ScienceDaily: Top News

Researchers create personalized organoid models for rare spinal cancer

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 01:23 PM PST

A new study adds to a growing body of evidence that organoids -- lab-grown collections of cells that mimic a patient's tumor -- are a promising avenue for drug discovery to improve outcomes in patients with cancer, particularly rare cancers for which clinical data on drug effectiveness is often lacking.

Does 'bridging' therapy improve outcome for people with stroke?

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 01:23 PM PST

There has been debate over the best treatment for a certain type of stroke caused by a blockage of a large artery in the brain. A new meta-analysis finds that people who have this kind of stroke who can be treated within four-and-a-half hours after their symptoms start may do better after their stroke when treated with both a clot-busting drug and physical clot removal, compared to physical removal only. Combining the two therapies, called bridging therapy, was linked to better chances of a person surviving and living independently after stroke.

How long does it really take to recover from concussion?

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 01:23 PM PST

A new study suggests that people with mild traumatic brain injuries may be more likely to have cognitive impairment, cognitive decline or both one year later, compared to people who were not injured. People with poor cognitive outcomes were also more likely to have other symptoms like anxiety and lower satisfaction with life.

Huntington's, ALS: Where the body fails

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 12:39 PM PST

Huntington's, Alzheimer's, ALS, and multiple other neurodegenerative diseases share a commonality: they are all characterized by proteins (different ones for each disease) aggregating in neurons within the brain and nervous system. Now, scientists have found that the cells have the mechanisms to clear those aggregates -- they just fail to activate them.

Unexpected findings detailed in new portrait of HIV

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 12:39 PM PST

Using powerful tools and techniques developed in the field of structural biology, researchers have discovered new details about the human immunodeficiency virus, HIV.

City trees and soil are sucking more carbon out of the atmosphere than previously thought

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 12:39 PM PST

Research uncovers new information about the role that forest edges play in buffering global impacts of climate change and urbanization.

Can a planet have a mind of its own? Thought experiment

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 12:38 PM PST

Astrophysicists combine current scientific understanding about the Earth with broader questions about how life alters a planet to ask: if a planet with life has a life of its own, can it also have a mind of its own? The research raises new ideas about the ways in which humans might tackle global issues such as climate change.

Dissolving oil in a sunlit sea

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 11:49 AM PST

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill was the largest marine oil spill in United States history. The disaster was caused by an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, taking 11 lives and releasing nearly 210 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Twelve years and hundreds of millions of dollars later, scientists are still working to understand where all this oil ended up, a concept known as environmental fate.

eDNA a useful tool for early detection of invasive green crab

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 11:04 AM PST

As the green crab invasion in Washington state worsens, a new analysis method could help contain future invasions and prevent new outbreaks using water testing and genetic analysis.

Creating universal blood-type organs for transplant

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 11:04 AM PST

A study has proved that it is possible to convert blood type safely in donor organs intended for transplantation. This finding is an important step towards creating universal type O organs, which would significantly improve fairness in organ allocation and decrease mortality for patients in the waitlist.

Harnessing vaccine technology to heal bone

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 11:04 AM PST

To enhance the regeneration of bone, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2, or BMP-2. However, it is expensive and only moderately effective. It also produces side effects -- some severe. Researchers may have a viable, less risky alternative: messenger RNA. This well-known platform for vaccines has already proven to be safe in human use by the FDA.

How fat cells in the skin help fight acne

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 11:04 AM PST

Researchers have discovered a specific antimicrobial skin cell and the role it plays in acne development, which could result in more targeted treatment options.

Orangutans instinctively use hammers to strike and sharp stones to cut, study finds

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 11:02 AM PST

Untrained, captive orangutans can complete two major steps in the sequence of stone tool use: striking rocks together and cutting using a sharp stone, according to a new study.

How plants evolved to colonize land over 500-million years ago

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 10:03 AM PST

Scientists analyzing one of the largest genomic datasets of plants have discovered how the first plants on Earth evolved the mechanisms used to control water and 'breathe' on land hundreds of millions of years ago. The study has important implications in understanding how plant water transport systems have evolved and how these might adapt in future in response to climate change.

How to design a sail that won’t tear or melt on an interstellar voyage

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 10:03 AM PST

Breakthrough Starshot plans to send microscopic probes to Alpha Centauri using lightsails. Previous conceptions of these structures have imagined them being passively pushed by light from the sun, but Starshot's laser-based approach requires rethinking the sail's shape and composition so it won't melt or tear during acceleration to relativistic speeds.

New study illuminates how tiny flies solve complex navigational challenges

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 10:03 AM PST

The Gnat Ogre is a tiny predator that grabs other insects out of the air, catching them with extreme precision. New research reveals how and may have implications for future nature-inspired innovations.

Recently identified protein group plays major role in nature

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 10:03 AM PST

Proteins are the 'workhorses' in every living cell and constitute the chemical basis of life. These little machines are required to turn food into energy, to manage motion and brain activities and to fight off bacteria and viruses. The function of proteins is tightly controlled in response to changing conditions, when for instance an organism encounters stress and needs to adapt. Researchers recently discovered a completely novel group of proteins that functions as a switch to regulate biological activity. Now they have analyzed all known protein structures and it turns out that this group exists in all domains of life, in viruses and bacteria as well as in fungi, plants and animals, including humans. These findings have far-ranging implications for the treatment of many diseases. The results were published in Nature Chemical Biology.

SARS-CoV-2 protein targeted by immune cells also triggers response in bat coronaviruses, study shows

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 09:18 AM PST

A future vaccine providing protection against a wide range of coronaviruses that jump from their original animal hosts to humans -- including SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19 -- may be possible, say researchers.

Living in a microbial world: The healthy oral microbiome contributes to jaw bone health by influencing immune cell interactions with bone cells

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 09:18 AM PST

Researchers have shown that commensal microbes in the mouth, in contrast to commensal microbes colonizing other body surfaces, e.g., the gut or skin, modulate immune responses in the jaw bone that promote bone-resorbing osteoclasts and bone loss. In a preclinical model, depleting healthy commensal microbes in the mouth, using an antiseptic oral rinse, was shown to protect against this bone loss.

How politics, society, and tech shape the path of climate change

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:23 AM PST

Public perceptions of climate change, the future cost and effectiveness of climate mitigation and technologies, and how political institutions respond to public pressure are all important determinants of the degree to which the climate will change over the 21st century, according to a new study.

Multiple sclerosis: Study with twins untangles environmental and genetic influences

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:23 AM PST

Researchers have studied the immune system of pairs of monozygotic twins to identify the influence of the environment and of genetics in cases of multiple sclerosis. In the process, they may have discovered precursor cells of the disease-causing T cells.

Sudden evolutionary change

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:23 AM PST

Researchers have identified a case of a sudden evolutionary change. In a new study, the scientists describe a population of columbines that have lost their petals, including the characteristic nectar spurs. The finding adds weight to the idea that adaptation can occur in large jumps, rather than merely plodding along over extended timespans.

What lies behind a baby’s eyes

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:22 AM PST

We give meaning to our world through the categorization of objects. When and how does this process begin? By studying the gaze of one hundred infants, scientists have demonstrated that, by the age of fourth months, babies can assign objects that they have never seen to the animate or inanimate category. These findings reveal measurable changes in neural organization, which reflect the transition from simply viewing the world to understanding it.

Eccentric fractional skyrmion discovered in numerical simulations of ultra-cold superfluids

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:22 AM PST

Through numerical simulations, a researcher details the discovery of a new isolated skyrmion with a half-integer topological quantum number in the ferromagnetic phase of the magnetic quantum fluid Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). The new skyrmion is generated by applying a spin current to a magnetic domain wall and it has an eccentric (off-center) spin singularity inside it.

Looking back from the future: How does Germany become carbon neutral?

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:22 AM PST

Researchers have developed a vision for Germany in 2050 that illustrates ways to achieve a carbon dioxide-neutral life and economy. In their study they look back from a fictitious future to the present day.

A new tool for 3-D measurement of the aorta may identify fatal heart conditions earlier

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:22 AM PST

Researchers have developed a novel method of measuring growth in the aorta that may help clinicians to identify potentially fatal heart conditions earlier. The technique, called vascular deformation mapping, measures changes in the thoracic aorta by using high-resolution CT imaging to calculate three-dimensional changes in the aortic wall. In the study, VDM significantly outperformed the standard manual rating methods performed by experts.

Microplastics increase the toxicity of organic pollutants in the environment by a factor of 10, study finds

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:22 AM PST

A new study found that in a marine environment, microplastics absorb and concentrate toxic organic substances and thus increase their toxicity by a factor of 10, which may lead to a severe impact on human health.

Risk of soil degradation and desertification in Europe’s Mediterranean may be more serious than realized

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:22 AM PST

Due to human-caused pressures and global warming, some soils in Europe's Mediterranean region are reaching what the researchers refer to as 'critical limits for their ability to provide ecosystem services,' which include farming and absorbing carbon, among others. Perhaps even more troubling, the problem could be even more extensive than we realize, says an author of a new study.

Researchers use solar cells to achieve fast underwater wireless communication

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:22 AM PST

Researchers have shown that solar cells can be used to achieve underwater wireless optical communication with high data rates. The new approach -- which used an array of series-connected solar cells as detectors -- could offer a cost-effective, low-energy way to transmit data underwater.

Preclinical study finds gut fungi influence neuroimmunity and behavior

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:22 AM PST

A specific group of fungi residing in the intestines can protect against intestinal injury and influence social behavior, according to new preclinical research. The findings extend a growing body of work identifying a 'gut-immunity-brain axis,' a signaling system that may have a wide range of effects on physiology in both health and disease, influenced not only by the body's own cells but also the resident microbes.

Atomic clocks measure Einstein's general relativity at millimeter scale

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:22 AM PST

Physicists have measured Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, or more specifically, the effect called time dilation, at the smallest scale ever, showing that two tiny atomic clocks, separated by just a millimeter or the width of a sharp pencil tip, tick at different rates.

Ultraprecise atomic clock poised for new physics discoveries

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:22 AM PST

Physicists have made one of the highest performance atomic clocks ever. ­­ Their instrument, known as an optical lattice atomic clock, can measure differences in time to a precision equivalent to losing just one second every 300 billion years and is the first example of a 'multiplexed' optical clock, where six separate clocks can exist in the same environment. Its design allows the team to test ways to search for gravitational waves, attempt to detect dark matter, and discover new physics with clocks.

Supermassive black hole caught hiding in a ring of cosmic dust

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:22 AM PST

The European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope Interferometer (ESO's VLTI) has observed a cloud of cosmic dust at the centre of the galaxy Messier 77 that is hiding a supermassive black hole. The findings have confirmed predictions made around 30 years ago and are giving astronomers new insight into "active galactic nuclei", some of the brightest and most enigmatic objects in the universe.

Hotter, drier nights mean more runaway fires

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:22 AM PST

A new study shows that an increase in hot, dry nights in recent decades has resulted in nighttime wildfires becoming more intense and more frequent. Researchers found there are 11 more flammable nights every year in the U.S. West compared to 1979 -- a 45% increase over the past four decades. Nighttime warming is only expected to increase with climate change, intensifying wildfires' size and speed, causing more firefighters to work around the clock.

Where children live linked to delayed access to surgical care

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:22 AM PST

A new study found that children from less resourced neighborhoods were at increased odds of presenting with complicated appendicitis, an indicator of delayed access to surgical care. This is the first pediatric study to link many neighborhood-level factors that influence health -- such as quality of schools, housing, safety, and economic opportunity -- to timely surgical care access.

Impatient and risk-tolerant people more often become criminals, study finds

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 08:18 AM PST

A new study among young Danish men confirms the assumption that risk-tolerant, impatient and self-centered people are more likely to commit crimes than risk averse, patient and altruistic people are.

Hidden diversity: When one wasp species is actually 16 wasp species

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 07:30 AM PST

Some undiscovered species are hiding right under our noses. Ormyrus labotus, a tiny parasitoid wasp known to science since 1843, has long been considered a generalist with more than 65 host species. But a new study suggests wasps currently called Ormyrus labotus are actually at least 16 different species, identical in appearance but genetically distinct.

Placenta may hold clues for early autism diagnosis and intervention

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 07:30 AM PST

Researchers have identified a gene linked to fetal brain development and autism. Their work shows that the gene is influenced by the mother's early prenatal vitamins use and placental oxygen levels.

Breakthrough in converting carbon dioxide into fuel using solar energy

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 07:30 AM PST

A research team has shown how solar power can convert carbon dioxide into fuel, by using advanced materials and ultra-fast laser spectroscopy. The breakthrough could be an important piece of the puzzle in reducing the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in the future.

How wild honeybees survive the cold winter

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 07:30 AM PST

In northern Spain, wild honeybees use hollow electricity poles as nesting cavities. Natural areas in the surroundings promote the colonies' chances to survive the winter.

Forensic anthropological analysis performed on Baroque-period marble sculpture

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 07:30 AM PST

How did Baroque period artists/sculputors go about their craft? For the first time, researchers have performed a forensic anthropological analysis of a marble skull carved by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The analysis of this re-discovered sculpture in Dresden, Germany, may help capture details of the working methods of great artists of the past, including details not recorded about their artistic approaches.

45,000 marine species are at-risk: What’s most vulnerable?

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 06:58 AM PST

A framework for identifying the most vulnerable marine species will boost global conservation and policy efforts against anthropogenic climate change.

Introducing Nikola, the emotional android kid

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 06:58 AM PST

Researchers have made an android child named Nikola that successfully conveys six basic emotions -- happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise, and disgust. Facial expressions are generated by moving 'muscles' in Nikola's face. This is the first time that the quality of android-expressed emotion has been tested and verified for these six emotions.

Run (and Tumble) to Dinner

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 06:58 AM PST

Researchers calculated the optimal search strategy for organisms that employ run-and-tumble motion when looking for a food's odor. They determined that the chemotaxis demonstrated by E. coli closely resembles this system when accounting for the costs of control and the noise of the environment. This work may lead to new methods of designing chemical-seeking drones or nanobots.

Middle-aged men see weight gain as inevitable

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 06:58 AM PST

Weight gain produces feelings of despondency and low self-worth among middle-aged men, but it is also seen as an inevitable consequence of family and career responsibilities, according to a new study.

Pharmaceutical residues in sewage sludge and cattle manure do not have the feared effect

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 06:58 AM PST

Pharmaceutical residues and chemicals from personal care products in sewage sludge and cattle manure do not have a detectable toxic effect on nematodes living in agricultural fields, according to 14-year-long experiments. At the same time, manure and sewage sludge enhance soil quality more than conventional mineral fertilizers and can contribute to more sustainable, circular agriculture.

Innovative catalysts

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 06:58 AM PST

Highly efficient (electro-)catalysts are essential for the production of green hydrogen, the chemical industry, fertilizer production and other sectors of the economy. In addition to transition metals, a variety of other metallic or non-metallic elements have now moved into the focus of research.

Butterfly eyespots reuse gene regulatory network that patterns antennae, legs and wings

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 06:58 AM PST

Eyespots, the circular markings of contrasting colors found on the wings of many butterfly species, are used by these fluttering creatures to intimidate or distract predators. A team of scientists conducted a research study to better understand the evolutionary origins of these eyespots, and they discovered that eyespots appear to have derived from the recruitment of a complex network of genes that was already operating in the body of the butterflies to build antennae, legs, and even wings.

Study challenges advice to perform different tasks at specific times

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 06:12 AM PST

Productivity gurus claim that the best time of day to perform different types of cognitive tasks varies substantially based on the body's biological clock, but a new study led by sleep scientists challenges this long-held belief. The researchers analyzed data from a laboratory experiment that put participants on either a simulated day or night shift schedule for three days, allowing them to dissociate the biological clock effects on task performance from the effects of how long the participants had been awake. After completing their shifts, participants were kept in a 24-hour constant routine protocol designed to study humans' internally generated biological rhythms independent of any external influences. Comparing participants' performance on three distinct cognitive tests completed throughout the constant routine, the researchers found that the timing of peak performance was not task specific.

Broccoli and kale microgreens pack a nutritional punch that varies with growing conditions

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 05:30 AM PST

Researchers now report that kale and broccoli microgreens grown in either windowsills or under commercial growing conditions are rich in phytonutrients, though the levels of some compounds varied considerably between the two environments.

Heart attack survivors may be less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 05:30 AM PST

People who have had a heart attack are at increased risk of stroke and vascular dementia; however, a new study found they may be less likely to develop Parkinson's disease. A large, nationwide study in Denmark found that the risk of Parkinson's disease was moderately lower among people who have had a heart attack than among the general population.

Nano-engineered sealer leads to more durable concrete

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 05:30 AM PST

A nanomaterials-engineered penetrating sealer is able to better protect concrete from moisture and salt -- the two most damaging factors in crumbling concrete infrastructure in northern states. The novel sealer showed a 75% improvement in repelling water and a 44% improvement in reducing salt damage in laboratory studies compared to a commercial sealer.

DNA design brings predictability to polymer gels

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 05:30 AM PST

Simulations have led to the fabrication of a polymer-DNA gel that could be used in tissue regeneration and robotics.

Pushing past pancreatic tumors’ defenses

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 05:30 AM PST

Researchers found that some cancer cells weave a deactivating signal into a protective coat of armor, immobilizing and excluding T cells that would otherwise kill them. This immune deactivation pathway offers a promising new therapeutic approach for pancreatic, breast, and colorectal cancers.

A potentially longer-lasting cholera vaccine

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 05:29 AM PST

Researchers have developed a new type of cholera vaccine consisting of polysaccharides displayed on virus-like particles. The vaccine generated long-lasting antibody responses against V. cholerae in mice.

Increased infectivity, antibody escape drive SARS-CoV-2 evolution, studies say

Posted: 16 Feb 2022 05:29 AM PST

Researchers report that omicron and other SARS-CoV-2 variants are evolving increased infectivity and antibody escape, according to an artificial intelligence (AI) model. Therefore, new vaccines and antibody therapies are desperately needed, the researchers say.

Why parents in their prime produce the best offspring

Posted: 15 Feb 2022 04:30 PM PST

Inspired by the tsetse fly, scientists have developed the first mathematical model to explain how an individual's age and experience affect investment in their offspring.

Statin intolerance is 'over-estimated and over-diagnosed'

Posted: 15 Feb 2022 04:29 PM PST

As many as one in two patients stop taking statins, reduce the dose or take them irregularly because they believe the cholesterol-lowering drugs cause muscle pain and other side-effects. Now, a new study of over four million patients has shown that the true prevalence of statin intolerance worldwide is between six to ten percent.

Strong magnets put new twist on phonons

Posted: 15 Feb 2022 01:34 PM PST

Phonons, quasiparticles in a crystal lattice that are usually hard to control by external fields, can be manipulated by a magnetic field -- but it takes a very strong magnet.

Ancestors of legionella bacteria infected cells two billion years ago

Posted: 15 Feb 2022 01:34 PM PST

Researchers have discovered that the ancestors of legionella bacteria infected eukaryotic cells as early as two billion years ago. It happened soon after eukaryotes began to feed on bacteria. These results are also relevant to the chicken-or-egg debate about whether mitochondria or phagocytosis came first.