ScienceDaily: All - April 03, 2025
Today's top research news
Precious metals are not merely ornaments; they are also important components of pharmaceuticals, like the antitumor drug cisplatin. Recently, the search for alternatives with improved activity has begun to focus on gold. A research team has now published a study about the speciation and distribution of an organogold(III) complex in cancer cells and reveals how specially designed 'organogold' complexes might open exciting avenues for fighting cancer.
Southern Ocean warming will mean a wetter West Coast, US
As global temperatures warm, the Southern Ocean -- between Antarctica and other continents -- will eventually release heat absorbed from the atmosphere, leading to projected long-term increases in precipitation over East Asia and the Western U.S., regardless of climate mitigation efforts.
Novel point-of-care technology delivers accurate HIV results in minutes
The technology described uses a nanomechanical platform and tiny cantilevers to detect multiple HIV antigens at high sensitivity in a matter of minutes. These silicon cantilevers are cheap and easy to mass produce and can be readily equipped with a digital readout. Built into a solar-powered device, this technology could be taken to hard-to-reach parts of the world where early detection remains a challenge to deliver fast interventions to vulnerable populations without waiting for a lab.
Study finds nearly five-fold increase in hospitalizations for common cause of stroke
Cervical artery dissection is a tear in an artery in the neck that provides blood flow to the brain. Such a tear can result in blood clots that cause stroke. A new study has found almost a five-fold increase in the number of U.S. hospitalizations for cervical artery dissection over a 15-year period.
Study reveals how alcohol abuse damages cognition
For the first time researchers demonstrate in an animal how heavy alcohol use leads to long-term behavioral issues by damaging brain circuits critical for decision-making.
Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring
When we move, it's harder for existing wearable devices to accurately track our heart activity. But researchers found that a starfish's five-arm shape helps solve this problem. Inspired by how a starfish flips itself over -- shrinking one of its arms and using the others in a coordinated motion to right itself -- scientists have created a starfish-shaped wearable device that tracks heart health in real time.
The United States Cystic Fibrosis Foundation released the first guideline on newborn screening for cystic fibrosis (CF), in order to improve timely detection of CF in infants from all racial and ethnic backgrounds. The new guideline reflects rigorous scientific investigation and perspectives from parents, CF specialists, public health representatives, primary care providers and genetic counselors.
Retinal therapy may restore lost vision
Researchers have successfully developed a novel drug to restore vision. The treatment method restores vision through retinal nerve regeneration.
Galaxies die earlier than expected
For a long time, scientists thought that only actively star-forming galaxies should be observed in the very early Universe. The James Webb space telescope now reveals that galaxies stopped forming stars earlier than expected. A recent discovery deepens the tension between theoretical models of cosmic evolution and actual observations. Among hundreds of spectra obtained with the Webb program RUBIES, the team has found a record-breaking galaxy that had already stopped forming stars during an epoch where galaxies are normally growing very rapidly.
Multi-resistance in bacteria predicted by AI model
An AI model trained on large amounts of genetic data can predict whether bacteria will become antibiotic-resistant. The new study shows that antibiotic resistance is more easily transmitted between genetically similar bacteria and mainly occurs in wastewater treatment plants and inside the human body.
Transducer could enable superconducting quantum networks
Applied physicists have created a photon router that could plug into quantum networks to create robust optical interfaces for noise-sensitive microwave quantum computers.
Nurses and AI collaborate to save lives, reduce hospital stays
An AI tool that analyzes nurses' data and notes detected when patients in the hospital were deteriorating nearly two days earlier than traditional methods and reduced the risk of death by over 35%.
Study tracks chromium chemistry in irradiated molten salts
Chemists report that radiation-induced chemical reactions may help mitigate the corrosion of metals in a new type of nuclear reactor cooled by molten salts.
Seeing humanity's transition from hunting to farming as a cultural shift
Using a mathematical model, researchers have shed new light on the transition from hunter-gatherer to farming societies. Rather than focusing exclusively on external factors, they looked at internal demographics and the significant impact of human interactions. The model identified potential societal outcomes based on demographic changes, emphasizing aspects such as migration rates, cultural assimilation and the role of mortality in these transitions. The researchers aim to further develop their model with the aim of making it a standard tool for studying historical demographic interactions.
Metamaterials: Highly twisted rods store large amounts of energy
An international research team has developed mechanical metamaterials with a high elastic energy density. Highly twisted rods that deform helically provide these metamaterials with a high stiffness and enable them to absorb and release large amounts of elastic energy. The researchers conducted simple compression experiments to confirm the initial theoretical results.
Being physically active, even just a couple of days a week, may be key to better health
A 'weekend warrior' approach to physical activity -- getting 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity over one to two days instead of throughout the week -- improved health and lowered the risk of death, finds a new stud.
Asteroid impact threat estimates improved for the Earth and the Moon
An international team is currently closely tracking the near-Earth asteroid 2024 YR4. The impact probability estimates for the year 2032 has been reduced from a peak of 3 percent to below 0.001 percent.
Blood test may rule out future dementia risk
Researchers have demonstrated how specific biomarkers in the blood can predict the development of dementia up to ten years before diagnosis, among older adults living independently in the community.
A new wave in ultrafast magnetic control
Researchers have developed an innovative method to study ultrafast magnetism in materials. They have shown the generation and application of magnetic field steps, in which a magnetic field is turned on in a matter of picoseconds.
'Is that my career over?': Reflections of elite athletes during pregnancy
Elite athletes have shared their worries about their sports career after pregnancy.
Plant doctor: An AI system that watches over urban trees without touching a leaf
Monitoring urban plant health traditionally requires extensive manual labor and botanical expertise, creating challenges for cities facing expanding green spaces, higher population densities, and increasing threats to plants. Now, researchers have developed 'Plant Doctor,' an artificial intelligence-based tool that could revolutionize plant health monitoring. The proposed system can track individual leaves in urban video footage and precisely quantify the damage from pests and diseases, enabling scalable, non-invasive urban plant management.
New antibiotic for multidrug resistant superbug
Researchers discover a new class of antibiotic that selectively targets Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacterium that causes gonorrhoea. These substances trigger a self-destruction program, which also operates in multi-resistant variants of the pathogen.
Smartwatch technology could help with future alcohol interventions
New research suggests that smartwatches could provide a more accurate picture of people's daily drinking habits than current methods. The technology could be a key element for future alcohol interventions.
Migrating flies vital for people and nature
Buzzing insects may be seen as pests -- but globally, hundreds of fly species migrate over long distances, with major benefits for people and nature, new research shows.
How the brain evaluates rewards
Researchers have gained a new understanding of how the brain processes reward and risk information. Neuroscientists show how nerve cells in the so-called amygdala not only encode the probability and magnitude of rewards, but also dynamically process this information to predict value and risk. The findings provide new insights into the neural basis of decision-making and could also be important for understanding mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders and depression.
When it comes to obesity-related cancers, where you shop for food matters
Obesity is at epidemic proportions in the United States where more than 40% of adults are obese and more than 70% are overweight. One common policy intervention to tackle this urgent issue is to try to improve diet quality by increasing local grocery stores that offer healthy options. However, this is not a silver bullet, but researchers are not sure why. A team of researchers developed a novel tool to help understand consumer behavior at the county level, and to study the relationship between where people shop for their food and the risk of obesity-related cancers.
Biodegradable fake fingernails make manicures more sustainable
A new kind of press-on nails come in all shapes and colors -- and when you're done with them, you can melt them down and reuse the materials to make your next look.
Researchers use 'smart' bomb therapy to destroy breast cancer
Scientists are working to create a new light-activated 'smart' bomb to treat aggressive breast cancer. The new light-sensitive chemicals called cyanine-carborane salts are used in photodynamic therapy, or PDT, to destroy metastatic breast cancer tumors in mice with minimal side effects.
Insight from one of Milky Way's most extreme environments
In new images, scientists have gotten the closest look yet at Sagittarius C -- a 'stellar nursery' where clouds of gas and dust have collapsed to form thousands of new stars.
Reducing risk of embankment slope failures along roads
Based on their findings, the researchers noted there are practical solutions that could have prevented collapse of the embankment slope investigated in this study. Their recommendations include using stabilizing agents, like cement, to reduce the impact of moisture and the placement of perforated pipes to drain the water quickly.
Miso made in space tastes nuttier
Miso is a traditional Japanese condiment made by fermenting cooked soybeans and salt. Researchers successfully made miso on the International Space Station (ISS). They found that the miso smelled and tasted similar to miso fermented on Earth -- just with a slightly nuttier, more roasted flavor. The team hopes this research will help broaden the culinary options available to astronauts, improving the quality of life for long-term space travelers.
World's smallest pacemaker is activated by light
Smaller than a grain of rice, new pacemaker is particularly suited to the small, fragile hearts of newborn babies with congenital heart defects. Tiny pacemaker is paired with a small, soft, flexible wearable patch that sits on the patient's chest. The wearable patch detects irregular heartbeats and automatically emits pulses of light. The light then flashes on and off at a rate that corresponds to the correct pacing. After the tiny pacemaker is no longer needed, it dissolves inside the body.
Study strengthens link between shingles vaccine and lower dementia risk
A new analysis of a vaccination program in Wales found that the shingles vaccine appeared to lower new dementia diagnoses by 20% -- more than any other known intervention.
First ancient genomes from the Green Sahara deciphered
An international team has sequenced the first ancient genomes from the so-called Green Sahara, a period when the largest desert in the world temporarily turned into a humid savanna-like environment. By analyzing the DNA of two 7,000-year-old naturally mummified individuals excavated in the Takarkori rock shelter in southwestern Libya, the team showed that they belonged to a long-isolated and now extinct North African human lineage.
Lung cancer screening has the potential to catch lung cancer early and save lives -- but only if people get screened. Although lung cancer screening is recommended in the U.S. for certain individuals with a history of smoking, only 18% of eligible individuals in the U.S. get screened. One suggested explanation has been that those eligible are resistant to receiving preventive healthcare, but a new study indicates otherwise.
Researchers explore using soil for heat storage
When spring arrives and the heating season comes to an end, keeping warm becomes less of an issue. However, scientists remind us that it is not just a seasonal necessity -- heat is also a valuable energy resource that can be stored and used when needed most. Researchers have discovered an innovative solution beneath our feet: using soil as an efficient thermal energy storage system.
Electrochemical process separates valuable industrial chemicals from animal waste
A collaboration between chemical engineers and animal scientists has created a system for recovering valuable industrial chemicals from animal waste, representing a major step towards circularity and environmental sustainability.
Researchers concerned about rise in nitrous oxide misuse, deaths in US
Despite a recent Food and Drug Administration warning against inhaling nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, deaths due to misusing the substance are rising in the United States.
In pancreatic cancer, a race against time
Scientists have found a way to 'intercept' pancreatic cancer. By inhibiting the cancer gene FGFR2, they were able to slow tumor formation. By targeting the FGFR2 and EGFR proteins, they were able to prevent pancreatic cancer from forming in the first place.
More mammals were living on the ground several million years before the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs, new research has revealed.
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