ScienceDaily: All - September 18, 2023
Today's top research news
Canopy gaps help eastern hemlock outlast invasive insect
Creating physical gaps in the forest canopy give eastern hemlocks more access to resources and help those trees withstand infestation by an invasive insect.
ASTA Concept/shutterstock.com
Almonds as part of a healthy weight loss diet
When it comes to weight loss, nuts can get a bad rap -- while they're high in protein, they're also high in fats, and this often deters those looking to shed a few kilos. But new research shows that you can eat almonds and lose weight too.
Adaptive, efficient multi-arm phase 2 clinical trial for glioblastoma
An innovative phase 2 clinical trial designed to find new potential treatments for glioblastoma has reported initial results. While none of the three therapeutics tested so far improved overall survival of patients, this adaptive platform trial, the first of its kind in neuro-oncology, has the potential to rapidly and efficiently identify therapies that benefit patients.
The missing link to make easy protein sequencing possible?
Giovanni Maglia has developed a method to transport proteins through a nanopore
Remote work can slash your carbon footprint -- if done right
Remote workers can have a 54% lower carbon footprint compared with onsite workers, according to a new study, with lifestyle choices and work arrangements playing an essential role in determining the environmental benefits of remote and hybrid work.
A suit of armor for cancer-fighting cells
Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy has delivered promising results, transforming the fight against various forms of cancer, but for many, the therapy comes with severe and potentially lethal side effects. Now a research team has found a solution that could help CAR T therapies reach their full potential while minimizing severe side effects.
Possible new treatment for triple-negative breast cancer
Scientists demonstrate a double-acting mechanism for fighting a particularly aggressive, difficult-to-treat form of breast cancer. The research shows how silencing a certain gene, ACSS2, may improve existing treatments for patients.
New research highlights importance of equity in education
A new study looks at the impact of learning environments on the academic success of racialized students. Compared to their peers, these students feel they have less control in their academic environment, less confidence and self-efficacy in their academic abilities, and weaker connections to other students and professors.
The pace of climate-driven extinction is accelerating
Studying a lizard species in Arizona mountains, researchers found 70 years' worth of climate-related extinction occurred in only seven years.
Markers can predict how children will tolerate sweetened medicine
A multidisciplinary research group specializing in pediatrics, genetics, and psychophysics has identified wide variation in the sensory perception of a pediatric formulation of ibuprofen -- some that were tied to genetic ancestry, and some that were not. These findings indicate that a range of factors come into play in determining how a medicine tastes to an individual.
Gene links exercise endurance, cold tolerance, and cellular maintenance in flies
As the days get shorter and chillier in the northern hemisphere, those who choose to work out in the mornings might find it harder to get up and running. A new study identifies a protein that, when missing, makes exercising in the cold that much harder--that is, at least in fruit flies.
Eureka baby! Groundbreaking study uncovers origin of 'conscious awareness'
Fundamental questions of agency -- acting with purpose -- have perplexed some of the greatest minds in history including Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. Now, human babies provide groundbreaking insight into the origins of agency. Since goal-directed action appears in the first months of human life, researchers used young infants as a test field to understand how spontaneous movement transforms into purposeful action. The 'birth' of agency can be quantified as a 'eureka-like,' pattern-changing phase transition within a dynamical system that spans the baby, the brain, and the environment.
Buried ancient Roman glass formed substance with modern applications
Researchers discover how molecules in ancient glass rearrange and recombine with minerals over centuries to form a patina of photonic crystals -- ordered arrangements of atoms that filter and reflect light in very specific ways -- an analog of materials used in communications, lasers and solar cells.
Individual neurons mix multiple RNA edits of key synapse protein, fly study finds
Neurons stochastically generated up to eight different versions of a protein regulating neurotransmitter release, which could vary how they communicate with other cells.
Scientists call for a tree planting drive to help tackle heatwaves
Adding more natural areas across our towns and cities could cool them by up to 6°C during heatwaves, according to new research from the University of Surrey's Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE).
Telecare cuts costs, boosts quality of life for dementia patients
A telecare program that improves outcomes for patients with dementia and lightens the load for unpaid caregivers also has the surprising bonus of cutting Medicare costs, according to new research.
Tracking down the formation of cardenolides in plants
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena are investigating the previously largely unknown biosynthetic pathway that leads to the formation of cardenolides in plants. In a study published in the journal Nature Plants, they present two enzymes from the CYP87A family as key enzymes that catalyze the formation of pregnenolone, the precursor for the biosynthesis of plant steroids, in two different plant families. The discovery of such enzymes should help to develop platforms for the cheap and sustainable production of high quality steroid compounds for medical use.
Mature sperm lack intact mitochondrial DNA
New research provides insight about the bedrock scientific principle that mitochondrial DNA -- the distinct genetic code embedded in the organelle that serves as the powerplant of every cell in the body -- is exclusively passed down by the mother.
AI and machine learning can successfully diagnose polycystic ovary syndrome
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can effectively detect and diagnose Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which is the most common hormone disorder among women, typically between ages 15 and 45, according to a new study. Researchers systematically reviewed published scientific studies that used AI/ML to analyze data to diagnose and classify PCOS and found that AI/ML based programs were able to successfully detect PCOS.
Top scientists, engineers choose startups over tech behemoths for reasons other than money
Non-monetary benefits such as independence, autonomy and the ability to work on innovative technologies are among the key selling points for talented scientists and engineers who spurn working for a bigger technology firm in favor of a riskier startup.
The surprising origin of a deadly hospital infection
Surprising findings from a new study suggest that the burden of C. diff infection may be less a matter of hospital transmission and more a result of characteristics associated with the patients themselves.
New findings suggest Moon may have less water than previously thought
A team recently calculated that most of the Moon's permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) are at most around 3.4 billion years old and can contain relatively young deposits of water ice. Water resources are considered key for sustainable exploration of the Moon and beyond, but these findings suggest that current estimates for cold-trapped ices are too high.
Many pathogens, including the virus that causes COVID-19, are thought to have originated in wild animals before spilling into human populations.
Study finds significant chemical exposures in women with cancer
Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals like PFAS and phenols are implicated in hormone-mediated cancers of the breast, ovaries, skin and uterus. To learn more about the environmental exposures experienced by women who developed these cancers, researchers analyzed data from NHANES and found that women who reported having cancer had significantly higher levels of these chemicals in their bodies.
Why do some environmental shocks lead to disaster while others don't?
It's no longer just about stopping, but how we can live with climate change. To figure this out, we must delve into our cultures. A new study points out how our history could help guide the way.
What is the carbon footprint of a hospital bed?
Researchers completed an assessment of a hospital to reveal its total environmental footprint and specific carbon emission hotspots.
Step change in upconversion the key to clean water, green energy and futuristic medicine
Achieving photochemical upconversion in a solid state is a step closer to reality, thanks to a new technique that could unlock vital innovations in renewable energy, water purification and advanced healthcare.
New clues to the nature of elusive dark matter
A team of international researchers has uncovered further clues in the quest for insights into the nature of dark matter. The key to understanding this mystery could lie with the dark photon, a theoretical massive particle that may serve as a portal between the dark sector of particles and regular matter.
Golden future for thermoelectrics
Researchers discover excellent thermoelectric properties of nickel-gold alloys. These can be used to efficiently convert heat into electrical energy.
New research is challenging the scientific status quo on the limits of the nuclear chart in hot stellar environments where temperatures reach billions of degrees Celsius.
'Circular logic' of RNAs in Parkinson's disease
Researchers are gaining new insights into neurological diseases by studying circular RNAs (circRNAs) in brain cells. A new study has identified over 11,000 distinct RNA circles that characterized brain cells implicated in Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.
Engineered compound shows promise in preventing bone loss in space
Mice treated aboard the International Space Station showed significantly reduced bone loss.
That smell: New gut microbe produces smelly toxic gas but protects against pathogens
Microbiologists have discovered a new intestinal microbe that feeds exclusively on taurine and produces the foul-smelling gas hydrogen sulfide. The researchers have thus provided another building block in the understanding of those microbial processes that have fascinating effects on health. This is also true of Taurinivorans muris: the bacterium shows a protective function against Klebsiella and Salmonella, two important pathogens.
Autoimmune diseases: Protein discovered as potential new target for therapies
Autoimmune diseases are complex illnesses, the causes of which are diverse and have not yet been fully explained. A research team has now discovered an immunoregulatory protein that could be linked to the development of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. The identified component of the immune system is called 'Rinl', which could provide a new target for the development of immunomodulatory therapies.
What the French Revolution can teach us about inflation
Study finds that politics, public expectations fuel hyperinflation.
Pearl Harbor: Bombed battleships' boost for climate science
A new research paper tells the story of the recovery of World War II weather data from 19 US Navy ships thanks to the hard work of over 4,000 volunteers.
Study shows nearly 300% increase in ADHD medication errors
Researchers investigated the characteristics and trends of out-of-hospital ADHD medication errors among people younger than 20 years old reported to U.S. poison centers from 2000 through 2021.
Guidelines follow advances in ALS gene discovery, ongoing gene therapy trials
Researchers have developed an evidence-based consensus guidelines for genetic testing and counseling for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease that affects the cells in the brain and spine.
Unlocking urban diversity: The magnetism of complex amenities
Diversity fuels prosperity in cities, but where do people from diverse backgrounds meet? A study now indicates that locations offering a range of rare shops and services may hold the key.
Atomic layer deposition route to scalable, electronic-grade van der Waals Te thin films
A research team has made a significant breakthrough in thin film deposition technology.
Early treatment of child obesity is effective
The early treatment of obesity in children is effective in both the short and long term, researchers report.
Brain-altering parasite turns ants into zombies at dawn and dusk
It takes over the brains of ants, causing them to cling to blades of grass against their will. The lancet liver fluke has an exceptional lifecycle strategy, in which snails, ants and grazing animals are unwitting actors. Researchers now reveal more about the mind-bending workings of this tiny parasite.
Syphilis transmission networks and antimicrobial resistance in England uncovered using genomics
Scientists use genomics to uncover syphilis transmission patterns in England, in a pioneering new approach for STI surveillance.
