A team of UC Riverside entomologists has identified a microRNA molecule that disrupts the Aedes aegypti mosquito's ability to transmit dengue and yellow fever viruses. The discovery could help control the spread of vector-borne diseases by reducing the mosquito population.
A recent report by the University of California, Riverside professor emphasizes the importance of financial support in increasing Latino science and math graduates. The study found that students with more financial backing from their parents or through self-support were more likely to attend highly selective institutions and graduate f...
A chemist at UC Riverside is using advanced spectroscopy methods to verify the presence of pomegranate compounds in juices sold as pomegranate juice. By analyzing unique biochemicals, she aims to detect adulterated products and potentially apply this technology to other food and beverage items.
A study from the University of California, Riverside and Boston University found that perceptual training can improve visual performance in elderly adults. The researchers used a texture discrimination test to demonstrate that repeated performance of visual tasks can lead to improved vision.
A new study by University of California, Riverside scientists found that a hybrid electric tugboat reduces emissions of soot by 73%, oxides of nitrogen by 51%, and carbon dioxide by 27%. The study's findings are significant due to the heavy impact port pollution has on regional air quality.
A UC Riverside-led team is working on a project to educate students about climate change using real-world NASA data. The initiative aims to improve communication skills among students and scientists, crucial in addressing climate change issues.
Professor Eamonn Keogh will use the grant to develop automatic insect sensors that can detect and classify mosquitoes at a low cost. The project aims to understand mosquito movement to combat malaria, which kills nearly one million people worldwide each year.
Dr. Karine Le Roch is investigating how malaria parasite multiplies in red blood cells using a $1.7 million NIH grant. The goal is to develop more effective strategies against this devastating disease, with potential new drug strategies also being explored.
Researchers found a significant spike in marine phosphorus concentrations from 750 to 635 million years ago, linked to Snowball Earth glacial events. This increase in nutrient levels is believed to have facilitated the emergence of complex life, including animals, by driving oxygen production and ocean-atmosphere system shifts.
A University of California, Riverside biologist found that adult Trinidadian guppies can mitigate the negative effects of a poor early start through flexible growth and reproductive strategies. This study suggests that adults can compensate for their early conditions through adaptive changes.
Researchers found that sidestream smoke from harm reduction cigarettes impairs human embryonic stem cell growth more than conventional brand smoke. Studies used human embryonic stem cells to measure and compare the toxicity of mainstream and sidestream smoke.
A team of geophysicists led by Harry Green at UC Riverside presents evidence contradicting the widely-held view that large amounts of water are carried to the deep mantle in subducting slabs. The study suggests that these slabs are essentially dry, with no pathway for significant amounts of water to enter the lower mantle.
Researchers at UC Riverside develop a graphene-based triple-mode amplifier that outperforms traditional semiconductors in terms of functionality and speed. This breakthrough has significant implications for applications such as Bluetooth headsets, RFID, and ZigBee devices.
Researchers successfully achieved 'tunneling spin injection' into graphene, increasing efficiency and enabling longer spin lifetimes. This breakthrough enables the development of a 'spin computer' with potential for faster and more energy-efficient computing.
Researchers at UC Riverside have sequenced the genome of Culex quinquefasciatus, a mosquito that spreads West Nile virus and other diseases. The study provides insights into the genetic makeup of the mosquito and could lead to novel strategies for preventing disease transmission.
Researchers have found genetic evidence that baleen whales lost their teeth 25 million years ago, a finding that matches the fossil record. The study used genetic analysis to show that a transposable genetic element was inserted into the enamel production gene in the common ancestor of baleen whales.
A University of California, Riverside researcher is leading a $6.25 million grant to develop fuel cells that could replace batteries with up to 80% less weight and increase device life by five times.
A research team created a quadrupedal molecular machine with four 'hooves' to study how multiple parts move. The team found that the molecule uses a pacing gait, but cannot use tunneling to zip through the surface corrugation.
Researchers at UC Riverside have identified a chemical compound, blebbistatin, that inhibits the molecular motor NMII and prevents cell death in human pluripotent stem cells. This breakthrough discovery brings stem cell research closer to finding therapies for various diseases.
Biologists at UC Riverside found that voluntary activity is a heritable trait that can be passed down genetically. Mice bred for high running ability produced high-running offspring, indicating the trait was inherited. The study suggests pharmaceutical drugs could be used to alter human activity levels.
Plant scientists have made a significant advance in developing drought-resistant crops by understanding how the synthetic chemical pyrabactin works. By identifying subtle differences between receptors in their binding pockets, researchers can now develop more effective chemicals for bringing drought-resistance to plants.
A $1 million grant from the University of California, Riverside Extension will provide $30,000 professional development grants for teachers in Riverside, Orange, San Diego, and Imperial counties. The grants aim to support sustained professional development, which is increasingly difficult due to budget cuts by California school districts.
A leading international expert in vitamin D, Anthony Norman, recommends increasing daily intake to 2,000-4,000 IU for most adults to maximize health benefits. This could effectively eradicate rickets in infants and reduce the frequency of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune type-1 diabetes.
Researchers at UC Riverside found that people who lipread a silent face articulate words sound like the person speaking, rather than their own words. This suggests that our brains are primed by speech articulation and can imitate speech patterns even when we're not actively listening.
A study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science reveals that childhood personality traits are a strong predictor of adult behavior. Researchers found consistent patterns across four decades, with verbally fluent children displaying interest in intellectual matters and adaptable children behaving cheerfully.
The University of California, Riverside has received six grants from the UC Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program to fund research on thirdhand smoke and cigarette smoke's effects on reproduction. The grants total over $850,000 and will support multiple labs working on tobacco-related research at UCR.
A team of UC Riverside researchers is working with the California Air Resources Board to improve a method for measuring diesel particulate emissions. The research could provide the groundwork for strengthening standards for diesel particulates, and has already led to the collection of over 24,000 analytical samples.
Researchers found that e-cigarettes need more suction to produce smoke compared to conventional brands, with aerosol density dropping after the first ten puffs. This decrease in density may lead to compensatory smoking and unpredictable nicotine delivery.
Undergrad engineers at UCR are researching water quality, wildfires, and materials for new medical devices. The Summer Bridge program aims to increase STEM diversity and support Hispanic and low-income students.
Sharon Walker, a US engineer, partnered with Ben-Gurion University in Israel to develop innovative approaches to water management. The collaboration aims to enhance global competency of graduate students and faculty through research and education.
Researchers at UC Riverside found that female guppies that grew rapidly as juveniles produced fewer offspring than expected. This suggests long-term costs of early rapid growth and weight gain in adulthood, potentially impacting human reproductive success.
A collaborative project is digitizing and consolidating nearly one million specimen records from ten bee collections across the US to create a centralized database. The project aims to understand native bees' roles in agricultural and natural systems and predict risks to bees due to climate change and habitat loss.
The University of California, Riverside's Southern California Research Initiative for Solar Energy (SC-RISE) has been recognized as a leading example of international collaboration for sustainable energy. The city of Riverside will receive an award from Sister Cities International for its role in launching SC-RISE.
Mark Hoddle, a UC Riverside entomologist, is searching for invasive pests that could threaten California's $320 million avocado industry. He has already collected over 300 pest-infected avocados from Peru and is working to identify natural enemies.
Researchers at UCR are developing genetically engineered bacteria to kill mosquito larvae, making it ten times more effective than current products. The new bacterial strain is environmentally safe and has built-in resistance management properties, potentially leading to a commercially available product in 3-5 years.
UC Riverside physicists involved in the international DZero collaboration have discovered significant violation of matter-antimatter symmetry in B-mesons decays, resulting in a 1% excess of muon pairs over antimuon pairs. This finding points to new physics phenomena that may explain the universe's dominance of matter over antimatter
Research at University of California, Riverside found that juvenile male crickets exposed to loud songs from adult males grow larger and invest more in testes. Meanwhile, those without exposure are more likely to act as 'satellites' hanging around singing males to intercept females.
Researchers discovered that multiple layers of graphene retain strong heat conducting properties, making it a promising material for removing dissipated heat from electronic devices. This breakthrough could lead to the development of new technologies to keep laptops and other devices from overheating.
Researchers at UCR have isolated a collection of pure positronium atoms, a crucial step in creating a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) that could enable the production of fusion power. This achievement also brings scientists closer to developing gamma ray lasers with potential military and scientific applications.
Thomas Miller, UCR entomologist, to advise State Department on biotechnology and pest management globally. He will also engage with non-specialists and travel to embassies to share expertise.
A UCR researcher has identified a mechanism by which the malaria parasite replicates in human red blood cells, intensifying its infectious cycle. The 'histone crash' process involves the massive breakdown of histones, allowing for rapid gene transcription and multiplication.
A new model of ancient ocean chemistry suggests a stratified marine basin with oxygen-rich, sulfidic and ferruginous water layers. This discovery challenges traditional theories on early animal evolution and provides insights into the earliest life on Earth.
The University of California, Riverside's new Stem Cell Core Facility will enable faster breakthroughs in stem cell research, targeting diseases such as osteoporosis and diabetes. The facility is equipped with the first-in-country Nikon BioStation CT technology, expected to provide valuable data for attacking degenerative diseases.
A UC Riverside study reveals that ecology and evolution are reciprocally interacting processes, with evolutionary processes influencing ecology in turn. The research found that guppies adapted to different stream communities exhibited distinct impacts on their ecosystems, including differences in diet and nutrient cycling.
David Bocian, a professor of biophysical and materials chemistry at UCR, is leading a research project to develop more efficient solar cells using natural photosynthetic systems. The goal is to create flexible, cost-effective solar cells that can be integrated with textiles.
A team of scientists, led by UCR professor Sean Cutler, has made significant discoveries on how plants survive drought using the stress hormone abscisic acid. Recent studies have built upon Cutler's initial findings, shedding light on the signaling pathway that enables plants to adapt to water scarcity.
A UC Riverside-led study found oxygen production via photosynthesis occurred in Earth's oceans at least 100 million years before the GOE, affecting ocean chemistry and potentially stimulating eukaryote evolution. The research suggests that even low concentrations of oxygen can have profound effects on ocean chemistry.
A team of UCR researchers has successfully engineered a synthetic cellulosome in yeast, increasing its ethanol-tolerant capabilities. This breakthrough could enable efficient consolidated bioprocessing for bioethanol production from biomass, making renewable fuel production more economical.
Researchers at UC Riverside successfully created metal-free 'abnormal N-heterocyclic carbenes', which are highly reactive molecules used to make catalysts. These carbenes are stable and can be used in numerous catalytic chemical reactions, greatly benefiting industry.
A team of scientists at UCR has developed a high-density consensus genetic map of cowpea, accelerating conventional breeding and facilitating the production of new varieties. The map enables breeders to locate valuable genes and incorporate them into new varieties more efficiently.