ScienceDaily: Top News

Emergency department visits related to opioid overdoses up significantly during COVID-19 pandemic

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 05:13 PM PDT

Emergency department visit rates because of an opioid overdose increased by 28.5 percent across the U.S. in 2020, compared to 2018 and 2019, recent research finds.

Scientists advance breast, ovarian cancer research with cryo-electron microscopy

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 12:44 PM PDT

Using advanced imaging technology, scientists have provided an unprecedented understanding of the BRCA1-BARD1 protein complex, which is often mutated in patients with breast or ovarian cancer. Their paper identifies aspects of how BRCA1-BARD1 functions, supporting future translational research, cancer prevention efforts and drug development.

‘Less than 1% probability’ that Earth’s energy imbalance increase occurred naturally

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 12:03 PM PDT

Sunlight in, reflected and emitted energy out. That's the fundamental energy balance sheet for our planet -- and for decades, it has been out of balance. The extra energy manifests as higher temperatures, rising sea levels, floods, droughts, more powerful blizzards and hurricanes, and deadlier extreme events. Not only is the imbalance growing, but there's a 99% chance that the growth is due to human activity, calculated a team of researchers.

Seeking a unique treatment for lobular breast cancer

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 12:03 PM PDT

In an attempt to find out why the long-term outcomes are poorer for patients with lobular breast cancer -- which affects some 40,000 women a year -- researchers began looking at the role of the protein MDC1 in tumor cells.

Variations in climate conditions affect reproductive success of Antarctic krill, study finds

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 12:03 PM PDT

Climate conditions play a significant role in the reproductive success of mature female Antarctic krill and are a factor in fluctuations of the population that occur every five to seven years.

Hemp goes ‘hot’ due to genetics, not environmental stress

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 12:03 PM PDT

A new study debunks misinformation on websites and in news articles that claim that environmental or biological stresses -- such as flooding or disease -- cause an increase in THC production in hemp plants.

Researchers identify a gene that regulates the angle of root growth in corn

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 12:03 PM PDT

The discovery of a gene that regulates the angle of root growth in corn is a new tool to enable the breeding of deeper-rooting crops with enhanced ability to take up nitrogen, according to an international team of researchers.

First 3-D view of TB granulomas alters paradigm of their shape and formation

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 11:03 AM PDT

MicroCT of infected human lung tissue, along with histology and immunohistochemistry, was used to construct images of TB granulomas, airways and vasculature.

Does testosterone influence success? Not much, research suggests

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 11:03 AM PDT

With the Olympics underway, higher testosterone has often been linked to sporting success, and other kinds of success too. But beyond sport, new research has found little evidence that testosterone meaningfully influences life chances for men or women. In fact, the study suggests that despite the social myths surrounding testosterone, it could be much less important than previously thought.

Climate adaptation at the U.S. Department of Defense and beyond

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 09:43 AM PDT

New research identifies climate change challenges faced by U.S. Department of Defense facilities, and solutions that might serve as a model for other large organizations.

Water as a metal

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 09:43 AM PDT

Under normal conditions, pure water is an almost perfect insulator. Water only develops metallic properties under extreme pressure, such as exists deep inside of large planets. Now, an international collaboration has used a completely different approach to produce metallic water and documented the phase transition at BESSY II.

Scientists capture most-detailed radio image of Andromeda galaxy to date

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 08:13 AM PDT

Scientists have published a new, detailed radio image of the Andromeda galaxy -- the Milky Way's sister galaxy -- which will allow them to identify and study the regions of Andromeda where new stars are born.

Managing earthquakes triggered by oil production

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 08:13 AM PDT

A team of scientists has developed an approach to disposing wastewater that reduces the danger of triggering an earthquake.

Biomedical scientists tie improved learning processes to reduced symptoms of depression

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 08:13 AM PDT

Brain imaging and mathematical modeling reveal previously unreported mechanistic features of symptoms associated with major depressive disorder.

Superconductivity in high-Tc cuprates: ‘from maximal to minimal dissipation’ - a new paradigm?

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 08:13 AM PDT

Researchers used some of Europe's strongest continuous magnetic fields to uncover evidence of exotic charge carriers in the metallic state of copper-oxide high-temperature superconductors (high-Tc cuprates). The team postulated that it is these exotic charge carriers that form the superconducting pairs, in marked contrast with expectations from conventional theory.

Man's new best friend: What cats can teach us about human genetics and precision medicine

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 08:13 AM PDT

Although cats have lived alongside humans for millennia, it remains a dogs' world. This bias has historically bled into science as well. It's time for cats to get their day, argues veterinary medicine experts. Cats, they say, have the potential to be a valuable model organism for geneticists, as the feline genome is ordered similarly to humans.

A caffeine buzz helps bees learn to find specific flowers

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 08:13 AM PDT

Researchers have shown that feeding bumble bees caffeine helps them better remember the smell of a specific flower with nectar inside. While previous studies have shown that bees like caffeine and will more frequently visit caffeinated flowers to get it, this study shows that consuming caffeine in their nest actually helps bees find certain flowers outside of the nest.

Researchers develop 'dimmer switch' to help control gene therapy

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 08:13 AM PDT

In a major advancement in the field of gene therapy for rare and devastating diseases, researchers have developed a "dimmer switch" system that can control levels of proteins expressed from gene therapy vectors. The system is based on alternative RNA splicing using an orally available small molecule and works effectively in tissues throughout the body, including the brain.

Machine learning fuels personalized cancer medicine

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 08:13 AM PDT

Researchers have developed a computational tool that identifies cancer driver mutations for each tumor type.

Nearly half of surveyed female surgeons experienced major pregnancy complications

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 08:12 AM PDT

Researchers surveyed 1,175 surgeons and surgical trainees from across the U.S. to study their or their partner's pregnancy experiences. They found that 48 percent of surveyed female surgeons experienced major pregnancy complications, with those who operated 12-or-more hours per week during the last trimester of pregnancy at a higher risk compared to those who did not.

First detection of light from behind a black hole

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 08:12 AM PDT

Fulfilling a prediction of Einstein's theory of General Relativity, researchers report the first-ever recordings of X-ray emissions from the far side of a black hole.

Hybrid cars are twice as vulnerable to supply chain issues as gas-powered models

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:57 AM PDT

The global computer chip shortage has hit car manufacturers especially hard, indicating the importance of supply chain resilience. Yet, for hybrid electric vehicles, it isn't clear how their production could be impacted by fluctuating supplies and high prices. To get a grasp of these vulnerabilities compared to those for gas-powered models, researchers conducted a thorough analysis, finding that hybrid models have twice the vulnerability to supply chain disruptions.

Earth's vital signs worsen amid business-as-usual mindset on climate change

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:57 AM PDT

Twenty months after declaring a climate emergency and establishing a set of vital signs for the Earth, a coalition headed by two Oregon State University researchers says the updated vital signs "largely reflect the consequences of unrelenting business as usual."

For animal societies, cohesion comes at a cost

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:57 AM PDT

In a first for wild primates, scientists use 'Fitbit' technology on a troop of baboons to reveal the price of sticking together -- and who pays the most.

Magnetic fields implicated in the mysterious midlife crisis of stars

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:57 AM PDT

Middle-aged stars can experience their own kind of midlife crisis, experiencing dramatic breaks in their activity and rotation rates at about the same age as our Sun, according to new research. The study provides a new theoretical underpinning for the unexplained breakdown of established techniques for measuring ages of stars past their middle age, and the transition of solar-like stars to a magnetically inactive future.

Good toothbrushing habits in children linked to mother's wellbeing

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:56 AM PDT

Researchers have shown that postpartum depression can inhibit a mother's ability to instill healthy tooth brushing habits in children. The study demonstrates the need to foster greater mental support and management for mothers and incorporate these factors when assessing children's oral health.

Hearts from donors who used illicit drugs or overdosed safe for transplant, cuts wait time

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:56 AM PDT

Tragically, the opioid epidemic has led to an increase in accidental and premature deaths, which has also increased the number of hearts available for potential organ donation. Receiving a heart from a donor who used illicit drugs does not impact the recipient's survival, according to a group of researchers from Virginia, Arizona and Indiana.

Postmenopausal women can dance their way to better health

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:56 AM PDT

Women often struggle with managing their weight and other health risk factors, such as high cholesterol, once they transition through menopause. A new study suggests that dancing may effectively lower cholesterol levels, improve fitness and body composition and in the process, improve self-esteem.

Healthy lifestyle may help mitigate high genetic risk of cancer

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:56 AM PDT

Healthy lifestyle factors such as abstinence from smoking and drinking, low body mass index, and exercise correlated with decreased cancer incidence, even in individuals with a high genetic risk.

3D visualization and quantification of bioplastic PHA in a living bacterial cell

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:56 AM PDT

A research team has observed how bioplastic granule is being accumulated in living bacteria cells through 3D holographic microscopy. Their 3D imaging and quantitative analysis of the bioplastic 'polyhydroxyalkanoate' (PHA) via optical diffraction tomography provides insights into biosynthesizing sustainable substitutes for petroleum-based plastics.

Making progress in developing probiotic beverages without animal protein

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:56 AM PDT

A team has demonstrated that fermenting drinks fortified with pea and rice proteins yields the same quality of protein as casein, an animal protein found in milk.

Giant friction experiment at Kilauea volcano

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:56 AM PDT

A new analysis of the 2018 collapse of Kilauea volcano's caldera helps to confirm the reigning scientific paradigm for how friction works on earthquake faults. The model quantifies the conditions necessary to initiate the kind of caldera collapse that sustains big, damaging eruptions of basaltic volcanoes like Kilauea and could help to inform forecasting and mitigation.

Exercise may boost kids’ vocabulary growth

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:56 AM PDT

Swimming a few laps likely won't turn your child into the next Katie Ledecky or Michael Phelps, but it just might help them become the next J.K. Rowling or Stephen King. A recent study suggests aerobic exercise, such as swimming, can boost kids' vocabulary growth.

Novel method for fast 3D microscopy

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:56 AM PDT

Researchers have now developed a method that allows the use of multi-focal images to reconstruct the movement of fast biological processes in 3D.

A reversible male contraceptive, targeted to the testes with magnets

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:56 AM PDT

Women have several choices for long-lasting, reversible contraceptives, but most options for men are either single-use, such as condoms, or difficult to reverse, like vasectomies. Now, in a step toward a safe, long-lasting and reversible male contraceptive, researchers have developed magnetic, biodegradable nanomaterials that reduced the likelihood of mice fathering pups for at least 30 days.

Blood clots in people with severe COVID-19 may be related to abnormal antibody response

Posted: 27 Jul 2021 06:28 PM PDT

A new study of cells shows that antibodies produced by the body in response to COVID-19 may be triggering a blood clotting response in patients with severe disease.

Plastic, the Trojan Horse

Posted: 27 Jul 2021 02:17 PM PDT

A new study has found plastic accumulation in foods may be underestimated. There is also concern these microplastics will carry potentially harmful bacteria such as E. coli, which are commonly found in coastal waters, up the food chain.

Discovery within human cell cycle process to bring new understanding of cellular diseases

Posted: 27 Jul 2021 02:17 PM PDT

New research has uncovered an essential mechanism coordinating the processes of cell division and adhesion within humans. This discovery has profound potential for advancing understanding of cell adhesion signalling in cancerous tumor progression and metastasis.

Now in 3D: Deep learning techniques help visualize X-ray data in three dimensions

Posted: 27 Jul 2021 02:15 PM PDT

A team of scientists has leveraged artificial intelligence to train computers to keep up with the massive amounts of X-ray data taken at the Advanced Photon Source.