Researchers are refining their understanding of ice sheet response to warming, which will inform projections of sea-level change. A new era of climate modeling has begun, with improved estimates of Greenland and Antarctic ice sheet loss for given temperature increases during past warm periods.
Researchers found that norepinephrine enhances the ability of neurons to code for complex sounds by decreasing background noise firing. This mechanism is separate from estradiol's effects and provides new insights into neuromodulator interactions and auditory processing.
Researchers found that CpdR binds to the ClpXP protease, priming it for engagement with substrates, allowing for broad recognition of multiple pathways. This mechanism enables cells to control multiple pathways with a single regulator, facilitating rapid response to stress.
Li-Jun Ma's research focuses on deciphering the mechanisms underlying fungal pathogenesis and developing novel antifungal therapies. Her work aims to address the growing threat of opportunistic fungal infections, which claim over 1.5 million lives each year.
Research at UMass Amherst finds that despite concussion-related abnormalities in sleep and memory, sleep aids recall and benefits are comparable to those without TBI. Participants who slept showed better recall in word memorization tasks compared to those tested after an equal period awake.
Researchers combined local bird survey data from 16 point counts in Northeast and Midwest forests, revealing significant declines in populations of four ecological indicator species. The study highlights the need for more formal monitoring in rare habitats and suggests that some species may be increasing in certain regions.
A new study by University of Massachusetts Amherst fisheries biologist Andy J. Danylchuk is assessing the impact of catch-and-release fishing on the golden dorado fish in South America. The study aims to develop conservation strategies and sustainable fishing practices for this iconic species, which is crucial to the regional ecotouris...
Researchers at UMass Amherst developed a new understanding of strain effects on organic transistor performance, revealing that micro-scale wrinkling can enhance or have no effect on electrical properties. The study contributes to the development of next-generation flexible electronic devices.
A new study led by UMass Amherst epidemiologist Katherine Reeves is assessing the relationship between phthalate exposure and breast cancer risk. The three-year study will analyze urine samples from 500 women with invasive breast cancer and 1,000 healthy controls to measure levels of 11 phthalate metabolites.
High mountain regions are warming at a faster rate than previously thought, according to an international research team. This accelerated warming can lead to dramatic changes in ecosystems, including glacial melt and vegetation shifts, posing significant social and economic risks.
HongKun Zhang will use the $100,000 award to work with colleagues in France and St. Louis on a mathematical conjecture arising in statistical mechanics. Her research aims to improve conceptual understanding of physical systems and predict their behavior.
Yeonhwa Park's significant contributions to bioactive lipids have led to discoveries of CLA's role in reducing body fat and improving bone mass. Her research also explores the interaction between CLA and muscle, revealing improved exercise outcomes.
Scientists deciphered bacterial communication mechanisms, revealing new ways bacteria regulate gene expression. Quorum sensing controls a variety of biologically relevant processes, and the study expands our understanding of regulation in Bacillus subtilis.
A study by UMass Amherst researchers found that teams with a critical mass of women allow them to participate more actively, feel confident, and aspire toward engineering careers. In contrast, teams with equal numbers of men and women or mostly male groups reduced women's worries and anxieties but didn't encourage speaking up.
Researchers from UMass Amherst found that about 10% of released water may be permanently lost, reducing downstream river flows. This 'hydropeaking' practice allows hydropower dams to operate more efficiently, but comes with a tradeoff: permanent water loss affecting aquatic life and ecosystems.
Researchers tracked tiny geolocators on blackpoll warbler birds to confirm their non-stop migration over the Atlantic Ocean. The journey, spanning up to 2,770 kilometers, is one of the longest recorded for a songbird.
Marine ecologists track striped marlins in Pacific Ocean using satellite tags, revealing their preferred habitat in the epipelagic layer within 8 degrees C of sea surface temperature. The study's findings may help reduce undesired catch and target higher-value species.
Scientists have made new discoveries about fault development, which could lead to more accurate predictions of earthquake hazards. By analyzing fault geometry, researchers found that the efficiency of faults increases as new ones grow and link, but never reaches the same level as straight faults.
Researchers document leatherback sea turtles' ability to maintain specific headings while traveling through the subtropical gyre, unaffected by current drift. The study suggests that turtles may use a magnetic and/or solar compass to navigate.
Scientists have devised a combination of new experiments and better theoretical modeling to settle the dispute between experimental and theoretical scientists. The new results are consistent with the hypothesis that microbial nanowires possess metallic-like conductivity, contrary to previous models.
International team of astronomers observes multiple-star system forming in Perseus constellation, revealing how stars are separated during early stages of formation. The discovery advances understanding of conditions governing the type of star systems to develop.
Scientists report early measurements of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko's subsurface temperature and gas production from the European Space Agency's Rosetta Mission. The team used NASA's Microwave Instrument on the Rosetta Orbiter to study heat transport, outgassing, and coma development.
A team at UMass Amherst has developed an approach to make reversibly self-folding origami structures on small length scales. They use ultraviolet photolithographic patterning of photo-crosslinkable polymers to create complex structures that can be folded and redeployed.
Researchers at UMass Amherst found a whole plant therapy more effective than purified drug artemisinin in killing malaria parasites, even those resistant to the pharmaceutical treatment. The study suggests using the whole plant may be a sustainable alternative for treating human malaria.
Researchers have identified gene regulatory networks controlling cell wall thickening in plants, a major impediment to extracting sugars for biofuels. The study offers a framework for future research to engineer energy crops for more efficient biofuel production.
Research suggests that talking to babies and naming things in their world can help them make connections between what they see and hear. Training with individual-level labels in infancy leads to long lasting learning effects that generalize from the trained images to human faces.
Researchers developed a fast and accurate method for screening cancer drugs using gold nanoparticles, allowing for rapid profiling of various anti-cancer drugs and their mechanisms. This new sensor system uses three-channel detection to identify specific cell death mechanisms, enabling the determination of drug mechanisms in minutes.
Researchers at UMass Amherst produce a new model of the Coachella Valley faults, capturing more geometric complexity than previous models. The study yields an estimated 10% increase in shaking overall for the Coachella segment, but decreased shaking for towns to the west of the fault.
A new study found that endocrine disrupting chemicals can interfere with thyroid hormone action in pregnant women and may travel across the placenta to affect fetal brain development. The study used a prospective birth cohort of 164 pregnant women and found associations between high levels of CYP1A1 enzyme and thyroid disruption.
Researchers used a new endocrine-based approach to determine the age at sexual maturity for wild stocks of western Atlantic bluefin tuna, finding they mature at a considerably younger age than currently assumed. This discovery could lead to changes in fisheries scientists' estimates of population size.
A new algorithm called Above Local Elevated Respiratory Illness Threshold (ALERT) uses routinely collected data to signal the start of elevated influenza activity. The tool allows users to customize results based on their institution's historical data, helping them determine when to declare flu season and take extra precautions.
The fossilized skull of Vintana sertichi, a 66- to 70-million-year-old groundhog-like creature, offers significant insights into the lifestyle and relationships of early mammals. The analysis reveals that Vintana likely had large eyes, a good sense of smell, and could eat a diet of roots, seeds, or nut-like fruits.
A new study by UMass Amherst scientists predicts a significant increase in grass pollen production and allergen exposure due to climate change, with potential impacts on human health. The researchers found that elevated CO2 stimulates pollen production, leading to increased exposure for individuals with grass pollen allergies.
A research team at UMass Amherst aims to understand the complex interactions between content providers, ISPs, and CDNs, with the goal of improving online video streaming quality. The researchers plan to apply interdisciplinary techniques from control theory and network algorithmics to develop new architectures for better coordination.
Researchers are conducting a comprehensive study to investigate the link between various factors and early menopause. The study will examine biochemical, reproductive, dietary, and lifestyle factors to determine their association with the risk of early menopause.
Researchers found that adolescent binge drinking causes lasting damage to the prefrontal cortex's myelin sheaths, leading to impaired cognitive and behavioral control. This can lead to increased risk of alcoholism in adulthood and related psychiatric conditions.
CheckCell, a new data-debugging tool, automatically finds errors in spreadsheets and flags high-impact data points for review. The plug-in uses statistical analysis and data flow analysis to identify unusual inputs that have a significant impact on program output.
Surveyman identifies problems in surveys from design stage onward, addressing bias in question order, wording, correlation, redundancy, and respondent honesty. The free, publicly available tool guides users through steps to create a survey spreadsheet, ensuring more accurate results.
Researchers use electrostatic force microscopy to visualize charge propagation in Geobacter's protein filaments, demonstrating metallic-like conductivity. The discovery has important environmental and practical implications for energy conversion and production.
Iceberg scour marks on sea floor indicate meltwater and iceberg movement as far south as Miami and southern Florida. Researchers used high-resolution numerical models to simulate glacial meltwater floods, showing that massive icebergs could have drifted along the east coast of the United States.
The National Center of Excellence for Mobile Sensor Data-to-Knowledge (MD2K) aims to develop computational tools for large-scale health data analysis. Researchers will focus on inferring patient health and behavioral risk factors from mobile sensor data.
Researchers investigate degradation of essential vitamins over time in spaceflight foods, aiming to develop strategies to minimize loss. They'll use similar foods consumed by astronauts at the International Space Station to determine the impact of preparation and storage conditions on vitamin potency.
A research team led by Alejandro Briseno has developed a new polymer architecture that mimics the structure of blades of grass to improve the efficiency of organic solar cells. The breakthrough solves a major problem with energy transfer and has widespread applications for solar cells, batteries, and transistors.
Researchers at UMass Amherst and other biologists investigate how bats sense their environment using advanced imaging techniques and molecular biology. The study aims to reveal the genetic, developmental, and anatomical basis of natural selection for sensory structures in mammals.
Researchers at UMass Amherst have developed a new type of organic solar cell that can use virtually any metal for the electrode, effectively breaking the 'electrode barrier'. The new design allows for improved electron transport efficiency and reduced work function, making it more efficient and cost-effective.
UMass Amherst doctoral student Khaja Muneeruddin has received the 2014-15 Global Fellowship Award for developing new analytical methods to characterize complex pharmaceuticals. The award aims to advance research in quality standards and support his work on creating novel assays for drug manufacturers.
Researchers have uncovered how bacteria control their growth and division by destroying key proteins through regulated protein degradation, a critical process for bacterial virulence. Understanding this mechanism may lead to the discovery of new antibiotics targeting pathways that allow bacteria to overcome stressful conditions.
For the first time, physicists have directly detected neutrinos created by the 'keystone' proton-proton fusion process at the sun's core. The detection was made possible by the Borexino instrument, which detects neutrinos as they interact with an ultra-pure organic liquid scintillator.
Researchers at UMass Amherst are part of a six-institution consortium creating CloudLab, a new instrument allowing scientists to run huge or very complex experiments on an enormous and flexible shared network of reliable, secure and fast computers. The project will distribute $10 million in funding among partner institutions.
Researchers at UMass Amherst develop a water-based method to control molecular assembly of nanoparticles, reducing the need for toxic solvents and increasing efficiency. The new technique enables faster, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly production of organic photovoltaics and other electronic devices.