410 articles from THURSDAY 25.2.2021

Rare bee found after 100 years

A widespread field search for a rare Australian native bee not recorded for almost a century has found it's been there all along - but is probably under increasing pressure to survive. "This is concerning because it is the only Australian species in the Pharohylaeus genus and nothing was known of its biology," Flinders University researcher James Dorey says in a new scientific paper in the journal...

Real-world effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine - research by Clalit Research Institute

Major study, conducted in collaboration with researchers from Harvard University, examined data on 600,000 vaccinated individuals in Israel, along with 600,000 matched unvaccinated controls.Two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine reduced symptomatic COVID-19 by 94% and severe disease by 92%; Single dose reduced symptomatic COVID-19 by 57% and severe disease by 62%; Vaccine effectiveness was found to...

Removing one barrier to opioid use disorder treatment

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) submitted notice to the Federal Register that it would issue practice guidelines that exempt physicians from the requirement to apply for a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) in up to 30 patients at one time. This exemption has been placed on hold by the Biden administration and may require legislative change to...

Researcher identifies potential new measure for Alzheimer's risk

Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease has been shown to reduce cost and improve patient outcomes, but current diagnostic approaches can be invasive and costly. A recent study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, has found a novel way to identify a high potential for developing Alzheimer's disease before symptoms occur.

Risk genes in schizophrenia - their importance in choosing appropriate antipsychotic drug

The objective of this review is to update the main risk genes involved in schizophrenia and to establish an association between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of these genes and pharmacotherapy resistance/efficacy of a determined antipsychotic treatment. Besides, neural networks in the brain centers involved in schizophrenia will be updated to point out the altered functions of...

Scientists identify cells responsible for liver tissue maintenance and regeneration

While the amazing regenerative power of the liver has been known since ancient times, the cells responsible for maintaining and replenishing the liver have remained a mystery. Now, research from the Children's Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) has identified the cells responsible for liver maintenance and regeneration while also pinpointing where they reside in the liver.

Scientists induce artificial 'magnetic texture' in graphene

Graphene is not magnetic -- a shortcoming that has stunted its usefulness in spintronics, an emerging field that could rewrite the rules of electronics, leading to more powerful semiconductors and computers. University at Buffalo researchers report an advancement to overcome this obstacle. In a study published today in Physical Review Letters, researchers describe pairing a magnet with graphene,...

Scientists investigated more thoroughly Walker breakdown in 3D magnetic nanowires

Physicists from Russia, Chile, Brazil, Spain, and the UK, have studied how the magnetic properties change in 3D nanowires, promising materials for various magnetic applications, depending on the shape of their cross-section. Particularly, they more deeply probed into the Walker breakdown phenomenon, on the understanding of which the success of the implementation of the future electronics devices...

Scientists use Doppler to peer inside cells

Doppler radar improves lives by peeking inside air masses to predict the weather. A Purdue University team is using similar technology to look inside living cells, introducing a method to detect pathogens and treat infections in ways that scientists never have before.

Short-term climate modeling forecasts drought for Southeast US

Many climate models focus on scenarios decades into the future, making their outcomes seem unreliable and problematic for decision-making in the immediate future. In a proactive move, researchers are using short-term forecasts to stress the urgency of drought risk in the United States and inform policymakers' actions now.

Signal transduction without signal -- receptor clusters can direct cell movement

Whether we smell, taste or see, or when adrenaline rushes through our veins, all of these signals are received by our cells via a specific group of receptor proteins called G protein-coupled receptors, which transmit signals to the inside of the cell. Biochemists at Goethe University Frankfurt and the University of Leipzig have now discovered that such receptors can also produce signals even in...

Smaller plates help reduce food waste in campus dining halls

Food waste is a major problem in the U.S., and young adults are among the worst culprits. Many of them attend college or university and live on campus, making dining halls a prime target for waste reduction efforts. And a simple intervention can make a big difference, a University of Illinois study shows.

Social dilemma follows 2018 eruption of Kilauea volcano

The unprecedented cost of the 2018 Kilauea eruption in Hawai'i reflects the intersection of distinct physical and social phenomena: infrequent, highly destructive eruptions, and atypically high population growth, according to a new study led by University of Hawai'i at Mānoa researchers.

Study finds short window for donating convalescent plasma to COVID-19 patients

The optimal timeframe for donating convalescent plasma for use in COVID-19 immunotherapy, which was given emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration in August 2020, is within 60 days of the onset of symptoms, according to a new Penn State-led study. The research also reveals that the ideal convalescent plasma donor is a recovered COVID-19 patient who is older than 30 and whose...