ScienceDaily: All - December 16, 2024
Today's top research news
Study sheds light on the origin of the genetic code
Nearly all living organisms use the same genetic code, a complicated mechanism by which genetic information is translated into proteins, the building blocks of life. A new study suggests conventional wisdom about how the code evolved is likely flawed.
Image: artemide/Shutterstock.com
Generic platinum chemotherapy shortages did not increase deaths
An analysis of national data found that short-term mortality was not impacted for patients with advanced cancers during the shortage of the generic platinum chemotherapy drugs cisplatin and carboplatin that began in early 2023.
A low omega-6, omega-3 rich diet and fish oil may slow prostate cancer growth
A new study offers new evidence that dietary changes may help reduce cancer cell growth in patients undergoing active surveillance, a treatment approach that involves regular monitoring of the cancer without immediate intervention. Men on active surveillance who followed a low omega-6, high omega-3 diet with fish oil supplements had significantly lower levels of cancer cell proliferation after one year.
Key regulator that induces cancer-killing capacity in T cells under hypoxia is identified
Immune checkpoint blockades, or ICBs, have revolutionized treatment for various advanced cancers. However, their effectiveness has plateaued due to therapeutic resistance that renders tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, or TILs, ineffective. Thus, finding ways to disarm that resistance and rejuvenate anti-cancer TILs so they can kill tumor cells is an important goal for cancer clinicians.
AI tool analyzes placentas at birth for faster detection of neonatal, maternal problems
A newly developed tool that harnesses computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) may help clinicians from around the globe rapidly evaluate placentas at birth, potentially improving neonatal and maternal care. Early identification of placental infection could help mothers and babies receive antibiotics. The tool would be helpful for doctors in low-resource areas with no pathology labs or specialists to quickly spot issues. And in well-resourced hospitals, it could help doctors determine which placentas need a closer look.
Astrophysicists capture astonishing images of gamma-ray flare from supermassive black hole M87
The galaxy M87, located in the Virgo constellation, provided the first-ever photo of a black hole in 2019, when the Event Horizon Telescope captured an image of the supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center. An international research team has now observed a teraelectronvolt gamma-ray flare seven orders of magnitude -- tens of millions of times -- larger than the event horizon, or surface of the black hole itself. A flare of this intensity -- which has not been observed in over a decade -- can offer crucial insights into how particles, such as electrons and positrons, are accelerated in the extreme environments near black holes.
Unlocking the potential to better target cancer with immunotherapy
Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized treatment for patients, whereby the body's own immune system is harnessed to destroy cancer cells. Typically, several molecules restrain the ability of T cells to target cancer cells and developing approaches to limit this restraining effect can lead to improved effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy. Research has now determined the structure of how an inhibitory molecule, LAG3, interacts with its main ligand and provides a new targeted approach to improving the effectiveness of immunotherapy for certain forms of cancer.
A new twist: The molecular machines that loop our chromosomes also twist DNA
Scientists have discovered a new property of the molecular motors that shape our chromosomes. While six years ago they found that these so-called SMC motor proteins make long loops in our DNA, they now discovered that these motors also put significant twists into the loops that they form. These findings help us better understand the structure and function of our chromosomes. They also provide insight into how disruption of twisted DNA looping can affect health -- for instance, in developmental diseases like 'cohesinopathies'.
New device produces critical fertilizer ingredient from thin air, cutting carbon emissions
A new prototype device demonstrates an innovative approach to producing ammonia -- a key component of fertilizer -- that could transform an industry responsible for about one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Buried landforms reveal North Sea's ancient glacial past
Glaciologists used sound waves to reveal Ice Age landforms buried beneath almost 1 km of mud in the North Sea. The results suggest that the landforms were produced about 1 million years ago, when an ice sheet centered over Norway extended towards the British Isles.
Heart of Jovian moon's volcanic rage
A new study points to why, and how, Io became the most volcanic body in the solar system.
Combined screening can detect liver damage in diabetes patients
New research highlights the possibility of screening people with type 2 diabetes for liver damage at the same time as they undergo screening for eye disease.
Planets form through domino effect
New radio astronomy observations of a planetary system in the process of forming show that once the first planets form close to the central star, these planets can help shepherd the material to form new planets farther out. In this way each planet helps to form the next, like a line of falling dominos each triggering the next in turn.
Faster, safer complex head and neck reconstruction with preserved blood supply tissue
Researchers have developed a new technique for head and neck reconstruction using a pedicled latissimus dorsi flap. This approach offers a safer, faster alternative for high-risk patients, achieving a 100% success rate in 22 cases with complex defects.
Ligand-engineered copper nanoclusters could help combat CO2 emissions
We might all be able to breathe a bit easier thanks to copper nanoclusters that can help us reduce carbon emissions through an electrochemical reaction.
Climate and land use change threaten traditional food sources in Russia's Far East
The distribution of traditional wild food sources in the Republic of Sakha could change significantly, affecting the diets and incomes of Indigenous rural communities who depend on them.
The great ripple: How a tsunami can disrupt global trade
Tsunamis can cause immense physical damage to ports, but the economic cost does not stop there. The resultant disruptions of shipping lanes result in billions of dollars in losses every day, as was seen in the 2011 tsunami that hit the Tohoku Region. To better assess the ripple effect a tsunami could cause to shipping lanes in the South China Sea, a group of international researchers carried out 104 tsunami simulations.
From Yemen to Mayotte, the spread of a highly drug-resistant cholera strain
Scientists have revealed the spread of a highly drug-resistant cholera strain.
Hippos 'vulnerable' as gaps in data hinder conservation efforts
A new database of African hippo populations has revealed huge gaps in our knowledge of where the megaherbivores live and thrive, with populations fragmented and reliant on protected areas.
Activating the hidden pharmaceutical potential of bacteria
Microorganisms produce a wide variety of natural products that can be used as active ingredients to treat diseases such as infections or cancer. The blueprints for these molecules can be found in the microbes' genes, but often remain inactive under laboratory conditions. A team of researchers has now developed a groundbreaking genetic method that leverages a natural bacterial mechanism for the transfer of genetic material and uses it for the production of new active ingredients.
New immunotherapy platform with increased potential to target cancer cells
Researchers have revealed the molecular structure of TRACeR-I, a protein platform for reprogramming immune responses. A better understanding of its structure may help optimize designs for the platform, which can be used to develop cancer treatments by either directly modifying immune cells or by creating proteins that help immune cells locate cancer cells.
AI-powered blood test first to spot earliest sign of breast cancer
A new screening method that combines laser analysis with a type of AI is the first of its kind to identify patients in the earliest stage of breast cancer, a study suggests.
Image tool to help AI scour wildlife shots for climate change clues
A new AI image tool could aid the development of algorithms to analyse wildlife images to help improve understanding of how species around the world are responding to climate change, a study suggests.
Light-induced gene therapy disables cancer cells' energy center
Researchers are shining a light on cancer cells' energy centers -- literally -- to damage these power sources and trigger widespread cancer cell death. In a new study, scientists combined strategies to deliver energy-disrupting gene therapy using nanoparticles manufactured to zero in only on cancer cells. Experiments showed the targeted therapy is effective at shrinking glioblastoma brain tumors and aggressive breast cancer tumors in mice.
New method could improve cervical cancer screening
Analyses of self-tests for human papillomavirus (HPV) can be used to divide HPV-positive women into three risk groups, according to a new study. This method could be important for enhancing cervical cancer screening.
Intermittent fasting inhibits hair regeneration in mice
Intermittent fasting has proven benefits for metabolic health, but a new study shows that it could slow hair growth -- at least in mice. Researchers report that mice subjected to intermittent fasting regimes showed improved metabolic health but slower hair regeneration compared to mice with 24/7 access to food. A similar process might occur in humans, based on a small clinical trial that the team also conducted, but it's likely to be less severe since humans have a much slower metabolic rate and different hair growth patterns compared to mice.
The genetic basis of fertility, family and longevity
A new review reveals how your DNA shapes reproductive health, fertility, and even life expectancy.
Wildfire smoke has long been known to exacerbate health problems like heart disease, lung conditions, and asthma, but now a new study finds that smoke from these fires can lead to poor health thousands of miles away. Researchers found that medical visits for heart and lung problems rose by nearly 20 percent during six days in June, 2023, when smoke from Western Canadian wildfires drifted across the country, leading to very poor air quality days in Baltimore and the surrounding region.
How chemical reactions deplete nutrients in plant-based drinks
A new study of plant-based drinks reveals a common issue: they are lacking in proteins and essential amino acids compared to cow's milk. The explanation lies in their extensive processing, causing chemical reactions that degrade protein quality in the product and, in some cases, produce new substances of concern.
How fighting female flies focus on their foes
New research uses pioneering tools to show how aggressive female fruit flies' vision is regulated to focus on what's important.
Bringing the power of tabletop precision lasers for quantum science to the chip scale
For experiments that require ultra-precise measurements and control over atoms -- think two-photon atomic clocks, cold-atom interferometer sensors and quantum gates -- lasers are the technology of choice, the more spectrally pure (emitting a single color/frequency), the better. Conventional lab-scale laser technology currently achieves this ultra low-noise, stable light via bulky, costly tabletop systems designed to generate, harness and emit photons within a narrow spectral range.
Metal scrap upcycled into high-value alloys with solid phase manufacturing
Solid phase manufacturing can create new custom metal alloys through an innovative process called solid phase alloying, researchers report.
Overfishing has halved shark and ray populations since 1970
A new analysis reveals that overfishing has caused populations of chondrichthyan fishes -- sharks, rays, and chimaeras -- to decline by more than 50 per cent since 1970. To determine the consequences, a team of researchers developed an aquatic Red List Index (RLI) which shows that the risk of extinction for chondrichthyan has increased by 19 per cent. The study also highlights that the overfishing of the largest species in nearshore and pelagic habitats could eliminate up to 22 per cent of ecological functions. Chondrichthyans are an ancient and ecologically diverse group of over 1,199 fishes that are increasingly threatened by human activities. Overexploitation by target fisheries and incidental capture (bycatch), compounded by habitat degradation, climate change and pollution, has resulted in over one-third of chondrichthyans facing extinction.