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| New material can 'capture toxic pollutants from air' Posted: 17 May 2022 06:04 PM PDT A new material is capable of capturing trace amounts of benzene, a toxic pollutant, from the air and crucially use less energy than existing materials to do so. |
| Study gives animal testing alternatives a confidence boost Posted: 17 May 2022 06:04 PM PDT As part of a government effort to reduce animal testing, researchers have worked to produce a new protocol for screening skin allergens. The method is potentially cheaper and faster than animal testing, while maintaining a similar performance. |
| Timing of heart surgery crucial, research shows Posted: 17 May 2022 06:04 PM PDT The timing of valve replacement heart surgery is crucial, and should be performed earlier than previously thought for people with aortic stenosis, a new study shows. The condition is one of the most common and serious valve disease problems, caused by a narrowing of the aortic valve opening. |
| Seafloor animal cued to settle, transformed by a bacterial compound Posted: 17 May 2022 06:04 PM PDT A new study has revealed that a large, complex molecule, called lipopolysaccharide, produced by bacteria is responsible for inducing larval marine tubeworms, Hydroides elegans, to settle to the seafloor and begin the complex processes of metamorphosis. |
| Automated platform for plasmid production Posted: 17 May 2022 02:02 PM PDT Researchers have developed PlasmidMaker, a versatile automated platform for plasmid design & construction. These circular DNA molecules are used by scientists to introduce new genes into a target organism, and have extensive use in basic and applied biology. In particular, they have applications in the large-scale production of bioproducts. |
| Chemists skew the odds to prevent cancer Posted: 17 May 2022 02:02 PM PDT A theoretical framework shows how to increase the odds of identifying cancer-causing mutations before tumors take hold. Researchers demonstrate that only a few energetically favorable pathways are likely to lead to cancer. |
| New protein structures to aid rational drug design Posted: 17 May 2022 02:02 PM PDT In a major advance for rational drug design, chemists have described several protein structures of a crucial player in cellular processes. The advance could bring new ideas for treatments of diseases such as Alzheimer's, AIDS, cancer and others. |
| Algorithms empower metalens design Posted: 17 May 2022 01:05 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new method for designing large-scale metasurfaces that uses techniques of machine intelligence to generate designs automatically. The method will enable new metasurface designs that can make an impact on virtual or augmented reality, self-driving cars, and machine vision for embarked systems and satellites. |
| If you take several medications, 'polypharmacy' is a word to know Posted: 17 May 2022 12:46 PM PDT Taking multiple prescription drugs and supplements can be fraught with risk, a new study suggests -- but it's hard for many people to part with their medications. |
| First animals developed complex ecosystems before the Cambrian explosion Posted: 17 May 2022 12:18 PM PDT Early animals formed complex ecological communities more than 550 million years ago, setting the evolutionary stage for the Cambrian explosion, according to a new study. |
| mRNA vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna fare better against COVID-19 variants of concern Posted: 17 May 2022 12:18 PM PDT A comparison of four COVID-19 vaccinations shows that messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines -- Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna -- perform better against the World Health Organization's variants of concern (VOCs) than viral vector vaccines -- AstraZeneca and J&J/Janssen. Although they all effectively prevent severe disease by VOCs, the research suggests that people receiving a viral vector vaccine are more vulnerable to infection by new variants. |
| Concussion symptoms in children may have multiple underlying causes Posted: 17 May 2022 12:18 PM PDT Different types of brain damage caused by a concussion may lead to similar symptoms in children, according to new research. A new way of studying concussions could help develop future treatments. |
| Type-I interferon stops immune system 'going rogue' during viral infections Posted: 17 May 2022 12:18 PM PDT Researchers have discovered that Type I interferon (IFN) plays a key role in helping the immune system effectively target viruses, while stopping white blood cells from 'going rogue' and attacking the body's own organs. This opens the way to potential new treatments that can save many lives. |
| Aerodynamics of perching birds could inform aircraft design Posted: 17 May 2022 10:07 AM PDT To uncover the mystery behind the differences in motion, a team of researchers studied the aerodynamics of bird perching maneuvers and their implications for aircraft design. |
| Protein linked to intellectual disability has complex role Posted: 17 May 2022 08:23 AM PDT Researchers have identified a previously unknown function for the fragile X protein, the loss of which is the leading inherited cause of intellectual disability. The researchers showed that the protein modulates how neurons in the brain's memory center process information, a central part of learning and memory. |
| Scientists nail down 'destination' for protein that delivers zinc Posted: 17 May 2022 08:22 AM PDT New research describes a 'chaperone' protein that delivers zinc, a trace element essential for survival in all living things, to where it's needed. The chaperone could be especially important when access to zinc is limited -- for example in nutrient deficient diets and for growing crops on depleted soils. |
| Major infrared breakthrough could lead to solar power at night Posted: 17 May 2022 08:22 AM PDT Based on similar technology to night-vision goggles, researchers have developed a device that can generate electricity from thermal radiation. |
| How is it possible to remember selfless experiences? Posted: 17 May 2022 08:22 AM PDT People who practice intensive meditation report memories of states in which their sense of self dissolves. Is this at all possible? |
| Motivation for sports and school go hand in hand for adolescent athletes Posted: 17 May 2022 08:22 AM PDT Adolescent athletes with high motivation for school also have high motivation for sports. Male students tend to be less interested in school than their female peers, a new study shows. |
| Early warning system forecasts who needs critical care for COVID-19 Posted: 17 May 2022 08:22 AM PDT An algorithm can accurately predict which hospitalized patients are at the highest risk of death and require critical care, regardless of immune protection status and virus variant. |
| Posted: 17 May 2022 08:22 AM PDT Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) secreted from sensory neuron-interneuron crosstalk is key to the spreading of inflammation across joints, acting as a neurotransmitter and inflammation enhancer. |
| New silicon nanowires can really take the heat Posted: 17 May 2022 08:22 AM PDT A research team has demonstrated an ultrathin silicon nanowire that conducts heat 150% more efficiently than conventional materials used in advanced chip technologies. The device could enable smaller, faster, energy-efficient microelectronics. |
| Rocket engine exhaust pollution extends high into Earth's atmosphere Posted: 17 May 2022 08:22 AM PDT Researchers assessed the potential impact of a rocket launch on atmospheric pollution by investigating the heat and mass transfer and rapid mixing of the combustion byproducts. The team modeled the exhaust gases and developing plume at several altitudes along a typical trajectory of a standard present-day rocket. They did this as a prototypical example of a two-stage rocket to transport people and payloads into Earth's orbit and beyond and found the impact on the atmosphere locally and momentarily in the mesosphere can be significant. |
| Improved wind forecasts save consumers millions in energy costs Posted: 17 May 2022 08:22 AM PDT Scientists determined that by increasing the accuracy of weather forecasts over the last decade, consumers netted at least $384 million in energy savings. The researchers based their predictions on NOAA's High Resolution Rapid Refresh model, which provides daily weather forecasts for every part of the U.S. These include wind speed and direction data, which utilities can use to gauge how much energy their turbines will produce. |
| Desktop air curtain system prevents spread of COVID-19 in hospital settings Posted: 17 May 2022 08:22 AM PDT Researchers have developed a desktop air curtain system that blocks all incoming aerosol particles. An air curtain, or air door, is a fan-powered ventilation system that creates an air seal over an entryway, but one challenge in developing smaller air curtains is fully blocking emitted aerosol particles over time because it is difficult to maintain the air wall over a long distance. |
| Phage therapy: A model to predict its efficacy against pathogenic bacteria Posted: 17 May 2022 08:17 AM PDT Antibiotic resistance represents a major public health challenge, associated with a high mortality rate. While bacteriophages -- viruses that kill bacteria -- could be a solution for fighting antibiotic-resistant pathogens, various obstacles stand in the way of their clinical development. To overcome them, researchers have developed a model to better predict the efficacy of phage therapy and possibly develop more robust clinical trials. |
| U.S. study analyzing tooth survival after root canal in general population Posted: 17 May 2022 06:48 AM PDT Oral health is a public health issue that significantly affects people's overall health. A ground-breaking study of root canal longevity using electronic dental record data from 46,000 root canal patients treated in community dental practices found geographic and procedure disparities, providing real-world insight that can be used to inform dental practice. |
| Posted: 17 May 2022 06:48 AM PDT Australia has suffered a significant drop in teenage maths proficiency in the past 20 years -- sliding from 11th in the OECD rankings to 29th place out of 38 countries, prompting widespread debate over potential curriculum changes. One researcher says hand gestures could stop the slide. |
| Different subtypes defined in small cell lung cancer Posted: 17 May 2022 06:48 AM PDT Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a malignant disease associated with a particularly high mortality rate. According to a new multicenter study, SCLC can be divided into several subgroups in terms of clinical behavior. These subtypes respond differently to chemotherapeutics and targeted drugs. This opens up possibilities for personalized treatment for this type of cancer as well. |
| Change of temperature causes whole body reprogramming Posted: 17 May 2022 06:48 AM PDT Human beings, like most organisms, are constantly exposed to alternating colder or warmer temperatures. These environmental variations cause striking metabolic effects and require constant adaptations. While some of these adaptations confer certain beneficial effects on health, the impact of cold and warmth on the various organs in a whole-body context was not known. |
| Posted: 17 May 2022 06:48 AM PDT The capabilities of complex microbial communities are used for numerous biotechnological processes. This requires special compositions of the microbial communities. However, these are often unstable and susceptible to disruption. Researchers have now developed a 'mass transfer method with a loop' that can stabilize microbial communities in the long term. |
| Posted: 17 May 2022 06:48 AM PDT Scientists have demonstrated that a new geochemical archive -- 182Tungsten in banded iron formations -- can be used to simultaneously trace both the evolution of the Earth's mantle and continents throughout Earth's history. This offers new opportunities to better understand the Precambrian Earth in the future. |
| Chimpanzees combine calls to form numerous vocal sequences Posted: 17 May 2022 06:48 AM PDT Compared to the complex use of human language, the way animals communicate with each other appears quite simple. How our language evolved from such a simple system, remains unclear. A group of researchers has now recorded thousands of vocalizations from wild chimpanzees in Taï, Ivory Coast. They found that the animals produced hundreds of different vocal sequences containing up to ten different call types. The order of calls in these sequences followed some rules, and calls were associated with each other in a structured manner. The researchers will now investigate if this structure may constitute a step towards human syntax and if chimpanzees use these sequences to communicate a wider range of meanings in their complex social environment. |
| Magnetic nanoparticles in biological vehicles individually characterized for the first time Posted: 17 May 2022 06:48 AM PDT Magnetic nanostructures are promising tools for medical applications. Incorporated into biological structures, they can be steered via external magnetic fields inside the body to release drugs or to destroy cancer cells. However, until now, only average information on the magnetic properties of those nanoparticles could be obtained, thus limiting their successful implementations in therapies. Now a team has conceived and tested a new method to assess the characteristic parameters of every single magnetic nanoparticle. |
| Ecological functions of streams and rivers severely affected globally Posted: 17 May 2022 06:48 AM PDT Agriculture, loss of habitat or wastewater effluents -- human stressors negatively impact biodiversity in streams and rivers. Very little is known yet about the extent to which their capacity for self-purification and other essential ecosystem services are also impacted. An international research team has synthesized the globally available research on this topic in a meta-analysis. This study provides new initiatives for improved water management. |
| New light on organic solar cells Posted: 17 May 2022 05:30 AM PDT Efficient and environmentally friendly solar cells are required for a transition to a fossil-free energy supply. Researchers at have now mapped how energy flows in organic solar cells, something that previously had been unknown. |
| Posted: 17 May 2022 05:30 AM PDT Several in-hospital treatments and post-discharge therapies for people who have had an intracerebral hemorrhage, or a bleeding stroke, are not as effective as health care professionals once thought. Compression socks or stockings, anti-seizure medicines and steroid treatment are among treatments with uncertain effectiveness. Studies show that minimally invasive surgical procedures may be a useful addition to treating some bleeding strokes. |
| Deep ocean warming as climate changes Posted: 17 May 2022 05:30 AM PDT Much of the 'excess heat' stored in the subtropical North Atlantic is in the deep ocean (below 700m), new research suggests. |
| For large bone injuries, it's Sonic hedgehog to the rescue Posted: 17 May 2022 05:30 AM PDT A new study presents intriguing evidence that large bone injuries might trigger a repair strategy in adults that recapitulates elements of skeletal formation in utero. Key to this repair strategy is a gene called Sonic hedgehog. In this study, researchers took a close look at how mice are able to regrow large sections of missing rib -- an ability they share with humans, and one of the most impressive examples of bone regeneration in mammals. To their surprise, the scientists observed an increase in the activity of Sonic hedgehog (Shh), which plays an important role in skeletal formation in embryos, but hasn't previously been linked to injury repair in adults. |
| Validation brings new predictive capability to global megafire smoke impacts Posted: 17 May 2022 05:30 AM PDT New research modeling smoke from two recent megafires sets the stage for better forecasting of how emissions from these global-scale events will behave and impact temperatures. As huge wildfires become more common under climate change, increased attention has focused on the intensity and duration of their emissions, which rival those of some volcano eruptions. |
| New method melds data to make a 3-D map of cells' activities Posted: 16 May 2022 06:31 PM PDT Engineers are using a cell's surroundings to help biologists make more sense of gene expression information. Their new system could open the door to identifying rare cell types and choosing cancer treatment options with new precision. |
| Mars' emitted energy and seasonal energy imbalance Posted: 16 May 2022 06:31 PM PDT Seasonal imbalance between the solar energy absorbed and released by the planet Mars could be a cause of the Red Planet's dust storms, according to new research. Understanding how the system works on Mars could help scientists predict how climate change could affect Earth. |
| Scientists identify characteristics to better define long COVID Posted: 16 May 2022 06:31 PM PDT Researchers have identified characteristics of people with long COVID and those likely to have it. Scientists used machine learning techniques to analyze an unprecedented collection of electronic health records (EHRs) available for COVID-19 research to better identify who has long COVID. |
| Posted: 16 May 2022 06:31 PM PDT The vaccinia virus uses its own machinery and not that of the cell it infects to repair ultraviolet radiation-caused damage to its DNA, according to new research. The virus repurposes an enzyme it uses for copying its DNA to repair the damage. Blocking that enzyme disrupts both the copying and repairing of viral DNA, resulting in a dramatic reduction in new virions. |
| Ultra-powerful brain scanners offer hope for treating cognitive symptoms in Parkinson's disease Posted: 16 May 2022 06:31 PM PDT Ultra-powerful 7T MRI scanners could be used to help identify those patients with Parkinson's disease and similar conditions most likely to benefit from new treatments for previously-untreatable symptoms, say scientists. |
| Shaping the future of light through reconfigurable metasurfaces Posted: 16 May 2022 12:15 PM PDT Harnessing the power of 'phase-change' materials, researchers have demonstrated how reconfigurable metasurfaces -- artificial materials with extraordinary optical properties -- are crucial to the future of nanotechnology. |
| Boost in nerve-growth protein helps explain why running supports brain health Posted: 16 May 2022 10:50 AM PDT Exercise increases levels of a chemical involved in brain cell growth, which bolsters the release of the 'feel good' hormone dopamine, a new study shows. Dopamine is known to play a key role in movement, motivation, and learning. Experts have long understood that regular running raises dopamine activity in the brain and may protect nerve cells from damage. In addition, past research has tied exercise-driven boosts in the dopamine-triggering chemical called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and in dopamine levels to improvements in learning and memory. However, the precise way these three factors interact has until now remained unclear. |
| Seeing molecules inside a nanometer-sized 'sardine can' Posted: 16 May 2022 09:40 AM PDT Researchers have successfully developed a new technique allowing them to observe gas molecules packing into metal-organic frameworks (MOF) using infrared spectroscopy. Their innovation was to measure polarized light absorption of guest molecules in a MOF film to deduce molecule alignment using this common piece of lab equipment. This method is the first to show guest alignment and does so in real-time, while using an accessible and easily adoptable experimental setup. |
| Heavy metal pollution can increase antibiotic resistance in rivers Posted: 16 May 2022 09:40 AM PDT Scientists have shown that elevated heavy metal levels in rivers can lead to higher levels of antibiotic resistance. |
| Study provides long-term look at ways to control wildfire in sagebrush steppe ecosystem Posted: 16 May 2022 09:40 AM PDT New research provides the first long-term study of methods to control the spread of wildfire in the sagebrush steppe ecosystem that dominates parts of the western United States. |
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