ScienceDaily: All - June 19, 2024
Today's top research news
Odors are encoded in rings in the brain of migratory locusts
Researchers describe how odors are encoded in the antennal lobe, the olfactory center in the brain of migratory locusts. Using transgenic locusts and imaging techniques, the researchers were able to show a ring-shaped representation of odors in the brain. The pattern of olfactory coding in the antennal lobe is the same at all stages of locust development. A better understanding of olfactory coding in the locust brain should help to learn more about how the behavior of these insects is controlled, especially their swarming.
Image: WH_Pics/Shutterstock.com
Cancer survivors are at increased risk of disease throughout life
Researchers have surveyed people under the age of 25 who have had cancer since 1958. The study shows that cancer survivors are at greater risk for cardiovascular diseases, other cancers and other diagnoses later in life. In addition, the researchers saw that socioeconomic factors played a role in survival.
Restored rat-free islands could support hundreds of thousands more breeding seabirds
Archipelago case-study shows that removing invasive rats and restoring native vegetation could help bring back hundreds of thousands of breeding pairs of seabirds lost to tropical islands. Calculating that there are enough fish to sustain restored seabird populations should be an important consideration for restoration projects, scientists say. Restored seabird populations also provide huge boost to the health of surrounding coral reef ecosystems through restored nutrient cycles.
The 'Queen of the Night' does not whistle
Opera singers have to use the extreme limits of their voice range. Many pedagogical and scientific sources suggest that the highest pitches reached in classical singing can only be produced with a so-called 'whistle' voice register, in analogy to ultrasonic vocalizations of mice and rats. An international research team has now rejected this assumption. In their study, the scientists showed that the high-frequency sounds of operatic sopranos are produced with the same principle than speech and most other forms of singing.
Large wildfires create weather that favors more fire
A new study shows soot from large wildfires in California traps sunlight, making days warmer and drier than they ought to be.
Promising drug target for treating osteoporosis
Osteoporosis or the weakening of bones makes the aging population vulnerable to fractures and a decreased quality of life. The parathyroid hormone (PTH)-derived peptide -- teriparatide has demonstrated strong bone promoting effects. However, it is also to known to exert bone-resorbing effects. A new study uncovers a novel PTH-inducible target gene -- Gprc5a which suppresses the proliferation and differentiation of 'osteoblasts' or bone-forming cells, and may serve as a therapeutic target in the treatment of osteoporosis.
Researchers film energy materials as they form
Shooting a movie in the lab requires special equipment. Especially when the actors are molecules -- invisible to the naked eye -- reacting with each other. 'Imagine trying to film tiny lava flows during a volcanic eruption. Your smartphone camera wouldn't be up to the job.
Formation of the body axes is a critical part of embryonic development. They guarantee that all body parts end up where they belong and that no ears grow on our backs. The head-tail axis, for example, determines the orientation of the two ends of the body. It was previously assumed that this axis is largely determined by the interplay between the Nodal and BMP signals. However, there appears to be another player in this system, as researchers have now discovered by using an embryo-like model system they developed. In the absence of BMP, the signalling molecule beta-catenin takes on the role of the Nodal antagonist. This new mechanism could be a flexible solution for axis formation in embryos with different shapes.
Astronomers see a massive black hole awaken in real time
In late 2019 the previously unremarkable galaxy SDSS1335+0728 suddenly started shining brighter than ever before. To understand why, astronomers have used data from several space and ground-based observatories, including the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT), to track how the galaxy's brightness has varied. In a study out today, they conclude that they are witnessing changes never seen before in a galaxy -- likely the result of the sudden awakening of the massive black hole at its core.
At-camera gaze can increase scores in simulated interviews
Eye-contact has a significant impact on interpersonal evaluation, and online job interviews are no exception. In addition to the quality of a resume, the direction of the interviewee's gaze might help (or hinder) their chances of securing the job.
Origins of cumulative culture in human evolution
Cumulative culture -- the accumulation of technological modifications and improvements over generations -- allowed humans to adapt to a diversity of environments and challenges. But, it is unclear when cumulative culture first developed during hominin evolution. A new study concludes that humans began to rapidly accumulate technological knowledge through social learning around 600,000 years ago.
New technology allows researchers to precisely, flexibly modulate brain
Researchers have developed a noninvasive technology combining a holographic acoustic device with genetic engineering that allows them to precisely target affected neurons in the brain, creating the potential to precisely modulate selected cell types in multiple diseased brain regions.
Effective hurricane risk messaging
Forecasters can use images in social media to better communicate weather related hazards of hurricanes, according to a pair of new studies.
How the ketogenic diet improves healthspan and memory in aging mice
The ketogenic diet has its fanatics and detractors among dieters, but either way, the diet has a scientifically documented impact on memory in mice. While uncovering how the high fat, low carbohydrate diet boosts memory in older mice, scientists identified a new molecular signaling pathway that improves synapse function and helps explain the diet's benefit on brain health and aging.
Maternal inheritance of Alzheimer's disease tied to increased risk of developing disease
Researchers analyzed 4,400 cognitively unimpaired adults with amyloid imaging, finding increased amyloid in those who reported that their mothers had symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Increased amyloid, a biomarker of AD, was also found in those with a history of the disease on both sides of their family and in those whose fathers had an early onset of symptoms. The study suggests that a person's maternal versus paternal family history could have a different impact on risk of accumulating amyloid in the brain.