ScienceDaily: All - November 19, 2024
Today's top research news
Cocoa or green tea could protect you from the negative effects of fatty foods during mental stress
New research has found that a flavanol-rich cocoa drink can protect the body's vasculature against stress even after eating high-fat food.
Image: Photoongraphy/Shutterstock.com
A new model to explore the epidermal renewal
The mechanisms underlying skin renewal are still poorly understood. Interleukin-38 (IL-38), a protein involved in regulating inflammatory responses, could be a game changer. A team has observed it for the first time in the form of condensates in keratinocytes, the cells of the epidermis. The presence of IL-38 in these aggregates is enhanced close to the skin's surface exposed to atmospheric oxygen. This process could be linked to the initiation of programmed keratinocyte death, a natural process in the epidermis. This study could bring new perspectives for the study of human epidermis and the illnesses that affect it.
Ytterbium thin-disk lasers pave the way for sensitive detection of atmospheric pollutants
Alongside carbon dioxide, methane is a key driver of global warming. To detect and monitor the climate pollutants in the atmosphere precisely, scientists have developed an advanced laser technology. A high-power ytterbium thin-disk laser drives an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) to generate high-power, stable pulses in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectral range. This allows researchers to detect and analyze a wide variety of atmospheric compounds. This novel method can play a crucial role in tracking greenhouse gas cycles and the effects of climate change.
Promising daily tablet increases growth in children with dwarfism
A promising daily tablet is effective at increasing height and improving proportional limb growth in children with achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism, according to a new study. And the findings could spare these children from needing to have a daily injection to boost growth.
How 70% of the Mediterranean Sea was lost 5.5 million years ago
A new study has highlighted just how significantly the level of the Mediterranean Sea dropped during the Messinian Salinity Crisis -- a major geological event that transformed the Mediterranean into a gigantic salt basin between 5.97 and 5.33 million years ago.
Study identifies strategy for AI cost-efficiency in health care settings
A study has identified strategies for using large language models (LLMs), a type of artificial intelligence (AI), in health systems while maintaining cost efficiency and performance. The findings provide insights into how health systems can leverage advanced AI tools to automate tasks efficiently, saving time and reducing operational costs while ensuring these models remain reliable even under high task loads.
Too much of a good thing is no good at all. Living organisms enjoy sunlight -- in fact, many need it to stay alive -- but they tend to avoid light that is too bright. Animals go to their shelter, humans have a siesta, even plants have mechanisms to avoid an overdose of light. But how do non-moving single-celled organisms deal with light that is too intense? Researchers have discovered the surprising answer.
Humans and animals move with remarkable economy without consciously thinking about it by utilizing the natural oscillation patterns of their bodies. A new tool can now utilize this knowledge for the first time to make robots move more efficiently.
Diagnosing knee abnormalities like an experienced radiologist: A novel deep learning model
Multi-sequence knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an advanced non-invasive diagnostic method for knee pathology. However, MRI interpretation is highly time-consuming and heavily dependent on expertise. A research team has now introduced a novel deep learning model which can assist with classifying 12 common types of knee abnormalities, enhancing both efficiency and accuracy.
Tree islands restore nature in oil palm plantations
Southeast Asia's tropical forests are renowned for their biodiversity, but at the same time face significant threats from the expansion of oil palm plantations. With global demand for palm oil rising, the urgency for effective restoration strategies in these landscapes has become critical. A long-running experiment has investigated how ecological restoration promotes biodiversity recovery in oil palm plantations in Sumatra. Their findings reveal that establishing islands of trees within large oil palm monocultures can promote the recovery of native tree diversity through natural regeneration.
Scientists recreate mouse from gene older than animal life
An international team of researchers has achieved an unprecedented milestone: the creation of mouse stem cells capable of generating a fully developed mouse using genetic tools from a unicellular organism, with which we share a common ancestor that predates animals. This breakthrough reshapes our understanding of the genetic origins of stem cells, offering a new perspective on the evolutionary ties between animals and their ancient single-celled relatives.
When hepatitis E viruses attack nerve cells
Hepatitis E viruses (HEV) typically cause liver infections. They can, however, also infect other organs and cause neurological disorders. Little is yet known about how this process works. A research team has now developed a cell model to study the interaction of the virus with nerve cells. Using this model, the researchers proved that the virus can infect the cells directly and that the cells can't protect themselves against it through an immune response.
New study investigates insecticide contamination in Minnesota's water
A new study found that specific insecticides, called neonicotinoids, were found at high concentrations in some ground and surface water sources that could affect drinking water.
Plastic bag bans have lingering impacts, even after repeals
A new study found that policies to curtail the use of single-use plastic bags in grocery stores and other retail outlets in Austin and Dallas, Texas, resulted in people buying more plastic bags, a behavior that continued after the rules were no longer in place.
Multiple sclerosis drug may help with poor working memory
Fampridine is currently used to improve walking ability in multiple sclerosis. A new study shows that it could also help individuals with reduced working memory, as seen in mental health conditions like schizophrenia or depression.
Alcohol-related deaths in the U.S. more than double from 1999 to 2020
Alcohol-related deaths in the U.S. nearly doubled from 1999 to 2020. The sharpest spike occurred among 25- to 34-year-olds (nearly fourfold), while individuals aged 55 to 64 had the highest rates. Men consistently had higher rates but women saw the largest proportional rise, with deaths increasing 2.5 times. Asian and Pacific Islander communities experienced the steepest ethnic increase, while the Midwest saw the greatest regional rise (2.5 times), followed by the Northeast, West, and South.
The women and stress behind rural farming in America
Recent research suggests the unique stresses from farm life may be taking a toll on one of the pillars of the families that make your dinners possible: the women who keep farming families running.
Scientists reveal how sleep, especially naps, boosts motor learning after TBI, offering new insights into brain activity and rehabilitation strategies to enhance recovery outcomes.
New research explores volcanic caves, advancing the search for life on Mars
Through the intricate study of lava tubes -- caves formed following volcanic eruptions when lava cools down -- an international team of researchers has uncovered clues about Earth's ancient environments that could be significant in the search for life on Mars.
New oral drug to calm abdominal pain
Researchers have developed a new class of oral painkillers to suppress chronic abdominal pain that is based on the peptide hormone oxytocin that drives childbirth contractions.
Bee alert: Pesticides pose a real threat to over 70% of wild bees
A new study reveals alarming risks that pesticides pose to ground-nesting bees, which are crucial for pollination and food production. As agriculture increasingly relies on pesticides to protect crops, the unintended consequences for these essential pollinators are becoming clearer.
Tiny worm makes for big evolutionary discovery
The history of a major animal group, composed of millions of species of insects, arachnids, and nemotodes, has been elusive -- until now. A team has now identified the oldest known ecdysozoan in the fossil record and the only one from the Precambrian period.
Dieting: Cause of the yo-yo effect deciphered
Researchers have discovered a mechanism behind the yo-yo effect: fat cells have a memory that is based on epigenetics.
Redefining net zero will not stop global warming
An international group of authors who developed the science behind net zero demonstrate that relying on 'natural carbon sinks' like forests and oceans to offset ongoing CO2 emissions from fossil fuel use will not actually stop global warming. The science of net zero, developed over 15 years ago, does not include these natural carbon sinks in the definition of net human-induced CO2 emissions. Yet governments and corporations are increasingly turning to them to offset emissions, rather than reducing fossil fuel use or developing more permanent CO2 disposal options. Emissions accounting rules encourage this by creating an apparent equivalence between fossil fuel emissions and drawdown of CO2 by some natural carbon sinks, meaning a country could appear to have 'achieved net zero' whilst still contributing to ongoing warming.
A new study has found that 34 percent of mothers said stay-at-home orders facilitated easier breastfeeding at home, stronger mother-child bonding, and extended breastfeeding duration for many women. However, the pandemic also presented significant barriers, including limited access to lactation support and heightened maternal stress.
New idea may crack enigma of the Crab Nebula's 'zebra' pattern
A theoretical astrophysicist may have solved a nearly two-decade-old mystery over the origins of an unusual 'zebra' pattern seen in high-frequency radio pulses from the Crab Nebula.
High-dose IV vitamin C plus chemotherapy doubles survival in advanced pancreatic cancer
A randomized, phase 2 clinical trial shows that adding high-dose, intravenous (IV) vitamin C to chemotherapy doubles the overall survival of patients with late-stage metastatic pancreatic cancer from eight months to 16 months. The finding adds to mounting evidence of the benefits of high-dose, IV vitamin C in treating cancer.
It turns out gaming is good for you! New research indicates massive multiplayer online gamers learn by gaming and their skills in the workplace are enriched by those seemingly endless hours previously thought of as frittering away time.