198 articles from THURSDAY 14.10.2021

Artificial intelligence helps to find new natural substances

More than a third of all medicines available today are based on active substances from nature, and a research team from the University of Jena has developed a procedure to identify small active substance molecules much more quickly and easily. Secondary natural substances that occur in numerous plants, bacteria and fungi can be anti-inflammatory, can ward off pathogens or even prevent the growth...

Shedding light on mysterious jellyfish diets

Jellyfish have voracious appetites, and they aren't considered the most selective eaters. Almost anything that gets stuck to their tentacles winds up in the gelatinous sack that they use to digest their food.

Genes play key role in exercise outcomes

A new study has found that genes can explain up to 72% of the difference in outcome between people after a specific fitness exercise. The research involved data from 3,012 adults and has identified a number of specific genes which influence the outcomes of different physical activities.

The planet does not fall far from the star

A compositional link between planets and their respective host star has long been assumed in astronomy. Scientists now deliver empirical evidence to support the assumption -- and partly contradict it at the same time.

Pollution’s impact on child health

Air pollution is known to harm children's respiratory health, but its specific impacts on infection rates have remained unclear. A new analysis provides evidence of a link between the two in low-income settings, and indicates one industry may play an outsized role in the problem.

'Broken heart' syndrome is on the rise in women

Researchers have discovered two alarming trends in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy -- also known as 'broken heart' syndrome -- a condition that is often triggered by stress or loss and can lead to long-term heart injury and impaired heart function.

Big differences found in male and female jojoba plant sex genes

Hot desert sex has resulted in major genetic differences between male and female jojoba plants -- one of only 6 percent of plants that require a male and female plant to reproduce. New research suggests male and female jojoba plants have diverged so much, that the jojoba plant has more novel sex genes than any other known living organism. The discovery may help researchers develop a DNA test to...

Early modern human from Southeast Asia adapted to a rainforest environment

Although there has been evidence of our species living in rainforest regions in Southeast Asia from at least 70,000 years ago, the poor preservation of organic material in these regions limits how much we know about their diet and ecological adaptations to these habitats. An international team of scientists has now applied a new method to investigate the diet of fossil humans: the analysis of...

Expansion of wind and solar power too slow to stop climate change

The production of renewable energy is increasing every year. But after analyzing the growth rates of wind and solar power in 60 countries, researchers conclude that virtually no country is moving sufficiently fast to avoid global warming of 1.5°C or even 2°C. The article "National growth dynamics of wind and solar power compared to the growth required for global climate targets" was published in...

Study discovers unique brain signature of intimate partner aggression

A new study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the brain activity of 51 male-female romantic couples as they experienced intimate partner aggression in real time. They found that aggression toward intimate partners was associated with aberrant activity in the brain's medial prefrontal cortex, or MPFC, which has many functions, but among them is the ability to foster perceptions...

Study explores the decisions made by physicians in the delivery room, and why they may be making them

Clinical decisions made in the delivery setting as to whether to employ vaginal delivery or cesarean section are often made under high pressure, and with great uncertainty, and have serious consequences for mother and baby. Now, a new study of electronic health records spanning 86,000 deliveries suggests that if their prior patient had complications in one delivery mode, a physician will be more...

Filling the gaps: Connecting genes to diseases through proteins

Hundreds of connections between different human diseases have been uncovered through their shared origin in our genome, challenging the categorization of diseases by organ, symptoms, or clinical specialty. A new study has generated data on thousands of proteins circulating in our blood and combined this with genetic data to produce a map showing how genetic differences that affect these proteins...