178 articles from WEDNESDAY 3.11.2021

New study proposes expansion of the universe directly impacts black hole growth

Over the past 6 years, gravitational wave observatories have been detecting black hole mergers, verifying a major prediction of Albert Einstein's theory of gravity. But there is a problem—many of these black holes are unexpectedly large. Now, a team of researchers from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, the University of Chicago, and the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor have proposed a...

1,000 years of glacial ice reveal 'prosperity and peril' in Europe

Europe's past prosperity and failure, driven by climate changes, has been revealed using thousand-year-old pollen, spores and charcoal particles fossilized in glacial ice. This first analysis of microfossils preserved in European glaciers unveils earlier-than-expected evidence of air pollution and the roots of modern invasive species problems.

Can eating alone be bad for your heart?

As women age, their risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) exceeds men's largely because of decreased levels of estrogen that regulate vascular function. As a result, much research is focused on various risk factors. A new study suggests that eating alone may contribute to an increased risk of heart disease in older women.

Machine learning model uses clinical and genomic data to predict immunotherapy effectiveness

A new machine learning model accurately predicts whether immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), a growing class of immunotherapy drugs, will be effective in patients diagnosed with a wide variety of cancers. The forecasting tool assesses multiple patient-specific biological and clinical factors to predict the degree of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors and survival outcomes. It markedly...

Color-changing indicator predicts algal blooms

Murky green algal blooms are more than a major eyesore; they reveal that a body of water could be unsafe for swimming or drinking. Currently, however, there isn't an effective warning system for impending blooms. Now, researchers report an indicator that changes color when exposed to rising levels of alkaline phosphatase -- an enzyme that forecasts phytoplankton's exponential growth. This change...

Bilingualism comes naturally to our brains

The brain uses a shared mechanism for combining words from a single language and for combining words from two different languages, a team of neuroscientists has discovered. Its findings indicate that language switching is natural for those who are bilingual because the brain has a mechanism that does not detect that the language has switched, allowing for a seamless transition in comprehending...

A natural CO2-sink thanks to symbiotic bacteria

Seagrasses cover large swathes of shallow coastal seas, where they provide a vital habitat. They also remove large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and store it in the ecosystem. However, seagrasses need nutrients to thrive, particularly nitrogen. Up to now, researchers have assumed that the plants take up the nitrogen primarily from the surrounding seawater and sediment....

Securing data transfers with relativity

The volume of data transferred is constantly increasing, but the absolute security of these exchanges cannot be guaranteed, as shown by cases of hacking frequently reported in the news. To counter hacking, a team has developed a new system based on the concept of 'zero-knowledge proofs', the security of which is based on the physical principle of relativity: information cannot travel faster than...

Quantum physics in proteins

A new analytical technique is able to provide hitherto unattainable insights into the extremely rapid dynamics of biomolecules. The team of developers is presenting its clever combination of quantum physics and molecular biology. The scientists used the technique to track the way in which the photoactive yellow protein (PYP) undergoes changes in its structure in less than a trillionth of a second...

Gene therapy boosts Parkinson’s disease drug benefits

A new gene therapy targeting the small brain region where dopamine neurons reside, the substantia nigra, substantially boosts the benefits of the drug levodopa in Parkinson's. The therapy restored the ability of these neurons to convert levodopa to dopamine. Scientists also showed how damage to the powerplants inside dopamine-releasing neurons triggers Parkinson's. The findings may help identify...

Mapping annual wildfire probabilities across California

Researchers have uncovered new insights into the dynamics that underlie the probabilities of wildfire across the state of California. Isaac Park of the University of California, Santa Barbara, and colleagues present their method and findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on November 3, 2021.

Turning plastic grocery bags into sustainable fuel

Researchers report using catalytic pyrolysis to turn plastic wastes into a valuable fuel source. They focused on recycling plastic and upgrading plastic into other products or converting it to a vapor with heat, which met a catalyst and turned into the desired fuel-like product. This pyrolytic process transforms primary organic waste into a sustainable fuel or other valuable chemical.

Researchers develop a new class of CAR-T cells that target previously untargetable cancer drivers

In a breakthrough for the treatment of aggressive solid cancers, researchers have developed a novel cancer therapy that targets proteins inside cancer cells that are essential for tumor growth and survival but have been historically impossible to reach. Using the power of large data sets and advanced computational approaches, the researchers were able to identify peptides that are presented on the...

Labyrinthine Covid booster system is the real reason for delays | Letters

Guardian readers share their frustrations at trying to obtain a third coronavirus vaccinationHaving read your report (No 10 concerned as 4.5 million eligible people fail to get Covid jab boosters, 2 November), I wonder how many people’s experience mirrors mine? I received a letter from the NHS advising me to contact my GP about a booster, as I am it seems clinically vulnerable, as well as being...