Heavier mixed-breed dogs have higher health risks if neutered or spayed early, according to a new study.

By tinkering with some of life's oldest components, astrobiologists hope to find clues about how life emerged. In a recent article researchers report an unexpected discovery, hinting at an effect that prevents organisms from ever reaching evolutionary 'perfection.'

Researchers have gained new understanding of the virus that causes hepatitis B and the 'spiky ball' that encloses its genetic blueprint. They looked at how the capsid -- a protein shell that protects the blueprint and also drives the delivery of it to infect a host cell -- assembles itself. The capsid is an important target in developing drugs to treat hepatitis B, a life-threatening and incurable...

Blocking the activity of a fat-regulating enzyme in the muscles of mice leads to an increased capacity for endurance exercise, according to the results of a new study.

Chemists have efficiently created three families of complex, oxygen-containing molecules that are normally obtainable only from plants. These molecules, called terpenes, are potential starting points for new drugs and other high-value products -- marking an important development for multiple industries. In addition, the new approach could allow chemists to build many other classes of compounds.

To judge the overall effectiveness of cover crops and choose those offering the most ecosystem services, agricultural scientists must consider the plants' roots as well as above-ground biomass, according to researchers who tested the characteristics of cover crop roots in three monocultures and one mixture.

As the uncertainty around reopening college and university campuses this fall continues, those who work, study, teach and conduct research are navigating the uncertain terrain of the 'new normal.' They are balancing physical distancing and other COVID-19 prevention practices with productivity, creating home workspaces and mastering communications and teamwork across time and space.

A team of scientists has announced the discovery of a simple modification that allows quantum systems to stay operational -- or 'coherent' -- 10,000 times longer than before.

To improve our understanding of the antibody response conferring protection against HBV infection, scientists have produced and characterized human monoclonal antibodies specific to viral envelope antigens, referred as HBsAg, from blood memory B cells isolated from HBV vaccinees and natural controllers.

An online COVID-19 symptom tracking tool developed by researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center ensures a person's confidentiality while being able to actively monitor their symptoms. The tool is not proprietary and can be used by entities that are not able to develop their own tracking systems.

Researchers have designed an off-grid, low-cost modular energy source that can efficiently produce power at night. The system uses commercially available technology and could eventually help meet the need for nighttime lighting in urban areas or provide lighting in developing countries.

Accurate temperature estimates of ancient oceans are vital because they are the best tool for reconstructing global climate conditions in the past. While climate models provide scenarios of what the world could look like in the future, paleoclimate studies (study of past climates) provide insight into what the world did look like in the past.

By efficiently converting CO2 into complex hydrocarbon products, a new catalyst could potentially aid in large-scale efforts to recycle excess carbon dioxide.

Researchers have discovered which gut bacteria help our immune system battle cancerous tumors and how they do it. The discovery may provide a new understanding of why immunotherapy, a treatment for cancer that helps amplify immune response, works in some cases, but not others. The findings show combining immunotherapy with specific microbial therapy helps the immune system to recognize and attack...

New research has led to the discovery of a novel magnetic compound in which two magnetic dysprosium metal ions are bridged by two aromatic organic radicals forming a pancake bond. The results of this study can be utilized to improve the magnetic properties of similar compounds.

Antibiotic resistance is an increasing health problem, but new research suggests it is not only caused by the overuse of antibiotics. It's also caused by pollution.

A team has developed a class of light-switchable, highly adaptable molecular tools with new capabilities to control cellular activities. The antibody-like proteins, called OptoBinders, have potential applications including protein purification, the improved production of biofuels, and new types of targeted cancer therapies.

Seasonal flu vaccination does increase the number of antibody-producing cells specific for flu in the bone marrow. However, most of the newly generated cells are lost within one year, researchers found.

Our mouths may be home to a newly discovered set of multi-tasking taste cells that -- unlike most known taste cells, which detect individual tastes -- are capable of detecting sour, sweet, bitter and umami stimuli.

Since the late 1990s, immunotherapy has been the frontline treatment against lymphomas where synthetic antibodies are used to stop the proliferation of cancerous white blood cells. However, in the more than 20 years since their use began, the molecular mechanisms that underlie this therapy are still little understood. For the first time, scientists have observed the interaction between therapeutic...

A multiple sclerosis drug may be used to block HIV infection and reduce the latent reservoir, according to new research.

A new federal rule that determines how the Clean Water Act is implemented leaves millions of miles of streams and acres of wetlands unprotected based on selective interpretation of case law and a distortion of scientific evidence, researchers say.

Researchers find that mitochondria regulate a key event during brain development: how neural stem cells become nerve cells. Mitochondria influence this cell fate switch during a precise period that is twice as long in humans compared to mice. This highlights an unexpected function for mitochondria that may help explain how humans developed a bigger brain during evolution, and how mitochondrial...

Key knowledge gaps exist in our understanding of how ocean microplastics transport bacteria and viruses -- and whether this affects the health of humans and animals, researchers say.