294 articles from MONDAY 2.11.2020

New study finds earliest evidence for mammal social behavior

A new study led by paleontologists at the University of Washington indicates that the earliest evidence of mammal social behavior goes back to the Age of Dinosaurs. The multituberculate Filikomys primaevus engaged in multi-generational, group-nesting and burrowing behavior, and possibly lived in colonies, some 75.5 million years ago.

New UTSA research identifies link between food insecurity and unengaged distance learning

A new study by the UTSA Urban Education Institute found that 26% of local students and parents surveyed said they were experiencing food insecurity, meaning food ran out and they didn't have more. The research during pandemic distance learning indicated that food insecure students were less motivated and engaged in schoolwork compared to their peers, signifying how hunger and larger issues of...

NIST researchers advance efforts to accurately measure glyphosate pesticide in oats

For a commonly used pesticide known as glyphosate, concerns exist over how high a level is safe in food as well as the safety of one of its byproducts, known as AMPA. Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are advancing efforts to measure glyphosate and AMPA accurately in the oat-based food products where they frequently appear by developing reference materials.

Novel technique spotlights neuronal uptake of amyloid beta in Alzheimer's disease

One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease is the formation of amyloid plaques that collect between neurons in the brain. Increasingly, however, attention has turned from these insoluble plaques to soluble forms of amyloid beta that can be taken up into neurons and are highly neurotoxic. A new study pinpoints a segment of the amyloid beta protein that is recognized by receptors involved in...

NUS researchers invent flexible and highly reliable sensor

Known as Tactile Resistive Annularly Cracked E-Skin (TRACE), this novel sensor material developed by the National University of Singapore researchers is five times better than conventional soft materials, and could be used in wearable health technology devices, or in robotics to perceive surface texture.

Outcome of 2016 US election associated with poorer mental health in Clinton voters

There were 54.6 million more days of poor mental health among adults in states that voted for Hillary Clinton in December 2016, compared to October 2016, according to a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. No such increase in poor mental health following the 2016 US election was observed in states that voted for Donald Trump. The increase in average number of poor mental...

Printing plastic webs to protect the cellphone screens of the future

Follow the unbreakable bouncing phone! A Polytechnique Montréal team recently demonstrated that a fabric designed using additive manufacturing absorbs up to 96% of impact energy -- all without breaking. Cell Reports Physical Science journal recently published an article with details about this innovation, which paves the way for the creation of unbreakable plastic coverings.

Quantity, content, and context of social media use may affect adolescents' sleep

A new study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that checking social media often, viewing emotional or violent videos, and starting to use social media at an early age were significantly related to later bedtimes and fewer hours of sleep on school nights for early adolescents. Parental rules restricting mobile phone and online use before bed and obtaining a smartphone at a later...

Rapid method finds potent COVID-19 monoclonal antibody among a trillion possibilities

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine scientists have discovered the fastest way to identify potent, neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The method - as well as a trio of successful animal studies on an antibody called "Ab1" - are described today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Ab1 is on track for human clinical...

Researchers develop a high-power, portable terahertz laser

Researchers at MIT and the University of Waterloo have developed a high-power, portable version of a device called a quantum cascade laser, which can generate terahertz radiation outside of a laboratory setting. The laser could potentially be used in applications such as pinpointing skin cancer and detecting hidden explosives.

Root bacterium to fight Alzheimer's

A bacterium found among the soil close to roots of ginseng plants could provide a new approach for the treatment of Alzheimer's. Rhizolutin, a novel class of compounds with a tricyclic framework, significantly dissociates the protein aggregates associated with Alzheimer's disease both in vivo and in vitro, as reported by scientists in the journal Angewandte Chemie.

Rural areas have fewer mental health services for young people

Very rural areas in the United States have fewer mental health services for young people, yet that's where the help is most needed, says a study published in JAMA Network Open. Previous studies have shown that the suicide rate among young people in rural areas is higher and growing faster. Yet by one measure, using ZIP codes, only 3.9 percent of rural areas have a mental health facility that...

Secrets behind "Game of Thrones" unveiled by data science and network theory

What are the secrets behind one of the most successful fantasy series of all time? How has a story as complex as "Game of Thrones" enthralled the world and how does it compare to other narratives? Researchers from five universities across the UK and Ireland came together to unravel "A Song of Ice and Fire", the books on which the TV series is based.

Self-watering soil could transform farming

A new type of soil created by engineers at The University of Texas at Austin can pull water from the air and distribute it to plants, potentially expanding the map of farmable land around the globe to previously inhospitable places and reducing water use in agriculture at a time of growing droughts.

Seven different 'disease forms' identified in mild COVID-19

In a study a team of MedUni Vienna scientists led by immunologist Winfried F. Pickl and allergologist Rudolf Valenta showed that there are seven "forms of disease" in COVID-19 with mild disease course and that the disease leaves behind significant changes in the immune system, even after 10 weeks. These findings could play a significant role in the treatment of patients and in the development of a...

Short-term moisture removal can eliminate downy mildew of spinach

Scientists at the University of Arkansas explored the relationship between available moisture and disease establishment and in a recent article they demonstrated that removing moisture decreased both spore survival and disease. Even a 30-minute dry period reduced spore germination to almost zero. Spores were unable to recover and cause disease on spinach.

Silk road contains genomic resources for improving apples

The fabled Silk Road is responsible for one of our favorite and most valuable fruits: the domesticated apple. Researchers have now assembled complete reference genomes and pan-genomes for apple and its two main wild progenitors, providing detailed genetic insights into apple domestication and important fruit traits that could help plant breeders improve the crop's flavor, texture, and resistance...

Starting kindergarten on the right foot

Going into kindergarten already well-prepared gives a child advantagesgives a child many advantages later in life and lowers costs for society in the long term, researchers in Canada find.