A study on social amoebae reveals that genes for cooperation and cheating have reached a stalemate, with increased genetic diversity near the social genes suggesting a prolonged stalemate. The findings suggest that cheating can be successful only when it is rare, and fail when it becomes so numerous it pushes out cooperators.
The PULSE certification process recognizes eight US colleges for implementing transformative practices in undergraduate biology education. The pilot project assesses progress towards the Vision and Change report's recommendations, providing a framework for evaluating teaching quality and student learning outcomes.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a device that stimulates nerves in the upper arm and forearm to transmit sensory signals to the brain, enabling users to feel hot and cold and the sense of touch through their prosthetic hands. The team plans to test the device on nonhuman primates to determine its effect...
A team of biomedical engineers at Washington University in St. Louis used locusts to study the brain's processing of information from its senses. They found that when two puffs of a similar odor were given one after the other, the spiking neural activity generated by the first encountered odor interfered with processing the second odor.
A recent study published in PLOS ONE found that rare dune plants, such as Tidestrom's lupine, rely on open sand habitats for germination and survival. Removing beachgrass from coastal dunes can help restore native species by allowing the sand to move and creating more mobile dunes.
Research on giant tortoises in the Galapagos Islands reveals that they prefer non-native plants over native ones, with introduced species making up roughly half of their diet. The tortoises' nutritional status shows no negative effects from eating invasive plants, suggesting a potential positive impact on their health.
A team of chemists has synthesized molecules that can absorb any color of sunlight, from oranges to near-infrared. By understanding how these pigments work, they aim to manipulate their light absorption at will.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a high-speed imaging method that enables the visualization of blood flow, blood oxygenation, and oxygen metabolism in living mouse brains. The new technique, called photoacoustic microscopy, achieves high-resolution images with capillary-level resolution at a rate of 100 ...
Researchers used big data from HapMap and 1000 Genomes projects to discover the gephyrin gene's connection to human history and its role in complex neurological diseases. They found a region with rapid evolution after splitting into yin and yang haplotypes, prevalent across different populations.
A study by Washington University in St. Louis found that low levels of manganese increased dopamine levels in honey bee brains, speeding up their behavior, while high doses caused toxicity. The findings suggest that honey bees may serve as early warning indicators for environmental toxins.
Researcher David Queller and colleagues tested an alternative mathematical model to inclusive fitness theory, finding it equivalent in predictions. The model's assertions were disputed, with Queller arguing that varying relatedness undermines the Harvard authors' claims about eusociality.
A new study has cast doubt on the theory that ancient tsetse-infested bush stopped African herders in their tracks. The research found extensive grasslands east of Lake Victoria during a nearly 2,000-year-old settlement.
The grant will allow Cui to analyze mechanisms underlying potassium ion channel properties and develop targeted treatments for cardiac arrhythmia. He aims to understand a novel mechanism behind Long QT syndrome, which can be fatal.
Physicist Kater Murch's experiment combines information about a quantum system's evolution before and after a target time to narrow the odds of correctly guessing its state. The 'hindsight' prediction is 90% accurate, suggesting that time runs both backward and forward in the quantum world.
Researchers are using novel methods to understand how nerve cells form new connections after spinal cord injury, with the goal of restoring function and movement. A five-year NIH grant will allow them to isolate specific cell types and study their growth and interactions.
Research from WashU suggests that poverty and inactivity are linked to diabetes prevalence, but only in certain areas. Localized approaches can target the most common predictors of diabetes in each region.
Researchers have discovered that water helps melt rock and speed up the transport of magma to the surface. The Lau Basin in the South Pacific, where water content is highest, surprisingly shows less magma than expected.
Scientists have identified a fast-growing cyanobacterial strain, Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973, which grows at over 50% per hour. The strain's genome is remarkably similar to another widely studied cyanobacterium, and its genetic determinants of rapid growth may hold the key to unlocking new biotech applications.
According to new research, nearly 70% of Americans will experience at least one year in the top 20% of income earners by age 60, while only 11% will spend time among the top 1%. The study also highlights persistent racial inequality and the relatively low percentage of people who stay in the top echelon for a decade.
A new study from Washington University in St. Louis found that close friends can accurately predict an individual's lifespan based on their personality traits. Men rated as conscientious and women rated as emotionally stable by their friends had longer lifespans.
Researchers are studying peat fire emissions, which are a major contributor to carbon emissions and climate change. The study aims to understand the impact of peatfire smoke on human health and the climate.
Researchers have developed a new technique that focuses diffuse light inside living tissue, improving the speed of optical focusing by two orders of magnitude. This advancement paves the way for noninvasive optical imaging in deep tissue and photodynamic therapy.
A team of biomedical engineers has discovered that a key ion channel in the heart, KCNQ1, is affected by both membrane voltage and an accessory subunit, KCNE1, which determines the properties of electrical signals. This understanding provides a rationale for targeted drug therapy to treat cardiac arrhythmia without affecting other tiss...
Zhang will study synthetic regulatory systems to improve productivity in metabolic pathways with a $605,000 NSF grant. His research aims to create artificial biosystems for efficient production of biofuels and other chemicals from sustainable resources.
A team of biomedical engineers developed a 2-D camera that can capture events up to 100 billion frames per second. This technology, called compressed ultrafast photography (CUP), enables the creation of high-speed movies of various phenomena, including laser pulse reflection and photon racing in two media.
A study suggests that most American presidents are destined to be forgotten within 50-100 years of their serving as president. By 2040, Americans will probably remember as much about Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan as they do about Millard Fillmore.
Research reveals that damaged messenger RNA can cause ribosomes to jam, leading to the production of short proteins and contributing to neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidized mRNA was found to accumulate in cells with advanced Alzheimer's, highlighting a potential mechanism for the disease.
People with social anxiety disorder tend to think their friendships are worse than they really are, but a new study reveals this perception may be misplaced. The study found that friendships of people with social anxiety disorder were not significantly worse than those without the disorder, contrary to their self-reported experiences.
Washington University engineers apply a novel time-reversal technology to track movement inside the body's tissues, improving imaging of cancerous tissues and developing potential treatments. By using TRAP optical focusing, they can focus light on moving targets, allowing for sharper images even several centimeters into the skin.
Researchers used landscape genetics to study Ae. albopictus dispersal in the US, finding it traveled by 'jump' dispersal via cars and trucks along highways, with wetlands supporting mosquito growth. The discovery highlights human-aided gene flow's role in accelerating species adaptation.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a method to reverse optical loss and increase laser intensity by modulating loss in the system. By adding loss to a laser system, they achieved energy gains and demonstrated new nonlinear phenomena.
The number of antibiotics available for clinical use has declined to 96 from a peak of 113 in 2000, with the rate of withdrawals being double the rate of new introductions. Pharmaceutical companies are leaving the antibiotic space due to financial constraints and patent law, forcing research universities to step in.
A Washington University in St. Louis study found that the Supreme Court tends to decide significant cases at the end of its session, with over 30% of these decisions issued in June. The researchers propose three possible explanations for this trend: legacy concerns, public relations considerations, and social schedules.
A new study from Washington University in St. Louis found that a spouse's personality, particularly conscientiousness, plays a significant role in determining career success. Workers with high-conscientious spouses tend to score higher on measures of occupational success.
Female northern swordtail fish are attracted to specific patterns visible in polarized light, increasing mating chances for males with higher polarization. The camera developed by Viktor Gruev captures real-time polarization properties of light, revealing new insights into vertebrate behavior.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis developed a new sensor that can detect and count nanoparticles as small as 10 nanometers, one at a time. The sensor uses Raman microlasing technology to achieve high sensitivity and biocompatibility.
Researchers identify two critical controls that tie DNA replication to cell division in bacteria, enabling them to enter a 'zombie-like' state when blocked. This discovery opens doors to developing new drugs that target the bacterial cell cycle to combat infections.
Researchers use X-rays and a new apparatus to compare behavior of glass-forming liquids as they approach the glass transition. The results show that bulk properties are linked to microscopic structure, providing insight into the mysterious process of glass formation. This study has potential applications in pharmaceutical industry.
Comprehensive maps of epigenetic marks reveal patterns for safe restoration and provide a framework for testing disease models and drug candidates. These findings hold promise for diagnosing and treating diseases caused by gene expression deregulation, including cancer and autoimmune disorders.
A new study from Washington University in St. Louis finds that competition can harm the creative output of female-led groups, but not male-led ones. Women contribute less to team creativity when teams are competing against each other, while men become more creative under similar conditions.
A new study by Washington University in St. Louis found that students who were told they would later teach a passage performed better on recall and organization tasks than those expecting a test. The study suggests that instilling an expectation to teach may be a simple, inexpensive intervention with the potential to increase learning ...
A novel course at Washington University in St. Louis evaluates the effectiveness of active-learning techniques in large lecture classes, showing mixed but consistent benefits in conceptual learning and attitudes towards learning and problem-solving. The study eliminates traditional concerns about large classes and inquiry-based courses.
Researchers use a superconducting quantum device to record and analyze the paths a quantum system takes between two states, revealing the existence of a quantum equivalent of classical 'least action' path. The findings have implications for controlling biological and chemical systems using lasers.
A study examines Twitter conversations about childhood obesity, finding that comments from government and public health organizations are scarce. The researchers believe Twitter can be a valuable tool for reaching a wide audience with accurate health information.
A 100,000-year-old archaic early human skull found in Northern China reveals a surprising presence of an inner-ear formation long thought to occur only in Neandertals. This discovery challenges current scenarios of later Pleistocene human population dispersals and interconnections.
Four doctoral students at Washington University in St. Louis will train in mechanobiology, integrating biology with engineering and other disciplines. They will conduct research on various length scales and develop teaching skills through outreach activities.
A study suggests that early humans who relied on an insect diet during lean seasons may have developed bigger brains and higher-level cognitive functions. Capuchin monkeys' foraging patterns for insects reveal a link between seasonal food scarcity and sensorimotor skills, including tool use and problem-solving.
Researchers found a strong correlation between retirement savings and health improvement behaviors, with 401(k) contributors improving their health by 27% more than non-contributors. The study controlled for initial health, demographics, and job type to find that financial planning predicts future health changes.
Joseph Jez, co-director of the plant and microbial biosciences graduate program at Washington University in St. Louis, has received a $1 million grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) to establish the Biotech Explorers Pathway. The pathway aims to introduce entering students to both science and business of biotechnology,...
A WUSTL scientist has developed a drug delivery system that exploits bacterial siderophores to target specific pathogens, potentially reviving abandoned antibiotics and making it harder for bacteria to develop resistance. The system uses tiny Trojan horses linked to siderophore molecules to smuggle antibiotics into bacterial cells.