154 articles from WEDNESDAY 11.5.2022

Investigating mercury contamination in freshwater lakes in Korea

During the 1950s and 1960s, Minamata Bay in Japan was the site of widespread mercury poisoning caused by the consumption of fish containing methylmercury—a toxic form of mercury that is synthesized when bacteria react with mercury released in water. Mercury poisoning caused deaths and widespread neurological disorders, as well as intergenerational harm as many of the survivors had children with...

Exploring how forest restoration affects water cycles

How would afforestation and restoration of large areas worldwide affect water-fluxes world wide? A new study led by Wageningen University researcher Anne Hoek van Dijke with contributions from Martin Herold, GFZ, has interesting answers. Impacts on precipitation reach far beyond country or even continent level: Tree restoration in the Amazon can, for example, affect rainfall in Europe and...

New research finds that preference for remaining is key to successful immigration

New research finds that policies granting permanent residency to immigrants conditional on acquiring host country skills—like language—are most likely to generate higher fiscal contributions to the host country through income taxes. In fact, immigrants with a preference for remaining in the host country develop social contacts and other specific skills that allow them to find better paid jobs...

UK company reveals micro-launcher rocket

Orbex's Prime rocket reaching technical readiness represents a significant achievement that brings together key elements of the ground infrastructure and prototype launch vehicle for the first time and is a major step forward for the company and for the U.K. launch industry.

Study identifies barriers for women returning to work after breast cancer

Occupational therapy researchers find women living with and beyond breast cancer in Ireland are not aware of their employment entitlements and in response to findings have developed the occupational therapy-led "Work and Cancer" program that focuses on these entitlements and strategies for managing physical and psychological health in the workplace.

Multiple sclerosis: Glatiramer acetate compatible with breastfeeding, study suggests

For patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS), becoming a mother is fraught with difficult questions: is it acceptable to continue disease modifying treatment during pregnancy and breastfeeding to keep the disease at bay, or does this put the child at risk? A study on the drug glatiramer acetate can relieve mothers of this concern during the breastfeeding period. A comparative study between...

Novel supramolecular CRISPR-Cas9 carrier enables more efficient genome editing

CRISPR-Cas9 is considered a revolutionary gene editing tool, but its applications are limited by a lack of methods by which it can be safely and efficiently delivered into cells. Recently, a research team has constructed a highly flexible CRISPR-Cas9 carrier using aminated polyrotaxane (PRX) that can not only bind with the unusual structure of Cas9 and carry it into cells, but can also protect it...

One particle on two paths: Quantum physics is right

The famous double slit experiment shows that particles can travel on two paths at the same time -- but only by looking at a lot of particles and analysing the results statistically. Now a two-path-interference experiment has been designed that only has to measure one specific particle to prove that it travelled on two paths.

Scientists study links between obesity, age and body chemistry

A team of scientists is making inroads in understanding the relationship between certain enzymes that are normally produced in the body and their role in regulating obesity and controlling liver diseases. Researchers studied male mice that lacked the Cyp2b enzyme and how the lack of the enzyme affected the mice's metabolism.

Hepatitis: 3D structure determination of the 'gateway' to the liver

Scientists have published a ground-breaking study of the structure and function of a central protein in the liver: NTCP, a cellular-entry pathway for bile salts, but also for certain hepatitis viruses. These results reveal the 3D structure of NTCP and two architectures it can adopt. One may be helpful in the development of therapeutic tools against hepatitis viral infection.