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| Distant regions of the human brain are wired together by surprisingly few connections Posted: 24 Mar 2022 12:41 PM PDT Understanding how the brain functions, particularly how information is processed during different activities, is difficult without knowing how many axons are in the brain and how many connect different functional regions. A new study shows that despite the functional importance of connections between far-reaching regions of the brain, the actual number of these connections is low. |
| Cheap, eco-friendly catalyst opens new possibilities for organic molecules built from pyruvate Posted: 24 Mar 2022 11:38 AM PDT Chemists have developed an organic catalyst that can drive reactions using pyruvate -- a key biomolecule in many metabolic pathways -- that are difficult and complicated to achieve using conventional industrial techniques. The research is an important step towards simplifying the production process and increasing the range of molecules that can be built from pyruvate, like amino acids or glycolic acids, which are used in drug discovery efforts and medications. |
| On Jupiter's moon Europa, 'chaos terrains' could be shuttling oxygen to ocean Posted: 24 Mar 2022 11:38 AM PDT Researchers have built the world's first physics-based computer simulation of oxygen transport on Europa, finding that it's possible for oxygen to drain through the moon's icy shell and into its ocean of liquid water -- where it could potentially help sustain alien life -- by hitching a ride on salt water under the moon's 'chaos terrains.' The results show that not only is the transport possible, but that the amount of oxygen brought into Europa's ocean could be on a par with the quantity of oxygen in Earth's oceans today. |
| Study suggests association between consuming artificial sweeteners and increased cancer risk Posted: 24 Mar 2022 11:38 AM PDT Artificial sweeteners reduce added sugar content and corresponding calories while maintaining sweetness. A new study suggests that some artificial sweeteners are associated with increased cancer risk. |
| Can supermarkets coax people into buying healthier food? Posted: 24 Mar 2022 11:37 AM PDT Restricting supermarket placement of less healthy items and increasing the availability of healthier alternatives in these stores may be promising interventions to encourage healthier purchasing behaviors, according to two new studies. |
| Enhancing the electromechanical behavior of a flexible polymer Posted: 24 Mar 2022 11:37 AM PDT Piezoelectric materials convert mechanical stress into electricity, or vice versa, and can be useful in sensors, actuators and many other applications. But implementing piezoelectrics in polymers -- materials composed of molecular chains and commonly used in plastics, drugs and more -- can be difficult. |
| Tuberculosis infection protects mice from developing COVID-19 Posted: 24 Mar 2022 11:37 AM PDT In mice, the immune response mounted against tuberculosis prevents them from developing COVID-19, according to a new study. |
| Do octopuses, squid and crabs have emotions? Posted: 24 Mar 2022 11:37 AM PDT Octopuses can solve complex puzzles and show a preference for different individuals, but whether they, and other animals and invertebrates, have emotions is being hotly debated and could shake up humans' moral decision-making, says an expert in animal minds. Most countries don't recognize invertebrates, such as octopuses, crabs, lobsters and crayfish, as sentient beings that can feel pain, but the United Kingdom is considering amendments to its animal welfare legislation that would recognize this. |
| Physicists create extremely compressible 'gas of light' Posted: 24 Mar 2022 11:37 AM PDT Researchers have created a gas of light particles that can be extremely compressed. Their results confirm the predictions of central theories of quantum physics. The findings could also point the way to new types of sensors that can measure minute forces. |
| Mechanism that underlies local dopamine release in the brain Posted: 24 Mar 2022 11:37 AM PDT When we initiate an action in our everyday lives—chasing after a runaway napkin or getting out of the car—the brain releases a chemical messenger called dopamine that helps regulate the brain area that controls this action. |
| Light derails electrons through graphene Posted: 24 Mar 2022 11:37 AM PDT Researchers have experimentally caused electrons to bend in bilayer graphene with the use of light. The way electrons flow in materials determine its electronic properties. For example, when a voltage is sustained across a conducting material, electrons start flowing, generating an electrical current. These electrons are often thought to flow in straight paths, moving along the electric field, much like a ball rolling down a hill. Yet these are not the only trajectories electrons can take: when a magnetic field is applied, the electrons no longer travel in straight paths along the electric field, but in fact, they bend. The bent electronic flows lead to transverse signals called 'Hall' responses. |
| Physicists 'shine' light on inner details and breakup of simple nucleus Posted: 24 Mar 2022 11:37 AM PDT Scientists have found a new way to 'see' inside the simplest atomic nuclei to better understand the 'glue' that holds the building blocks of matter together. The results come from collisions of photons (particles of light) with deuterons, the simplest atomic nuclei (made of just one proton bound to one neutron). The photons act somewhat like an x-ray beam to provide the first glimpse of how particles called gluons are arranged within the deuteron. |
| Warming oceans are getting louder Posted: 24 Mar 2022 10:03 AM PDT Climate change is speeding sound transmission in the oceans and the way it varies over the globe with physical properties of the oceans. Two 'acoustic hotspots' of future sound speed increases are predicted east of Greenland and in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, East of Newfoundland. In these locations, the average speed of sound is likely to increase by more than 1.5% if 'business-as-usual' high rates of greenhouse gas emissions continue through 2100. |
| Tuberculosis induces premature cellular aging Posted: 24 Mar 2022 10:03 AM PDT Researchers found that the cells of humans and animals who have recovered from tuberculosis had prematurely aged up to 12 to 14 years. It's possible that this premature cellular aging is one reason why survivors of tuberculosis have a high risk of mortality. |
| Health risk due to micro- and nanoplastics in food Posted: 24 Mar 2022 10:02 AM PDT Five grams of plastic particles on average enter the human gastrointestinal tract per person per week. This is roughly equivalent to the weight of a credit card. Whether ingested micro- and nanoplastics pose a health risk is being investigated in numerous studies but is largely unknown to date. A research team has now summarized the current state of scientific knowledge. |
| Blow flies can be used detect use of chemical weapons, other pollutants Posted: 24 Mar 2022 10:02 AM PDT A study suggests blow flies could be used to detect the use of chemical weapons -- as well as other dangerous substances -- in areas too dangerous or remote for human investigators. |
| Researchers develop new antibody test to diagnose MS Posted: 24 Mar 2022 09:26 AM PDT Researchers have validated a new antibody test to diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS), a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord. |
| Resourceful viral protein combats monkey and human defenses differently Posted: 24 Mar 2022 09:26 AM PDT Researchers have found that different parts of viral protein U expressed by simian immunodeficiency virus are required to bind to and block tetherin, an antiviral protein, in monkey cells versus in human cells. This suggests that the virus uses two different mechanistic strategies to evade this host defense and sheds new light on host-pathogen coevolution. |
| In animal study, implant churns out CAR-T cells to combat cancer Posted: 24 Mar 2022 09:26 AM PDT Researchers have developed an implantable biotechnology that produces and releases CAR-T cells for attacking cancerous tumors. In a proof-of-concept study involving lymphoma in mice, the researchers found that treatment with the implants was faster and more effective than conventional CAR-T cell cancer treatment. |
| Fans of ASMR videos are more sensitive to their surroundings, study finds Posted: 24 Mar 2022 09:25 AM PDT Fans of ASMR videos are more sensitive to their surroundings and feelings, a new study has revealed. ASMR, which stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, has swept the internet with millions watching viral clips of whispered voices, delicate hand movements or tapping. |
| How campus design and architecture influence interaction among researchers Posted: 24 Mar 2022 09:25 AM PDT A new study examines the relationship between physical proximity, social networking, and collaboration on a university campus. |
| Male dolphins whistle to maintain key social relationships Posted: 24 Mar 2022 09:25 AM PDT Allied male bottlenose dolphins maintain weaker yet vital social relationships with whistle exchanges, researchers have found. |
| Popular male dolphins produce more offspring Posted: 24 Mar 2022 09:25 AM PDT The reproductive success of male dolphins is not determined by strength or age, but via social bonds with other males. The better integrated males are in their social network, the more offspring they produce, a new study has shown using long-term behavioral and genetic data. |
| No increase in pregnancy complications after COVID-19 vaccination, study finds Posted: 24 Mar 2022 09:25 AM PDT Vaccination against COVID-19 during pregnancy is not associated with a higher risk of pregnancy complications, according to a large-scale registry study. |
| Membraneless organelles: From liquid to solid to drive development Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:45 AM PDT Researchers show that transition from liquid to solid is important for the function of membraneless organelles. |
| Photonic technology enables real-time calculation of radio signal correlation Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:45 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new analog photonic correlator that can be used to locate an object transmitting a radio signal. They demonstrated its ability to identify the location of a radio frequency transmitter, working faster than other methods. The device is considerably simpler than today's analog or digital correlators and uses off-the-shelf telecommunications components to process a wide range of radio frequency signals in cell phones, signal jammers, and more. |
| Immune to hacks: Inoculating deep neural networks to thwart attacks Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:45 AM PDT If a sticker on a banana can make it show up as a toaster, how might strategic vandalism warp how an autonomous vehicle perceives a stop sign? Now, an immune-inspired defense system for neural networks can ward off such attacks, designed by engineers, biologists and mathematicians. |
| Clock gene mutation found to contribute to the development of autism Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:45 AM PDT Researchers found that the disruption of a circadian clock gene may be involved in the development of autism spectrum disorder. |
| Decoding a material’s ‘memory’ Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:45 AM PDT New research details the relationship between particle structure and flow in disordered materials, insights that can be used to understand systems ranging from mudslides to biofilms. |
| Indian forest loss 'worse than feared' due to climate change Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:45 AM PDT A national-scale study of the relationship between forest loss and rainfall and temperature trends in India reveals climate change may have contributed to huge declines during last two decades, countering official reports that suggest small losses, and adding to existing concerns over deforestation. |
| Road traffic in European cities exposes 60 million people to noise levels harmful to health Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:45 AM PDT A study assessed the levels of noise generated by road traffic and examined its impact on health in 749 European cities. The findings show that nearly 60 million adults are subjected to unhealthy levels of vehicle-generated noise. Compliance with the World Health Organization (WHO) noise-level guidelines could prevent 3,600 deaths annually from ischemic heart disease alone. |
| Student researchers improve coral restoration efforts Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:45 AM PDT A recent study revealed that exposing rice coral larvae to warmer temperatures did not improve survival once the coral developed into juveniles and were exposed to heat stress. |
| Understanding complex faults: Rupture propagation during the 2010 El Mayor-Cucapah earthquake Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PDT Researchers have identified irregular rupture propagation during the 2010 El Mayor-Cucapah earthquake in Mexico by incorporating teleseismic P waveform inversion with traditional modeling, allowing resolution of the rupture process and its relation to the complex fault system while mitigating modeling errors. Reducing errors made because of inaccurate assumptions about fault geometry is critical for robust interpretation of complex slip histories. |
| IgA antibodies seem to protect unvaccinated against COVID-19, study finds Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PDT Despite daily contact with COVID-19 patients early in the pandemic, some health professionals avoided falling ill. As a new study shows, the explanation appears to be an antidote in the immune system: IgA antibodies to COVID-19. |
| Breaking down plastic into its constituent parts Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PDT A team of ETH researchers led by Athina Anastasaki have succeeded in breaking down plastic into its molecular building blocks and in recovering over 90 percent of them. A first step towards genuine plastic recycling. |
| Artificial intelligence to bring museum specimens to the masses Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PDT Scientists are using cutting-edge artificial intelligence to help extract complex information from large collections of museum specimens. |
| Eliminating the bottlenecks for use of lithium-sulfur batteries Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PDT Energy storage in lithium-sulfur batteries is potentially higher than in lithium-ion batteries but they are hampered by a short life. Researchers have now identified the main bottlenecks in performance. |
| Limiting energy in neurons exacerbates epilepsy Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PDT Epilepsy, one of the most common neurological disorders, is characterized by the spontaneous repetition of seizures caused by the hyperactivity of a group of neurons in the brain. Could we therefore reduce neuronal hyperactivity, and treat epilepsy, by reducing the amount of energy supplied to neurons and necessary for their proper functioning? Researchers discovered that, in mice, the seizures were actually exacerbated. |
| Intense light protects against lung damage, research finds Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PDT Intense light activates proteins shown to protect against lung damage in mice, a discovery that could have major therapeutic implications for treating diseases like acute lung injury in humans, according to a new study. |
| Racial minorities are less likely to receive CPR when they need it Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PDT Black and Hispanic individuals who experience a witnessed cardiac arrest at home or in public are substantially less likely than white individuals to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from a bystander, according to a new study. |
| Programmable button speeds triage process for faster heart attack care Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PDT Shaving critical minutes off the time it takes to diagnose a heart attack and begin treatment could be as simple as the push of a button. Using a programmable button to page a phlebotomist for a blood draw reduced the time it took to identify patients suffering a heart attack by more than 11 minutes on average, in a new study. |
| Good news for coffee lovers: Daily coffee may benefit the heart Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PDT Drinking coffee -- particularly two to three cups a day -- is not only associated with a lower risk of heart disease and dangerous heart rhythms but also with living longer, according to recent studies. These trends held true for both people with and without cardiovascular disease. Researchers said the analyses -- the largest to look at coffee's potential role in heart disease and death -- provide reassurance that coffee isn't tied to new or worsening heart disease and may actually be heart protective. |
| Speaking from the heart: Could your voice reveal your heart health? Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PDT An artificial intelligence (AI)-based computer algorithm accurately predicted a person's likelihood of suffering heart problems related to clogged arteries based on voice recordings alone. |
| Exercise holds even more heart health benefits for people with stress-related conditions Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PDT Regular physical activity had nearly doubled the cardiovascular benefit in individuals with depression or anxiety, compared with individuals without these diagnoses, according to a new study. |
| Remote Indian Ocean reefs bounce back quickly after bleaching Posted: 24 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PDT Coral reefs in remote or protected areas can recover quickly after mass coral bleaching events, new research shows. |
| Scholars call for Paris Accord-style global agreement to combat emergence of 'superbugs' Posted: 23 Mar 2022 01:06 PM PDT Public health experts have long been concerned by the emergence of so-called 'superbugs' -- existing bacterial, viral, or fungal pathogens that have evolved to evade the antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals developed to kill them. The scope and severity of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the urgent need for a co-ordinated global response are the subjects of a new paper, co-authored by 25 scholars. |
| Discovery could pave way for new lung treatment Posted: 23 Mar 2022 12:17 PM PDT Scientists have discovered a new family of helpful proteins in the lung. When stimulated, these bitter taste receptors, called T2Rs, prevent fluid from entering the lung through blood vessels. The findings could pave the way for new treatment for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which is associated with an excessive increase in pulmonary vascular permeability. |
| Staying alive: Scientists eye up gene required for the survival of an important retinal neuron Posted: 23 Mar 2022 10:03 AM PDT Researchers have identified a gene necessary for the survival of retinal ganglion cells -- a class of neurons located in the retina that are critical for vision. |
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