349 articles from THURSDAY 5.11.2020
SARS-CoV-2 uses 'genome origami' to infect and replicate inside host cells
Scientists at the University of Cambridge, in collaboration with Justus-Liebig University, Germany, have uncovered how the genome of SARS-CoV-2 - the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 - uses genome origami to infect and replicate successfully inside host cells.
Scientists define binary tropical cyclones
A new research established an objective standard for defining binary tropical cyclones.
Scientists work to shed light on Standard Model of particle physics
In a collaborative project with Fermilab, Argonne scientists mapped the magnetic field inside a vacuum with unprecedented accuracy. Results will be used in an experiment to shed light on the Standard Model of particle physics.
Serial screening for COVID-19 in asymptomatic patients receiving anticancer therapy
The implementation of swab screening program for COVID-19 cancer patients prior to each cycle of anticancer therapy at a hospital in the United Arab Emirates was assessed in this study.
Shifts in water temperatures affect eating habits of larval tuna at critical life stage
Small shifts in ocean temperature can have significant effects on the eating habits of blackfin tuna during the larval stage of development, when finding food and growing quickly are critical to long-term survival.
Shining a light on the issue of wine fraud
University of Adelaide wine researchers are developing a fast and simple method of authenticating wine - a potential solution against the estimated billions of dollars' worth of wine fraud globally, but also offering a possible means of building regional branding.
Smokers switching exclusively to glo significantly reduce exposure to certain toxicants
New study finds that smokers switching exclusively to glo significantly reduce their exposure to certain toxicants, potentially reducing risk of smoking-related disease
Soil carbon changes in transition areas suggest conservation for Amazon, scientists say
Conservation efforts on the edges of the Amazon forest, especially in light of recent deforestation by human disturbance, could help the region weather the storm of climate change, researchers say. That assessment, led by researchers at the University of Oregon, comes from an analysis of vegetation changes and carbon isotope signatures in the soil at 83 sites.
Species more likely to die out with rapid climate changes
The great tit and other birds can adapt to changes in their food supply as a result of climate change, but they run into trouble if the changes happen too quickly.
Stable protein decoy neutralized SARS-CoV-2 in cells and protected hamsters from viral challenge
Researchers have designed a protein 'decoy' that mimics the interface where the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binds a human cell, one version of which could neutralize virus infection in cells and protect hamsters from viral challenge.
Story tips: Ice breaker data, bacterial breakdown, catching heat and finding order
ORNL story tips: Ice breaker data, bacterial breakdown, catching heat and finding order
Study suggests most humans are vulnerable to type 2 diabetes
Scientists have found that insulin has met an evolutionary cul-de-sac, limiting its ability to adapt to obesity and thereby rendering most people vulnerable to Type 2 diabetes.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage causes more deaths among middle-aged women than other strokes
According to a recently published Finnish study, subarachnoid hemorrhage, which has so far been considered a relatively rare type of stroke, causes a significant share of all fatalities among middle-aged people. The number of, in particular, middle-aged women whose death is caused by subarachnoid hemorrhage is higher than the corresponding figure for cerebral infarction, a much more common...
Sugar-coated viral proteins hijack and hitch a ride out of cells
Many viruses - including coronaviruses ¬- have protective outer layer made of proteins, fats and sugars. New research shows targeting sugar production has potential for broad-spectrum antiviral drugs
Surprising insights into the role of autophagy in neuron
Autophagy protects our neurons in the brain, but for entirely different reasons than previously assumed, as researchers from the Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP) and Charité in Berlin have shown. When the scientists used a genetic trick to switch off autophagy-mediated "cellular waste disposal", they found elevated levels of the endoplasmic reticulum, which acts,...
Technique to regenerate optic nerve offers hope for future glaucoma treatment
Scientists have used gene therapy to regenerate damaged nerve fibres in the eye, in a discovery that could aid the development of new treatments for glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide.
The biggest trees capture the most carbon: Large trees dominate carbon storage in forests
A recent study examining carbon storage in Pacific Northwest forests demonstrated that although large-diameter trees (21 inches) only comprised 3% of total stems, they accounted for 42% of the total aboveground carbon storage. The researchers highlight the importance of protecting large trees and strengthening existing forest management policies so that large trees can continue to sequester carbon...
The burning question of Bonfire Night pollution
Bonfire Night celebrations contaminate our air with 100 times more soot than usual. The particles, also known as black carbon are so small, they can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause irritation. Long term exposure can cause harmful effects on the heart and lungs and contributes to millions of deaths worldwide each year.
The ebb and flow of brain ventricles
Enlarged ventricles in the brains of people with multiple sclerosis were previously considered a sign of tissue loss. But a team at the MDC and ECRC demonstrated that this expansion often recedes. A study published in JCI Insight now shows that the process observed in mice is transferable to humans.
The first duckbill dinosaur fossil from Africa hints at how dinosaurs once crossed oceans
The first fossils of a duckbilled dinosaur have been discovered in Africa, suggesting dinosaurs crossed hundreds of kilometres of open water to get there.
Tokyo's voluntary standstill may have stopped COVID-19 in its tracks
Research shows that Japan's noncompulsory state of emergency generally succeeded in reducing human movement. A study from The University of Tokyo Institute of Industrial Science used mobile phone location data for January-April 2020 to record and plot movement of people in metro Tokyo during the emergence and first wave of COVID-19. They found a movement reduction of over 50%, which in turn...
Trehalose 6-phosphate promotes seed filling by activating auxin biosynthesis
Plants undergo several developmental transitions during their life cycle. The differentiation of the young embryo from a meristem like structure into a highly specialized storage organ, is believed to be controlled by local connections between sugars and hormonal response systems. By modulating the trehalose 6?phosphate (T6P) content in growing embryos of pea (Pisum sativum), an international...
Trends in positive BRCA test results among older women
National health record data were used to examine whether the rate of positive tests for variants of the BRCA gene that increase the risk for certain cancers changed among older women in the United States between 2008 and 2018.
Two motivational artificial beings are better than one for enhancing learning
Researchers from the University of Tsukuba have found that offline consolidation of a motor task was enhanced by praise delivered by robots, whether they were presented on a screen or were physically present. Further, simultaneous praise from two agents had a stronger effect than praise from just one, regardless of whether the agents were physically present or virtual. Such effects could be...
Urban air pollution estimates may overshadow full picture for China
For the first time, researchers have compared air pollution in urban and suburban areas across all of China. Using data from the China National Environmental Monitoring Center (CNEMC), the researchers found that one air pollutant, called particulate matter (PM2.5), may be overestimated in winter, while another pollutant, called ozone (O3), is significantly underestimated.