292 articles from TUESDAY 6.4.2021
Dark Energy Survey physicists open new window into dark energy
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/6 19:59
An analysis by Dark Energy Survey physicists yields more precise estimates of the average density of matter as well as its propensity to clump together - two key parameters that help physicists probe the nature of dark matter and dark energy.
High levels of arsenic and uranium in some wells
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/6 19:20
A new U.S. Geological Survey study provides an updated, statewide estimate of high levels of naturally occurring arsenic and uranium in private well water across Connecticut.
Screening for skin disease on your laptop
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/6 19:20
A biomedical engineer is reporting a new deep neural network architecture - to be used on a standard laptop - that provides early diagnosis of systemic sclerosis (SSc), a rare autoimmune disease marked by hardened or fibrous skin and internal organs.
Leptin puts the brakes on eating via novel neurocircuit
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/6 19:20
A new study in mice describes novel neurocircuitry between midbrain structures that control feeding behaviors that are under modulatory control by leptin, a hormone made by body fat. Since the discovery of leptin in the 1990s, researchers have wondered how leptin can suppress appetite.
Novel biomarker for glucocorticoids could help tailor treatments
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/6 19:20
Researchers have uncovered pathways involved in the body's response to glucocorticoid treatments and identified a novel biomarker that could be used to monitor how these drugs work in patients.
Gut microbiome plays role in autism, study finds
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/6 19:20
A new study has demonstrated that autism spectrum disorder is related to changes in the gut microbiome.
A novel form of cellular logistics
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/6 19:19
Biophysicists have shown that a phenomenon known as diffusiophoresis, which can lead to a directed particle transport, can occur in biological systems.
Houston flooding polluted reefs more than 100 miles offshore
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/6 19:19
Extreme storm flooding in Houston washed human waste onto coral reefs more than 100 miles offshore. Marine biologists found fecal bacteria on sponges in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary following 2016's Tax Day flood and 2017's Hurricane Harvey.
Scientists reveal elusive inner workings of antioxidant enzyme with therapeutic potential
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/6 19:19
The enzyme manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) plays a critical role in maintaining human health by keeping the amount of harmful reactive oxygen molecules in cells under control. By using neutron scattering, researchers have now obtained a complete atomic portrait of the enzyme, revealing key information about its catalytic mechanism. The work could help experts develop MnSOD-based treatments...
Deep learning networks prefer the human voice -- just like us
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/6 19:19
A study proves that AI systems might reach higher levels of performance if they are programmed with sound files of human language rather than with numerical data labels. The researchers discovered that in a side-by-side comparison, a neural network whose 'training labels' consisted of sound files reached higher levels of performance in identifying objects in images, compared to another network...
Study links prenatal phthalate exposure to altered information processing in infants
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/6 19:19
Exposure to phthalates, a class of chemicals widely used in packaging and consumer products, is known to interfere with normal hormone function and development. Now researchers have found evidence linking pregnant women's exposure to phthalates to altered cognitive outcomes in their infants.
Understanding fruit fly behavior may be next step toward autonomous vehicles
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/6 19:19
With over 70% of respondents to a AAA annual survey on autonomous driving reporting they would fear being in a fully self-driving car, makers like Tesla may be back to the drawing board before rolling out fully autonomous self-driving systems. But new research shows us we may be better off putting fruit flies behind the wheel instead of robots.
Birds can change their traditions for the better, study shows
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/6 19:19
Researchers have found that birds are able to change their culture to become more efficient. The research reveals immigration as a powerful driver of cultural change in animal groups that could help them to adapt to rapidly changing environments.
'Brain glue' helps repair circuitry in severe TBI
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/6 19:19
In a new study, researchers have demonstrated the long-term benefits of a hydrogel, which they call 'brain glue,' for the treatment of traumatic brain injury. The gel protects against loss of brain tissue after a severe injury and might aid in functional neural repair.
The sea urchin microbiome
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/6 19:19
Sea urchins receive a lot of attention in California. Red urchins support a thriving fishery, while their purple cousins are often blamed for mowing down kelp forests to create urchin barrens. Yet for all the notice we pay them, we know surprisingly little about the microbiomes that support these spiny species.
Nepal hit by worst wildfires in almost a decade
Nepal is experiencing its worst fire season in almost a decade, officials said Tuesday, as huge blazes rage across the country's forests, engulfing the Himalayan nation in a shroud of brownish haze.
International research makes progress towards improved materials for quantum sensor technology
Boron nitride is a technologically interesting material because it is very compatible with other two-dimensional crystalline structures. It therefore opens up pathways to artificial heterostructures or electronic devices built on them with fundamentally new properties.
Aquatic invasive species cause billions of dollars in damage
The global movement of goods and people, in its modern form, has many unwanted side effects. One of these is that animal and plant species travel around the world with it. Often they fail to establish themselves in the ecosystems of the destination areas. Sometimes, however, due to a lack of effective management, they multiply to such an extent in the new environment that they become a threat to...
Americans are super-spreaders of COVID-19 misinformation: study
Misinformation about COVID-19 is spreading from the United States into Canada, undermining efforts to mitigate the pandemic. A study led by McGill University shows that Canadians who use social media are more likely to consume this misinformation, embrace false beliefs about COVID-19, and subsequently spread them.
Houston flooding polluted reefs more than 100 miles offshore
Runoff from Houston's 2016 Tax Day flood and 2017's Hurricane Harvey flood carried human waste onto coral reefs more than 100 miles offshore in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, according to a Rice University study.
First air quality profile of two sub-Saharan African cities finds troubling news
Ambient air pollution is a global public health crisis, causing more than 4.9 million premature deaths per year around the world. In Africa, it has surpassed AIDS as the leading cause of premature death. According to one study, air pollution—specifically, fine particulate matter (PM2.5)—may cause at least as many as 780,000 premature deaths annually in Africa and worsen a significant number of...