202 articles from MONDAY 4.1.2021

Risk of extinction cascades from freshwater mussels to a bitterling fish

Reproduction of native and invasive bitterling fishes and their hybridisation was studied in Japan. We collected mussels in which these bitterlings lay their eggs, kept them in aquaria, collected eggs/larvae ejected from mussels, and genotyped them. We found that hybrids occurred when local mussel density was low. The rapid decline of the host mussels and artificial introduction of an invasive...

Scientists discover how mother-of-pearl self-assembles into a perfect structure

In a new study published in Nature Physics, researchers from the B CUBE - Center for Molecular Bioengineering at TU Dresden and European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble describe, for the first time, that structural defects in self-assembling nacre attract and cancel each other out, eventually leading to a perfect periodic structure.

Scientists seek faster route to treat depression

The Brazilian research group used epigenetic modulators to try to 'erase' the damage done by stress to neuroplasticity. The study showed that acute intervention in epigenetic mechanisms produces antidepressant-like effects more rapidly than conventional drugs.

Scrambled supersolids

Supersolids are fluid and solid at the same time. Physicists from Innsbruck and Geneva have for the first time investigated what happens when such a state is brought out of balance. They discovered a soft form of a solid of high interest for science. As the researchers led by Francesca Ferlaino and Thierry Giamarchi report in Nature Physics, they were also able to reverse the process and restore...

Severe sepsis predicted by common protein

A sugar-binding protein could fuel terrible inflammation and worsen sepsis, a disease that kills more than 270,000 people every year in the US alone, reports a team of researchers led by immunologists at UConn Health.

Super surfaces

Assembling tiny chips into unique programmable surfaces, Princeton researchers have created a key component toward unlocking a communications band that promises to dramatically increase the amount data wireless systems can transmit.

Supercapacitors challenge batteries

A team working with Roland Fischer, Professor of Inorganic and Metal-Organic Chemistry at the Technical University Munich (TUM) has developed a highly efficient supercapacitor. The basis of the energy storage device is a novel, powerful and also sustainable graphene hybrid material that has comparable performance data to currently utilized batteries.

Surprising news: drylands are not getting drier

Columbia Engineering study is the first to show the importance of long-term soil moisture changes and associated soil moisture-atmosphere feedbacks in future predictions of water availability in drylands. The researchers identified a long-term soil moisture regulation of atmospheric circulation and moisture transport that largely ameliorates the potential decline of future water availability in...

The true cost of chemotherapy

New research reveals the non-healthcare costs of chemotherapy for breast cancer patients.It includes the cost of lost productivity, work absence, and 'out-of-pocket' personal costs such as paying for transport and parking for treatment, the cost of wigs and new bras, and over the counter medications.The research team say that better targeting of treatment could help avoid placing unnecessary costs...

Uncovering how plants see blue light

Plants can perceive and react to light across a wide spectrum. New research from the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences shows how plants can respond to blue light in particular by revealing the structure of cryptochrome-2, the molecule that reacts to blue light.

Vaping combined with smoking is likely as harmful as smoking cigarettes alone

People who smoked traditional cigarettes in addition to using e-cigarettes experienced health effects as harmful as those who smoked cigarettes exclusively; those effects are associated with a higher risk for cardiovascular disease and death.In a large data analysis of more than 7,100 U.S. adults, researchers examined the association of cigarette and e-cigarette use with inflammation and oxidative...