ScienceDaily: Top News


Switching from Western diet to a balanced diet may reduce skin, joint inflammation

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 01:10 PM PDT

Diet rich in sugar and fat leads to disruption in the gut's microbial culture and contributes to inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis. Research shows that switching to a more balanced diet restores the gut's health and suppresses inflammation.

Antelope's fate shrouded by social, political forces

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 12:43 PM PDT

The story of efforts to conserve the endangered oribi in South Africa represent a diaspora of issues as varied as the people who live there.

Some seafloor microbes can take the heat: And here's what they eat

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 12:43 PM PDT

In two new studies on life in the seafloor of the Guaymas Basin, in the Gulf of California, scientists show that distinct regions within the Basin harbor specially adapted microorganisms; discover new microbial inhabitants of this deep-sea community; and suggest how the community may be dramatically influencing carbon cycling in the hot seafloor sediments.

In many cases, MS starts long before the diagnosis

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 12:43 PM PDT

Years before they are diagnosed, persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) make significantly more visits to doctors and hospitals than others. Specialists have recently discussed whether this might represent a preliminary phase of MS - known as a prodrome. A new study suggests that, in many cases, the complaints may relate to unrecognized early clinical MS events.

It's true: Stress does turn hair gray (and it's reversible)

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 12:43 PM PDT

A new study offers quantitative evidence linking psychological stress to graying hair in people.

Flash mob in the nucleus

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 11:28 AM PDT

The nucleus is much more than a storage compartment for chromosomes: It also contains the complex machinery producing transcripts of the genes that are currently needed and releases them into the cell body. Some of the proteins involved herein are not evenly distributed in the nucleus, but cluster at specific sites. A study now shows how these 'flash mobs' are regulated.

Self-reported declines in cognition may be linked to changes in brain connectivity

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 10:23 AM PDT

A research team recently published the results of a three-year study of cognitive changes in older adults who complained that their cognitive ability was worsening though clinical assessments showed no impairments. The MRI studies showed significant changes in functional connectivity in two areas of the brain.

How pancreatic cancer cells dodge drug treatments

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 10:23 AM PDT

Pancreatic cancer cells typically rely on a mutant version of the KRAS protein to proliferate. These cancer cells can also survive losing KRAS by activating alternative growth pathways. Scientists discovered a new interaction between mutant KRAS and a protein complex called RSK1/NF1 that may be the source of this adaptive resistance.

Exotic superconductors: The secret that wasn't there

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:53 AM PDT

The mystery of an exotic kind of superconductivity has been solved, researchers say -- by showing that it just does not exist. An effect, which has been celebrated since the 1990s has now been shown to be standard superconductivity. Still, this realization leads to important new ideas.

Ready, set, go - how stem cells synchronize to repair the spinal cord in axolotls

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:53 AM PDT

Few animals can regenerate their spinal cord after an injury. The axolotl can mobilize stem cells in its spinal cord to regrow the lost tissue. An international team of scientists have investigated the early stages of this process.

Scientists identify combination of biological markers associated with severe dengue

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:53 AM PDT

Researchers have identified a combination of biological markers in patients with dengue that could predict whether they go on to develop moderate to severe disease.

Did the ancient Maya have parks?

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:53 AM PDT

Researchers developed a novel system to analyze ancient plant DNA in the sediment of Tikal's temple and palace reservoirs to identify more than 30 species of trees, grasses, vines and flowering plants that lived along its banks more than 1,000 years ago. Their findings paint a picture of a lush, wild oasis in the ancient Maya city.

Personality traits relate to being a morning or evening person

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:33 AM PDT

The link between the different hierarchies of personality, sleep patterns and even genetics has now been discovered.

Salt marsh plants may signal carbon capture capacity

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:33 AM PDT

Coastal wetlands like seagrass meadows, mangroves, and salt marshes play vital roles along the shoreline, from providing a buffer against storm surges, to providing critical habitat for animals, to capturing atmospheric carbon. We are still just beginning to comprehend the intricate workings of these highly productive ecosystems and their role in mitigating the climate crisis, but researchers are one step closer to understanding how salt marsh vegetation, their bacterial communities, and vegetation can help predict a marsh's potential to be a blue carbon reservoir.

Future of perovskite solar cells shines a little brighter

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:33 AM PDT

A novel way of synthesizing an essential powder is key to raising the efficiency of perovskite solar cells, say researchers.

Crab species found to have asymmetrical male and female reproductive structures

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:33 AM PDT

Researchers have recently identified and described a new genus and species of xanthid crab found in Okinawa Island, Ryukyu Islands, Japan. Named Mabui calculus, it is the first among the 7,800 species of known crabs to have strongly asymmetrical male and female reproductive structures.

Inherited risk of early-onset cancer is higher among minority families

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:33 AM PDT

A new study shows inherited risk of early-onset cancer is significantly higher among Latino and African American families for solid tumors, and Asian/Pacific Islander families for blood-based cancers, compared to non-Latino white families in California. Researchers used California population-based health registries to evaluate the relative cancer risk among first-degree relatives of patients diagnosed with cancer by the age of 26. This study demonstrates the need for increased scrutiny on familial cancer clustering in minority populations.

Mushroom growing out of fossilized ant reveals new genus and species of fungal parasite

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:33 AM PDT

Oregon State University research has identified the oldest known specimen of a fungus parasitizing an ant, and the fossil also represents a new fungal genus and species.

Cohesin opens up for cell division

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:33 AM PDT

Scientists have uncovered a mechanism that allows a protein complex to bind to DNA without impeding some of the important processes of cell division. Their findings could further understandings of developmental disorders arising from mutations in the gene that codes for the complex.

Boost for mouse genetic analysis

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:33 AM PDT

To understand what role an individual gene plays, biologists have, for 100 years, been using a trick of nature: While in principle, the genome in all cells of an organism is the same, mutations arise in individual cells. These mutations differentiate a cell from its neighbors, forming a 'genetic mosaic.' Now, researchers have advanced genetic mosaic analysis, making almost all genes in the mouse genome accessible to single-cell genetic mosaic analysis.

Illuminating the mechanism behind how plants regulate starch synthesis

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:33 AM PDT

Biologists have used rice to successfully illuminate the mechanism by which plants regulate the amount of starch produced via photosynthesis. This knowledge could contribute towards improving the quality and yield of agricultural crops.

Sports: Men and women react differently to a missing audience

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:33 AM PDT

Without an audience, men run slower and women faster: The lack of spectators during the coronavirus pandemic appears to have had a noticeable effect on the performance of athletes at the 2020 Biathlon World Cup, a new study shows. According to the new analysis, women also performed better in complex tasks, such as shooting, when an audience was present while men did not.

Venomous caterpillar has strange biology

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:33 AM PDT

The venom of a caterpillar, native to South East Queensland, shows promise for use in medicines and pest control, researchers say.

Secretin hormone induces satiation by activating brown fat

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:32 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered a new mechanism controlling satiation. According to the recently published study, the hormone secretin induces satiation by activating brown adipose tissue.

Perovskite memory devices with ultra-fast switching speed

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:32 AM PDT

A research team has successfully developed halide perovskite-based memory with an ultra-fast switching speed.

AR can improve the lives of older adults, so why are apps designed mainly for youngsters?

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:32 AM PDT

Older people affected by memory loss have much to gain from AR technology, yet a study exploring the use of augmented reality to support older adults at home finds the user interface is sometimes confusing for those aged 50+.

Producing hydrogen using less energy

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:32 AM PDT

The way in which a compound inspired by nature produces hydrogen has now been described in detail. These findings are the foundation for the energy-efficient production of hydrogen as a sustainable energy source.

Childhood trauma can make people like morphine more

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:32 AM PDT

People who have experienced childhood trauma get a more pleasurable 'high' from morphine, new research suggests.

Improving asphalt road pavement with nano-engineered particles

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:32 AM PDT

New research suggests fumed silica nanoparticles (FSNs) can be used to help improve the performance of warm mix asphalt (WMA).

The humidity of flowers acts as an invisible attractor for bumblebees

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:32 AM PDT

As well as bright colors and subtle scents, flowers possess many invisible ways of attracting their pollinators, and a new study shows that bumblebees may use the humidity of a flower to tell them about the presence of nectar.

Open learning spaces do not increase children's physical activity

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 09:32 AM PDT

According to a recent study, open learning spaces are not directly associated with the physical activity of students in grades 3 and 5, even though more breaks from sedentary time were observed in open learning spaces compared to conventional classrooms.

'Urban green space affects citizens' happiness'

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 06:53 AM PDT

A recent study revealed that as a city becomes more economically developed, its citizens' happiness becomes more directly related to the area of urban green space.

Engineering nanobodies as lifesavers when SARS-CoV-2 variants attack

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 06:53 AM PDT

Scientists are pursuing a new strategy in the protracted fight against the SARS-CoV-2 virus by engineering nanobodies that can neutralize virus variants in two different ways.

Cancer immunotherapy may self-limit its efficacy

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 06:53 AM PDT

Cancer immunotherapy involving drugs that inhibit CTLA-4 also activates an unwanted response that may self-limit its efficacy in fighting tumors, according to a new study.

A 'bio-refinery': Using the chemistry of willow trees to treat municipal wastewater

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 06:53 AM PDT

Millions of liters of primary municipal wastewater can be treated sustainably using fast-growing willow trees while also producing renewable bioenergy and 'green' chemicals, researchers find.

Worrying insights into the chemicals in plastics

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 06:16 AM PDT

ETH researchers examined chemicals in plastics worldwide. They found an unexpectedly high number of substances of potential concern intentionally used in everyday plastic products. A lack of transparency limits management of these chemicals.

Unchecked climate change will cause severe drying of the Amazon forest

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 06:16 AM PDT

Amazon rain forests could be at far higher risk of extreme drought than previously thought, according to new research.

Bee-impersonating flies show pollinator potential

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 06:16 AM PDT

An observational study found that out of more than 2,400 pollinator visits to flowers at urban and rural farms in in Western Washington about 35% of were made by flies -- most of which were the black-and-yellow-striped syrphid flies. For a few plants, including peas, kale and lilies, flies were the only pollinators observed. Bees still made the majority, about 61%, of floral visits, but the rest were made by other insects and spiders.

Metal catalysts used for environmental sustainability found to degrade and become less effective

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 06:16 AM PDT

New research is showing that some tiny catalysts being considered for industrial-scaled environmental remediation efforts may be unstable during operation.

Analysing volcanoes to predict their awakening

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 06:16 AM PDT

A team has reviewed the literature on the internal and external mechanisms that lead to a volcanic eruption. Analyzing the thermo-mechanics of deep volcanic processes and magma propagation to the surface, together with magma chemistry, the geologists determined that most of the magma rising from depth actually does not cause a volcanic eruption. They also show that older volcanoes tend to produce less frequent, but larger and more dangerous eruptions.

No northern escape route for Florida's coral reefs

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 06:16 AM PDT

Warming seas are driving many species of marine life to shift their geographic ranges out of the tropics to higher latitudes where the water is cooler. Florida's reefs will not be able to make that northward move, however, as they will be caught between intolerably hot tropical waters and increasingly frequent water-cooling cold snaps, according to new findings.

Study shows brain differences in interpreting physical signals in mental health disorders

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 06:16 AM PDT

Researchers have shown why people with mental health disorders, including anorexia and panic disorders, experience physical signals differently.

Aviation's contribution to cutting climate change likely to be small

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 06:16 AM PDT

Although the emissions targets for aviation are in line with the overall goals of the Paris Agreement, there is a high likelihood that the climate impact of aviation will not meet these goals, according to a new study.

A warming climate and intensifying land use increase mercury content in fish

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 06:16 AM PDT

Recent studies show that, in the future, the mercury concentration of fish in Finnish Lapland can shift closer to the level found in lakes located below the Arctic Circle. According to researchers, mercury content should be increasingly carefully investigated and monitored in fish and food webs, as the climate and land use change.

Tradition of keeping mementos in memory of loved ones dates back at least 2,000 years, study shows

Posted: 21 Jun 2021 05:24 PM PDT

A new study suggests that mundane items like spoons and grinding stones were kept by Iron Age people as an emotional reminder and a 'continuing bond' with the deceased -- a practice which is replicated in societies across the globe today.

Butterflies regularly cross the Sahara in longest-known insect migration

Posted: 21 Jun 2021 02:41 PM PDT

Wetter conditions in Sub-Saharan and North Africa at certain times of year can result in hundreds of times more Painted Lady butterflies making the 14,000 km round trip to Europe. Findings improve understanding of how insects move to other countries, including pests that destroy crops and disease-carrying species like mosquitoes.

Lead from leaded petrol persists in London air despite '90s ban

Posted: 21 Jun 2021 01:05 PM PDT

Lead levels in London's atmosphere have dropped drastically since lead additives in petrol were phased out, and currently meet UK air quality targets. However despite this drop, airborne particles in London are still highly lead-enriched compared to natural background levels, according to new research.