Researchers at the University of Basel found that placebos can significantly reduce feelings of guilt in healthy subjects. Participants who received open-label placebos showed a significant decrease in guilt, even when they knew they were receiving a placebo.
A University of Basel study analyzed over 1.1 million inpatient cases to investigate the relationship between bed occupancy and 14-day mortality rates. The study found that the threshold for increased mortality varies by hospital size, with smaller facilities reaching their capacity limit more quickly.
Researchers at the University of Basel have calculated that Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis ski resort's 100-day ski season is unlikely by 2100 due to warmer winters. Water consumption for snowmaking will increase significantly, with an average winter requiring 540 million liters of water.
A study by University of Basel researchers found that global warming is causing alpine plants to age faster, leading to earlier senescence and longer periods of brownness in the grassland. The majority of plants stopped growing after 5-7 weeks, regardless of when they were roused from winter.
Researchers found that dimethyl fumarate treatment increased the proportion of beneficial gut bacteria and reduced pro-inflammatory types, which are associated with MS. The study suggests a potential connection between gut flora and clinical side effects, paving the way for personalized treatment approaches.
Physicists at the University of Basel have experimentally demonstrated a negative correlation between the spins of paired electrons from a superconductor. The researchers used spin filters made of nanomagnets and quantum dots to achieve this, as reported in the scientific journal Nature.
Comprehensive metabolic changes convert mature liver cells into immature progenitor cells that proliferate rapidly and develop tumors. The main causes of liver cancer are metabolic disorders and infections with hepatitis C virus and high alcohol consumption.
Researchers have discovered how a new class of drugs can inhibit the complement system, which causes damage to the body in some cases. These findings pave the way for further optimization of such inhibitors, potentially leading to novel therapeutic strategies for treating autoimmune diseases.
Researchers identified biomarkers that predict severe Covid-19 cases with neurological symptoms, offering potential targets for drug development to prevent consequential damage. They also found a link between impaired blood-brain barrier and excessive immune response.
The study reveals that coronin proteins regulate T cell population size by promoting survival signals when cells are not too crowded. This mechanism is evolutionarily conserved in both humans and slime molds, opening up new avenues for research.
Researchers report a promising new approach that involves altering sugar molecules on the surface of cancer cells in mice, leading to a significant increase in anti-tumor immune response. The study focuses on sialic acid sugars, which are also present on healthy cells and play a role in cell-to-cell communication.
Researchers genetically modified mice to develop a similar disease to humans, identifying previously unknown mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets. The study found that reduced adhesion between cardiac muscle cells leads to scarring and arrhythmia, providing new insights into the disease.
Researchers at the University of Basel have discovered a new antibiotic, Dynobactin, effective against resistant Gram-negative bacteria. The compound blocks bacterial membrane protein BamA, preventing its job and killing the bacteria. This finding offers a boost to antibiotics research and could lead to more effective drugs.
Researchers at the University of Basel have discovered a new function of the cerebellum in storing emotional experiences, which is crucial for our survival. The study shows that increased activity in the cerebellum facilitates the storage of information in various areas of the cerebrum, leading to improved memory for emotional events.
Physicists at the University of Basel have developed a computational shortcut for neural networks, allowing for faster calculation of optimal solutions without training. This breakthrough provides insight into neural network functioning and could help detect unknown phase transitions in materials and quantum systems.
Researchers at the University of Basel have achieved a record low temperature of 220 microkelvin by cooling an electric circuit made of copper on a silicon chip using magnetic fields and an improved thermometer. This breakthrough allows for further study of quantum effects and potential applications in quantum technologies.
Researchers at the University of Basel have successfully differentiated triple-negative breast cancer cells into normal-like cells, opening a new avenue for treatment. The breakthrough uses inhibitors of polo-like kinase 1 to induce estrogen receptor expression, leading to reduced cell growth and tumorigenicity.
A study by University of Basel economists found that homeownership leads to increased happiness, but not as long as predicted. Status-oriented individuals overestimated the benefits of home ownership, while intrinsically-oriented individuals were more accurate in their expectations.
The study reveals a specialized transport hub at the base of cilia, where trains assemble and load cargo for transport. This discovery provides new insights into molecular basis for various diseases, including cystic kidneys and blindness.
A study by University of Basel researchers found that insufficient insulin production contributes to overweight, challenging the long-held belief that poor nutrition and lack of exercise cause weight gain. The research revealed a key enzyme's role in hormone activation, leading to severe hunger and obesity.
Researchers have identified dry voids in G protein-coupled receptors that are crucial for their activation and transmit signals to the cell interior. These unique binding sites differ among subclasses and offer a promising route for developing targeted therapies with fewer side effects.
A new study co-authored by economist Dr. Reto Odermatt found that educational and occupational aspirations are important predictors of career success, with ambitious goals motivating people to invest more in their future career success. However, unrealistically high aspirations as a teenager can have negative effects on well-being as a...
Researchers at the University of Basel developed a method to determine how risk is perceived within a society. The study found that threat and fortune are the most prominent components of risk, with threat being more closely associated with older people and women. The results also indicate that there are universal correlations in risk ...
Researchers at University of Basel found that the sight and smell of a meal stimulate an inflammatory response in the brain, which affects insulin secretion. In overweight individuals, this response is excessive and can impair insulin function.
Researchers found remains of over 40 wood mice and numerous insects, including the grain weevil, in prehistoric wells in southern France. The discovery suggests that people developed resilience against pests by switching to more resistant grains like glume wheat around 4000 BCE.
Physicists at the University of Basel have created a quantum memory that stores single photons in a warm atomic gas, allowing for efficient storage and retrieval of quantum information. The node can already be used for interesting applications, such as synchronizing randomly produced single photons.
Researchers found that extreme droughts in the 6th century CE led to the downfall of the ancient South Arabian kingdom of Himyar. This climate instability created fertile ground for the emergence of Islam in the region, as people sought new hope and a unifying force.
Scientists have produced identical photons originating from different sources, a crucial step towards applications like quantum computing and secure communication. The researchers achieved this by using precise electric fields to tune the energy levels of quantum dots, resulting in 93% identical photons.
A study by researchers from the University of Basel found that probiotics can improve depressive symptoms in patients taking antidepressants. The probiotic group showed a greater improvement in symptoms than the placebo group, with changes in intestinal flora composition and brain activity when viewing emotional stimuli.
Satellite data reveals significant changes in Alpine ecosystems, with vegetation above tree line increasing by nearly 80% and snow cover decreasing slightly. This 'greening' trend is linked to rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns, posing a threat to the region's unique biodiversity.
A recent study published in Neuron reveals that general anesthesia induces synchronized activity in layer 5 pyramidal neurons, leading to the loss of consciousness. This finding has significant implications for the development of better anesthetic drugs and improved surgical outcomes.
Researchers have demonstrated that ultra-thin topological insulator nanowires can act as a quantum one-way street for electrons, offering a significant step towards achieving topological qubits. This breakthrough enables highly stable qubits, the building blocks of future quantum computers.
Researchers at the University of Basel have discovered a promising therapeutic approach for estrogen-receptor-positive breast tumors with the GATA3 gene mutation. The approach involves inhibiting the MDM2 gene, which is sensitive to disruption in these cancer cells.
Researchers have discovered a combination therapy that can delay sarcopenia, a condition where muscles shrink and strength declines with age. Calorie restriction and rapamycin have been shown to have additive benefits in mice, promoting healthy muscle function and physical capability.
A new treatment approach has been proposed for children with congenital muscle disorders, using inhibitors to improve muscle function and movement in mice with mutations in the RYR1 gene. The therapy targets genetic material overload caused by excessive enzyme production, leading to reduced access of genes to cellular machinery.
The research team created silicon-based qubits using FinFET architecture that can store quantum information in two states at higher temperatures, allowing for scalability and integration into existing industry standards.
Prehistoric plant remains found in a Lake Varese settlement match crops from oldest Swiss pile dwellings. The discovery suggests settlers from the western Mediterranean may have played a key role in spreading pile-dwelling culture north of the Alps.
Researchers discovered two dominant strategies among flatworms: reciprocal males receive more resources, while hypodermic mated species invest heavily in female organs. Self-fertilization in these species increases with hypodermic mating, suggesting a common evolutionary principle between plants and worms.
A study has found that shuttle proteins form an escape-proof mechanism to fortify the nuclear pore and regulate transport of substances. The number of shuttle proteins occupying the pore depends on their concentrations, allowing cells to compensate for one protein's loss with another.
Researchers found that magnesium is essential for the functioning of T cells, which can eliminate abnormal or infected cells. Increasing local magnesium concentration in tumors strengthened the immune response against cancer cells.
Scientists at the University of Basel have discovered a new signaling pathway that enables T cells to survive for decades. Coronin 1 regulates this pathway, which suppresses T cell death by maintaining PI3Kdelta activity. This finding has significant implications for understanding and controlling immune function.
A new muscle layer has been discovered on the jaw, contradicting traditional anatomy descriptions. The masseter muscle was found to have an additional third layer, which is involved in stabilizing the lower jaw and pulling it backwards.
Researchers at the University of Basel traced the neuronal fingerprint of sound processing in mouse brains, finding ten distinct activity patterns that depend on factors like attention, arousal, and reward. These findings suggest that even simple sound detection is a cognitive process that profoundly shapes brain activity.
Research at University of Basel discovered that certain areas in tissue allow bacteria to survive despite antibiotic therapy. Immune system plays a critical role in eradicating bacteria, and boosting defenses with immune therapy can lead to more effective clearance.
A team of scientists found microplastics in Antarctic water, with most particles linked to ship-based paint. The study suggests that shipping traffic is a key source of microplastic pollution in the Southern Ocean.
Researchers found that tumor cells contribute differently to metastases and therapy resistance depending on their EMT status. Partial EMT breast cancer cells act as pioneer cells leading collective cell migration and promote lung metastases, while full EMT cells rarely appear in metastases.
Researchers at the University of Basel have developed a new family of iron-based sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells, promising a low-cost supplement to traditional photovoltaic systems. The new materials achieve overall efficiency of 1 percent, but represent a milestone in further research and development.
A new study reveals that memory T helper cells can work with memory B cells to effectively defend the body against chronic viruses. This finding has direct relevance to developing new vaccines for HIV and hepatitis C, as it suggests a more sustained immune response.
A study by the Universities of Basel and Saarland found almost no risk of coronavirus infection in football players, contradicting previous assumptions about team contact risks. The research team collected data from over 1,300 cases and concluded that outdoor sports with minimal physical contact pose a very low risk of infection.
A meta-analysis by the University of Basel found that no-till farming alone does not achieve desired results in sustainable agriculture. Retaining crop residues on fields after harvest prevails over no-till farming in promoting carbon storage, soil protection and increased yields.