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39 articles from ScienceDaily

Regulator proteins or symphonies of genes: Statistical modeling points way toward unified theory for DNA folding

Researchers seek to point a way toward a unified theory for how DNA changes shape when expressing genes. The scientists use an approach called statistical mechanics to explore the phenomenon of so-called expression waves of gene regulation. The group hopes to reconcile a long-standing gulf between the two scientific fields most involved in the topic, using concepts common to biology and physics.

Which types of brain activity support conscious experiences?

Our subjective experience appears to us in a continuous stream of integrated information, and researchers now explore the question: Which characteristics should brain activity have to support this type of conscious experiences? The group searched for integrated structures that encompass most of the brain but change configuration from time to time. Their hypothesis was these structures should...

Carbon fibers electrical measurements pave way for lightning strike protection technologies

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite structures are important in several industries, yet the electrical behavior of a composite is challenging to measure or predict because of the electrical conductivity of constituent carbon fibers and the composite's complex hierarchical microstructure. Researchers report a direct measurement of the transverse electrical resistivity of a single carbon...

Researchers use exosome-based strategy to block HIV in mice

Researchers used exosomes, tiny nanoparticles capable of being taken up by cells, to deliver novel protein into the cells of mice infected with HIV. The protein attached to HIVs' genetic material and prevented it from replicating, resulting in reduced levels of HIV in the bone marrow, spleen, and brain. The study paves the way for the development of novel delivery systems for suppressing HIV.

Four dinosaurs discovered in Montana

A team of paleontologists excavated four dinosaurs in northeastern Montana this summer. The four dinosaur fossils are: the ilium -- or hip bones -- of an ostrich-sized theropod, the group of meat-eating, two-legged dinosaurs that includes Tyrannosaurus rex and raptors; the hips and legs of a duck-billed dinosaur; a pelvis, toe claw and limbs from another theropod that could be a rare ostrich-mimic...

Is your child a fussy eater?

New research is providing a better understanding of what influences fussy eaters, and what is more likely to increase or decrease picky eating in children under 10.

Records from Lake Magadi, Kenya, suggest environmental variability driven by changes in Earth’s orbit

Rift Valley lakes within eastern Africa range from freshwater to highly alkaline systems and are homes to diverse ecosystems. These Rift Valley lakes are also sedimentary repositories, yielding a high-resolution environmental record that can be targeted to better understand the environmental and climatic context of human evolution over the past few million years in eastern Africa.

New guidelines to improve reporting standards of studies that investigate causal mechanisms

A new guideline has been developed to help scientists publish their research accurately and transparently. The AGReMA Statement (A Guideline for Reporting Mediation Analyses) provides recommendations for researchers who want to describe mediation analysis in their paper. Mediation analysis is primarily used to understand causation, ie how an intervention works or why it does not.

Darwin’s short-beak enigma solved

Biologists discovered that a mutation in the ROR2 gene is linked to beak size reduction in numerous breeds of domestic pigeons. Surprisingly, different mutations in ROR2 also underlie a human disorder called Robinow syndrome. The ROR2 signaling pathway plays an important role in the craniofacial development of all vertebrates.

Right program could turn immune cells into cancer killers

Cancer-fighting immune cells in patients with lung cancer whose tumors do not respond to immunotherapies appear to be running on a different 'program' that makes them less effective than immune cells in patients whose cancers respond to these immune treatments, suggests a new study.

Pioneering software can grow and treat virtual tumors using AI designed nanoparticles

The EVONANO platform allows scientists to grow virtual tumors and use artificial intelligence to automatically optimize the design of nanoparticles to treat them. The ability to grow and treat virtual tumors is an important step towards developing new therapies for cancer. Importantly, scientists can use virtual tumors to optimize design of nanoparticle-based drugs before they are tested in the...

Mice’s learning skills help researchers pinpointing brain areas where acquired knowledge is stored

Is it a Rembrandt or a Vermeer? For lay people, it is often challenging to distinguish paintings by these two old masters. For the trained eye of an expert, on the other hand, it is not difficult at all. Scientists have now demonstrated that mice can also become experts in sorting images into categories. The study shows that part of the category knowledge is already present in early visual areas,...