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...
Recreational marijuana legalization, changes in use before, during, after pregnancy
Researchers looked at whether state legalization of recreational cannabis was associated with changes in use by women before, during and after pregnancy.
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.
Researchers identify drugs with potential to stop plaque buildup in arteries
Glycomics researchers at the University of Alberta and CHU Sainte-Justine have reported a discovery that could lead to new treatments for cardiovascular disease.
Researchers map metabolic signaling machinery for producing memory T cells
Discovery of a metabolic pathways that inhibit memory T cell production has potential for enhancing the immune system's ability to fight infections and cancers.
Risk factors associated with COVID-19 transmission among US Air Force trainees in a congregate setting
Researchers in this observational study of more than 10,000Â U.S. Air Force basic trainees examined whether symptoms and laboratory results on the first day of COVID-19 diagnosis are associated with development of a case cluster in a congregate setting.
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 probe electronic angular momentum to a chemical reaction for the first time
Scienists developed molecular crossed beam apparatus with threshold ionization velocity map imaging technique, enabling to probe the scattering product with high angular resolution with quantum rotational-state recognition.
Scientists reveal details of antibodies that work against Zika virus
The Zika outbreak of 2015 and 2016 is having lasting impacts on children whose mothers became infected with the virus while they were pregnant.
Scientists uncover new details of SARS-CoV-2 interactions with human cells
If the coronavirus were a cargo ship, it would need to deliver its contents to a dock in order to infect the host island.
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.
Sea turtle: Sentinels and victims of plastic pollution in the Adriatic Sea
A University of Bologna research group found plastic waste in the faeces of 45 turtles hospitalised at the Fondazione Cetacea Sea Turtles Rescue Center in Riccione. This signals a high level of pollution in the sea as well as a major threat to the health of these animals whose survival is already at risk.
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.
Smartphones could help to prevent glaucoma blindness - study
Smartphones could be used to scan people's eyes for early-warning signs of glaucoma - helping to prevent severe ocular diseases and blindness, a new study reveals.
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 estimates two-thirds of COVID-19 hospitalizations due to four conditions
A new study estimates 64% of adult COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S. may have been prevented if there were less obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and heart failure. The model suggests notable differences by age and race/ethnicity in COVID-19 hospitalizations related to these conditions.
Study finds changes in gut microbiome connected to Alzheimer's-like behavior
New research in mice published today in the journal Scientific Reports strengthens the growing scientific consensus regarding the role of the gut microbiome in neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease.
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...