Friday, July 30, 2021

Bird brains left other dinosaurs behind

Research on a newly discovered bird fossil found that a unique brain shape may be why the ancestors of living birds survived the mass extinction that claimed all other known dinosaurs.

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Ultrafast X-ray provides new look at plasma discharge breakdown in water

Occurring faster than the speed of sound, the mystery behind the breakdown of plasma discharges in water is one step closer to being understood as researchers pursue applying new diagnostic processes using state-of-the-art X-ray imaging to the challenging subject.

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Source of DNA mutations in melanoma

The mutations that give rise to melanoma result from a chemical conversion in DNA fueled by sunlight -- not just a DNA copying error as previously believed, reports a new study. The findings upend long-held beliefs about the mechanisms underlying the disease, reinforce the importance of prevention efforts and offer a path forward for investigating the origins of other cancer types.

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Crucial new molecular mechanisms and biomarkers in ovarian cancer

Medical researchers have discovered what appears to be an Achilles' heel in ovarian cancers, as well as new biomarkers that could point to which patients are the best candidates for possible new treatments.

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New research infuses equity principles into the algorithm development process

Researchers have found a new approach to incorporating the larger web of relevant data for predictive modeling for individual and community health outcomes.

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World Trade Center responders with the greatest exposure to toxic dust have a higher likelihood of liver disease, study finds

Researchers have found evidence that World Trade Center responders had a higher likelihood of developing liver disease if they arrived at the site right after the attacks as opposed to working at Ground Zero later in the rescue and recovery efforts.

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Buffer zones, better regulation needed to prevent agricultural pollution in rivers, streams, review finds

Greater buffer zones around bodies of water and more consistent enforcement of water protection regulations are needed to reduce agriculture-based pollution in the Western U.S., a recent review has found.

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Differentiating strong antibiotic producers from weaker ones

Biologists are using comparative metabologenomics to try to uncover what may be 'silencing' Streptomyces and preventing it from producing desirable compounds encoded by its genes.

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New research infuses equity principles into the algorithm development process

Researchers have found a new approach to incorporating the larger web of relevant data for predictive modeling for individual and community health outcomes.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2WsBXk7

World Trade Center responders with the greatest exposure to toxic dust have a higher likelihood of liver disease, study finds

Researchers have found evidence that World Trade Center responders had a higher likelihood of developing liver disease if they arrived at the site right after the attacks as opposed to working at Ground Zero later in the rescue and recovery efforts.

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Differentiating strong antibiotic producers from weaker ones

Biologists are using comparative metabologenomics to try to uncover what may be 'silencing' Streptomyces and preventing it from producing desirable compounds encoded by its genes.

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Artificial light disrupts dung beetles’ sense of direction

New research shows that city lights limit the ability of nocturnal animals to navigate by natural light in the night sky. Instead, they are forced to use streetlamps, neon light or floodlights to orient themselves.

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A sleep study’s eye-opening findings

Getting more sleep, by itself, does not change work productivity or overall well-being for impoverished workers in India. Naps or better-quality sleep at night may have a bigger impact, according to a new study.

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Researchers film human viruses in liquid droplets at near-atomic detail

Researchers have used advanced electron microscopy (EM) technology to see how human viruses move in high resolution in a near-native environment. The visualization technique could lead to improved understanding of how vaccine candidates and treatments behave and function as they interact with target cells.

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Amygdala found to have role in important pre-attentive mechanism in the brain

Researchers have shown how the amygdala, a brain region typically associated with fear, contributes to prepulse inhibition (PPI) by activating small inhibitory neurons in the mouse brain stem. The discovery advances understanding of the systems underlying PPI and efforts to ultimately develop medical therapies for schizophrenia and other disorders by reversing pre-attentive deficits.

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A sleep study’s eye-opening findings

Getting more sleep, by itself, does not change work productivity or overall well-being for impoverished workers in India. Naps or better-quality sleep at night may have a bigger impact, according to a new study.

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Engineers bend light to enhance wavelength conversion

Engineers have developed a more efficient way of converting light from one wavelength to another, opening the door for improvements in the performance of imaging, sensing and communication systems.

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Researchers film human viruses in liquid droplets at near-atomic detail

Researchers have used advanced electron microscopy (EM) technology to see how human viruses move in high resolution in a near-native environment. The visualization technique could lead to improved understanding of how vaccine candidates and treatments behave and function as they interact with target cells.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3lf9nxe

Amygdala found to have role in important pre-attentive mechanism in the brain

Researchers have shown how the amygdala, a brain region typically associated with fear, contributes to prepulse inhibition (PPI) by activating small inhibitory neurons in the mouse brain stem. The discovery advances understanding of the systems underlying PPI and efforts to ultimately develop medical therapies for schizophrenia and other disorders by reversing pre-attentive deficits.

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New information storage and processing device

A team of scientists has developed a means to create a new type of memory, marking a notable breakthrough in the increasingly sophisticated field of artificial intelligence.

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eDNA effective in the calculation of marine biodiversity

For almost 20 years, researchers have conducted detailed censuses of the majestic kelp forests off Santa Barbara. By counting fish species and placing them in the context of their environmental conditions, coastal marine ecologists can look at the effects of human activity and natural drivers on kelp and its ability to maintain the kelp forest communities.

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Scientists discover a surprising new way that tuberculosis suppresses immunity

University of Maryland researchers discovered a way that Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the bacterium that causes tuberculosis, can cause a person's immune cells to lower their defenses. Specifically, they identified a gene in the bacterium that suppresses immune defenses in infected human cells, which could exacerbate the infection. The findings were published on July 29, 2021, in the journal PLOS Pathogens

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New relevant target for PARP inhibitor talazoparib

Researchers report the identification of a new target for the PARP inhibitor drug talazoparib and show that combination treatment with talazoparib and the WEE1 inhibitor adavosertib results in enhanced anti-cancer effects.

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Thursday, July 29, 2021

RNA: Two strands are tougher than one

Research reveals key differences between single- and double-stranded RNA, insights that may prove useful to fields from agriculture to medicine.

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Remember more by taking breaks

We remember things longer if we take breaks during learning, referred to as the spacing effect. Scientists gained deeper insight into the neuronal basis for this phenomenon in mice. With longer intervals between learning repetitions, mice reuse more of the same neurons as before -- instead of activating different ones. Possibly, this allows the neuronal connections to strengthen with each learning event, such that knowledge is stored for a longer time.

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Why uncertainty makes us change our behavior -- even when we shouldn't

'Panic buying' might be a normal human response to uncertainty after all, new research suggests.

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Collisions of light produce matter/antimatter from pure energy

Scientists studying particle collisions have produced definitive evidence for two physics phenomena predicted more than 80 years ago: that matter/antimatter can be created directly by colliding photons and that a magnetic field can bend polarized light along different paths in a vacuum.

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Weird, noodle-shaped amphibians known as caecilians found in South Florida canal

Caecilians have arrived in Miami. Florida Fish and Wildlife officers captured one of the obscure legless amphibians in the Tamiami Canal, the first example of an introduced caecilian in the U.S.

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Earthly rocks point way to water hidden on Mars

A combination of a once-debunked 19th-century identification of a water-carrying iron mineral and the fact that these rocks are extremely common on Earth, suggests the existence of a substantial water reservoir on Mars, according to a team of geoscientists.

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Icy waters of 'Snowball Earth' may have spurred early organisms to grow bigger

A new study tackles one of the oldest questions in the history of the planet: How did living organisms get so big?

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Chaotic electrons heed ‘limit’ in strange metals

Chaos, to a point: A new study confirms the chaotic behavior of electrons in 'strange' metals has a limit established by the laws of quantum mechanics.

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RNA: Two strands are tougher than one

Research reveals key differences between single- and double-stranded RNA, insights that may prove useful to fields from agriculture to medicine.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3j55tUD

Remember more by taking breaks

We remember things longer if we take breaks during learning, referred to as the spacing effect. Scientists gained deeper insight into the neuronal basis for this phenomenon in mice. With longer intervals between learning repetitions, mice reuse more of the same neurons as before -- instead of activating different ones. Possibly, this allows the neuronal connections to strengthen with each learning event, such that knowledge is stored for a longer time.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/378hOC5

Study tests microplasma against middle-ear infections

Middle-ear infections are a common affliction in early life, affecting more than 80% of children in the U.S. Antibiotics are often employed as a first line of defense but sometimes fail against the pathogenic bacteria that can develop in the middle ear, just behind the eardrum. In a new study, researchers explore the use of microplasma -- a highly focused stream of chemically excited ions and molecules -- as a noninvasive method for attacking the bacterial biofilms that resist antibiotic treatment in the middle ear.

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Study tests microplasma against middle-ear infections

Middle-ear infections are a common affliction in early life, affecting more than 80% of children in the U.S. Antibiotics are often employed as a first line of defense but sometimes fail against the pathogenic bacteria that can develop in the middle ear, just behind the eardrum. In a new study, researchers explore the use of microplasma -- a highly focused stream of chemically excited ions and molecules -- as a noninvasive method for attacking the bacterial biofilms that resist antibiotic treatment in the middle ear.

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Gene associated with autism linked to itch response, study finds

A gene associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and pain hypersensitivity may actually decrease itch response, according to new research.

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Study reveals characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

A new study provides foundational information about SARS-CoV-2's spike protein.

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PCR of gargle lavage samples as effective as nasopharyngeal swabs to identify SARS-CoV-2 infection

Twenty-six subjects from a cohort of 80 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 via nasopharyngeal swab, and all 26 tested positive using gargle lavage (mouthwash), according to new research.

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No particular risk of infection of SARS-CoV-2 from cash, study finds

How long do coronaviruses remain infectious on banknotes and coins? Is it possible to become infected through contact with cash? Researchers developed a method specifically to test how many infectious virus particles can be transferred from cash to the skin in real-life conditions. Conclusion: under realistic conditions, the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 from cash is very low.

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Gene associated with autism linked to itch response, study finds

A gene associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and pain hypersensitivity may actually decrease itch response, according to new research.

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Study reveals characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

A new study provides foundational information about SARS-CoV-2's spike protein.

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PCR of gargle lavage samples as effective as nasopharyngeal swabs to identify SARS-CoV-2 infection

Twenty-six subjects from a cohort of 80 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 via nasopharyngeal swab, and all 26 tested positive using gargle lavage (mouthwash), according to new research.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2UWYnKa

No particular risk of infection of SARS-CoV-2 from cash, study finds

How long do coronaviruses remain infectious on banknotes and coins? Is it possible to become infected through contact with cash? Researchers developed a method specifically to test how many infectious virus particles can be transferred from cash to the skin in real-life conditions. Conclusion: under realistic conditions, the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 from cash is very low.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2UTYtCh

Bronze Age cemetery reveals history of a high-status woman and her twins

Ancient urn graves contain a wealth of information about a high-ranking woman and her Bronze Age Vatya community, according to a new study.

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Adapting roots to a hotter planet could ease pressure on food supply

The shoots of plants get all of the glory, with their fruit and flowers and visible structure. But it's the portion that lies below the soil — the branching, reaching arms of roots and hairs pulling up water and nutrients — that interests some plant physiologist and computer scientist the most.

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Planetary scientist puts Mars lake theory on ice with new study that offers alternate explanation

For years scientists have been debating what might lay under the Martian planet's south polar cap after bright radar reflections were discovered and initially attributed to water. But now, a new study puts that theory to rest and demonstrates for the first time that another material is most likely the answer.

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Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Seeking a unique treatment for lobular breast cancer

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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A caffeine buzz helps bees learn to find specific flowers

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.

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For animal societies, cohesion comes at a cost

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.

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Good toothbrushing habits in children linked to mother's wellbeing

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.

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Postmenopausal women can dance their way to better health

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.

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Seeking a unique treatment for lobular breast cancer

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.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2V2xWCy

Good toothbrushing habits in children linked to mother's wellbeing

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.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3l6jwvP

Postmenopausal women can dance their way to better health

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.

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Water as a metal

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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Magnetic fields implicated in the mysterious midlife crisis of stars

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.

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

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.

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Healthy lifestyle may help mitigate high genetic risk of cancer

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.

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

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.

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Making progress in developing probiotic beverages without animal protein

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.

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Exercise may boost kids’ vocabulary growth

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.

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Novel method for fast 3D microscopy

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

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

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.

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

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.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zO3P0m

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Fruit fly offers lessons in good taste

The fruit fly has multiple taste organs throughout its body to detect chemicals, called tastants, that signal whether a food is palatable or harmful. It is still unclear, however, how individual neurons in each taste organ act to control feeding. To explore this question, a team used the fly pharynx as a model to study whether taste information regulates sugar and amino acid consumption at the cellular level.

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Selenium may support deep microbial life in Earth's continental crust

International drilling efforts over the last decades into the seafloor have provided increasing evidence for the existence of an extensive deep biosphere below the seafloor. There, circulating fluids in the sub-seafloor deliver chemical compounds from which energy is produced to fuel microbial life in such deep ecosystems. Our understanding of the role of such chemolithotrophic microbes in the continental deep biosphere, however, is much more limited due to poor accessibility.

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Body size, digestive systems shape ungulate foraging

Smaller-bodied ruminants forage primarily for the highest energy intake, while equids -- which tend to be larger -- choose to forage in areas close to surface water, with less attention to forage condition.

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Global dementia cases forecasted to triple by 2050

Positive trends in global education access are expected to decrease dementia prevalence worldwide by 6.2 million cases by the year 2050. Meanwhile, anticipated trends in smoking, high body mass index and high blood sugar are predicted to increase prevalence by nearly the same number: 6.8 million cases.

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Magnetic 'balding' of black holes saves general relativity prediction

Magnetic fields around black holes decay quickly, researchers report. This finding backs up the so-called 'no-hair conjecture' predicted by Einstein's general relativity.

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Patients report long-term favorable effects of weight loss surgery in their daily lives

A new study shows that over the course of five years, patients who had bariatric and metabolic surgery to treat uncontrolled type 2 diabetes reported greater physical health, more energy, less body pain, and less negative effects of diabetes in their daily lives, compared with patients who had medical therapy alone for their diabetes.

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Bushfires, not pandemic lockdowns, had biggest impact on global climate in 2020

The devastating bushfires in Australia had a larger impact on the world's 2020 climate than the pandemic-related lockdowns, as plumes of smoke cooled global temperatures and pushed tropical thunderstorms northward. New research indicates that regional wildfires can have far-reaching climatic effects that are comparable to a major volcanic eruption.

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Wirelessly charging multiple devices simultaneously

A new type of wireless charger can charge multiple devices simultaneously, researchers report. The device transfers energy with 90 percent efficiency within 20-centimeter charging range.

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Model can predict how drug interactions influence antibiotic resistance

A model using simple changes in microbe growth curves could predict how drug resistance evolves in response to different antibiotic combinations, doses and sequences.

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DNA tags enable blood-based tests to assess cancer treatment outcomes

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) shed into the blood was discovered in the late 1940s but with rapid advances in genomics and computational analytics in just the past few years, researchers now believe that studying tags, or modifications to this type of DNA, may lead to a better understanding of how to assess, and possibly modulate, treatment approaches for cancer and other diseases.

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Black American women with vitamin D insufficiency more likely to test positive for COVID-19, study finds

In a recent study of Black American women, low levels of vitamin D appeared to be related to increased incidence of COVID-19 infection.

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Emphasize personal health benefits of COVID-19 vaccination, experts say

Several forms of public messages can increase vaccination intentions, but messaging that emphasizes personal health benefits has the largest impact.

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Early signs: Perceptual distortions in late-teens predict psychotic symptoms in mid-life

Subtle differences in perception during late-teen years can predict the development of hallucinations, delusions, and, in some instances, psychosis later in life, according to new research.

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Breakthrough research examines the effects introduced animals had on Madagascar’s extinct megafauna

Madagascar is renowned for its unique and varied biodiversity, which spans dry grasslands, wet rain forests, mangroves and deserts. This variety, combined with the island's isolation and size, has fostered distinctive assemblages of plants and animals, including the country's famous lemurs and baobab trees.

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New strategy for drug design: Keeping copper atoms closer to keep bacteria away

Hydrogen peroxide reacts with copper to produce hydroxyl radicals with strong antibacterial properties. However, this requires high copper concentrations because two copper atoms have to come close together, which occurs by chance. Now, scientists have engineered a long polymer with copper-containing side units that create regions with locally high copper density, boosting the antibacterial activity of hydrogen peroxide and paving the way to a new drug design concept.

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Turning diapers into sticky notes: Using chemical recycling to prevent millions of tons of waste

Every year, 3.5 million metric tons of sodden diapers end up in landfills.

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Bird’s-eye view could be key to navigating without GPS

A bird's-eye view may take on new meaning thanks to new research. Scientists found that a protein in bird's retinas is sensitive to the Earth's magnetic field thus guiding its migratory patterns. That finding could be key to Army navigation of both autonomous and manned vehicles where GPS is unavailable.

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Genomic secrets of deep-sea tubeworm

Researchers have decoded the chromosomal-level genome of a deep-sea gutless tubeworm and the genome of its co-living 'partner' -- a kind of bacteria that provide nutrients they generate from inorganic compounds to the worm for the first time, explaining how the pair adapts to the extreme habitat. Their discovery lays foundation for potential applications such as nutrient generation, biomaterial production and microbial growth control.

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New insights into the relationship between how we feel and our views on aging

A new study finds that the disconnect between how old we feel and how old we want to be can offer insights into the relationship between our views on aging and our health.

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Scientists uncover how decisions about what we see are relayed back through the brain

Researchers have discovered that decisions based on visual information, which involve a complex stream of data flowing forward and backwards along the brain's visual pathways, is broadcast widely to neurons in the visual system, including to those that are not being used to make the decision.

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Researchers demonstrate technique for recycling nanowires in electronics

Researchers have demonstrated a low-cost technique for retrieving nanowires from electronic devices that have reached the end of their utility and then using those nanowires in new devices. The work is a step toward more sustainable electronics.

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Under pressure, 'squishy' compound reacts in remarkable ways

When a compound of manganese and sulfide (MnS2) is compressed in a diamond anvil, it transitions from an insulator into a metallic state and back into an insulator. This is accompanied by unprecedented decreases in resistance and volume across an extremely narrow range of pressure changes at room temperatue, say researchers.

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Possible future for Western wildfires: Decade-long burst, followed by gradual decline

A model of the eastern California forests of the Sierra Nevada looks at the longer-term future of wildfires under future climate change scenarios. Results show an initial roughly decade-long burst of wildfire activity, followed by recurring fires of decreasing area -- a pattern that could apply to other hot, dry forests in the West.

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New approach for cell therapy shows potential against solid tumors with KRAS mutations

A new technology for cellular immunotherapy showed promising anti-tumor activity in the lab against hard-to-treat cancers driven by the once-considered "undruggable" KRAS mutation, including lung, colorectal, and pancreatic.

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Eating for hunger or pleasure? Regulating these feeding behaviors involves different brain circuits

Researchers discovered that although the brain regulates feeding for pleasure and for hunger through serotonin-producing neurons in the midbrain, each type of feeding is wired by its own independent circuit that does not influence the other type of feeding.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3kXo4Vs

Turning the molecular clock back on suppresses neuroblastoma tumor growth

Researchers show that restoring normal function of the molecular clock suppresses tumor growth in advanced neuroblastoma and can make tumors more sensitive to conventional chemotherapy.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3rCnWfe

On the hunt for ‘hierarchical’ black holes

Black holes, detected by their gravitational wave signal as they collide with other black holes, could be the product of much earlier parent collisions. Such an event has only been hinted at so far, but scientists believe we are getting close to tracking down the first of these so-called 'hierarchical' black holes.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3l0gUzN

Leader effectiveness may depend on emotional expression

Women leaders must often battle sexist stereotypes that label them 'too emotional' for effective leadership. A surprising new study shows that when they express calm, happy emotions, however, women are perceived as more effective leaders than men. The effect is most pronounced for leaders in top positions in an organization.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/374MeFe

Cultural biases impact native fish, too

From art to religion to land use, much of what is deemed valuable in the United States was shaped centuries ago by the white male perspective. Fish, it turns out, are no exception. A study explores how colonialist attitudes toward native fishes were rooted in elements of racism and sexism. It describes how those attitudes continue to shape fisheries management today, often to the detriment of native fishes.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2VgFvpf

Three dwarf spheroidal galaxies found to rotate

Astrophysicists have discovered the presence of transverse rotation (in the plane of the sky) in three dwarf spheroidal galaxies, a very faint type of galaxies and difficult to observe, which are orbiting round the Milky Way; this helps to trace their evolutionary history.

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T cell response not critical for immune memory to SARS-CoV-2 or recovery from COVID-19, study finds

New research conducted in monkeys reveals that T cells are not critical for the recovery of primates from acute COVID-19 infections.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2UV1Fxd

Scientists discover early signs of frontotemporal dementia in personalized cerebral organoids

Frontotemporal dementias are a group of fatal and debilitating brain disorders for which there are no cures. Researchers describe how they were able to recreate much of the damage seen in a widely studied form of the disease by growing special types of cerebral organoids in petri dishes. This form of the disease is caused by a genetic mutation in tau, a protein that is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. By studying these organoids, the scientists discovered how the mutated tau protein may trigger the death of a specific class of neurons known to be vulnerable in frontotemporal dementia. They also showed that they could prevent the death of these neurons by treating the organoids with an experimental drug, originally designed to combat Crohn's disease.

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New breakthrough to help immune systems in the fight against cancer

New research has identified potential treatment that could improve the human immune system's ability to search out and destroy cancer cells within the body. Scientists have identified a way to restrict the activity of a group of cells which regulate the immune system, which in turn can unleash other immune cells to attack tumours in cancer patients.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3eYDKUw

Using silicone wristbands to measure air quality

Inexpensive and convenient devices such as silicone wristbands can be used to yield quantitative air quality data, which is particularly appealing for periods of susceptibility such as pregnancy.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3i5F4GZ

Measuring creativity, one word at a time

Can you think of three words that are completely unrelated to one another? What about four, five, or even ten? According to researchers, this simple exercise of naming unrelated words and then measuring the semantic distance between them could serve as an objective measure of creativity.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3BKeJ9j

Measuring creativity, one word at a time

Can you think of three words that are completely unrelated to one another? What about four, five, or even ten? According to researchers, this simple exercise of naming unrelated words and then measuring the semantic distance between them could serve as an objective measure of creativity.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3BKeJ9j

Monday, July 26, 2021

No more finger pricks: A continuous glucose monitor benefits patients with diabetes in more ways than one

A 15-center study of 175 patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes found that continuous glucose monitoring, compared to blood glucose meter monitoring, or finger pricking, significantly decreased their hemoglobin A1C over eight months.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2WnsGdg

What happens to marine life when oxygen is scarce?

In September of 2017, marine biologists were conducting an experiment in Bocas del Toro, off the Caribbean coast of Panama. After sitting on a quiet, warm open ocean, they snorkeled down to find a peculiar layer of murky, foul-smelling water about 10 feet below the surface, with brittle stars and sea urchins, which are usually in hiding, perching on the tops of coral. This observation prompted a collaborative study analyzing what this foggy water layer is caused by, and the impact it has on life at the bottom of the seafloor.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3rzqxGZ

Scientists model 'true prevalence' of COVID-19 throughout pandemic

Scientists have developed a statistical framework that incorporates key COVID-19 data -- such as case counts and deaths due to COVID-19 -- to model the true prevalence of this disease in the United States and individual states. Their approach projects that in the U.S. as many as 60 percent of COVID-19 cases went undetected as of March 7, 2021, the last date for which the dataset they employed is available.

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Second COVID-19 mRNA vaccine dose found safe following allergic reactions to first dose

A new study reports that among individuals who had an allergic reaction to their first mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose, all who went on to receive a second dose tolerated it. Even some who experienced anaphylaxis following the first dose tolerated the second dose.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3rBdZyB

No more finger pricks: A continuous glucose monitor benefits patients with diabetes in more ways than one

A 15-center study of 175 patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes found that continuous glucose monitoring, compared to blood glucose meter monitoring, or finger pricking, significantly decreased their hemoglobin A1C over eight months.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2WnsGdg

Scientists model 'true prevalence' of COVID-19 throughout pandemic

Scientists have developed a statistical framework that incorporates key COVID-19 data -- such as case counts and deaths due to COVID-19 -- to model the true prevalence of this disease in the United States and individual states. Their approach projects that in the U.S. as many as 60 percent of COVID-19 cases went undetected as of March 7, 2021, the last date for which the dataset they employed is available.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3kYdv4l

Second COVID-19 mRNA vaccine dose found safe following allergic reactions to first dose

A new study reports that among individuals who had an allergic reaction to their first mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose, all who went on to receive a second dose tolerated it. Even some who experienced anaphylaxis following the first dose tolerated the second dose.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3rBdZyB

Supernova's 'fizzled' gamma-ray burst

On Aug. 26, 2020, NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope detected a pulse of high-energy radiation that had been racing toward Earth for nearly half the present age of the universe. Lasting only about a second, it turned out to be one for the record books -- the shortest gamma-ray burst (GRB) caused by the death of a massive star ever seen.

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Hubble finds evidence of water vapor at Jupiter's moon Ganymede

Astronomers have uncovered evidence of water vapor in the atmosphere of Jupiter's moon Ganymede. This water vapor forms when ice from the moon's surface sublimates -- that is, turns from solid to gas.

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Brain's 'memory center' needed to recognize image sequences but not single sights

The visual cortex stores and remembers individual images, but when they are grouped into a sequence, mice can't recognize that without guidance from the hippocampus, according to a new study.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zCuv4d

Plant root-associated bacteria preferentially colonize their native host-plant roots

Researchers have discovered that bacteria from the plant microbiota are adapted to their host species. They show how root-associated bacteria have a competitive advantage when colonizing their native host, which allows them to invade an already established microbiota.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3kXCu7P

Improving air quality reduces dementia risk, multiple studies suggest

Improving air quality may improve cognitive function and reduce dementia risk, according to several recent studies.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3f0q3oe

Extreme heat, dry summers main cause of tree death in Colorado's subalpine forests

Even in the absence of bark beetle outbreaks and wildfire, trees in Colorado subalpine forests are dying at increasing rates from warmer and drier summer conditions, found recent research.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iO3sw4

Meeting global climate targets will lead to 8 million more energy jobs worldwide by 2050

Researchers created a global dataset of job footprints in 50 countries and used a model to investigate how trying to meet the Paris Agreement global climate target of staying well below 2°C would affect energy sector jobs. They found that action to reach said target would increase net jobs by about 8 million by 2050, primarily due to gains in the solar and wind industries.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zxhits

Function of sex chromosomes in turtles

A new study sheds light on how organisms have evolved to address imbalances in sex chromosomes. The study looks at a species of softshell turtle, but the results could help to illuminate an important evolutionary process in many species. The research centers on a process known as sex chromosome dosage compensation.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3y1A9wt

Two types of blood pressure meds prevent heart events equally, but side effects differ

In an analysis of almost 3 million patients taking a single high blood pressure medication for the first time, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) were as good as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors at preventing cardiovascular events linked to hypertension, including heart attack, stroke and heart failure. 51 possible side effects and safety concerns were examined: The patients taking ARBs were found to be significantly less likely to develop tissue swelling, cough, pancreas inflammation and bleeding in the digestive tract.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3i54GUz

Juicy past of favorite Okinawan fruit revealed

A genetic analysis of fruit in the mandarin family has unraveled a complex journey from the mountainous region of southern China to the markets of Okinawa.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3BImKvG

Brain's 'memory center' needed to recognize image sequences but not single sights

The visual cortex stores and remembers individual images, but when they are grouped into a sequence, mice can't recognize that without guidance from the hippocampus, according to a new study.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zCuv4d

Improving air quality reduces dementia risk, multiple studies suggest

Improving air quality may improve cognitive function and reduce dementia risk, according to several recent studies.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3f0q3oe

Extreme heat, dry summers main cause of tree death in Colorado's subalpine forests

Even in the absence of bark beetle outbreaks and wildfire, trees in Colorado subalpine forests are dying at increasing rates from warmer and drier summer conditions, found recent research.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iO3sw4

Two types of blood pressure meds prevent heart events equally, but side effects differ

In an analysis of almost 3 million patients taking a single high blood pressure medication for the first time, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) were as good as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors at preventing cardiovascular events linked to hypertension, including heart attack, stroke and heart failure. 51 possible side effects and safety concerns were examined: The patients taking ARBs were found to be significantly less likely to develop tissue swelling, cough, pancreas inflammation and bleeding in the digestive tract.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3i54GUz

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Comprehensive clinical sequencing opens door to the promise of precision medicine

A new study highlights the power of comprehensive whole genome, whole exome and RNA sequencing to better understand and treat each patient's cancer.

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New organ-on-a-chip finds crucial interaction between blood, ovarian cancer tumors

Researchers are pushing organ-on-a-chip devices to new levels that could change the way clinicians approach cancer treatment, particularly ovarian cancer.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zyRQnl

Comprehensive clinical sequencing opens door to the promise of precision medicine

A new study highlights the power of comprehensive whole genome, whole exome and RNA sequencing to better understand and treat each patient's cancer.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iFk2OI

New organ-on-a-chip finds crucial interaction between blood, ovarian cancer tumors

Researchers are pushing organ-on-a-chip devices to new levels that could change the way clinicians approach cancer treatment, particularly ovarian cancer.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zyRQnl

New understanding of cell stability with potential to improve immune cell therapies

Researchers have developed two solutions with potential to overcome a key clinical limitation of immune cell therapies.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iLj2J1

New understanding of cell stability with potential to improve immune cell therapies

Researchers have developed two solutions with potential to overcome a key clinical limitation of immune cell therapies.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iLj2J1

Friday, July 23, 2021

Advantages of intranasal vaccination against SARS-CoV-2

There are many reasons that an intranasal vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 virus would be helpful in the fight against COVID-19 infections, immunologists write in a new article.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iJZLYc

Neuroscientists posit that brain region is a key locus of learning

Long thought of as a generic alarm system, the locus coeruleus may actually be a sophisticated regulator of learning and behavior, according to a new review.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3hZShkX

Americans with higher net worth at midlife tend to live longer

In a wealth and longevity study to incorporate siblings and twin pair data, researchers analyzed the midlife net worth of adults (mean age 46.7 years) and their mortality rates 24 years later. They discovered those with greater wealth at midlife tended to live longer.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3kWWkQy

Better healthcare management can reduce the risk of delirium among older adults

New research by an Executive PhD Research student at the Business School (formerly Cass) outlines how elderly patients with neurological conditions are significantly more likely to develop delirium shortly after they are hospitalised, and those admitted on Sunday and Tuesday are more likely to develop the disorder.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3i2bSB0

'Feel good' brain messenger can be willfully controlled, new study reveals

Researchers have discovered that spontaneous impulses of dopamine, the neurological messenger known as the brain's 'feel good' chemical, occur in the brain of mice. The study found that mice can willfully manipulate these random dopamine pulses for reward.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zsi6jl

New measure of tropical forest vulnerability to help avoid 'tipping point'

Humid tropical forests, vital in global efforts to limit rising temperatures, are under threat as a result of changes in land use and climate. Now, researchers have developed a new way to keep tabs on the vulnerability of these forests on a global scale using satellite data called the tropical forest vulnerability index (TFVI).

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3eR69vD

Cascaded metasurfaces for dynamic control of THz wavefronts

Researchers have developed a general framework and metadevices for achieving dynamic control of THz wavefronts. Instead of locally controlling the individual meta-atoms in a THz metasurface (e.g., via PIN diode, varactor, etc.), they vary the polarization of a light beam with rotating multilayer cascaded metasurfaces.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zlddsm

Advantages of intranasal vaccination against SARS-CoV-2

There are many reasons that an intranasal vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 virus would be helpful in the fight against COVID-19 infections, immunologists write in a new article.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iJZLYc

Neuroscientists posit that brain region is a key locus of learning

Long thought of as a generic alarm system, the locus coeruleus may actually be a sophisticated regulator of learning and behavior, according to a new review.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3hZShkX

Americans with higher net worth at midlife tend to live longer

In a wealth and longevity study to incorporate siblings and twin pair data, researchers analyzed the midlife net worth of adults (mean age 46.7 years) and their mortality rates 24 years later. They discovered those with greater wealth at midlife tended to live longer.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3kWWkQy

Better healthcare management can reduce the risk of delirium among older adults

New research by an Executive PhD Research student at the Business School (formerly Cass) outlines how elderly patients with neurological conditions are significantly more likely to develop delirium shortly after they are hospitalised, and those admitted on Sunday and Tuesday are more likely to develop the disorder.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3i2bSB0

'Feel good' brain messenger can be willfully controlled, new study reveals

Researchers have discovered that spontaneous impulses of dopamine, the neurological messenger known as the brain's 'feel good' chemical, occur in the brain of mice. The study found that mice can willfully manipulate these random dopamine pulses for reward.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zsi6jl

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Gamma-secretase 'buckles up' to reach its destination

New research has uncovered the early assembly of gamma-secretase, a protein complex linked to numerous cellular processes including the development of Alzheimer's disease. In a first step, two dimeric subcomplexes are formed, which independently exit the ER and only afterwards assemble into a four-subunit complex. This 'buckle up' mechanism is thought to prevent premature assembly and activity.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iAMAZz

Antimatter from laser pincers

An international physics team has proposed a new concept that may allow selected cosmic extreme processes to be studied in the laboratory in the future. A special setup of two high-intensity laser beams could create conditions similar to those found near neutron stars, for example. An antimatter jet is generated and accelerated very efficiently, as the experts report.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3eKwGuF

Parkinson's disease: How lysosomes become a hub for the propagation of the pathology

Over the last few decades, neurodegenerative diseases became one of the top 10 global causes of death. Researchers worldwide are making a strong effort to understand neurodegenerative diseases pathogenesis, which is essential to develop efficient treatments against these incurable diseases. A team of researchers found out the implication of lysosomes in the spread of Parkinson's disease.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zrtOus

Artificial intelligence models to analyze cancer images take shortcuts that introduce bias

A new study shows that deep learning models trained on large sets of cancer genetic and tissue histology data can easily identify the institution that submitted the images.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3kT7QMO

'Backpacking' hedgehogs take permanent staycation

New research has been examining how alpine-based hedgehogs hibernate from a different perspective - their backs.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/36RmsEf

Fully renewable energy feasible for Samoa, study suggests

The future of Samoa's electricity system could go green, a new study has shown.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zqg2bD

Scientists provide new insight on how to stop transcription of cancer cells

Findings could help pave the way for cancer therapies that target TAF12, potentially stopping transcription in cancer cells and helping decrease the growth of cancerous tumors.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3rqGyyS

Scientists make X-ray vision-like camera to rapidly retrieve 3D images

Researchers describe a new type of camera technology that, when aimed at an object, can rapidly retrieve 3D images, displaying its chemical content down to the micrometer scale.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3wY7c3c

Higher levels of omega-3 acids in the blood increases life expectancy by almost five years

Researchers have found that omega-3 levels in blood erythrocytes are very good mortality risk predictors. The study used data from a long-term study group, the Framingham Offspring Cohort, which has been monitoring residents of this Massachusetts town, in the United States, since 1971 and concludes that, 'Having higher levels of these acids in the blood, as a result of regularly including oily fish in the diet, increases life expectancy by almost five years.'

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iESj0u

Antibiotics may help to treat melanoma

Some antibiotics appear to be effective against a form of skin cancer known as melanoma. Researchers examined the effect of these antibiotics on patient-derived tumors in mice.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3wSqdEc

Targeted removals and enhanced monitoring can help manage lionfish in the Mediterranean

New research represents one of the first studies to examine the effectiveness of targeted lionfish removals from both an ecological and a socio-economic perspective.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ruE4ze

3D imaging reveals neural 'vicious cycle' in fatty liver disease

With the application of a novel three-dimensional imaging technology, researchers have discovered that one portion of the autonomic nervous system in the liver undergoes severe degeneration in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The study, which is conducted in mice and human liver tissue, shows that the degeneration of nerves is correlated with the severity of liver pathology.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ztkPc7

Scientists develop tougher, safer bicycle helmets using new plastic material

Researchers have developed a tougher, safer bicycle helmet using a combination of materials. The new helmet prototype has higher energy absorption, reducing the amount of energy transferred to a cyclist's head in the event of an accident and likely lowering the chances of serious injury.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iCjLMn

Evidence of sustained benefits of pimavanserin for dementia-related psychosis

Researchers have published evidence of the sustained benefits of an investigational antipsychotic treatment for people with dementia-related psychosis.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3izXsHf

Parkinson's disease: How lysosomes become a hub for the propagation of the pathology

Over the last few decades, neurodegenerative diseases became one of the top 10 global causes of death. Researchers worldwide are making a strong effort to understand neurodegenerative diseases pathogenesis, which is essential to develop efficient treatments against these incurable diseases. A team of researchers found out the implication of lysosomes in the spread of Parkinson's disease.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zrtOus

Artificial intelligence models to analyze cancer images take shortcuts that introduce bias

A new study shows that deep learning models trained on large sets of cancer genetic and tissue histology data can easily identify the institution that submitted the images.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3kT7QMO

Scientists provide new insight on how to stop transcription of cancer cells

Findings could help pave the way for cancer therapies that target TAF12, potentially stopping transcription in cancer cells and helping decrease the growth of cancerous tumors.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3rqGyyS

Higher levels of omega-3 acids in the blood increases life expectancy by almost five years

Researchers have found that omega-3 levels in blood erythrocytes are very good mortality risk predictors. The study used data from a long-term study group, the Framingham Offspring Cohort, which has been monitoring residents of this Massachusetts town, in the United States, since 1971 and concludes that, 'Having higher levels of these acids in the blood, as a result of regularly including oily fish in the diet, increases life expectancy by almost five years.'

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iESj0u

Antibiotics may help to treat melanoma

Some antibiotics appear to be effective against a form of skin cancer known as melanoma. Researchers examined the effect of these antibiotics on patient-derived tumors in mice.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3wSqdEc

Targeted removals and enhanced monitoring can help manage lionfish in the Mediterranean

New research represents one of the first studies to examine the effectiveness of targeted lionfish removals from both an ecological and a socio-economic perspective.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ruE4ze

3D imaging reveals neural 'vicious cycle' in fatty liver disease

With the application of a novel three-dimensional imaging technology, researchers have discovered that one portion of the autonomic nervous system in the liver undergoes severe degeneration in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The study, which is conducted in mice and human liver tissue, shows that the degeneration of nerves is correlated with the severity of liver pathology.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ztkPc7

Scientists develop tougher, safer bicycle helmets using new plastic material

Researchers have developed a tougher, safer bicycle helmet using a combination of materials. The new helmet prototype has higher energy absorption, reducing the amount of energy transferred to a cyclist's head in the event of an accident and likely lowering the chances of serious injury.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iCjLMn

Evidence of sustained benefits of pimavanserin for dementia-related psychosis

Researchers have published evidence of the sustained benefits of an investigational antipsychotic treatment for people with dementia-related psychosis.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3izXsHf

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Unexpected proteome plasticity in response to persistent temperature rise

Common yeast are able to adapt and thrive in response to a long-term rise in temperature by changing the shape, location and function of some of their proteins. The surprising findings demonstrate the unappreciated plasticity in the molecular and conformational level of proteins and bring the power of molecular biology to the organismal response to climate change.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Uu58mu

Breastfeeding, even for a few days, linked to lower blood pressure in early childhood

Babies who were breastfed, even for a few days, had lower blood pressure at 3 years of age than children who had never been breastfed. Toddlers who had been breastfed had lower blood pressure regardless of their body mass index or their mothers' social, health or lifestyle factors.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zkjQuY

Tiny organisms shed big light on ocean nutrients

Sweeping changes in marine nutrients may seem to be a likely consequence of increasing global temperatures; however, new research suggests that processes below the ocean surface could play a larger role than previously thought.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3eI9cGo

Researchers find immune component to rare neurodegenerative disease

Researchers have identified an immune protein tied to the rare neurodegenerative condition known as Niemann-Pick disease type C. The finding, made in mouse models, could offer a powerful new therapeutic target for Niemann-Pick disease type C, a condition that was identified more than a century ago but still lacks effective treatments.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/36SQLdW

New study confirms relationship between toxic pollution, climate risks to human health

In a new study that combines assessments of the risks of toxic emissions, nontoxic emissions and people's vulnerability to them, researchers found a strong and statistically significant relationship between the spatial distribution of global climate risk and toxic pollution.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3BsE8nW

Ibrutinib effective treatment for difficult-to-treat forms of hairy cell leukemia, study finds

The oral targeted therapy drug ibrutinib is an effective treatment option for high-risk hairy cell leukemia, according to a new study.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3BqGAeH

Breastfeeding, even for a few days, linked to lower blood pressure in early childhood

Babies who were breastfed, even for a few days, had lower blood pressure at 3 years of age than children who had never been breastfed. Toddlers who had been breastfed had lower blood pressure regardless of their body mass index or their mothers' social, health or lifestyle factors.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zkjQuY

Residential proximity to oil and gas drilling linked to lower birthweights in newborns

A new study has found that infants born within three kilometers of oil and natural gas drilling facilities in Texas had slightly lower birthweights than those born before drilling began in their vicinity.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iCP3Ti

C is for Vitamin C -- a key ingredient for immune cell function

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) help control inflammation and autoimmunity in the body. Unfortunately, it has proven difficult to find the right molecular ingredients to induce stable iTregs. Now a new study reports that Vitamin C and TET proteins can work together to give Tregs their life-saving power.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zhuKkY

Fully booked at the bottom of the sea: There seems no room for new bacteria on sand grains

Whether summer or winter, midnight sun or polar night, the sand on the ocean floor is always inhabited by the same bacteria. Although the microbial communities differ between different ocean regions, they do not change between the seasons. Presumably, there is simply no room for change. Researchers now describe this phenomenon in a new study.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3kH4g8A

Blocking how the malaria parasite suppresses the immune response

The parasites that cause severe malaria are well-known for the sinister ways they infect humans, but new research may lead to drugs that could block one of their most reliable weapons: interference with the immune response.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iyoHSD

Scientists link frailty and neurocognitive decline in childhood cancer survivors

Scientists have shown that frailty contributes to neurocognitive decline in young adult survivors of childhood cancer.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3eHVfZa

Residential proximity to oil and gas drilling linked to lower birthweights in newborns

A new study has found that infants born within three kilometers of oil and natural gas drilling facilities in Texas had slightly lower birthweights than those born before drilling began in their vicinity.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iCP3Ti

C is for Vitamin C -- a key ingredient for immune cell function

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) help control inflammation and autoimmunity in the body. Unfortunately, it has proven difficult to find the right molecular ingredients to induce stable iTregs. Now a new study reports that Vitamin C and TET proteins can work together to give Tregs their life-saving power.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zhuKkY

Blocking how the malaria parasite suppresses the immune response

The parasites that cause severe malaria are well-known for the sinister ways they infect humans, but new research may lead to drugs that could block one of their most reliable weapons: interference with the immune response.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iyoHSD

Scientists link frailty and neurocognitive decline in childhood cancer survivors

Scientists have shown that frailty contributes to neurocognitive decline in young adult survivors of childhood cancer.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3eHVfZa

Origami comes to life with new shape-changing materials

Researchers have created butterflies that flap their wings, flower petals that wiggle with the touch of a button and self-folding origami drawing on new advances in soft robotics.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zkZK3z

Why weren't New World rabbits domesticated?

Rabbits were raised for over a thousand years in Mexico without becoming domesticated. A new study finds that their solitary lifestyle and greater species diversity made domestication unlikely.

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New analysis reveals global distribution of toxic pollution and climate change

A new analysis of global datasets shows low-income countries are significantly more likely to be impacted by both toxic pollution and climate change -- and provides a list of at-risk countries most (and least) able to immediately begin direct efforts toward pollution risk reduction.

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Genome editing meets marsupials

Researchers at RIKEN, Japan have succeeded in creating the first genetically engineered marsupial. This study will contribute to deciphering the genetic background of unique characteristics observed only in marsupials.

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'Magic-angle' trilayer graphene may be a rare, magnet-proof superconductor

Physicists have observed signs of a rare type of superconductivity in a material called 'magic-angle' twisted trilayer graphene. They report that the material exhibits superconductivity at surprisingly high magnetic fields of up to 10 Tesla, which is three times higher than what the material is predicted to endure if it were a conventional superconductor.

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Wearable brain-machine interface turns intentions into actions

An international team of researchers is combining soft scalp electronics and virtual reality in a brain-interface system.

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Wearable brain-machine interface turns intentions into actions

An international team of researchers is combining soft scalp electronics and virtual reality in a brain-interface system.

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Tuesday, July 20, 2021

No IgA leads to intestinal inflammation in mice

Researchers have found that immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency leads to disruption of the ileal gut microbiota and increased inflammation in the ileum in mice. This suggests that IgA plays an important role in mucosal homeostasis by regulating the intestinal microbiota and protecting against mucosal inflammation, especially in the ileum

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Revealing the secrets of cell competition

Cellular competition is a crucial quality control process that ensures that the development of an organism relies on healthy cells. Researchers revealed the secrets underlying cell competition and what features can pre-determine whether a cell will survive or not. Defects in energy production are critical in making cells vulnerable to elimination.

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New evidence of menopause in killer whales

Scientists have found new evidence of menopause in killer whales - raising fascinating questions about how and why it evolved.

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Enzyme-based plastics recycling is more energy efficient, better for environment, researchers show

BOTTLE Consortium effort develops model that finds sizeable energy and carbon-saving benefits for recycling PET, a common plastic used in bottles, clothing, carpet.

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Machine learning models to help photovoltaic systems find their place in the sun

Scientists develop algorithms that predict the output of solar cells, easing their integration into existing power grids.

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SARS-CoV-2: Achilles' heel of viral RNA

Certain regions of the SARS-CoV-2 genome might be a suitable target for future drugs, researchers have found. With the help of dedicated substance libraries, they have identified several small molecules that bind to certain areas of the SARS-CoV-2 genome that are almost never altered by mutations.

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Is bacterial acidity a key to tackle antimicrobial resistance?

Decreasing bacterial acidity could help reduce antimicrobial resistance by eliminating bacteria that can survive being treated with antibiotics.

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How green is your plastic?

Despite the best efforts of industry to work towards sustainability, most plastics (or polymers) are still made using non-renewable fossil fuels. However, researchers have now found an economical method for producing biobased acrylate resins. The study shows how all the synthesis steps, from initial building blocks right up to polymerization, can be carried out in a single reactor (one pot), minimizing environmental impact.

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Young forests are preferred summer vacation destinations for bats

A number of bat species native to the Northeast are highly active in newly created forest spaces, foraging for food at higher rates than is typical of mature forests.

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Climate change threatens food security of many countries dependent on fish

Analyses by an international team from the UK and Canada and led by scientists reveal that climate change is the most pervasive threat to the supply of essential micronutrients from marine fish catches, and threatens the supply of vital micronutrients from fisheries in 40 per cent of countries.

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Untrained beer drinkers can taste different barley genotypes

When it comes to craft beer, the flavor doesn't have to be all in the hops. As a panel of amateur beer tasters at Washington State University recently demonstrated, malted barley, the number one ingredient in beer besides water, can have a range of desirable flavors too.

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Strong signals: Modeling the dynamics of cell differentiation in the development of bile ducts

Scientists employed a mathematical model to simulate the differentiation of epithelial cells based on signaling molecules from the liver's portal vein. This work may lead to new tools to better understand the very complicated signaling pathways involved in cell differentiation.

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No IgA leads to intestinal inflammation in mice

Researchers have found that immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency leads to disruption of the ileal gut microbiota and increased inflammation in the ileum in mice. This suggests that IgA plays an important role in mucosal homeostasis by regulating the intestinal microbiota and protecting against mucosal inflammation, especially in the ileum

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3BrbNhF

Revealing the secrets of cell competition

Cellular competition is a crucial quality control process that ensures that the development of an organism relies on healthy cells. Researchers revealed the secrets underlying cell competition and what features can pre-determine whether a cell will survive or not. Defects in energy production are critical in making cells vulnerable to elimination.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3eCRggz

Study finds surprising source of social influence

New research found that social influencers are unlikely to change a person's behavior by example. To stimulate a shift in people's thinking, target small groups of people in the outer edge or fringe of a network.

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Copper transporter potential new treatment target for cardiovascular disease

An internal transporter that enables us to use the copper we consume in foods like shellfish and nuts to enable a host of vital body functions also has the essential role of protecting the receptor that enables us to grow new blood vessels when ours become diseased, scientists report.

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Gene expression mechanism may have immunity, cancer implications

Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is an RNA processing mechanism that regulates gene expression by generating different ends on RNA transcripts of the same gene. Scientists describe an important function of APA in allowing certain mRNAs to reach specific sites of protein synthesis that can determine the destination of mRNAs within the cell.

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Biodiversity, climate change and the fate of coral reefs

An international group of researchers representing thousands of coral scientists across the globe is issuing recommendations for new commitments and actions by the world's policymakers to protect and restore coral reefs.

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Tropical fly study shows that a mother's age and diet influences offspring health

The female tsetse fly, which gives birth to adult-sized live young, produce weaker offspring as they get older, and when they feed on poor quality blood.

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Mycoplasma mobile moves into overdrive: Twin motor modified from ATP synthase discovered

Using electron microscopy and high-speed atomic force microscopy, researchers show the internal molecular motor behind the gliding mechanism for Mycoplasma mobile to consist of two ATP synthase-like molecules. Sharing a similar structure with ATP synthase suggests a common evolutionary ancestor. This synthase-like ATPase is challenging the origin of cells and proteins themselves.

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Study finds surprising source of social influence

New research found that social influencers are unlikely to change a person's behavior by example. To stimulate a shift in people's thinking, target small groups of people in the outer edge or fringe of a network.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ezIlwc

Copper transporter potential new treatment target for cardiovascular disease

An internal transporter that enables us to use the copper we consume in foods like shellfish and nuts to enable a host of vital body functions also has the essential role of protecting the receptor that enables us to grow new blood vessels when ours become diseased, scientists report.

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The climate impact of wild pigs greater than a million cars, study finds

By uprooting carbon trapped in soil, wild pigs are releasing around 4.9 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually across the globe, the equivalent of 1.1 million cars, according to new research.

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Monday, July 19, 2021

Novel autoantibody adds fuel to COVID-19 'firestorm' of inflammation, blood clots

Researchers have discovered another functional autoantibody in COVID-19 patients that contributes to the disease's development and the 'firestorm' of blood clots and inflammation it induces. The autoantibody makes it much harder for the body to degrade neutrophil extracellular traps, the toxic webs of DNA and proteins produced by overactive immune cells at heightened levels in COVID patients.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3hO41qo

When money's tight, parents talk less to kids; could this explain the word gap?

Parenting deficiencies have long been blamed for the vocabulary gap between low-income children and their more affluent peers. But new research implicates the economic context in which parenting takes place -- in other words, the wealth gap.

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Non-neuronal cells drive sex differences in early brain development

A new study shows that during development, brain cells may find different ways to connect with each other based on sex.

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Researcher's work with flies could be birth control boon

When it comes to making eggs, female flies and female humans are surprisingly similar. And that could be a boon for women seeking better birth control methods, a researcher reports.

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For concussion patients, CTs offer window into recovery

CT scans for patients with concussion provide critical information about their risk for long-term impairment and potential to make a complete recovery - findings that underscore the need for physician follow-up.

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High respiratory efforts in COVID-19 patients could result in self-inflicted lung injury, study shows

Some COVID-19 patients who experience acute respiratory failure respond by significantly increasing their respiratory effort -- breathing faster and more deeply. There is concern among some doctors that this level of respiratory effort can lead to further damage to these patients' lungs. Working with intensive care clinicians, engineering researchers have used computational modeling to provide new evidence that high respiratory efforts in COVID-19 patients can produce pressures and strains inside the lung that can result in injury.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2UZaO7S

Novel autoantibody adds fuel to COVID-19 'firestorm' of inflammation, blood clots

Researchers have discovered another functional autoantibody in COVID-19 patients that contributes to the disease's development and the 'firestorm' of blood clots and inflammation it induces. The autoantibody makes it much harder for the body to degrade neutrophil extracellular traps, the toxic webs of DNA and proteins produced by overactive immune cells at heightened levels in COVID patients.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3hO41qo

When money's tight, parents talk less to kids; could this explain the word gap?

Parenting deficiencies have long been blamed for the vocabulary gap between low-income children and their more affluent peers. But new research implicates the economic context in which parenting takes place -- in other words, the wealth gap.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3xSoErc

Non-neuronal cells drive sex differences in early brain development

A new study shows that during development, brain cells may find different ways to connect with each other based on sex.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3z9q8gI

New metric for designing safer streets

A new study shows how biometric data can be used to find potentially challenging and dangerous areas of urban infrastructure. By analyzing eye-tracking data from cyclists navigating Philadelphia's streets, researchers found that these individual-based metrics can provide a more proactive approach for designing safer roadways for bicyclists and pedestrians.

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Researcher's work with flies could be birth control boon

When it comes to making eggs, female flies and female humans are surprisingly similar. And that could be a boon for women seeking better birth control methods, a researcher reports.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3Bkbx49

Remote sensing techniques help treat and manage hollow forests

New research shows that modelling hyperspectral- and thermal-based plant traits can help in the early detection of Phytophthora-induced symptoms in oak decline.

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Novel techniques extract more accurate data from images degraded by environmental factors

A team of researchers has developed novel approaches using computer vision and deep learning to resolve the problem of low-level vision in videos caused by rain and night-time conditions, as well as improve the accuracy of 3D human pose estimation in videos.

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For concussion patients, CTs offer window into recovery

CT scans for patients with concussion provide critical information about their risk for long-term impairment and potential to make a complete recovery - findings that underscore the need for physician follow-up.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3kuLhOy

Bats in Tel Aviv enjoy the rich variety and abundance of food the city has to offer

Researchers have found that when fruit bats forage in the city (Tel Aviv), they are much more exploratory and enjoy the diversity of urban life, visiting a variety of fruit trees every night and tasting as wide a variety of foods as possible. In contrast, rural bats living in Beit Guvrin focus on only one or two fruit trees every night.

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High respiratory efforts in COVID-19 patients could result in self-inflicted lung injury, study shows

Some COVID-19 patients who experience acute respiratory failure respond by significantly increasing their respiratory effort -- breathing faster and more deeply. There is concern among some doctors that this level of respiratory effort can lead to further damage to these patients' lungs. Working with intensive care clinicians, engineering researchers have used computational modeling to provide new evidence that high respiratory efforts in COVID-19 patients can produce pressures and strains inside the lung that can result in injury.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2UZaO7S

Study shows why second dose of COVID-19 vaccine shouldn't be skipped

The second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine induces a powerful boost to a part of the immune system that provides broad antiviral protection, according to a new study.

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DNA duplication linked to the origin and evolution of pine trees and their relatives

A new study shows that DNA duplication has been vitally important throughout the evolutionary history of gymnosperms, a diverse group of seed plants that includes pines, cypresses, sequoias, ginkgos and cycads.

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Tail without a comet: the dusty remains of Comet ATLAS

A serendipitous flythrough of the tail of a disintegrated comet has offered scientists a unique opportunity to study these remarkable structures.

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Study shows why second dose of COVID-19 vaccine shouldn't be skipped

The second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine induces a powerful boost to a part of the immune system that provides broad antiviral protection, according to a new study.

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Dark heart of the nearest radio galaxy

Astronomers have imaged the heart of the nearby radio galaxy Centaurus A in unprecedented detail.

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Scientists adopt deep learning for multi-object tracking

Researchers have adapted deep learning techniques in a multi-object tracking framework, overcoming short-term occlusion and achieving remarkable performance without sacrificing computational speed.

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At last: Separated and freshly bound

The carbon-hydrogen bonds in alkanes -- particularly those at the ends of the molecules, where each carbon has three hydrogen atoms bound to it -- are very hard to 'crack' if you want to replace the hydrogen atoms with other atoms. Methane (CH(4)) and ethane (CH(3)CH(3)) are made up, exclusively, of such tightly bound hydrogen atoms. A team of researchers has now described how they break these bonds while forming new carbon-nitrogen bonds (amidation).

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Novel approach for developing new antibiotics

Researchers have developed a novel method for producing new antibiotics to combat resistant bacteria. Through an approach that would target bacteria with an antibiotic that is masked by a pro-drug, which the bacteria would themselves remove, the researchers identified a method that would allow for development of new, effective antibiotics that could overcome issues of resistance.

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Novel coronavirus discovered in British bats

A coronavirus related to the virus that causes Covid-19 in humans has been found in UK horseshoe bats. However, there is no evidence that this novel virus has been transmitted to humans, or that it could in future, unless it mutates.

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Championing chrononutrition with protein, the morning elixir for muscle growth

Proteins are essential for body growth and muscle building. However, protein metabolism varies depending on the body's internal biological clock. Therefore, it is important to know how distribution of protein intake over the day affects muscles. Researchers have now found that consumption of proteins at breakfast increases muscle size and function in mice and humans, shedding light on the concept of 'Chrononutrition' that deals with the timing of diets to ensure organ health.

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Repairing hearts with deadly spider venom: Study

A potentially life-saving treatment for heart attack victims has been discovered from a very unlikely source - the venom of one of the world's deadliest spiders. A drug candidate developed from a molecule found in the venom of the Fraser Island (K'gari) funnel web spider can prevent damage caused by a heart attack and extend the life of donor hearts used for organ transplants.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ioPL6A

Mechanisms to separately regulate synaptic vesicle release and recycling

Interactions of two voltage-gated calcium channels and a pump enable separate control of exocytosis and endocytosis at chemical synapses.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3xQbmex

Why identical mutations cause different types of cancer

Why do alterations of certain genes cause cancer only in specific organs of the human body? Scientists have now demonstrated that cells originating from different organs are differentially susceptible to activating mutations in cancer drivers.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/36KIuIP

COVID-19 antibodies persist at least nine months after infection, study shows

Testing of an entire Italian town shows antibody levels remain high nine months after SARS-CoV-2 infection, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Uq1UjK

Mathematical models and computer simulations are the new frontiers in COVID-19 drug trials

Researchers are using computer models to simulate COVID-19 infections on a cellular level which allows for virtual trials of drugs and vaccines, opening the possibility of pre-assessment for drug and vaccine efficacy against the virus.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ipv6zj

Deconstructing the infectious machinery of SARS-CoV-2

Scientists have published a comprehensive study that -- alongside other recent, complementary studies of coronavirus proteins and genetics -- represents the first step toward developing treatments for COVID-19.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ioth5Q

Words matter: Language can reduce mental health and addiction stigma

Using appropriate language to describe mental illness and addiction can help to reduce stigma and improve how people with these conditions are treated in health care settings and throughout society. The authors define stigma as negative attitudes toward people that are based on certain distinguishing characteristics.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/36Qh44c

Novel coronavirus discovered in British bats

A coronavirus related to the virus that causes Covid-19 in humans has been found in UK horseshoe bats. However, there is no evidence that this novel virus has been transmitted to humans, or that it could in future, unless it mutates.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3kArGfQ

Championing chrononutrition with protein, the morning elixir for muscle growth

Proteins are essential for body growth and muscle building. However, protein metabolism varies depending on the body's internal biological clock. Therefore, it is important to know how distribution of protein intake over the day affects muscles. Researchers have now found that consumption of proteins at breakfast increases muscle size and function in mice and humans, shedding light on the concept of 'Chrononutrition' that deals with the timing of diets to ensure organ health.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3il6tno

The mathematics of repulsion for new graphene catalysts

Scientists at Tohoku University and colleagues in Japan have developed a mathematical model that helps predict the tiny changes in carbon-based materials that could yield interesting properties.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3kzBNlg

Repairing hearts with deadly spider venom: Study

A potentially life-saving treatment for heart attack victims has been discovered from a very unlikely source - the venom of one of the world's deadliest spiders. A drug candidate developed from a molecule found in the venom of the Fraser Island (K'gari) funnel web spider can prevent damage caused by a heart attack and extend the life of donor hearts used for organ transplants.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ioPL6A

Mechanisms to separately regulate synaptic vesicle release and recycling

Interactions of two voltage-gated calcium channels and a pump enable separate control of exocytosis and endocytosis at chemical synapses.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3xQbmex

Unsustainable Arctic shipping risks accelerating damage to the Arctic environment

The economic and environmental pros and cons of melting Arctic ice creating shorter shipping routes through the polar region are weighed up in ground-breaking research from experts in energy and transport. They conclude that policy makers must properly assess the environmental trade-offs and costs in addition to the commercial benefits and opportunities in Arctic shipping. The authors also want to see more incentives to drive technological developments that will accelerate the uptake of green fuels and technologies.

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Why identical mutations cause different types of cancer

Why do alterations of certain genes cause cancer only in specific organs of the human body? Scientists have now demonstrated that cells originating from different organs are differentially susceptible to activating mutations in cancer drivers.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/36KIuIP

New alpine moth solves 180-year-old mystery

Butterflies and moths are among the most diverse animal groups. Scientists have found as many as 5,000 species from the Alps alone. Having been a place of intensive research for 250 years, it is considered a sensation if a new species is discovered from the mountain range these days.

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COVID-19 antibodies persist at least nine months after infection, study shows

Testing of an entire Italian town shows antibody levels remain high nine months after SARS-CoV-2 infection, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Uq1UjK

Mathematical models and computer simulations are the new frontiers in COVID-19 drug trials

Researchers are using computer models to simulate COVID-19 infections on a cellular level which allows for virtual trials of drugs and vaccines, opening the possibility of pre-assessment for drug and vaccine efficacy against the virus.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ipv6zj

Deconstructing the infectious machinery of SARS-CoV-2

Scientists have published a comprehensive study that -- alongside other recent, complementary studies of coronavirus proteins and genetics -- represents the first step toward developing treatments for COVID-19.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ioth5Q

Words matter: Language can reduce mental health and addiction stigma

Using appropriate language to describe mental illness and addiction can help to reduce stigma and improve how people with these conditions are treated in health care settings and throughout society. The authors define stigma as negative attitudes toward people that are based on certain distinguishing characteristics.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/36Qh44c

Millimeter-tall 'mountains' on neutron stars

New models of neutron stars show that their tallest mountains may be only fractions of millimeters high, due to the huge gravity on the ultra-dense objects.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Utj8wH

Saturday, July 17, 2021

Scientists create tool to explore billions of social media messages, potentially predict political and financial turmoil

Scientists have invented an instrument to peer deeply into billions of Twitter posts -- providing an unprecedented, minute-by-minute view of popularity, from rising political movements, to K-pop, to emerging diseases. The tool -- called the Storywrangler -- gathers phrases across 150 different languages, analyzing the rise and fall of ideas and stories, each day, among people around the world. The Storywrangler quantifies collective attention.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3z6at1O

Scientists create tool to explore billions of social media messages, potentially predict political and financial turmoil

Scientists have invented an instrument to peer deeply into billions of Twitter posts -- providing an unprecedented, minute-by-minute view of popularity, from rising political movements, to K-pop, to emerging diseases. The tool -- called the Storywrangler -- gathers phrases across 150 different languages, analyzing the rise and fall of ideas and stories, each day, among people around the world. The Storywrangler quantifies collective attention.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3z6at1O

Friday, July 16, 2021

New UK study reveals extent of brain complications in children hospitalized with COVID-19

Although the risk of a child being admitted to hospital due to COVID-19 is small, a new UK study has found that around 1 in 20 of children hospitalized with COVID-19 develop brain or nerve complications linked to the viral infection.

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Galactic fireworks: New ESO images reveal stunning features of nearby galaxies

A team of astronomers has released new observations of nearby galaxies that resemble colourful cosmic fireworks. The images, obtained with the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT), show different components of the galaxies in distinct colours, allowing astronomers to pinpoint the locations of young stars and the gas they warm up around them.

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Body mass index as a risk factor for diabetes varies throughout the world

There are substantial differences among low- and middle-income countries in the association between BMI and diabetes risk. Individual countries can optimize diabetes screening by tailoring guidelines to their specific population's risk threshold for BMI, age and gender. In some parts of the world, diabetes risk is greater at lower BMI thresholds and in younger ages than reflected in currently used cutoffs.

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Common antibiotic no more effective than placebo in preventing COVID-19 symptoms among non-hospitalized

A new study has found that the antibiotic azithromycin was no more effective than a placebo in preventing symptoms of COVID-19 among non-hospitalized patients, and may increase their chance of hospitalization, despite widespread prescription of the antibiotic for the disease.

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No sign of COVID-19 vaccine in breast milk

Messenger RNA vaccines against COVID-19 were not detected in human milk, according to a small study, providing early evidence that the vaccine mRNA is not transferred to the infant.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3xP9enm

New UK study reveals extent of brain complications in children hospitalized with COVID-19

Although the risk of a child being admitted to hospital due to COVID-19 is small, a new UK study has found that around 1 in 20 of children hospitalized with COVID-19 develop brain or nerve complications linked to the viral infection.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ii94hY

Single cancer cells have different appetites for fatty acids

A recently developed method provides new insights into cancer biology by allowing researchers to show how fatty acids are absorbed by single cells.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3knMFCB

Enabling the 'imagination' of artificial intelligence

Despite advances in deep neural networks, computers still struggle with the very human skill of 'imagination.' Now, a research team has developed an AI that uses human-like capabilities to imagine a never-before-seen object with different attributes.

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Single cancer cells have different appetites for fatty acids

A recently developed method provides new insights into cancer biology by allowing researchers to show how fatty acids are absorbed by single cells.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3knMFCB

Air-powered computer memory helps soft robot control movements

Engineers made a pneumatic RAM chip using microfluidic valves instead of electronic transistors. The valves remain sealed against a pressure differential even when disconnected from an air supply line, creating trapped pressure differentials that function as memories and maintain the states of a robot's actuators. Dense arrays of these valves can perform advanced operations and reduce the expensive, bulky, and power-consuming electronic hardware typically used to control pneumatic robots.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3wMEp1x

Role of deep-sea microbial predators at hydrothermal vents examined

The hydrothermal vent fluids from the Gorda Ridge spreading center in the northeast Pacific Ocean create a biological hub of activity in the deep sea. There, in the dark ocean, a unique food web thrives not on photosynthesis but rather on chemical energy from the venting fluids. Among the creatures having a field day feasting at the Gorda Ridge vents is a diverse assortment of microbial eukaryotes, or protists, that graze on chemosynthetic bacteria and archaea.

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Engineers 3D printed a soft robotic hand that can play Nintendo

A team of researchers has 3D printed a soft robotic hand that is agile enough to play Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. -- and win!

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ibECG0

US corn and soybean maladapted to climate variations

U.S. corn and soybean varieties have become increasingly heat and drought resistant as agricultural production adapts to a changing climate. But the focus on developing crops for extreme conditions has negatively affected performance under normal weather patterns, a new study shows.

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When mad AIOLOS drags IKAROS down: A novel pathogenic mechanism

Researchers have described a novel primary immunodeficiency due to a mutation in AIOLOS. This acts through a novel pathogenic mechanism termed 'heterodimeric interference', whereby when two different proteins bind together in a heterodimer, the mutant protein hijacks the function of the normal protein. In a mouse model, they were able to restore some of the lost functions by interfering with the mutated protein, suggesting a possible therapeutic approach to disorders of this nature.

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New discoveries and insights into the glass transition

When a liquid is cooled rapidly, it gains viscosity and eventually becomes a rigid solid glass. The point at which it does so is known as the glass transition. A collaborative research group has furthered our understanding of this phenomenon through the use of high entropy metallic glasses.

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The paradox of a free-electron laser without the laser

A new way of producing coherent light in the ultra-violet spectral region, which points the way to developing brilliant table-top x-ray sources.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3rhyPmp

How micro-circuits in the brain regulate fear

The brain mechanisms underlying the suppression of fear responses have attracted a lot of attention as they are relevant for therapy of human anxiety disorders. Despite our broad understanding of the different brain regions activated during the experience of fear, how fear responses can be suppressed remains largely elusive. Researchers have now discovered that the activation of identified central amygdala neurons can suppress fear responses.

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New theory suggests blood immune and clotting components could contribute to psychosis

A scientific review has found evidence that a disruption in blood clotting and the first line immune system could be contributing factors in the development of psychosis.

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Individual protected areas in Amazonia differ greatly in how effectively they help to fight deforestation and carbon emissions

While tropical forests remain threatened and their future is uncertain, the importance of understanding how well individual protected areas avoid deforestation increases.

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Simplified method for calibrating optical tweezers

A team of researchers has developed a simplified method to perform the necessary calibration of optical tweezers. Shortening the measurement time helps to reduce the risk of damage to biological samples due to light-induced heating.

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Future information technologies: Topological materials for ultrafast spintronics

Using time- and spin-resolved methods at BESSY II, the physicists explored how, after optical excitation, the complex interplay in the behavior of excited electrons in the bulk and on the surface results in unusual spin dynamics. The work is an important step on the way to spintronic devices based on topological materials for ultrafast information processing.

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Monoclonal antibodies may neutralize many norovirus variants

Researchers have taken a big step toward developing targeted treatments and vaccines against a family of viruses that attacks the gastrointestinal tract.

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Bats are kings of small talk in the air

Echoes from bats are so simple that a sound file of their calls can be compressed 90% without losing much information, according to a new study.

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Thursday, July 15, 2021

Human cells harness power of detergents to wipe out bacteria

Researchers have discovered that a molecule found within many of the body's cells kills germs by dissolving their protective membranes.

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Scientists find way to navigate a heavy uphill climb

A team of scientists has uncovered how heavy, motorized objects climb steep slopes -- a newly discovered mechanism that also mimics how rock climbers navigate inclines.

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No more cone? Psychology researchers offer better tool for visualizing hurricane danger

Researchers are working on an easily understood, science-backed way to visually represent hurricane danger to the general public. They contend that the cone of uncertainty creates a false sense of security for people who live outside the boundary of the cone and that there are better ways to signal likely impacts.

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Researchers create reptile-derived 'super glue' that stops bleeding in seconds using visible light

Western University bioengineer Kibret Mequanint and his international collaborators have found a novel use for snake venom: a body tissue 'super glue' that can stop life-threatening bleeding in seconds.

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What does the sleeping brain think about?

Using an artificial intelligence approach capable of decoding brain activity during sleep, scientists were able to glimpse what we think about when we are asleep. By combining fMRI and EEG, they provide unprecedented evidence that the work of sorting out the thousands of pieces of information processed during the day takes place during deep sleep. Indeed, the brain can evaluate all of these memories in order to retain only the most useful ones.

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Hollow nano-objects made of DNA could trap viruses and render them harmless

To date, there are no effective antidotes against most virus infections. Scientists have now developed a new approach: they engulf and neutralize viruses with nano-capsules tailored from genetic material using the DNA origami method. The strategy has already been tested against hepatitis and adeno-associated viruses in cell cultures. It may also prove successful against corona viruses.

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Two monster black holes just collided — it’s so massive, it shouldn’t exist

Two colossal black holes—among the most massive ever seen—collided in deep space, creating gravitational waves that rippled across the cosmo...