307 articles from WEDNESDAY 15.7.2020
Penn researchers find three distinct immune responses for sicker COVID-19 patients
Researchers from the Penn Institute of Immunology discovered three distinct immune responses to the SARS-CoV2 infection that could help predict the trajectory of disease in severe COVID-19 patients and may ultimately inform how to best treat them. A second study from researchers at Penn uncovered new details about the innate, or initial, response to SARS-CoV2.
Polycatenanes in mesoscale
An international research group led by Chiba University has succeeded in forming self-assembled molecule rings called "polycatenanes" without using additional molecular templates. The research group also succeeded in observing the polycatenanes, the longest structure reaching 500 nm, by using atomic force microscopy. This work, published in the journal Nature, is the first vital step in...
Precision trial highlights need for new approach to treating genomically complex cancers
A pioneering lung cancer study, led by the University of Birmingham's Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, has highlighted important factors that will need to be considered in the next wave of precision medicine studies particularly in treating genomically complicated cancers.
Regular physical activity seems to enhance cognition in children who need it most
Researchers at the Universities of Tsukuba and Kobe re-analyzed data from three experiments that tested whether physical activity interventions lead to improved cognitive skills in children. They found that (1) the benefits of regular exercise on cognition were greater in children who have poor cognitive performance before the intervention and (2) spending time on physical activity did not hinder...
Renewable energy transition makes dollars and sense
New UNSW research has disproved the claim that the transition to renewable electricity systems will harm the global economy.
Reprogramming of immune cells enhances effects of radiotherapy in preclinical models of brain cancer
A Ludwig Cancer Research study has dissected how radiotherapy alters the behavior of immune cells known as macrophages found in glioblastoma (GBM) tumors and shown how these cells might be reprogrammed with an existing drug to suppress the invariable recurrence of the aggressive brain cancer
Research brief: Researchers 3D print a working heart pump with real human cells
In a groundbreaking new study, researchers at the University of Minnesota have 3D printed a functioning centimeter-scale human heart pump in the lab. The discovery could have major implications for studying heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States killing more than 600,000 people a year.
Research raises concerns about firearm access for people with dementia
Today, new research released from faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine at the Anschutz Medical Campus looked at how caregivers address the issues of firearm safety when taking care of someone who has Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) and has access to a gun. The findings published today in JAMA Network Open.
Researchers identify genetic factors that may influence COVID-19 susceptibility
A new Cleveland Clinic study has identified genetic factors that may influence susceptibility to COVID-19. Published today in BMC Medicine, the study findings could guide personalized treatment for COVID-19.
Researchers outline strategy for testing ketone bodies against COVID-19
Given that many of the risk factors for COVID-19 are age-related, a compelling argument can be made that those infected are suffering from an aging-related disease, no matter how old they are. A review published in Med encourages researchers studying metabolism and immunity to turn their attention to ketone bodies, which are being widely studied for their role in aging, as a possible therapeutic...
Rewriting history: New evidence challenges Euro-centric narrative of early colonization
ew research from Washington University in St. Louis provides evidence that Indigenous people continued to live in southeastern US and actively resist European influence for nearly 150 years after the arrival of Spanish explorers in the 1500s.
Running on empty: New affordable catalyst relies on nitrogen vacancies to produce ammonia
Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed a new catalyst for synthesizing ammonia that does not comprise rare metals. By exploring a new design concept based around nitrogen vacancies, they created an inexpensive catalyst from abundantly available elements that still achieves state-of-the-art performance.
Scientists discover way to stop spread of devastating childhood cancer
New research reveals a new way to stop the spread of bone cancer in children.The discovery is thought to be the most important breakthrough in the field for more than 40 years.The researchers say their work could lead to 'kinder' treatments for children with bone cancer and save lives.
Scientists identify new material with potential for brain-like computing
Chinedu E. Ekuma and his colleagues at the Sensor and Electrons Devices Directorate at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory have developed a new complex material design strategy for potential use in neuromorphic computing, using metallocene intercalation in hafnium disulfide (HfS2). The work is the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of a design strategy that functionalizes a 2D material with an...
Scientists open new window into the nanoworld
University of Colorado Boulder researchers have used ultra-fast extreme ultraviolet lasers to measure the properties of materials more than 100 times thinner than a human red blood cell.
Scientists predict dramatic increase in flooding, drought in California
California may see a 54 percent increase in rainfall variability by the end of this century, according to research from a UC Davis atmospheric scientist.
Setting up an alarm system in the Atlantic Ocean
Climate scientists Laura Jackson and Richard Wood from The Met Office, UK have identified metrics that may give us early warnings of abrupt changes to the European Climate. The work is part of the EU Horizon 2020 TiPES project which is coordinated by the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Shaking light with sound
Combining integrated photonics and MEMS technology, scientists from EPFL and Purdue University demonstrate monolithic piezoelectric control of integrated optical frequency combs with bulk acoustic waves. The technology opens up integrated ultrafast acousto-optic modulation for demanding applications.
Simple twist of DNA determines fate of placenta
The development of the mammalian placenta depends upon an unusual twist that separates DNA's classic double helix into a single-stranded form, Yale researchers report July 15 in the journal Nature.
Slow growth the key to long term cold sensing
In this study which appears in Nature, researchers Yusheng Zhao and Rea Antoniou-Kourounioti in the groups of Professor Dame Caroline Dean and Professor Martin Howard at John Innes Centre show that slow growth is used as a signal to sense long-term changes in temperature.
SNMMI Image of the Year: Super-agers show resistance to tau and amyloid accumulation
Super-agers, or individuals whose cognitive skills are above the norm even at an advanced age, have been found to have increased resistance to tau and amyloid proteins, according to research presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) 2020 Annual Meeting.
Social distancing and COVID-19: A law of diminishing returns
Modeling from the McKelvey School of Engineering shows how social distancing could have better been implemented. The key? Longer periods of distancing would have helped -- but only to a point. More needed to be done.
Space station motors make a robotic prosthetic leg more comfortable, extend battery life
A new robotic prosthetic leg prototype offers a more natural gait while also being quieter and more energy efficient than other designs.
States slow to implement stay-at-home orders saw higher rates of COVID-19 deaths
Researchers from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine have conducted one of the first studies to measure the efficacy of social distancing in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. They found that states that were slow to implement such orders saw higher COVID-19 death rates.
Study funded by ADDF finds dopamine therapy improves cognitive function in Alzheimer's
A study supported by the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation and published today in JAMA Network Open provides the first evidence that rotigotine, a drug that acts on dopamine transmission in the brain, improves cognitive function in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.