276 articles from MONDAY 19.10.2020

NYU Abu Dhabi study discovers how some single-cell organisms control microbiomes

Large swaths of single-celled eukaryotes, non-bacterial single-cell organisms like microalgae, fungi or mold, can control microbiomes (a collection of tiny microbes, mostly bacteria) by secreting unusual small molecules around their cells, maintaining host survival and ecological success, according to a new study by NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Assistant Professor of Biology Shady Amin.

Oldest securely dated evidence for a river flowing through the Thar Desert, Western India

Using luminescence dating of ancient river sediments, a new study published in Quaternary Science Reviews presents evidence for river activity at Nal Quarry in the central Thar Desert starting from approx. 173 thousand years ago. These findings represent the oldest directly dated phase of river activity in the region and indicate Stone Age populations lived in a distinctly different Thar Desert...

Palau's coral reefs: a jewel of the ocean

The latest report from the Living Oceans Foundation finds Palau's reefs had the highest coral cover observed on the Global Reef Expedition--the largest coral reef survey and mapping expedition in history. Published today, the Global Reef Expedition: The Republic of Palau Final Report summarizes the Foundation's research on the status of coral reefs and reef fish in Palau and provides conservation...

Prebiotic chemistry - In the beginning, there was sugar

Organic molecules formed the basis for the evolution of life. But how could inorganic precursors have given rise to them? Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich chemist Oliver Trapp now reports a reaction pathway in which minerals catalyze the formation of sugars in the absence of water.

Researchers discover neuroprotective treatment for chronic traumatic brain injury

TBI survivors are currently treated with extensive physical and cognitive rehabilitation, accompanied by medications that may mitigate symptoms yet do not halt or slow neurodegeneration. Now, researchers have found for the first time that this process can be pharmacologically reversed in an animal model of this chronic health condition, offering an important proof of principle in the field and a...

Results from the VOYAGER PAD Trial reported at TCT Connect

A large subgroup analysis of a randomized clinical trial showed neither a mortality risk nor benefit associated with the use of paclitaxel drug-coated devices (DCD) in the treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD). The study also found that the benefit of rivaroxaban use on reducing ischemic limb and cardiovascular outcomes was consistent regardless of whether a DCD was used.

Russian scientists suggested a transfer to safe nuclear energy

Scientists from Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU), Ozersk Technological Institute, and the Russian Academy of Sciences have improved a processing technology of a monazite concentrate which is a mineral raw material employed as a source of rare earth elements and thorium. The latter, in turn, is a part of the thorium-uranium fuel cycle that is more eco-friendly compared to the one based on...

Save it or spend it? Advertising decisions amid consumer word-of-mouth

Most people have seen or heard from a friend, neighbor or family member about a product or service they've used and how their experience was. It's called observational learning or word-of-mouth. These communications don't provide an unbiased assessment of true quality. Given this, businesses are faced with the difficult decision of determining when and how to spend their ad dollars.

Scientists improve model of landslide-induced tsunami

MIPT researchers Leopold Lobkovsky and Raissa Mazova, and their young colleagues from Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University have created a model of landslide-induced tsunamis that accounts for the initial location of the landslide body. Reported in Landslides, the model reveals that tsunami height is affected by the coastal slope and the position of the land mass before slipping. The highest...

Scientists map the human proteome

Twenty years after the release of the human genome, the genetic 'blueprint' of human life, an international research team, including the University of British Columbia's Chris Overall, has now mapped the first draft sequence of the human proteome.

Showcasing successful women's STEM achievements, a social vaccine against gender stereotypes

In a study published in the open access journal Frontiers in Psychology, a team of researchers led by the director of the GenTIC (Gender and ICT) research group at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3), Milagros Sáinz, have demonstrated the impact of female role models in influencing girls' preferences for studying STEM subjects.

Significant link found between air pollution and neurological disorders

Air pollution was significantly associated with an increased risk of hospital admissions for several neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and other dementias, in a large, long-term study of US adults. Risk remained elevated even below supposedly safe levels of PM2.5 exposure, as defined by current US Environmental Protection Agency standards. Women, white...