ScienceDaily: All - September 21, 2024
Today's top research news
Scientists turn to human skeletons to explore origins of horseback riding
A new, wide-ranging exploration of human remains casts doubt on a long-standing theory in archaeology known as the Kurgan hypothesis -- which, among other claims, suggests that humans first domesticated horses as early as the fourth millennium B.C.
Image: Anom Triwiyanto/Shutterstock.com
New tool to help decision-makers navigate possible futures of the Colorado River
The Colorado River is a vital source of water in the Western United States, providing drinking water for homes and irrigation for farms in seven states, but the basin is under increasing pressure from climate change and drought. A new computational tool may help the region adapt to a complex and uncertain future.
Researchers discover how enzymes 'tie the knot'
Lasso peptides are natural products made by bacteria. Their unusual lasso shape endows them with remarkable stability, protecting them from extreme conditions. In a new study, researchers have constructed and tested models for how these peptides are made and demonstrated how this information might be used to advance lasso peptide-based drugs into the clinic.
New data science tool greatly speeds up molecular analysis of our environment
A research team has developed a computational workflow for analyzing large data sets in the field of metabolomics, the study of small molecules found within cells, biofluids, tissues, and entire ecosystems.
Fever drives enhanced activity, mitochondrial damage in immune cells
Fever temperatures rev up immune cell metabolism, proliferation and activity, but they also -- in a particular subset of T cells -- cause mitochondrial stress, DNA damage and cell death, researchers have discovered. The findings offer a mechanistic understanding for how cells respond to heat and could explain how chronic inflammation contributes to the development of cancer.
A two-dose schedule could make HIV vaccines more effective
Researchers have shown that they can generate a strong immune response against HIV with two doses of a vaccine given one week apart.
Researchers identify sex-based differences in immune responses against tumors
Researchers investigated differences in T-cell responses between male and female patients with lung cancer that may help direct future treatments. T-cell responses are part of the adaptive immune system, which is part of the body's 'smart system' that monitors for threats and fights them with customized defenses.
BESSY II: Heterostructures for spintronics
Spintronic devices work with spin textures caused by quantum-physical interactions. Scientists have now studied graphene-cobalt-iridium heterostructures at BESSY II. The results show how two desired quantum-physical effects reinforce each other in these heterostructures. This could lead to new spintronic devices based on these materials.
Unlocking the potential of patient-derived organoids for personalized sarcoma treatment
Investigators developed the largest collection of sarcoma patient-derived organoids to date that can help improve the understanding of the disease and better identify therapies that are most likely to work for each individual patient. By using 3D mini tumor models that closely resemble a patient's tumor, treatments could be tailored more effectively, paving the way for more personalized cancer treatments.
Wastewater monitoring can detect foodborne illness
First used in the 1940s to monitor for polio, wastewater surveillance proved such a powerful disease monitoring tool that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the National Wastewater Surveillance System to support SARS-CoV-2 monitoring in September of 2020. Now, a team of scientists have shown that domestic sewage monitoring is useful for a foodborne pathogen as well.
Stroke rates increasing in individuals living with SCD despite treatment guidelines
The incidence of stroke continues to increase for adults and children living with sickle cell disease (SCD) despite the Stroke Prevention Trial in Sickle Cell Anemia (STOP) establishing standards of care like transfusions and tests to measure blood flow in the brain for those deemed high-risk, according to a new study.
Adding nuance to link between brain structure and ideology
Using MRI scans of almost 1,000 Dutch people, researchers show that there is indeed a connection between brain structure and ideology. However, the connection is smaller than expected. Nevertheless, the researchers find it remarkable that differences in the brain are linked to something as abstract as ideology.
Microplastics found in coral skeletons
Researchers have found microplastics less than 300 m in size in coral skeletons. The team developed a new protocol to extract and detect microplastics and applied it to coral samples from the Gulf of Thailand. The finding may also explain the 'missing plastic problem,' where about 70% of plastic in the oceans cannot be found. The corals may act as a 'sink' for microplastics, absorbing them from the marine environment.
Demand-side actions could help construction sector deliver on net-zero targets
Researchers used a detailed mathematical model to demonstrate that the construction sector in the UK and Europe could almost eliminate its carbon emissions by 2060. This could be achieved through using state-of-the-art energy efficiency technologies to renovate existing properties and construct new ones.
Molecular mechanism for a bacterial infection discovered
Scientists have discovered the mechanism by which the bacterial pathogen Shigella flexneri, the causative agent of dysentery, manipulates molecular activity to assure its survival against its host's natural defenses.
What role does a tailwind play in cycling's 'Everesting'?
Within the cycling realm, 'to Everest' involves riding up and down the same mountain until your ascents total the elevation of Mt. Everest. A new record was set a few years ago, but a debate ensued about the strong tailwind the cyclist had on climbs. To what extent do the tailwind help a cyclist as they climb? Should limits be set on the allowed windspeed?
New testing system using Janus particles rapidly and accurately detects COVID-19
A research group has developed a new COVID-19 testing system using Janus particles -- microparticles with two sides possessing distinctive molecular properties. These particles are engineered to bind specifically to target antigens, such as viral proteins, creating a low-cost, accurate, and rapid means of testing for viral diseases. The system's versatility means it can potentially be used to test for other diseases and biomarkers linked to other conditions.
Analysis sheds light on COVID-19-associated disease in Japan
Researchers analyzed the incidence in Japan of COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA), a severe invasive fungal infection of the lungs, and found some insights related to risk factors and mortality rate.
There is a challenge related to prostate and many other cancers that cancer cells form resistance to treatments as the disease progresses. However, these resistance mechanisms are not yet fully understood. A new study found that inflammation-promoting immune cells, M1 macrophages, can transform cancer cells into stem-like cells and thus immune to treatment.
Revealing the neuronal pathways involved in adaptive decision-making in primates
Neuronal pathways originating from the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) of the brain participate in different adaptive behaviors, but which pathways are used for distinct adaptive strategies remains unclear. In a recent study, researchers from Japan conducted behavioral experiments on monkeys whose OFC pathways could be selectively silenced chemically. Findings demonstrate how these independent pathways are linked to experience-based adaptation and knowledge-based adaptation in primates.
Antidepressant shows promise for treating brain tumors
Researchers have used a drug screening platform they developed to show that an antidepressant, currently on the market, kills tumor cells in the dreaded glioblastoma -- at least in the cell-culture dish.
European Green Deal: A double-edged sword for global emissions
The European Green Deal will bring the emission of greenhouse gases in the European Union down, but at the same time causes a more than a twofold increase in emissions outside its borders.
Researchers discover immune response to dengue can predict risk of severe reinfections
A new study highlights the role of natural killer T cells in influencing the immune response to dengue virus, potentially reducing the severity of subsequent infections.
Large language models (LLMs) have developed rapidly in recent years and are becoming an integral part of our everyday lives through applications like ChatGPT. An article explains the opportunities and risks that arise from the use of LLMs for our ability to collectively deliberate, make decisions, and solve problems.
Researchers discover gene variants that determine speed of graying in horses
Scientists now understand why some gray horses turn completely white as they age, while others remain an eye-catching 'dappled' gray color.
Food fussiness a largely genetic trait from toddlerhood to adolescence
A new study compared survey results of parents with identical or non-identical twins in England and Wales from the ages of 16 months to 13 years. The study found that fussy eating is mainly influenced by genes and is a stable trait lasting from toddlerhood to early adolescence.
Networks of Beliefs theory integrates internal and external dynamics
The beliefs we hold develop from a complex dance between our internal and external lives. A recent study uses well-known formalisms in statistical physics to model multiple aspects of belief-network dynamics. This multidimensional approach to modeling belief dynamics could offer new tools for tackling various real-world problems such as polarization or the spread of disinformation.
Ecologists have long sought clarity on the dietary habits of different animal species. For scientists, it wasn't obvious how herbivores in Yellowstone National Park, who subsist on grasses, wildflowers and trees, could compete for enough of those foods to survive the winter. Over two years, with the aid of cutting-edge molecular biology tools and GPS tracking data, the researchers were able to determine not only what herbivores in Yellowstone eat, but also what strategies the animals use to find food throughout the year.
Researchers publish breakthrough study on how new genes evolve
Findings suggest that new genes can form by repurposing fragments of ancestral genes while incorporating entirely new coding regions (the protein-coding parts of the DNA). This innovative concept bridges the gap between entirely new gene formation from noncoding regions and the more traditional model in which new functions can arise from duplicated genes.
Play it forward: Lasting effects of pretend play in early childhood
As the school year revs up, a renowned child developmental psychologist highlights the robust benefits of pretend play on cognitive, social, and emotional development in children and cautions how 'learning through play' has changed with the demands of contemporary society. Given natural selection's shaping of childhood for the acquisition and refinement of species-adapted social-cognitive skills -- much through pretend play -- he says it's unfortunate that modern culture is ignoring the evolved wisdom of how best to educate young children.