ScienceDaily: All - December 04, 2024
Today's top research news
What do spiders and Alzheimer's disease have in common? A team of researchers may have just uncovered the answer. Researchers from have made a groundbreaking connection between brain 'waste canals' and Alzheimer's disease -- a discovery inspired by studying spider brains. Their findings offer a new perspective on the cellular mechanisms behind neurodegeneration and the development of hallmark features like amyloid plaques and tau tangles.
Image: woravit thongpolyos/Shutterstock.com
New research reveals the unique human ability to conceptualize numbers may be rooted deep within the brain.
Record efficiency: Tandem solar cells made from perovskite and organic material
Trying to improve the efficiency of solar cells to become independent from fossil energy sources is a major goal of solar cell research. Physicists now combine perovskite with organic absorbers to form a record-level tandem solar cell.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks released a new report this week highlighting environmental changes and extremes that impact Alaskans and their livelihoods. 'Alaska's Changing Environment' provides people with timely, reliable and understandable information on topics ranging from temperature and precipitation changes to salmon and polar bears.
Backyard chickens are here to stay
Chickens have been a mainstay in Australian backyards for generations. New research reveals that owners see their chickens as a blend between pet and livestock as well as a trustworthy source of food.
Brain scan predicts effectiveness of spinal cord surgery
A 10-minute brain scan can predict the effectiveness of a risky spinal surgery to alleviate intractable pain. The result gives doctors a much-needed biomarker to discuss with patients considering spinal cord stimulation.
Training AI through human interactions instead of datasets
Researchers have developed a platform to help AI learn to perform complex tasks more like humans. Called 'GUIDE,' it works by allowing humans to observe AI's actions in real-time and provide ongoing, nuanced feedback. Rather than relying on huge datasets, human trainers offer detailed guidance that fosters incremental improvements and deeper understanding. In its debut study, GUIDE helps AI learn how best to play hide-and-seek.
Tiny dancers: Scientists synchronize bacterial motion
Researchers at TU Delft have discovered that E. coli bacteria can synchronize their movements, creating order in seemingly random biological systems. By trapping individual bacteria in micro-engineered circular cavities and coupling these cavities through narrow channels, the team observed coordinated bacterial motion. These findings have potential applications in engineering controllable biological oscillator networks.
Discovery may open new way to attack prostate cancer
A special protein can play a key role in the fight against certain types of prostate cancer. Until now, treatments have involved blocking the protein in question that builds a so-called signalling pathway, but now the researchers show that by instead doing the opposite and activating the protein and signalling pathway, the cancer is counteracted.
Ecosystems: New study questions common assumption about biodiversity
Plant species can fulfill different functions within an ecosystem, even if they are closely related to each other. This surprising conclusion was reached by a global analysis of around 1.7 million datasets on plant communities. The findings overturn previous assumptions in ecology.
DNA secreted by tumor cell extracellular vesicles prompts anti-metastatic immune response
Specially packaged DNA secreted by tumor cells can trigger an immune response that inhibits the metastatic spread of the tumor to the liver, according to a new study. The discovery improves the scientific understanding of cancer progression and anticancer immunity, and could yield new clinical tools for assessing and reducing metastasis risk.
Countdown to an ice-free Arctic: New research warns of accelerated timelines
Scientists demonstrate how a series of extreme weather events could lead to the Arctic's first ice-free day within just a few years.
Building green and blue spaces, such as parks, in new communities is crucial for cleaner air
With house building a priority for the new UK Government, researchers are urging city planners not to forget to build 'greening areas' such as parks in new communities.
Microfiber plastics appear to tumble, roll and move slowly in the environment
The first-known direct observations of the movement of microfiber plastics through a thin layer of soil-like particles show that they tend to tumble, roll and sometimes get stuck in spaces. The findings mean that the fibers could get easily trapped in sediment. The work helps to improve understanding of the exposure risks and possible health impacts of the pervasive pieces of plastic, which are the largest pollutant in the world by mass.
New hope for schizophrenia: iTBS over the left DLPFC improves negative and cognitive symptoms
Theta burst stimulation (TBS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique known for modifying human behavior and treating neurological diseases. A group of scientists conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis to determine the effective TBS protocols for addressing schizophrenia symptoms and cognitive impairment. Their findings suggest that intermittent TBS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may offer a promising alternative to antipsychotic drug-based treatment.
The viral puzzle of why humans are susceptible to hepatitis B virus, but monkeys are not
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has a narrow host range, mainly infecting hominoids. A new study reveals the structural differences in the liver cell receptor (NTCP) between humans and monkeys, explaining why HBV infects humans but not monkeys. This marks a significant medical breakthrough, by identifying new molecular targets for anti-HBV drug development for treating hepatitis B, a disease that places a tremendous burden on the global economy.
Using significantly higher doses of vitamin D than recommended for five years did not affect the incidence of type 2 diabetes in elderly men and women, according to a new study.
New hydrogel could preserve waterlogged wood from shipwrecks
From the RMS Titanic to the SS Endurance, shipwrecks offer valuable -- yet swiftly deteriorating -- windows into the past. Conservators slowly dry marine wooden artifacts to preserve them but doing so can inflict damage. To better care for delicate marine artifacts, researchers have developed a new hydrogel that quickly neutralizes harmful acids and stabilized waterlogged wood from an 800-year-old shipwreck.
Scientists identify brain cell type as master controller of urination
Researchers have identified a subset of brain cells in mice that act as the master regulators of urination.
Imaging synaptic vesicles in 3D
Researchers have used cryo-electron tomography to uncover new details of the molecular structure of synaptic vesicles, which help transport neurotransmitters in the brain. The study could inform therapeutic strategies for psychiatric disorders.
Immune T cells become exhausted in chronic fatigue syndrome patients
Chronic fatigue syndrome creates conditions where pathogen-killing immune T cells become exhausted, according to a new study.
A caving expedition yields valuable insight into the challenges of field research
Researchers describe how they gathered useful data from a group of people living in extreme conditions, as well as the challenges they faced and the lessons they learned.
Combo-drug treatment to combat Melioidosis
A new approach could herald a shift in the way we use antibiotics. By attacking the pathogen's unique and hidden metabolic 'vulnerabilities,' researchers offers a new tool in the global challenge to counteract antibiotic resistance and uncover similar combination therapies for other diseases.
Rats on cocaine: When aversion is not enough
Propensity to addiction starts with the very first drug use experience, a new study shows.
Chemical structure's carbon capture ability doubled
Scientists have found a way to more than double the uptake ability of a chemical structure that can be used for scrubbing carbon dioxide from factory flues.
Island biodiversity rides on the wings of birds
Bird wing shape -- a proxy for long-distance flying ability, or dispersal -- is a trait that influences biodiversity patterns on islands around the world, according to biologists.
DNA damage is key factor in age-related macular degeneration
A research team has discovered that accumulated DNA damage in the retina is a key contributor to age-related macular degeneration and that targeting specific retinal cell types may lead to treatments that slow or stop progression.
Home and neighborhood environments impact sedentary behavior in teens globally
Adolescents worldwide are spending an average of 8 to 10 hours per day engaging in sedentary activities such as watching television, using electronic devices, playing video games and riding in motorized vehicles, according to a multinational study.
New planet in Kepler-51 system discovered using James Webb Space Telescope
An unusual planetary system with three known ultra-low density 'super-puff' planets has at least one more planet, according to new observations.
Climate change could bring more severe bacterial infections, including in corals
Could the fungal apocalypse of The Last of Us have roots in reality? A new study shows that climate warming can potentially make bacterial and fungal infections deadlier for cold-blooded animals like corals, insects, and fish, raising questions about the broader risks warming temperatures pose to ecosystems and biodiversity -- and potentially humans.
DNA engineered to mimic biological catch bonds
In a first-of-its-kind breakthrough, a team of researchers has developed an artificial adhesion system that closely mimics natural biological interactions. Their research focuses on understanding how cells physically interact with each other and their environment, with the ultimate goal of developing innovative tools for disease diagnosis and therapy.
Insect fossil find 'extremely rare'
Newly discovered insect fossils are so small they can barely be seen by the human eye but have been preserved in an 'extraordinary' way.
Unveiling a century of stress and deformation: Insights from Kilauea Volcano's 1975 earthquake
Scientists assessed an unprecedented 120 years of data from K lauea Volcano on Hawai'i Island, uncovering, for the first time, century-spanning patterns of deformation and stress changes. They had a particular focus on the transformative 1975 magnitude 7.7 Kalapana earthquake.
Pregnancy enhances natural immunity to block severe flu
Scientists have discovered that pregnancy may trigger a natural immunity to boost protection against severe flu infection. Contrary to the common belief that pregnancy increases vulnerability to infections, researchers found that it strengthened an immune defense in mice, blocking the Influenza A virus from spreading to the lungs, where it can cause severe infection.
Deep-sea marvels: How anglerfish defy evolutionary expectations
A groundbreaking study sheds light on the extraordinary evolution of anglerfish, a group of deep-sea dwellers whose bizarre adaptations have captivated scientists and the public alike. The research uncovers how these enigmatic creatures defied the odds to diversify in the harsh, resource-poor environment of the bathypelagic zone -- part of the open ocean that extends from 3,300 to 13,000 feet below the ocean's surface.
Trials and tribulations of cell therapy for heart failure, an update on ongoing trials
A critical review of cell-based and cell product-based therapies for the treatment of heart failure details 20 years of completed and ongoing clinical trials. While none has yet gained medical approval, pathways to new treatments for heart failure can take decades, as seen for two other, now accepted therapies.