Researchers investigated dynamic cortical networks in humans, confirming that familiar and unfamiliar objects activate distributed brain areas. They also measured directed information transfer between brain areas, revealing that most regions are involved in both receiving and sending signals during object recognition.
Researchers found a new lung tumor-suppressor gene, LKB1, that blocks key steps of lung cancer development in mice. The study suggests LKB1 may be more powerful than other known suppressors and could influence non-small cell lung cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Researchers have identified a critical gene, LKB1, that is mutated in almost a quarter of all human lung cancers, leading to more aggressive tumors. The study provides a new target for therapies and enables better patient prognoses.
Researchers found that 13-month-old infants could attribute mental content and exhibit puzzlement when caterpillars didn't follow expected behavior in animations. This suggests the presence of mental structures for predicting others' behavior from a young age.
A recent study published in Psychological Science found that autistic children excel in fluid intelligence tests, such as the Raven's Progressive Matrices, which assess problem-solving skills and abstract thinking. In contrast, they often struggle with language-based IQ tests like the WISC.
Researchers have developed a new software that allows for super-realistic animation of beers pouring. The technology uses smoothed particle hydrodynamics to create more efficient and realistic animations, making it accessible to smaller film production houses.
Scientists at UC San Diego discovered how cells of higher organisms change their movement speed, a discovery that may help prevent cancer cells from spreading. The study found that the frequency of the cell's motility cycle determines its crawling speed.
A study published in The American Journal of Medicine found that emergency angioplasty use has increased, but 10% of eligible patients are still going untreated for life-saving treatment after a heart attack. Patients without typical symptoms or from underrepresented groups are most likely to miss out on this critical care.
A new study found that emergency angioplasty treatment for heart attacks has increased dramatically over the last decade, with a notable decline in patients going without crucial care. However, 10% of eligible patients still do not receive this urgent treatment, highlighting gaps in care for certain subgroups.
A Dutch study found that starting statin therapy at age 8 safely delays early artery damage caused by FH. The study showed that earlier initiation of statin treatment results in smaller carotid intima-media thickness at a later age, with no serious clinical or laboratory adverse events reported.
NASA provided critical soil moisture data for affected areas, enabling emergency response teams to track flash flooding and stage rescue efforts. The sensor's detailed maps helped officials predict future flooding risks and avoid casualties.
A NASA researcher has created a new method to anticipate food shortages brought on by drought using satellite remote sensing of crop growth and food prices. The model can help humanitarian aid organizations and decision makers predict how much food will be available and its cost, taking climate variables into account.
A thin layer of ruthenium modulates interactions between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic films, stabilizing the magnetization and enhancing device sensitivity. Thicker buffers result in more sensitive devices, while thinner buffers improve resistance to external fields.
A study found that long-term use of histamine2 receptor antagonists increases the risk of cognitive impairment in older African-Americans. Nearly 18% of users exhibited signs of cognitive impairment after controlling for other factors.
Heat waves on the continent have doubled and the frequency of extremely hot days has nearly tripled since 1880, according to a new study. The average length of heat waves is now around 3 days, compared to 1.5 days in 1880.
Researchers have figured out how to train synthetic polymer molecules to self-assemble into long, multicompartment cylinders with potential applications in radiology and signal communication. The discovery, reported in Science, has the potential to provide sustained delivery of chemotherapy from a single injection.
The new Standard Reference Material (SRM) 955c provides a more effective tool for detecting lead poisoning, particularly in children. With its improved accuracy and expanded uncertainty, SRM 955c enables the development of next-generation clinical methods to accurately measure blood lead levels.
Researchers found radiofrequency ablation to be 93% effective in eradicating malignant kidney tumors, with minimal discomfort and no serious complications. The study's lead author suggests this treatment is an excellent option for patients who are not good operative candidates or have multiple renal tumors.
Researchers at UCLA found that female mice have a lower threshold for cortical spreading depression (CSD), a key contributor to migraines. Memantine, a medication approved for Alzheimer's disease, shows promise in preventing migraines in patients with high frequency of attacks.
The American Society for Microbiology's MicrobeWorld Radio podcast and Small Things Considered blog have received a Communication Gold Circle Award for their innovative communication campaigns. The award recognizes the programs' ability to increase public understanding of microbiology and scientific careers.
A new NASA mission will carry a suite of University of Colorado at Boulder experiments to the International Space Station, involving over 15,000 K-12 students from around the world. The experiments focus on plant growth, yeast cell genes, and crystal formations in space.
The study identifies dominant damping mechanisms in iron, cobalt, and nickel, pointing to improved material design techniques. This discovery enhances the prediction of magnetic materials' dynamics, crucial for high-performance electronic devices.
A systematic review of 46 randomized trials found that shorter, family-based heart health programs are just as effective as longer, specialist-led alternatives. These programs can improve life expectancy and reduce hospitalizations, making them a more efficient option for patients with less complex heart disease.
Porphyrin molecules change color when oxidized or reduced, allowing researchers to track individual molecules and understand redox reactions. This breakthrough could lead to advances in molecular electronics, catalysis, information storage, and solar energy conversion.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have identified key signs of appendicitis in children, including rebound tenderness, abdominal pain around the belly button, and elevated white blood cell count. These signs can help doctors narrow down the diagnosis and decide whether to schedule an emergency surgery or wait for further evaluation.
The discovery of a planet orbiting a giant red star provides insight into the potential fate of our solar system as it evolves into a red-giant star. The planet, located 300 light years from Earth, circles its star every 360 days and offers astronomers a unique opportunity to study the effects of red-giant stars on planetary systems.
A new review of 14 placebo-controlled studies on zinc lozenges and colds found significant flaws in experimental design, casting doubt on the effectiveness of zinc as a treatment. The authors concluded that zinc lozenges have no therapeutic effect on symptom severity or duration of a cold.
Two studies examine the role of sodium levels in predicting mortality for patients with severe liver disease, finding that low sodium levels are associated with increased wait-list mortality and poorer post-transplant outcomes. The results suggest incorporating sodium levels into MELD models could improve prognostic accuracy.
A pilot forecasting program in Bangladesh is delivering 1- to 10-day forecasts directly to over 100,000 people living on floodplains, alerting them to potential floods. The system uses a combination of weather forecast models, satellite observations, and hydrologic modeling techniques to predict flooding.
Engineers have developed ceramic tubes that can filter oxygen out of the air, enabling almost pure carbon dioxide production for reprocessing into useful chemicals. This technology has potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power stations by up to zero.
Elizabeth Stine-Morrow's "Dumbledore hypothesis" suggests that aging adults can compensate for age-related cognitive changes by allocating effort differently. Older readers with good comprehension spend more time building a 'situation model' and pausing to integrate new information.
A recent study found that cardiac-gated CTA radiation doses can vary and be substantial in children, up to 10 times the annual natural background radiation. The study cautions against using adult technologies and techniques in pediatric patients without further evaluation of newer methods.
Researchers emphasize the importance of considering human rights in healthcare practices, citing examples such as HIV-testing in low-income countries. They also highlight concerns about delegated government roles to non-state actors, who often lack accountability.
Researchers at Imperial College London have developed a new fingerprinting technique that analyzes chemical residues to detect an individual's diet, race, and sex. The technique involves lifting fingerprints with gel tape and analyzing them in a spectroscopic microscope, providing a detailed chemical composition of the print.
A study at the University of Granada found that daily stress exacerbates lupus symptoms, but controlling stress reduces negative effects, including weight loss and joint pain. Psychological therapy significantly improved patients' quality of life and reduced stress, anxiety, and depression.
Researchers have discovered a new enzyme, UBE1L2, that plays a crucial role in protein degradation and is highly expressed in the testis. This finding challenges the long-held assumption that protein degradation is initiated by only one enzyme, suggesting a more complex process involving two proteins.
Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a class of carbon-hydrogen catalysts that enable direct synthesis of complex molecules with fewer steps and higher yields.
Dr. Daniel Malamud leads a five-year research collective to study host defense molecules and bacterial factors in HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy. The project aims to define the interactions between these molecules and bacteria, with potential applications for designing better anti-HIV drugs and vaccines.
A University of Iowa professor suggests that word repetition, variations in word difficulty, and simultaneous learning of multiple words account for the vocabulary explosion in children. The researcher's computational simulations support this theory.
Researchers found that lymphoid chemokines, which guide immune cells to lymph nodes and spleen, are reduced during active immune responses, potentially leading to transient immune suppression. This discovery could help explain why the immune system is less effective at responding to secondary infections after an acute infection.
Researchers have successfully tested an experimental gas turbine simulator equipped with ultralow-emissions combustion technology called LSI using pure hydrogen as a fuel. This technology has the potential to eliminate millions of tons of carbon dioxide and thousands of tons of NOx from power plants each year.
New research led by Brown University immunologist Wen-Ming Chu has uncovered a direct interaction between high-mobility group box 1 protein and toll-like receptor 9, triggering the immune response. The discovery could lead to the development of new vaccines and treatments for diseases such as cancer, asthma, and allergies.
A recent survey of 176 hospitals by OHSU researchers reveals common adverse unintended consequences of adopting CPOE systems, including workflow shifts. Despite these challenges, the study finds that such systems can still reduce medical errors and increase cost efficiency.
Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute used genetic techniques to compare embryonic stem cells from different sources. They discovered that parthenogenetic embryonic stem cells have a distinct genetic signature reflecting their biological origins, setting the historical record straight for a now-d...
Researchers at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) solved the 3D structure of LTC4 synthase, a protein targeted for asthma treatments. The breakthrough allows for the development of new and more effective medications against airway inflammation.
Researchers found that when a specific helicase is defective, yeast chromosomes become more prone to exchanging strands during DNA repair, increasing the risk of chromosomal rearrangements. This fundamental insight into DNA-break repair may provide new avenues for understanding early-onset cancer syndromes like Bloom's syndrome.
A study of 468 multiple sclerosis patients found that early treatment with interferon beta-1b can prevent disabling condition development. Early treatment reduced the risk of confirmed disability and clinically definite multiple sclerosis by 41%.
The innovative university-industry team will develop a microsystem-on-a-chip, a neural interface that records or stimulates neural activity wirelessly. The new system will be fully implantable and communicate through digital data streaming, allowing people with paralysis to control assistive devices.
Researchers used genetic analysis to determine the origin of a widely disputed stem cell line. The study found that the cell line was derived from a parthenogenetic embryo, not somatic nuclear transfer as previously claimed.
Researchers at Arizona State University are working on a project to convert vegetable and algal oils into Jet Propellant-8, a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based jet fuel. The goal is to achieve 90% energy efficiency and reduce production costs, with potential applications for commercial jets.
The UK government is unlikely to meet its target of reducing MRSA rates by 50% by 2008. The 'mops and matrons' approach has diverted attention from fundamental health management issues, such as inadequate hand hygiene practices among healthcare workers.
Scientists at University of Pennsylvania discover technique to apply physical stress to cells, unfolding proteins and revealing novel targets for treating diseases. This breakthrough has potential applications in various fields, including cancer research and regenerative medicine.
Studies show that double-strand breaks and radiation-induced foci occur at specific regions of the nucleus for repair, contradicting previous assumptions of random distribution. The findings suggest a time effect, with microscope images showing nonrandom distribution of RIF within five minutes of exposure to high-energy particles.
Scientists have identified a key mechanism in the malaria parasite that allows it to adapt to infected individuals by switching on and off protein expression. The study reveals that 7 genes can be silenced without compromising the parasite's ability to enter red blood cells.
A simple visual inspection technique using acetic acid (VIA) has been shown to reduce cervical cancer incidence in poor countries by up to 35%. The study found that VIA screening led to a significant decrease in cervical cancer cases and deaths among women in the intervention group compared to those in the control group.
A new perspective on the origin of civilization is proposed in Science, suggesting many urban centers existed 5,000 years ago in an arc across Middle Asia. Archaeological findings indicate shared trade, iconography, and culture among civilizations.
The discovery of an immune system in a social amoeba suggests that multicellularity may have originated from ancient signaling mechanisms. The study identifies a 'sentinel' cell that circulates within the slug, eliminating bacteria and toxins through a Toll/Interleukin-1 Receptor domain protein pathway.
The American Gastroenterological Association recommends gastroenterologists use evidence-based sedation protocols for endoscopic procedures to improve quality of practice and reduce adverse events. Proper training and experience are crucial for administering sedation safely.
A CU-Boulder-led study suggests that a 2006 tectonic plate motion reversal near Acapulco did not ease seismic strain in the region. Instead, it sped up by four times, making a major earthquake less likely, according to Professor Kristine Larson.
A global struggle to provide adequate and safe blood supplies in the developing world is highlighted by The Lancet Editorial. Many countries are making progress in implementing strategies to reduce unnecessary transfusions, test for compatibility, and establish voluntary donor programs.