ScienceDaily: All - November 13, 2024
Today's top research news
More than one third of Vietnam's mammal species are at risk of extinction, study finds
A recent study highlights that over one-third of Vietnam's 329 mammal species are threatened with extinction.
Image: Bruyu/Shutterstock.com
Fossil fuel CO2 emissions increase again in 2024
Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels have reached a record high in 2024, according to new research.
Earliest ancient Maya salt works excavated
A team of archaeologists has excavated the earliest known ancient Maya salt works in southern Belize.
Young coral use metabolic tricks to resist bleaching
Coral larvae reduce their metabolism and increase nitrogen uptake to resist bleaching in high temperatures, according to a new study.
Synthetic cells emulate natural cellular communication
A research team has succeeded in synthesizing simple, environmentally sensitive cells complete with artificial organelles. For the first time, the researchers have also been able to emulate natural cell-cell communication using these proto-cells -- based on the model of photoreceptors in the eye. This opens up new possibilities for basic research and applications in medicine.
Novel calculator predicts risk of epilepsy after rare stroke
A practical calculator predicts the risk of epilepsy after venous stroke. The aim is to improve care for those affected, which are predominantly young adults.
Giving robots superhuman vision using radio signals
Researchers have developed PanoRadar, a new tool to give robots superhuman vision by transforming simple radio waves into detailed, 3D views of the environment.
Facing the wind: How trees behave across various forest settings and weather events
A recent study on Cryptomeria japonica plots shows that trees dissipate wind energy by switching between two swaying behaviors at specific wind speeds, offering insights that may help in improved forest management to minimize damage caused by storms.
In unity towards complex structures
When active filaments are exposed to localized illumination, they accumulate into stable structures along the boundaries of the illuminated area. Based on this fact, researchers developed a model that can be used to simulate the self-organization of thread-like living matter. This model provides important insights for potential technical applications in the formation of structures.
Glioblastoma: New treatment attacks brain tumors from multiple angles
Glioblastoma is the most common kind of malignant brain tumor in adults. So far, no treatment has been able to make this aggressive tumor permanently disappear. The tumor cells are too varied, and the microenvironment is too tumor-friendly. Researchers have now developed an immunotherapy that not only attacks the tumor -- it also turns its microenvironment against it.
Debunked: Children aren't quicker at picking up new motor skills than adults
Contrary to popular belief, children aren't better at learning new skills than adults. Indeed, young adults seem to learn faster than kids -- but also tend to forget more quickly. Here, better sleep seems to advantage children.
'Moonlighting' enzymes can lead to new cancer therapies
Researchers reveal that metabolic enzymes known for their roles in energy production and nucleotide synthesis are taking on unexpected 'second jobs' within the nucleus, orchestrating critical functions like cell division and DNA repair. The discovery not only challenges longstanding biological paradigms in cellular biology but also opens new avenues for cancer therapies, particularly against aggressive tumours like triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
One genomic test can diagnose nearly any infection
A genomic test developed by researchers to rapidly detect almost any kind of pathogen -- virus, bacteria, fungus or parasite -- has proved successful after a decade of use.
Blood vessel-like coating could make medical devices safer for patients
Researchers have developed a groundbreaking coating that could make medical devices safer for millions of patients, reducing the risks associated with blood clots and dangerous bleeding. The new material is designed to mimic the natural behavior of blood vessels so that catheters, stents, blood-oxygenation machines and dialysis machines won't trigger clotting by activating certain proteins in the blood.
Sleep is no light matter for bees
Disrupted sleep cycles are a well known concern for human health and function, and now researchers have found similar impacts on insects. A new study has found that artificial light disrupts the circadian rhythms of honey bees and poses a threat to their essential role as pollinators.
'Drowning' mangrove forests in Maldives signal global coastal threat
Researchers have found evidence that mangrove forests -- which protect tropical and subtropical coastlines -- are drowning in the Maldives. Their finding indicate that rising sea level and a climate phenomenon known as the Indian Ocean Dipole have led to some Maldivian islands losing over half of their mangrove cover since 2020.
Breakthrough in photonic time crystals could change how we use and control light
An international research team has for the first time designed realistic photonic time crystals ---- exotic materials that exponentially amplify light. The breakthrough opens up exciting possibilities across fields such as communication, imaging and sensing by laying the foundations for faster and more compact lasers, sensors and other optical devices.
Researchers develop nanofiber patch for treatment of psoriasis
Researchers have developed a patch for easier and more effective treatment of psoriasis. The method may also be used in treatment of other inflammatory skin diseases.
Machine learning predicts highest-risk groundwater sites to improve water quality monitoring
An interdisciplinary team of researchers has developed a machine learning framework that uses limited water quality samples to predict which inorganic pollutants are likely to be present in a groundwater supply. The new tool allows regulators and public health authorities to prioritize specific aquifers for water quality testing.
Using CRISPR to decipher whether gene variants lead to cancer
Researchers have combined two gene editing methods. This enables them to quickly investigate the significance of many genetic mutations involved in the development and treatment of cancer.
In greening Arctic, caribou and muskoxen play key role
A new study highlights the importance of caribou and muskoxen to the greening Arctic tundra, linking grazing with plant phenology and abundance in the Arctic tundra.
Researchers identify a potential biomarker of Parkinson's disease progression
Researchers have identified a potential biomarker of Parkinson's disease progression. According to the new study, patients with a slow progression of the pathology would have a significant increase in the levels of a molecule called ecto-GPR37 in the cerebrospinal fluid.
Astronomers' theory of how galaxies formed may be upended
The standard model for how galaxies formed in the early universe predicted that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) would see dim signals from small, primitive galaxies. But data are not confirming the popular hypothesis that invisible dark matter helped the earliest stars and galaxies clump together.
Early treatment for nerve tumors prevents serious problems, study finds
Small cranial nerve tumors that can cause hearing loss, vertigo and ringing in the ears are often watched rather than treated, but a new study is set to change how the tumors, called vestibular schwannomas, are managed.
Bulges calculated in the supercomputer: How cells digest their internal canal system
Inside cells, there exists an extensive system of canals known as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which consists of membrane-encased tubes that are partially broken down as needed -- for instance in case of a nutrient deficiency. As part of this process, bulges or protrusions form in the membrane, which then pinch off and are recycled by the cell. A study has examined this protrusion process using computer simulations. Its finding: certain structural motifs of proteins in the ER membrane play a central role in this process.
First amber find on the Antarctic continent
Roughly 90 million years ago, climatic conditions in Antarctica were suitable for resin-producing trees. Researchers have now made the southernmost discovery of amber in the world.
Novel machine learning techniques measure ocean oxygen loss more accurately
Using data from historic ship measurements and Argo floats, researchers introduced a machine learning technique that improves assessment and analysis of the ocean's declining oxygen levels.
Using personal care products during and after pregnancy can increase exposure to toxic chemicals
For people who are pregnant or nursing, more use of personal care products is associated with higher detectable levels of synthetic chemicals known to have adverse health effects, a new study found. The study found that using personal care products like nail polish, makeup and hair dye while pregnant or lactating is associated with significantly higher levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, in blood plasma and breast milk.
New solar composition ratios that could reconcile longstanding questions
A team combined compositional data of primitive bodies like Kuiper Belt objects, asteroids and comets with new solar data sets to develop a revised solar composition that potentially reconciles spectroscopy and helioseismology measurements for the first time. Helioseismology probes the Sun's interior by analyzing the waves that travel through it, while spectroscopy reveals the surface composition based on the spectral signature produced by each chemical element.
Cognitive decline and loneliness linked in older adults over short time periods
Loneliness and cognitive performance were related in the short term for older adults, according to a new study.
Researchers suggest stress hormones explain how obesity causes diabetes
Obesity causes insulin resistance by increasing activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the release of the stress hormone norepinephrine, according to a new study.
Study show the effectiveness of a portable EKG patch
Research shows that a newly-developed wireless EKG patch is as accurate, if not more accurate, than results from traditional EKG machines. The device is known as the EKG Patch Solution.
Combination approach shows promise for treating rare, aggressive cancers
A research team has shown that that combining pembrolizumab, an immunotherapy drug, with standard chemotherapy can improve treatment outcomes for patients with small cell bladder cancer and small cell/neuroendocrine prostate cancer.
DNA packaging directly affects how fast DNA is copied in cells
Researchers have found that the way DNA is packaged in cells can directly impact how fast DNA itself is copied during cell division. They discovered that DNA packaging sends signals through an unusual pathway, affecting the cell's ability to divide and grow. This opens up new doors to study how the copying of the DNA and its packaging are linked. These findings may help scientists to find therapies and medicines for diseases such as cancer in the future.
Remarkable new swimming sea slug in the deep sea
Researchers have discovered a remarkable new species of sea slug that lives in the deep sea. Nicknamed the 'mystery mollusc,' the nudibranch Bathydevius caudactylus swims through the ocean's midnight zone with a large gelatinous hood and paddle-like tail, and lights up with brilliant bioluminescence.
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