a quarter of small firms currently use them. |
| Predicting solar cell performance from terahertz and microwave spectroscopy Posted: 04 Mar 2022 07:09 AM PST Many semiconducting materials are possible candidates for solar cells. In recent years, perovskite semiconductors in particular have attracted attention, as they are both inexpensive and easy to process and enable high efficiencies. Now a new study shows how terahertz (TRTS) and microwave spectroscopy (TRMC) can be used to reliably determine the mobility and lifetime of the charge carriers in new semiconducting materials. Using these measurement data it is possible to predict the potential efficiency of the solar cell in advance and to classify the losses in the finished cell. |
| Bendy robotic arm twisted into shape with help of augmented reality Posted: 04 Mar 2022 07:09 AM PST Researchers have designed a malleable robotic arm that can be guided into shape by a person using augmented reality (AR) goggles. |
| New treatment to combat obesity and heart disease Posted: 04 Mar 2022 06:03 AM PST An interdisciplinary research team has successfully developed an innovative inhibitor that shows promise in fighting obesity and potentially preventing heart disease. The team developed an anti-obesity drug that blocks the effects of cytochrome P450 8B1, the enzyme linked to cholesterol absorption and obesity. |
| More alcohol, less brain: Association begins with an average of just one drink a day Posted: 04 Mar 2022 06:03 AM PST Even light-to-moderate drinking is associated with harm to the brain, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed data from more than 36,000 adults that found a link between drinking and reduced brain volume that begins at an average consumption level of less than one alcohol unit a day -- the equivalent of about half a beer -- and rises with each additional drink. |
| Henipavirus glycoprotein architecture suggests therapeutic strategies Posted: 04 Mar 2022 06:03 AM PST 3D structural findings are reported on a critical component of the Nipah virus' infection mechanism, and how antibodies home in on an important part of the machinery that attaches the virus to host cells. The results point to multipronged strategies for preventing and treating the deadly Nipah and Hendra viruses, which are carried by bats, but which have jumped species to infect other animals and people. The results of this latest research suggest a blueprint for computer-engineered, next-generation vaccine candidates, |
| Cutting losses: Engineering research equips solar industry for improved performance Posted: 04 Mar 2022 06:03 AM PST Researchers have succeeded in identifying a technique that makes cadmium, selenium and telluride (CdSeTe) solar cells more efficient than silicon cells. |
| Resistance exercise may be superior to aerobic exercise for getting better ZZZs Posted: 03 Mar 2022 06:58 PM PST A new study found that resistance exercise may be superior to aerobic exercise as a way to get better sleep. A year-long resistance exercise program improved sleep quality, duration and other indicators of a good night's sleep more so than aerobic exercise, combined aerobic and resistance exercise, and no exercise. Researchers say interventions focused on resistance exercises may be a way to improve sleep and, in turn, cardiovascular health. |
| New species of stegosaur is oldest discovered in Asia, and possibly the world Posted: 03 Mar 2022 06:58 PM PST Relatively small, but fearsome-looking stegosaur measured about 2.8 meters (9 feet) from nose to tail -- but scientists can't tell whether the remains are those of an adult or juvenile. |
| Researchers identify potential approaches to modify the vaginal microbiome Posted: 03 Mar 2022 04:15 PM PST Study shows that L. iners has unique nutritional requirements that distinguish it from L. crispatus, potentially allowing it to be targeted using novel therapeutic strategies. |
| Agreeableness a helpful trait for general success in life, study finds Posted: 03 Mar 2022 04:14 PM PST Agreeableness has desirable effect on hundreds of physical, psychological, occupational metrics that impact more than just job performance. |
| Robot 'bugs' that can go just about anywhere Posted: 03 Mar 2022 04:14 PM PST Researchers have created tiny bug-inspired robots that can carry out tasks in hard-to-reach spaces and inhospitable environments. |
| Scooting to a new era in active transportation Posted: 03 Mar 2022 04:14 PM PST In recent years, shared electric scooters (e-scooters) have taken cities by storm. But how are people using this new mode of transportation? A new study has some interesting data to share on e-scooter users. Self-reported safety behaviors didn't always match with observations: the reported use of helmets (13% while riding) far outweighed researchers' observations in Salt Lake City (2% of riders) or Tucson (2% of riders). |
| How triple-pane windows stop energy (and money) from flying out the window Posted: 03 Mar 2022 01:20 PM PST Next generation triple-pane windows provide builders with lower cost options and help homeowners conserve energy, reduce noise, and lower home energy bills. |
| Magnetic excitations could provide information transfer without heat loss Posted: 03 Mar 2022 01:20 PM PST Just as electrons flow through an electrical conductor, magnetic excitations can travel through certain materials. Such excitations, known in physics as 'magnons' in analogy to the electron, could transport information much more easily than electrical conductors. An international research team has now made an important discovery on the road to such components, which could be highly energy-efficient and considerably smaller. |
| How can the computer chip predict the future of gene synthesis? Posted: 03 Mar 2022 01:20 PM PST Creating synthetic life could be easily within our grasp soon based on a comparison with the evolution of computer chips. Computer programming and gene synthesis appear to share little in common. But according to an expert, leaps forward in technology in the former make him optimistic that wide scale gene manufacture is achievable. |
| Temperature variation could help new touchscreen technology simulate virtual shapes Posted: 03 Mar 2022 01:20 PM PST High-fidelity touch has the potential to significantly expand the scope of what we expect from computing devices, making new remote sensory experiences possible. The research on these advancements could help touchscreens simulate virtual shapes. |
| The future of data storage is double-helical, research indicates Posted: 03 Mar 2022 01:20 PM PST Researchers added seven new letters to DNA's molecular alphabet and developed a precise, letter-perfect sequencing method. These innovations helped transform the double helix into a robust, sustainable data storage platform fit for the Information Age and built to last well beyond the 21st century. |
| Brain stimulation shows promise as treatment for cannabis use disorder in people with schizophrenia Posted: 03 Mar 2022 11:41 AM PST Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was associated with a reduction in self-reported cannabis use by up to 60 per cent among people with schizophrenia who have cannabis use disorder (CUD), according to a new study. |
| Joro spiders likely to spread beyond Georgia, US Posted: 03 Mar 2022 11:41 AM PST The Joro spider first arrived stateside around 2013 and has since spread across the state and Southeast. But new research suggests the invasive arachnids could spread through most of the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. |
| New research suggests a causal link between blood group and severe COVID-19 Posted: 03 Mar 2022 11:12 AM PST A new study has analysed over 3000 proteins to identify which are causally linked to the development of severe COVID-19. This is the first study to assess such a large number of proteins for their connection to COVID-19. The findings provide insight into potential new targets for approaches to treat and prevent severe COVID-19. |
| Researchers find 'genetic baggage' accumulates in the genomes of aging mutant animals Posted: 03 Mar 2022 11:12 AM PST You are probably familiar with the term that some people carry 'a lot of extra baggage.' Usually that term refers to that person's emotional history, but in genetics and our genomes, 'extra baggage' can also describe the transposons lurking in our genomes, a historical record of our genomes surviving traumatic invasions during evolution. Transposons are repetitive DNA sequences that have the capability to move (transpose) from one location to another in the genome (an organism's complete set of genetic instructions) and are considered important invaders of our genomes during evolution. |
| Communication defect in psychotic disorders Posted: 03 Mar 2022 11:12 AM PST Communication between brain areas is crucial for the brain to correctly process sensory signals and adopt an appropriate behavioural response. Yet, dysfunctions in these communication pathways could be strongly correlated with the onset of schizophrenia. For the first time, a team has succeeded in demonstrating this phenomenon in human beings. By carrying out analyses of the brain activity of children, adolescents and young adults with a genetic risk of the disease, the research team has demonstrated that a reduction in the activation of gamma waves, that are known for their role in the proper transmission of information in the brain, was correlated with the emergence of psychotic symptoms even before full-blown disorders appear. |
| Rapid evolution fuels transcriptional plasticity in fish species to cope with ocean acidification Posted: 03 Mar 2022 11:12 AM PST A research team has revealed the basis to variability across different fish species and uncovered that some species evolve more rapidly, providing them with evolved molecular toolkits and allowing them able to cope with future ocean acidification. |
| Energy-harvesting wearable device made from recycled waste Posted: 03 Mar 2022 11:12 AM PST Wearable devices could soon be entirely made of recycled waste materials -- and powered by human movement, thanks to a new energy-harvesting device. |
| Two-faced orchestrator: Tis gene regulates positive and negative immune responses in plants Posted: 03 Mar 2022 11:12 AM PST The mechanism of plant defense mediated by the non-expressor of pathogenesis-related (NPR) genes in monocots (plants having a single embryonic leaf) is not well-documented. Now, scientists have discovered how the NPR family of genes regulate immune responses in the model monocot Brachypodium distachyon. These findings provide a blueprint for plants' defense systems and might contribute to more research towards resilient crop species, boosting pesticide-free cereal crop cultivation. |
| Physics race pits Usain Bolt against Jurassic Park dinosaur Posted: 03 Mar 2022 11:12 AM PST Scott Lee is a physics professor at the University of Toledo who has developed numerous learning activities to help intro-level students get enthusiastic about the topic. His latest innovative activity poses the question: Is Usain Bolt faster than a 900-pound dinosaur? |
| Seeing is believing when it comes to health risk and behavior change Posted: 03 Mar 2022 11:11 AM PST Using medical imaging technologies that can visualize health may discourage risk-related behaviors more than non-visual information. A new meta-analysis finds that when individuals undergo an imaging procedure and are shown visual personalized information about their own risk of disease, they may be more likely to reduce risky behaviors. |
| Lipid profiling can predict risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease decades before onset Posted: 03 Mar 2022 11:11 AM PST Simultaneous measurement of dozens of types of fats in the blood ('lipidomics') can predict the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) years in the future, according to a new study. Such early prediction through lipidomic profiling may provide the basis for recommending diet and lifestyle interventions before disease develops. |
| Posted: 03 Mar 2022 11:11 AM PST Researchers have characterized brain activity that occurs when we are socially influenced to change our minds. The study shows how the brain distinguishes between different types of social conformity when revising one's opinions. |
| Working, studying in 'off' hours can harm motivation Posted: 03 Mar 2022 09:50 AM PST Working a nontraditional schedule, and checking in at all hours of the day, night and weekends, is not necessarily beneficial for the 21st-century workforce, according to new research. |
| Vaccine and antibody treatment effectiveness blunted by all three Omicron subvariants Posted: 03 Mar 2022 09:50 AM PST A new study finds that COVID vaccines and monoclonal antibody treatments offer less protection against new Omicron subvariants. |
| Time off after high school makes college less likely Posted: 03 Mar 2022 09:50 AM PST Academic breaks after high school -- even those lasting just a few months -- can cause some students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to forgo enrolling in college altogether, according to new research. |
| Cohorting patient care model during pandemic improved patient outcomes, researchers find Posted: 03 Mar 2022 09:50 AM PST Researchers found that, during the extenuating circumstances of an emerging pandemic, grouping patients together in one area or facility was successful in providing high-quality care and containing infectious patients. |
| Researchers produce fully functional pancreatic beta cells from stem cells Posted: 03 Mar 2022 09:08 AM PST Insulin is a vital hormone produced by pancreatic beta cells. Type 1 diabetes is caused by the destruction of these cells, which results in patients having to replace the lost insulin with multiple daily injections. |
| New tool reveals function of enigmatic gene sequences Posted: 03 Mar 2022 09:08 AM PST While the large proportion of our genome that does not instruct our cells to form proteins has been harder to study than protein-coding genes, it has been shown to have vital physiological functions. Scientists have now developed new high-precision tools able to identify what these noncoding sequences do. The study may eventually contribute to the development of new, targeted drugs. |
| Extending the longevity of stem cells Posted: 03 Mar 2022 09:07 AM PST People are having children later than ever before. The average age of new parents in the United States has been rising for at least the past half century. But time is tough on our bodies and our reproductive systems. For instance, as animals age, our stem cells are less effective at renewing our tissues. This is particularly true for germline stem cells, which turn into sperm and eggs. What if there were a way to pause this process? |
| Sense of belonging helps high school students engage with STEM Posted: 03 Mar 2022 09:07 AM PST A new study finds one key to promoting STEM education, and to making students feel capable of working on STEM subjects outside of the classroom, is to find ways to make classrooms feel more inclusive. |
| Attention! Brain scans can tell if you are paying it Posted: 03 Mar 2022 08:22 AM PST Using a model of fMRI data collected from 92 individuals performing several types of attention-related tasks, researchers successfully predicted how well those individuals would perform on the tasks based on their brain scans alone. This generalized model can also predict severity of an individual case of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. The study was published March 3 in the journal Nature Human Behavior. |
| Mussels' underwater glue inspires synthetic cement Posted: 03 Mar 2022 08:22 AM PST Researchers have used a novel method to replicate mussel-adhesive proteins, creating a stronger glue than the material they set out to mimic. |
| Weighing up: What’s the bottom line when it comes to weight loss? Posted: 03 Mar 2022 08:22 AM PST When it comes to weight loss, many of us have dabbled in the latest diets. But whether you're cutting carbs or keeping to keto, new research shows that diet trends can cost more than your waistline and leave a hefty hole in your hip pocket. |
| Posted: 03 Mar 2022 08:22 AM PST Researchers develop tool that 'audits' the results of studies that examine interplay between variables. Using this approach, researchers identify inconsistent findings in one-third of previous association studies of gut microbiome and disease. The software can help researchers check the reliability of their own findings before submitting them for publication. Association studies are critical in paving the way to further research into disease causes and mechanisms of dysfunction. |
| Posted: 03 Mar 2022 08:22 AM PST Why do large gas bubbles in viscoelastic liquids (such as polymer and protein solutions) rise so much faster than expected? An open question with great relevance for industrial production processes. Researchers have now found an explanation. |
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