ScienceDaily: All - January 09, 2025
Today's top research news
Evolutionary biology: Ants can hold a grudge
Evolutionary biologists are investigating the extent to which ants learn from past experiences. After being attacked by ants from a particular nest, ants behave more aggressively towards others from that same nest.
Low-cost system will improve communications among industrial machines
Researchers have found a low-power, inexpensive way for large numbers of devices, such as machines in factories and equipment in labs, to share information by efficiently using signals at untapped high frequencies. The technology is an advanced version of a device that transmits data in a wireless system, commonly known as a tag. The new tag can support data transmission for large networks of devices using a technique called backscattering. This is where a central reader sends a signal to a sensor tag to gather information, and the tag reflects the signal directly back to the reader. The new tag is the first of its kind to use backscattering in a high-frequency range known as sub-terahertz. The technology could immediately enable low-cost, efficient real-time monitoring in industrial settings, such as tracking the condition of manufacturing robots or detecting gas leaks in refineries, by eliminating the need for power-hungry signal transmitters.
High performance in frosty conditions
Most solids expand as temperatures increase and shrink as they cool. Some materials do the opposite, expanding in the cold. Lithium titanium phosphate is one such substance and could provide a solution to the problem of steeply declining performance of lithium-ion batteries in cold environments. Scientists have now demonstrated its suitability for use in electrodes for rechargeable batteries.
A new era in genetic engineering
Researchers describe minimal versatile genetic perturbation technology (mvGPT). Capable of precisely editing genes, activating gene expression and repressing genes all at the same time, the technology opens new doors to treating genetic diseases and investigating the fundamental mechanisms of how our DNA functions.
Elderberry juice shows benefits for weight management, metabolic health
Elderberry juice may be a potent tool for weight management and enhancing metabolic health, according to a recent study. A clinical trial found that drinking 12 ounces of elderberry juice daily for a week causes positive changes in the gut microbiome and improves glucose tolerance and fat oxidation.
Scorching climate drove lampreys apart during cretaceous period
A new study finds that one of the hottest periods in Earth's history may have driven lampreys apart -- genetically speaking. The work could have implications for how aquatic species respond to our current changing climate.
Exposure to aircraft noise linked to worse heart function
People who live close to airports and are exposed to high aircraft noise levels could be at greater risk of poor heart function, increasing the likelihood of heart attacks, life-threatening heart rhythms and strokes, according to a new study.
How deep sleep clears a mouse's mind, literally
A good night's sleep does more than just help you feel rested--it might literally clear your mind. A new study shows how deep sleep may wash away waste buildup in the brain during waking hours, an essential process for maintaining brain health. The findings also offer insights into how sleep aids may disrupt the 'brainwashing' system, potentially affecting cognitive function in the long run.
Human 'domainome' reveals root cause of heritable disease
Unstable proteins are the main drivers of many different heritable diseases, according to a new study, including genetic disorders responsible for the formation of cataracts, and different types of rare neurological, developmental and muscle-wasting diseases. Unstable proteins are more likely to misfold and degrade, causing them to stop working or accumulate in harmful amounts inside cells.
Study sheds light on depression in community-dwelling older adults
Marked variation in the prevalence of depression was found in a multisite sample of community-dwelling older adults in the United States.
New AI predicts inner workings of cells
In the same way that ChatGPT understands human language, a new AI model developed by computational biologists captures the language of cells to accurately predict their activities.
Scientists uncover key step in how diazotrophs 'fix' nitrogen
Nitrogen is an essential component in the production of amino acids and nucleic acids -- both necessary for cell growth and function. Atmospheric nitrogen must first be converted, or 'fixed,' into a form that can be used by plants, often as ammonia. There are only two ways of fixing nitrogen, one industrial and one biological.
A new study reveals that generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help expedite the search for solutions to reduce enteric methane emissions caused by cows in animal agriculture, which accounts for about 33 percent of U.S. agriculture and 3 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
A collaborative effort has shed valuable light on how monoamine neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and now histamine help regulate brain physiology and behavior through chemical bonding of these monoamines to histone proteins, the core DNA-packaging proteins of our cells.
Discovery of 'Punk' and 'Emo' fossils challenges our understanding of ancient molluscs
Researchers have unearthed two fossils, named Punk and Emo, revealing that ancient molluscs were more complex and adaptable than previously known.
How electrical synapses fine-tune sensory information for better decisions
Scientists have taken a major step in understanding how animal brains make decisions, revealing a crucial role for electrical synapses in 'filtering' sensory information. The new research demonstrates how a specific configuration of electrical synapses enables animals to make context-appropriate choices, even when faced with similar sensory inputs.
Researchers resolve uncertainty in BRCA2 testing, improving cancer risk assessment and patient care
Findings from a multi-institutional, international study have significantly advanced the understanding of genetic alterations in the BRCA2 gene, a key player in hereditary cancer risk.
Potential new therapeutic targets for Huntington's disease
A research team has discovered intricate molecular mechanisms driving the RNA processing defects that lead to Huntington's disease and link HD with other neurodegenerative disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal lobar dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Cell-based therapy improves outcomes in a pig model of heart attacks
In a large-animal model study, researchers have found that heart attack recovery is aided by injection of heart muscle cell spheroids derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells, or hiPSCs, that overexpress cyclin D2 and are knocked out for human leukocyte antigen classes I and II. This research used a pig model of heart attacks.
Very Relevant selection of articles. Would be keen to see more articles on the Application of AI and Intelligent Technologies for Human and Plant Ecosystems