News on the grants and awards that fuel scientific work. Covers federal grants, foundation awards, gene-editing and disease programs, and shifts in funding policy.
A study of 23 longitudinal studies found that light-to-moderate alcohol consumption was associated with lower incidence rates of overall dementia and Alzheimer's disease. However, the impact on vascular dementia and cognitive decline is unclear.
The University of Washington is developing design tools and using commercial nanofabrication tools to create inexpensive next-generation silicon-based electro-optical chips. The Air Force Office of Scientific Research is funding this effort to improve data communications, lasers, and detectors.
Scientists at Indiana University School of Medicine have identified the source of excessive phosphate buildup in glycogen, a chain-like molecule used to store energy. This finding sheds light on a possible route to treatment for Lafora disease, a rare and deadly condition caused by genetic mutation.
Christine Aikens, assistant professor of chemistry at K-State, has received the two-year $50,000 award to support her research on sustainable energy and gold nanoparticles. The fellowship will allow her group to study fundamental problems not funded by other sources.
A recent study published in Nature Neuroscience reveals a potential link between immunity, infectious disease, and conditions such as schizophrenia and autism. Researchers found that an immune molecule called Major Histocompatibility Complex type 1 (MHC type I) regulates brain connections during early postnatal development.
A study published in Psychology and Health found that making a concrete plan and visualizing its execution leads to better food habits. Students who combined planning with visualization increased their fruit consumption twice as much as those who only planned.
A $20 million grant will study the effects of climate change on southern pine forests, a major economic engine in the US economy. The research aims to improve forest health, productivity, and sustainability while providing tools for landowners to adapt to climate change.
MIT researchers discovered that ocean currents cause elongated microbes to filter light, affecting photosynthesis and phytoplankton growth rates. This phenomenon was previously overlooked in models of light propagation, but fluid flow can change things, influencing carbon fixation and remote sensing estimates.
A new analysis found that female scientists face sexism in award competitions, with women winning fewer research awards than men but more service and teaching awards. The study suggests that the selection process is biased against women, with committees favoring male-dominated language and stereotypes.
Researchers will collect and analyze data on carbon, nitrogen, and water movement to create models and evaluate crop management practices. The goal is to develop scenarios based on different practices and offer training for teachers and scientists to understand climate shifts and agriculture.
Researchers will investigate how climate change affects cereal crops and develop sustainable farming practices. The study aims to improve the long-term viability of cereal-based farming in the region, reducing carbon footprint and mitigating climate change impacts.
A study by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution reveals that Atlantic tomcod have developed a genetic resistance to PCBs, allowing them to thrive in the polluted Hudson River. The researchers identified a single genetic receptor responsible for this adaptation, which may also impact their ability to break down other harmful chemicals.
Researchers have engineered plants to serve as sentinels for detecting pollutants and explosives, using a computer-designed detection trait that can be modified to function in various plant species. The system allows for fast and remote detection of threats, with visible changes appearing within days.
Researchers at the University of Chicago are developing new tools to mine research electronically, using metaknowledge and natural language processing to uncover hidden connections. This could shed light on biases in research findings, funding sources, and even 'ghost theories' underlying scientific conclusions.
Despite significant improvements in childhood cancer survival rates, research funding is inadequate and collaboration among countries is limited. The report calls for increased EU funding to support a Europe-wide clinical trials network and the creation of a European Childhood Cancer Epidemiological Registry.
The study found that three urocortin proteins play a central role in regulating stress responses and shutting down the stress response. Genetically engineered mice lacking these proteins showed impaired recovery from stress, highlighting their importance in returning to normal behavior.
A UT Knoxville historian is using a $50,000 NEH grant to study small village settlements in ancient Israel, which he believes were just as vibrant and dynamic as city-states.
The project develops a new experimental platform for testing wind turbine blades and introduces more realistic loading methods to improve design accuracy. New measuring techniques, including optical digital systems and acoustic emission, are also being developed.
The partnership aims to fund six Ph.D. scholarships over three years in areas such as power electronics and transportation engineering. The collaboration will also facilitate post-doctoral research appointments and series of exchanges between the two institutions.
Researchers investigate how ritual contributes to intergroup conflict and violence in various regions, including Northern Ireland, the Middle East, Nepal, and Colombia. The project aims to better understand the forces that drive human groups, informing conflict prevention and resolution efforts.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a framework called CrowdForge that breaks down complex tasks into simple, independent micro-tasks. The study found crowdsourced articles rated higher in quality and had lower variability compared to individual-authored articles.
A new research project investigates the evolution of public interest in climate change from 1992 to 2010, examining communication strategies, public figures, and cultural dimensions. The study will uncover patterns and reveal changes in social dynamics, accelerated by the internet's impact.
Jason Hafner's research on gold nanostars has led to breakthroughs in sensing, imaging, and medicine. He also discovered a method to measure large electrical fields inside cell membranes.
Research focuses on magnetism in three new classes of materials, including strange iridium oxide-based metals and topological insulators. The study aims to understand spin-orbit coupling effects in these materials for future energy transport and computing applications.
Advances in recording technology and data analysis are set to revolutionize brain research, enabling better understanding of the brain's functional principles. Researchers at RIC have found that the number of simultaneously recorded single neurons has grown exponentially since the 1950s, doubling approximately every seven years.
Researchers are developing efficient spectrum-sensing technologies to support high-speed internet in rural areas and enable super Wi-Fi networks. The goal is to efficiently use limited radio spectrum resources to meet the growing demand for wireless technologies.
Researchers at University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging are developing a treatment for Alzheimer's disease by targeting the protein kinase p38alphaMAPK. Their goal is to suppress overactive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which disrupt brain function in people with Alzheimer's.
The University of Maryland is leading a multidisciplinary project to investigate the complex dynamics between water and the built urban environment in the Chesapeake Bay region. The research aims to simulate land conversion patterns and predict future land development under various policy scenarios.
A major grant award of £3.3 million has been secured by a Southampton-led consortium project to study past and possible future sea-level rise. The researchers aim to obtain a better picture of how much and how quickly sea level may rise as a result of global warming.
Researchers Jacek Debiec and Regina Sullivan are studying neural circuits to understand how fear is passed from mother to offspring in rats. This research aims to develop early therapeutic remedies for anxiety disorders related to trauma.
Ralph G. Nuzzo, an American chemist, has been awarded the Research Award of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for his pioneering work on thiol-based SAMs. He will spend several months researching at KIT and Bielefeld University to advance Interfacial Systems Chemistry.
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed an approach to create reliable models of large power systems using Synchrophasor technology, enabling real-time monitoring and prediction of blackouts. The approach uses high-resolution power-system measurements to capture the dynamics of clusters and their connections, he...
Seven CAMH scientists receive NARSAD Young Investigator awards to conduct genetic, clinical, and neuroimaging studies guiding future treatments and personalized approaches for schizophrenia and depression. The research aims to enhance treatments and improve the lives of people living with mental illness.
Researchers are working to identify factors that cause neural implants to fail, which can occur within six to eight weeks. A team led by the University of Houston is using advanced software and imaging techniques to analyze brain cell responses to implants, aiming to improve prosthetic limbs for amputees.
NIDCR funding to US dental schools decreased by 10% between 2005 and 2009, with dollars from other NIH Institutes and Centers increasing 34.6%. This trend may threaten the identity of dental schools as a profession if research infrastructure is not strengthened.
The study found an estimated 6.5% of Americans aged 40 and older have age-related macular degeneration, a decline from the 1988-1994 survey's 9.4%. Non-Hispanic black individuals had lower AMD prevalence than non-Hispanic white individuals.
NARSAD has awarded $12.6 million in new research grants to support innovative brain and behavior research projects. The Young Investigator grants will fund the work of 214 researchers from around the world, including those studying schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, autism, ADHD, and anxiety disorders.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found that regional dialects and slang terms on Twitter can predict the location of tweet authors. The study analyzed over 380,000 tweets and found that users from different regions used distinct words and phrases, such as 'yinz' for Pittsburghers and 'coo' for southern Californians.
A Rhode Island Hospital study found that culturing the nose is more likely to reveal MRSA than other body sites, and a strong correlation exists between nasal MRSA quantity and colonization at other sites. The researchers suggest screening the nose and groin for MRSA yields the highest yield.
A University of Colorado team found that the metabolic cost of an adult missing one night of sleep is roughly equivalent to walking two miles. The study showed a 7% increase in energy expenditure during sleep deprivation, while recovery sleep resulted in a 5% decrease.
The University of Warwick has successfully delivered a new furnace capable of reaching temperatures of up to 1800 degrees centigrade, marking a significant advancement in the study of Silicon Carbide. This breakthrough is expected to lead to more efficient energy management and potentially new applications for this material.
A researcher at the University of Arizona is working on high-temperature resistant ceramic coatings to protect Air Force hypersonic aircraft. The coating can withstand temperatures up to 2800 degrees Celsius and has the potential to enable faster travel times.
Researchers at the University of Toronto have identified a spontaneously chain-reacting molecule that can grow durable 'molecular-chains' on surfaces. This discovery could enable faster and more efficient creation of nano-wires for circuitry applications.
A new study by Carnegie Mellon University researchers found that imagining eating a certain food decreases appetite for it. Participants who repeatedly imagined consuming a food ate significantly fewer pieces than those who performed different tasks or imagined a different food.
According to a recent study in Nature Biotechnology, states in the US are now funding more human embryonic stem cell research than the federal government. The extent of this funding varies significantly between states, with some prioritizing this research over others.
A new study from the University of Montreal reveals that Zen meditators experience pain but don't dwell on it as much. The research suggests that meditators have a training-related ability to disengage certain brain processes, leading to lower pain sensitivity.
A comprehensive overview of volunteering and service activities among older people is now available. The book features essays from leading scholars and classic research articles from the Gerontological Society of America's peer-reviewed journals.
Polar research is fragmented in Europe, requiring mainstreaming into the European Research Area to address global scientific questions and climate change impacts. The European Polar Board urges a broad strategy for investment in research activities for long-term European benefit.
Researchers will sample over 250 sites in southeastern New Hampshire and Maine's tributaries to pinpoint high nitrate concentration sources. The goal is to develop effective management strategies targeting nitrogen reduction in Great Bay.
The study of 84Sr reveals new energy-level scheme with 12 new states and nearly 30 new γ-transitions. The positive-parity states are calculated using the projected shell model, showing a good collective vibration-like nature above spin 11-.
Scientists have successfully visualized adsorbed protein layers using evanescent wave imaging, demonstrating its potential for monitoring protein adsorption. The study optimized conditions by applying a polarized beam and incorporating a surface-enhanced medium, leading to significant increases in image contrast.
Researchers present a comprehensive model of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) progenitors using the Single Degenerate (SD) framework. The study confirms that the model describes potential progenitor systems of SNe Ia, including cases like Case Wind and Case Calm.
A study by Sara Adar and colleagues found that long-term air pollution exposure is associated with narrowing of retinal arterioles, a microvascular change linked to increased cardiovascular disease risk. Short-term pollution exposure also showed weak associations with retinal vessel changes.
Despite economic uncertainty, global health donors have continued to increase funding, with the US and private donors driving major increases. However, growth rates slowed between 2008 and 2010, and some countries with high disease burdens receive less funding than those with stronger economies.
Research finds that a missing molecule essential for nerve cell development impacts GnRH transport, leading to infertility in males. In mice lacking SEMA3A, GnRH becomes stuck in the nose or forehead, preventing proper hormone regulation.
University of Illinois scientists have developed a new tool to study the metabolism of carotenoids in tomatoes, which are believed to provide cancer-preventive benefits. The researchers will use isotopic labeling to trace the absorption and metabolism of three carotenoid compounds in human bodies.
Researchers have successfully self-assembled rod-shaped molecules into small rotors within a two-dimensional network, forming a hexagonal lattice. The rotors exhibit unique energy thresholds and can maintain their structure even when exposed to thermal energy, enabling potential applications in optical or electronic switching.
Jonathan Malen's research may lead to more precise thermal management devices for aircraft and other transportation systems. He proposes using thin layers of small molecules to filter vibrations that carry heat, enabling more precise control over temperature.
A study by the University of Kent found that Black Africans in Britain face significant integration challenges, with Somalis and Congolese communities being particularly disadvantaged. The research highlights the need for targeted support, including language skills and job training, to help these groups integrate into society.
A large cohort study found that women with depression were 29% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and those with diabetes had a 53% higher risk of developing depression. The association remained significant even after adjusting for lifestyle factors, suggesting a bidirectional relationship between the two conditions.