ScienceDaily: Most Popular News |
| Posted: 01 Dec 2021 05:39 PM PST A group of immune cells that normally protect against inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract may have the opposite effect in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other brain inflammation-related conditions, according to a new study. The results suggest that countering the activity of these cells could be a new therapeutic approach for such conditions. |
| Researchers develop model for treating HIV/AIDS, depression Posted: 01 Dec 2021 01:20 PM PST With a shortage of mental health professionals, an international team trained nurses to treat clinically depressed HIV-positive people in South Africa -- the HIV/AIDS capital of the world. |
| Eye imaging technology breaks through skin by crossing beams Posted: 01 Dec 2021 01:20 PM PST Biomedical engineers have demonstrated a method for increasing the depth at which optical coherence tomography (OCT) can image structures beneath skin. The new 'dual-axis' approach opens new possibilities for OCT to be used in applications such as spotting skin cancer, assessing burn damage and healing progress, and guiding surgical procedures. |
| Posted: 01 Dec 2021 12:01 PM PST A recent study demonstrates that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to detect early signs of tumor cell death in response to a novel virus-based cancer therapy. |
| 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. |
| New computational approach predicts chemical reactions at high temperatures Posted: 01 Dec 2021 05:51 AM PST Engineers invent 'green' method that combines quantum mechanics with machine learning to accurately predict oxide reactions at high temperatures when no experimental data is available; could be used to design clean carbon-neutral processes for steel production and metal recycling. |
| Posted: 01 Dec 2021 05:51 AM PST As cannabis is legalized in more areas, it has become increasingly popular as a medicinal and recreational drug. This plant produces a pungent, skunk-like odor that is pleasing to some but repulsive to others. Now, researchers have discovered a new family of prenylated volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) that give cannabis its characteristic skunky aroma. The findings open up opportunities to investigate the molecules for medicinal benefits, the researchers say. |
| 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. |
| Shrinking qubits for quantum computing with atom-thin materials Posted: 30 Nov 2021 02:39 PM PST Current approaches to create superconducting qubits for quantum computers yield chips that are substantially larger than those found in classical computers. To shrink things down, researchers have taken advantage of atomically thin, 2D materials to construct the necessary capacitors for superconducting qubits. Their two-qubit chip is 1,000x smaller than those made with conventional fabrication techniques. |
| Altered DNA repair and DNA damage in neurodegenerative conditions Posted: 30 Nov 2021 02:39 PM PST Researchers have confirmed a link between altered DNA repair and increased DNA damage associated with spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7), a debilitating, sometimes deadly neurodegenerative condition causing movement disorders. Their work also revealed a potential therapeutic target for the currently incurable and difficult to treat condition. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Distortion: Researchers discover new strategy for antibodies to disable viruses Posted: 30 Nov 2021 08:25 AM PST It is widely understood that antibodies neutralize viruses by latching onto their surfaces and blocking them from infecting host cells. But new research reveals that this barrier method isn't the only way that antibodies disable viruses. An international team of researchers has discovered that antibodies also distort viruses, thereby preventing them from properly attaching to and entering cells. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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 | |