A University of Houston researcher is working on developing plant-based plastics that can match the strength, flexibility, and durability of petroleum-based polymers. The goal is to create biodegradable materials with better mechanical properties and a reduced environmental impact.
A team of scientists at the University of Basel has elucidated a second information pathway taken by motor commands, revealing a complex network of communication between the spinal cord and brain. This dual information stream enables precise control of fine motor behavior, such as arm and hand movements.
The report estimates new cancer cases and deaths among children and adolescents in the US, summarizing data on incidence, mortality, and survival. Childhood cancers remain a significant cause of death, with many long-term health issues affecting survivors, and only a small percentage having known preventable causes.
Researchers at Linköping University have developed a method to emit polarized light directly from quantum dots, achieving an average polarization of 84%. This breakthrough enables the creation of more efficient polarized light-emitting diodes for LCD screens and wiretap-proof communications.
Researchers at Kessler Foundation found the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) to be a reliable predictor of employment status in people with MS, distinguishing employed from unemployed individuals. The study analyzed demographic and disease-related factors to identify predictors of employment status.
A study at Lund University Diabetes Centre found that gastric bypass surgery increases the number of beta cells and improves their function in pigs. The procedure raised blood sugar levels without weight loss or reduced food intake, contradicting previous assumptions.
Researchers discovered how the Phytophthora infestans pathogen adapted to spread between plant species by secreting specialized substances that shut down host defences. By understanding this process, scientists can develop proteases that detect and resist these stealthy molecular mechanisms.
Researchers found statistically significant reduction in water use only in the month of the workshop, but this impact is short-lived. To sustain reductions, reinforcement of educational messages is required.
A study found that invasive pests compromised the ability of native tree species to recover from tropical cyclone damage. The invasive insects caused stem decay and reduced the trees' tolerance to external forces, resulting in 100% mortality of snapped stems during Typhoon Chaba.
A study found that young adults who cared for animals reported feeling more connected to their communities and having empathy. The quality of the animal relationship was a key factor in developing positive youth development characteristics.
Researchers found that treating a peanut allergy with oral immunotherapy changes the DNA of immune cells, which could serve as a basis for a simple blood test to monitor long-term effectiveness. The study involved 20 peanut-allergic children and adults who completed two years of immunotherapy.
A new study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery found that football helmets with improved design can significantly reduce concussion risk. The research analyzed head impact data from eight collegiate teams and showed a 54% reduction in concussions for players wearing Riddell Revolution helmets compared to VSR4 helmets.
System 91S is experiencing strong wind shear, elongated circulation, and broken convection. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center expects the system to weaken as it moves south through the Mozambique Channel.
A new study by Case Western Reserve University neuroscientists found that autistic children's brains produce more information when not actively engaging with the world. This excess information generation may explain their characteristic withdrawal into self, or introspection.
A team of Canadian biologists developed a framework to protect fish and ecosystems, highlighting the importance of connecting waterways, protecting habitats, and adopting adaptive management strategies. The 9 guiding principles aim to promote sustainable fisheries and conserve biodiversity.
Researchers discovered that fruit flies' biochemical pathway to fight fungal infections is compromised after space flight, while bacterial infection defense remains intact. The study offers a promising lead in understanding the impact of microgravity on human immune systems, paving the way for future research with astronauts.
A crucial amino acid signal regulates centrosome duplication and its absence leads to pathologically altered cells found in people with microcephaly. This discovery sheds light on the development of this neurodevelopmental disorder.
A study by researchers in South Korea found that children engage in moderate- to high-intensity physical activities while gardening. The research informs the development of garden-based therapeutic interventions for youth and promotes healthy lifestyles.
Researchers found that citrus plants watered regularly in controlled environments exhibited reduced transpiration and stomatal closure when exposed to low temperatures. High soil moisture content was key to minimizing drought stress on the trees. The study's findings could impact commercial citrus growers' traditional irrigation methods.
LineUp is an open-source application that allows users to assign weights to different parameters and create a custom ranking. It introduces a dynamic element to static analysis, enabling side-by-side comparisons of alternative weighting systems.
A study published in Psychological Science found that infants can pick up on their mother's stress and show corresponding physiological changes. Infants of mothers who received negative feedback during an evaluation session showed significant increases in heart rate relative to baseline.
Researchers found that the current US Preventive Services Task Force strategy identifies only 34% of women in this age group with osteoporosis. This could lead to missed opportunities for fracture risk reduction among high-risk women.
Researchers at St. Michael's Hospital found that consuming fructose may increase total cholesterol and postprandial triglycerides, but not affect insulin production or markers of fatty liver disease more than glucose. Fructose showed potential benefits over glucose in some key risk factor categories.
A study involving 174 couples found that discussing five relationship movies over a month can reduce the three-year divorce rate for newlyweds in half. The inexpensive and fun movie-and-talk approach was found to be as effective as other more intensive therapist-led methods, with only an 11% divorce rate after three years.
Researchers found that retrieval practice (RP) significantly improved memory in individuals with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), particularly after short delays. RP was more effective than massed restudy (MR) or spaced restudy (SR) strategies, indicating its potential to improve real-life performance.
Researchers at Michigan State University have developed a new approach to assess the long-term impact of conservation efforts by considering human behavior and ecological gains. The study uses an agent-based modeling approach to simulate how conservation policies can affect outcomes over decades.
Dr. Ronald G. Crystal developed the first in vivo adenoviral gene delivery vector, accelerating gene therapy translation from lab to clinic. The Pioneer Award recognizes his seminal work on adenoviral vectors.
Tropical Depression Kajiki is bringing heavy rainfall to an already soggy area in the central Philippines. The depression was captured by NASA's Aqua satellite, showing powerful storms and high cloud tops, with winds sustained at 16 mph.
TRMM satellite data revealed moderate to heavy rainfall rates of over 31 mm/h as Tropical Storm Dylan approached the Australian coast. The storm made landfall on January 30 and was quickly weakening as it moved inland.
Researchers discover that Ataxin-7 anchors a key module in the SAGA complex, which regulates thousands of genes. Without Ataxin-7, this module becomes overactive, leading to misregulation of genes and neurodegeneration in fruit flies.
Three native Mediterranean plant species were found suitable for use in extensive green roof design. Locally produced grape marc compost promoted drought resistance without compromising plant growth. Substrate depth and irrigation frequency had varying effects on the plants' growth, but shallow compost-amended substrate with sparse irr...
A new X-ray method allows researchers to determine the atomic structure of material surfaces, enabling deeper understanding of catalytic behavior at the atomic level. The method reduces analysis time from ten hours to just ten minutes, paving the way for optimized catalyst design and improved reaction control.
A study published in Nature Neuroscience suggests that abnormal gene expression resulting from DNA relaxation can be detected in the brain and blood of Alzheimer's patients. The researchers propose that drugs modifying DNA structure may be beneficial for treating Alzheimer's disease, paving the way for epigenetic-based therapies.
Circumbinary planets are thought to have formed far from their binary star systems before migrating to their current location. Researchers used computer simulations to model the early stages of planet formation around Kepler-34(AB)b and found that the majority must have formed much further away.
Studies of adult twins and adolescents reveal a strong connection between short or long sleep durations and increased risk of depressive symptoms. Optimal sleep duration is essential for mental health, suggesting that prioritizing sleep may enhance treatment effectiveness for depression.
Researchers found that wolves can open a box using a method they observed a dog demonstrate, while dogs relied on random selection. The study suggests that wolves' superior problem-solving ability may stem from their reliance on cooperation with conspecifics.
Researchers found that dormant prostate cancer cells can be reactivated by factors produced in inflammatory cells, such as RANKL. This discovery may allow for the development of new interventions to prevent disease progression and prolong survival.
A recent study published in Science has discovered that vibrations can influence the circadian clock of a fruit fly, with exposure to 12-hour cycles of vibration and silence synchronising the fly's internal clock and corresponding daily locomotor activity.
Researchers identified a single gene, Ultrabithorax (Ubx), responsible for leg and wing development in honeybees. Ubx represses the development of bristles on hind legs, creating a smooth surface for packing pollen, which is absent in queens.
Researchers at Dartmouth have developed a protocol to harvest and culture mouse melanoma cells, which are rare in human form but prevalent in mice. This breakthrough allows for more accurate modeling of human melanoma, potentially leading to new treatments.
A study found that reducing nitrogen levels and using selected cultivars minimizes environmental impact in greenhouse pepper production. The research demonstrates how the environmental impact of intensive agriculture can be minimized without harming fruit yield or quality.
A new study found that lemur lovers mirror each other's scent-marking behavior and emit similar odors, possibly as a way to defend territory or advertise their relationship status. The study revealed that lemur couples with kids have more similar scents than those without offspring.
A national campaign by Public Health England aimed to encourage smokers to quit for 28 days, resulting in a significant increase in quit attempts and a cost-effective initiative that saves lives. The campaign resulted in an estimated 350,000 additional quit attempts compared to other months.
A $1.7 million grant from NSF supports Rensselaer researcher George Makhatadze in investigating protein folding speed to expand enzymatic range for paper manufacturing and other industries. The goal is to slow protein deterioration, extending functional life at high temperatures.
Deforestation in Central America is linked to growing evidence of drug trafficking, with traffickers creating clandestine roads and landing strips within protected areas. The influx of cash from drug trade emboldens local residents to expand their activities at the expense of indigenous people who are key forest defenders.
Infants prefer fruits from plants over man-made objects after an adult demonstrates edibility. Younger infants also exhibit plant-based bias due to social learning mechanisms.
A revised provision in new hours-of-service regulations for truck drivers has been shown to combat fatigue more effectively than the previous version. After a 2-night break, drivers with two or more nighttime periods in their restart breaks reported fewer lapses of attention and less sleepiness.
A study by Virginia Tech researchers reveals that brain tumor cells with diverse physical traits are safer due to chromosomal abnormalities. These abnormalities lead to cell diversity and survival of brain tumors.
Yale researchers discovered that accelerating cell cycle speed reduces barriers to changing a cell's fate, allowing for pluripotent cells to be created more efficiently. The study found that cells with faster cycles can become multiple cell types, whereas slower cycles remain in their original state.
Scientists at the Autonomous University of Barcelona developed an electronic tongue to classify beer varieties, achieving an accuracy rate of 81.9%. The system uses sensors to detect chemical compounds and can even estimate alcohol content.
Researchers have developed a novel X-ray technique that enables the rapid determination of atomic surface structures and live recordings of surface reactions like catalysis and corrosion. This breakthrough paves the way for designing better catalysts and materials on an atomic level.
Scientists have successfully engineered dermo-epidermal skin grafts that contain functional blood and lymphatic capillaries, which can rapidly supply tissue fluid and prevent accumulation. This breakthrough could improve wound healing and organ structure of these skin grafts.
Researchers have created an engineered cardiac tissue model using human embryonic stem cells, which exhibits significant similarities to human heart muscle. The model displays spontaneous contractile activity and responds to electrical stimulation, providing a promising platform for developing reliable models of the human heart.
The National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center has accepted a new Cray XC30 supercomputer named Edison, designed for scientific productivity. The system features nearly 2.4 quadrillion floating-point operations per second and can handle both data analysis and simulation and modeling with equal efficiency.
System 91S is a tropical low-pressure area located northeast of Maputo, Mozambique, with heavy rainfall rates occurring over the Mozambique Channel. Wind shear has increased, causing the system to elongate and reducing its chances for tropical development.
A study by the University of Illinois found that parents with an insecure attachment style are more likely to respond to their child's distress by becoming distressed themselves or dismissing their emotions. This can lead to unhealthy eating habits, including comfort feeding, fewer family mealtimes, and excessive TV viewing. The resear...
Women who experience fertility problems are more likely to stay with their partner if they have a child after infertility evaluation. After 12 years of follow-up, nearly 27% of women were no longer living with the partner if they did not have a child.
The NSA is developing quantum computers to factorize large numbers and decipher encryption keys, posing a threat to modern internet security. The $79.7m project aims to break banking transactions, private messages, and government files.
Researchers discovered that DNA damage triggers dramatic reorganization of the Golgi, leading to its dispersal throughout the cell. This dispersal involves a novel signaling pathway directly linking DNA damage response to the Golgi, affecting cell survival and chemotherapy efficacy.
Core stabilization exercises can improve postural stability and independent walking in chronic hemiparetic stroke patients. Real-time video feedback significantly improves gait velocity and stride length, as well as TUG test performance.