390 articles from THURSDAY 14.1.2021

Scientists uncover new path toward treating a rare but deadly neurologic condition

Molybdenum cofactor (Moco) is a compound that is little known but is essential for life. Children born without the ability to synthesize Moco die young. It has not been possible to create Moco supplements because the compound is so unstable. Studies in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans suggest that by combining, Moco with certain proteins, it becomes stable and can repair deficiency.

Smoking directly linked to a higher risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage

The relationship between smoking and risk of a serious type of bleeding stroke called subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) appeared to be linear, with risk of SAH increasing significantly among people considered heavy smokers.People with genetic variants that predisposed them to smoking behaviors have an increased risk of SAH by more than 60%.

Snakes evolve a magnetic way to be resistant to venom

Certain snakes have evolved a unique genetic trick to avoid being eaten by venomous snakes, according to University of Queensland research.Associate Professor Bryan Fry from UQ's Toxin Evolution Lab said the technique worked in a manner similar to the way two sides of a magnet repel each other.

SolarEV City concept: Building the next urban power and mobility systems

Cities are responsible for 60-70% of energy-related CO2 emissions. As the world is increasingly urbanized, it is crucial to identify cost-effective pathways to decarbonize. Here, we propose a "SolarEV City" concept, in which integrated systems of cities' roof-top PVs with EVs as batteries can supply affordable and dispatchable CO2-free electricity for citie's dwerllers, which can reduce CO2...

Spectacular fossil discovery:

A team led by Sebastian Stumpf from the University of Vienna describes an well-preserved skeleton of the ancient shark Asteracanthus. This rare fossil find comes from the famous Solnhofen limestones in Bavaria, which was formed in a tropical-subtropical lagoon landscape during the Late Jurassic, about 150 million years ago. The almost complete skeleton shows that Asteracanthus was two-and-a-half...

Study demonstrates efficacy of new treatment for neurofibromatosis type 1-related tumors

Based on preclinical studies of an investigational drug to treat peripheral nerve tumors, researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) as part of the Neurofibromatosis Clinical Trials Consortium have shown that the drug, cabozantinib, reduces tumor volume and pain in patients with the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). The results of the Phase 2 clinical trial,...

Study the boundary between bulk, nano and molecule scale of gold plasmonic physics

The collective behavior of electrons in metal plasmons reflects the important difference between condensed matter and molecule-like ones. With the help of gold clusters with precise atom numbers(N), the evolution of plasmonic response is clarified and three regimes are observed, each with distinct physics. An atomically-precise evolution picture of plasmon physics is shown with 3 regimes:...

Teeth pendants speak of the elk's prominent status in the Stone Age

The elk was the most important animal to the people inhabiting the northern coniferous belt, with its incisors being perhaps the most coveted part of the body. Incisors were turned into pendants, which were attached using strings made of fibre or sinew. The manufacturing techniques of the thousands of elk tooth pendants discovered in the graves of hunter-gatherers who lived approximately 8,200...

Tetris is no longer just a game, but an algorithm, which ensures maximum room occupancy

The software was developed by the University of Trento. It is a new and revolutionary method to manage the accommodation of guests in hotel. RoomTetris finds the best solution, the ideal combination between demand and supply, optimizing room occupancy. A tile-matching game that no human mind, no matter how experienced and skilled, could do better, with the seriousness and scientific rigor of a...

The richer you are, the more likely you'll social distance, study finds

The higher a person's income, the more likely they were to protect themselves at the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States, Johns Hopkins University economists find.When it comes to adopting behaviors including social distancing and mask wearing, the team detected a striking link to their financial well-being. People who made around $230,000 a year were as much as 54% more...

The role of T cells in fighting cancer

Why do some hosts' immune systems reject tumors easily, while others have a harder time doing so? It depends on the types of the immune cells known as CD8 T cells and how a host's specific T cells match up with the neoantigens present in the tumor.

Toadlet peptide transforms into a deadly weapon against bacteria

Researchers at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Hamburg have discovered remarkable molecular properties of an antimicrobial peptide from the skin of the Australian toadlet. The discovery could inspire the development of novel synthetic drugs to combat bacterial infections

Towards applications: ultra-low-loss on-chip zero-index materials

Dirac-cone materials behave like an isotropic and impedance-matched zero-index medium at Dirac-point wavelength, enabling light-matter interactions in a spatially uniform optical mode with arbitrary shapes. However, such interactions are limited to small areas because of the propagation loss. Scientists designed an ultra-low-loss and homogeneous zero-index material by introducing resonance-trapped...

Understanding future species distribution: new data for biogeographers

A new CMCC global and free access dataset of 35 bioclimatic indicators just presented on Nature Scientific Data. It will complement and enlarge the availability of spatialized bioclimatic information, crucial aspect in many ecological and environmental studies and for several disciplines, including forestry, biodiversity conservation, plant and landscape ecology.