A new study finds inactive yeast could be effective as an inexpensive, abundant, and simple material for removing lead contamination from drinking water supplies. The approach should be efficient and economic, even down to part-per-billion levels of contamination.

Many sections of the non-coding region of the human genome play a key role in regulating gene activity. But the relationship between non-coding mutations and cancer risk has been a mystery. New research sheds light on that mystery, providing clues that may link mutations to epigenetic changes, and may point to potential drug targets to reduce risk for people born with certain genetic mutations.

Around 13,200 years ago, a roving male mastodon died in a bloody mating-season battle with a rival in what today is northeast Indiana, nearly 100 miles from his home territory, according to the first study to document the annual migration of an individual animal from an extinct species.

Stress -- in the form of traumatic events, job strain, everyday stressors and discrimination -- accelerates aging of the immune system, potentially increasing a person's risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and illness from infections such as COVID-19, according to a new study. The research could help explain disparities in age-related health, including the unequal toll of the pandemic, and...

Many different types of bacteria and viruses can cause pneumonia, but there is no easy way to determine which microbe is causing a particular patient's illness. This uncertainty makes it harder for doctors to choose effective treatments because the antibiotics commonly used to treat bacterial pneumonia won't help patients with viral pneumonia. In addition, limiting the use of antibiotics is an...

Historic virus infections can be traced in vertebrate genomes. For millions of years, these genomes have been repositories for retroviruses that incorporated their code into germline cells and were inherited as endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). Researchers now provide new findings about retroviral establishment in the koala genome.

Researchers demonstrate the implementation of a remote laboratory activity to teach students about enzyme kinetics.

For some people, wigs are a fun and colorful fashion accessory, but for those with hair loss from alopecia or other conditions, they can provide a real sense of normalcy and boost self-confidence. Whether made from human or synthetic strands, however, most hairpieces lose their luster after being worn day after day. Now, researchers report a new way to make wigs more durable and long lasting.

The production of chemical substances normally requires environmentally harmful solvents. After researchers had produced organic substances without harmful substances by heating them in hot water, they can now chalk up another success: Through hydrothermal synthesis, they succeeded in jointly forming and combining organic and inorganic substances in the same reaction vessel. Specifically: an...

With the rising cost of nitrogen fertilizer and its impacts on air and water quality, researchers want to help farmers make more informed fertilizer rate decisions. Their latest modeling effort aims to do that by examining the role of pre-growing season weather on soil nitrogen dynamics and end-of-season corn yield.

Researchers show how a molecule that they have identified stimulates the formation of new insulin-producing cells in zebrafish and mammalian tissue, through a newly described mechanism for regulating protein synthesis.

A new study demonstrates the possibility of changing the identity of synapses between neurons, both in vitro and in vivo, through enzymatic means. The results have implications for treating brain diseases caused by malfunctions in synaptic information processing and exchange.

New research suggests that RNA exosomes -- the cellular machines that degrade old molecules of RNA -- play a key role in the development of B cells, which are critical to the immune system's ability to protect against infection. The findings explain why patients with rare mutations in a gene that codes for this machinery are often immunodeficient and could offer new approaches to treat autoimmune...

Researchers have developed an upcycling approach that adds value to discarded plastics for reuse in additive manufacturing, or 3D printing. The readily adoptable, scalable method introduces a closed-loop strategy that could globally reduce plastic waste and cut carbon emissions tied to plastic production.

Researchers describe connection between pediatric liver disease and increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Both rates are rising in children.

A new study using hydrodynamical simulations reveals the forces acting on a planet when it is swallowed by an expanding star. The results show that the interactions of a substellar body (a planet or brown dwarf) with the hot gas in the outer envelope of a sun-like star can lead to a range of outcomes depending on the size of the engulfed object and the stage of the star's evolution. The dynamics...

A new study suggests that the increased rates of overdose and mental health crisis observed during the first year after opioid dose tapering persist through the second year.

Researchers have developed a mathematical tool to estimate tumor-specific RNA levels from tumor samples with mixed cell types. Using this technique on thousands of samples found that higher mRNA levels are correlated with shorter survival.

The skin of cephalopods, such as octopuses, squids and cuttlefish, is stretchy and smart, contributing to these creatures' ability to sense and respond to their surroundings. Scientists have harnessed these properties to create an artificial skin that mimics both the elasticity and the neurologic functions of cephalopod skin, with potential applications for neurorobotics, skin prosthetics,...

A research team has demonstrated in-vivo imaging of fine neuronal structures in mouse cortex through the intact skull at an unprecedented depth of 750 µm below pia, making high-resolution microscopy in cortex near non-invasive and measurably facilitating the study of the living brain.

Researchers reveal a potential new way to treat chronic pain using anti-cancer drugs rather than opioid-based pain medication. Researchers identified the existence of a molecule in the nervous system that enhances sensitivity to pain. This molecule had previously been thought to play a role in cancer growth but had never been reported in the nervous system. By targeting this molecule it may now be...

A novel artificial intelligence method can be used to generate high-quality 'PET/CT' images and subsequently decrease radiation exposure to the patient. The method bypasses the need for CT-based attenuation correction, potentially allowing for more frequent PET imaging to monitor disease and treatment progression without radiation exposure from CT acquisition.

New research has revealed that humans moderate the size of energy-rich meals they eat, suggesting people are smarter eaters than previously thought.

New research has shown that normal human brain temperature varies much more than we thought, and this could be a sign of healthy brain function. The new study has produced the first 4D map of healthy human brain temperature. This map overturns several previous assumptions and shows the remarkable extent to which brain temperature varies by brain region, age, sex, and time of day.