ScienceDaily: All - July 12, 2024
Today's top research news
Researchers uncover brain region's role in hearing and learning
The human brain is remarkably adept at adjusting what we hear based on contexts, like our current environment or priorities, but it's still unknown how exactly the brain helps us detect, filter and react to sounds. Now, biologists are a step closer to solving that mystery. Using an animal model, the researchers found that the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), a brain region associated with decision-making but not typically linked to hearing, plays a central role in helping the auditory cortex (a primary hearing center of the brain) adapt to changing contexts or situations.
Image: Axel_Kock/Shutterstock.com
Uncovering late-onset combined immune deficiency in chromosome 18q deletion syndrome
Researchers have revealed a novel association between chromosome 18q deletion syndrome and late-onset combined immunodeficiency (LOCID). Their finding challenges the previously held notion that 18q deletion syndrome only involves humoral immunodeficiency affecting B cells and antibody production. Moreover, the study highlights the need for regular immune function testing in 18q deletion syndrome patients for early diagnosis and improved management.
How risk-averse are humans when interacting with robots?
How do people like to interact with robots when navigating a crowded environment? And what algorithms should roboticists use to program robots to interact with humans? These are the questions that a team of mechanical engineers and computer scientists sought to answer in a recent study.
Scientists call for 'major initiative' to study whether geoengineering should be used on glaciers
Scientists have released a landmark report on glacial geoengineering -- an emerging field studying whether technology could halt the melting of glaciers and ice sheets as climate change progresses.
Hydrogen flight looks ready for take-off with new advances
The possibility of hydrogen-powered flight means greater opportunities for fossil-free travel, and the technological advances to make this happen are moving fast. New studies show that almost all air travel within a 750-mile radius (1200 km) could be made with hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2045, and with a novel heat exchanger currently in development, this range could be even further.
Distinct T-cell signatures observed at different stages of type 1 diabetes development
A study found distinct signatures in CD8-positive T cells in blood samples from children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes and in autoantibody-positive children who later developed type 1 diabetes.
Mapping the world's fungi from air samples
Researchers have found that the key to a quick and cost-effective mapping of biodiversity has been right in front of our eyes all along, but at the same time invisible -- i.e., in the air that surrounds us.
Early Pyrenean Neolithic groups applied species selection strategies to produce bone artifacts
A study has revealed that the earliest Neolithic groups to settle some 7,000 years ago in the Pyrenean site of Coro Trasito (Tella, Huesca) used species selection strategies to manufacture their tools made out of bone and chose deer for the projectile tips. The study applied for the first time in a Neolithic site an innovative combination of methods to obtain these results.
Opening the right doors: 'Jumping gene' control mechanisms revealed
International joint research led by Akihisa Osakabe and Yoshimasa Takizawa of the University of Tokyo has clarified the molecular mechanisms in thale cresses (Arabidopsis thaliana) by which the DDM1 (Decreased in DNA Methylation 1) protein prevents the transcription of 'jumping genes.' DDM1 makes 'jumping genes' more accessible for transcription-suppressing chemical marks to be deposited. Because a variant of this protein exists in humans, the discovery provides insight into genetic conditions caused by such 'jumping gene' mutations.
Air pollution harms pollinators more than pests, study finds
Pollinators experienced a 39-percent decline in foraging efficiency after being exposed to elevated air pollution levels. In contrast, plant-eating aphids and other pests were not significantly impacted.
Wild plants and crops don't make great neighbors, research finds
Native plants and non-native crops do not fare well in proximity to one another, attracting pests that spread diseases in both directions, according to two new studies.
Movement sensors show promise in identifying racehorses at injury risk
A small 3-ounce sensor capable of recording 2,400 data points of movement in just one second being tested and refined by researchers could be key in reducing the number of injuries to racehorses. Researchers used the biometric sensors to track thoroughbreds as they raced and trained at some of the top racetracks in the country. Using collected data, the team was able to identify miniscule stride changes associated with increased risk of injury, allowing intervention before a catastrophic breakdown.
Understanding the roots of chronic pain
Researchers have identified an ion channel that contributes to chronic pain, suggesting a new target for pain medication.
Targeted home systems to remove PFAS more cost-effective than system-wide solutions
PFAS, the potentially cancer-causing chemicals known as 'forever chemicals', have become an increasing concern in home drinking water. Solutions to reduce the risk of exposure range from mandated municipal-level water treatment to under-the-sink home treatment systems. But are consumers willing to foot the bill for an additional treatment system to help municipalities meet new federal drinking water regulations? Researchers found that they are, if it helps reduce the risk and fits their budget.
Unveiling 1,200 years of human occupation in Canada's Arctic
A recent study provides new insights into ancient cultures in Canada's Arctic, focusing on Paleo-Inuit and Thule-Inuit peoples over thousands of years. Researchers detected human presence and settlements on Somerset Island, Nunavut, by analyzing sediment samples.
Many youths continue to take opioids months after surgical procedures
A multi-institutional study found that 1 in 6 youths fill an opioid prescription prior to surgery, and 3% of patients were still filling opioid prescriptions three to six months after surgery, indicating persistent opioid use and possible opioid dependence. The study underscores that more guidance is needed to steer clinicians away from prescribing opioids when they are not likely to be needed and recognizing patient-specific risk factors for persistent opioid use.
Dark matter in dwarf galaxy tracked using stellar motions
The qualities and behavior of dark matter, the invisible 'glue' of the universe, continue to be shrouded in mystery. Though galaxies are mostly made of dark matter, understanding how it is distributed within a galaxy offers clues to what this substance is, and how it's relevant to a galaxy's evolution.
An international research team has assembled the genome and 3D chromosomal structures of a 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth -- the first time such a feat has been achieved for any ancient DNA sample. The fossilized chromosomes, which are around a million times longer than most ancient DNA fragments, provide insight into how the mammoth's genome was organized within its living cells and which genes were active within the skin tissue from which the DNA was extracted. This unprecedented level of structural detail was retained because the mammoth underwent freeze-drying shortly after it died, which meant that its DNA was preserved in a glass-like state.
Creativity starts in the cradle, new research shows
New research indicates that babies can begin grasping complex language and ideas.
New study provides enhanced understanding of tropical atmospheric waves
Findings has critical implications for predicting extreme weather events such as hurricanes and heavy rainfall.