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• High levels of microplastics released from infant feeding bottles during formula prep
• NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft successfully touches asteroid
• How initiatives empowering employees can backfire
• Light pollution may increase biting behavior at night in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes
• New evidence for geologically recent earthquakes near Portland, Oregon metro area
• Repairing the photosynthetic enzyme Rubisco
• Hot-button words trigger conservatives and liberals differently
• A new material for separating CO2 from industrial waste gases, natural gas, or biogas
• New anti-AB vaccine could help halt Alzheimer's progression, preclinical study finds
• Lost and found: Geologists 'resurrect' missing tectonic plate
• Colorful perovskites: Thermochromic window technologies
• Cutting-edge, whole-heart imaging provides new details on heart defects
• Targeting the shell of the Ebola virus
• Microbial diversity below seafloor is as rich as on Earth's surface
• Cognitive behavioral therapy reduces insomnia symptoms among young drinkers
• Does the new heart transplant allocation policy encourage gaming by providers?
• Coronavirus vaccines stir doubts among many people worldwide, new study shows
• Anti-inflammatory therapy shows promise in slowing progression of multiple sclerosis
• The road to uncovering a novel mechanism for disposing of misfolded proteins
• COVID-19: Distancing and masks -- good but not enough
• Childlessness by circumstance
• Ultraviolet shines light on origins of the solar system
• CRISPR meets Pac-Man: New DNA cut-and-paste tool enables bigger gene edits
• Radiative cooler that cools down even under sunlight
• Salt-based mosquito-control products are ineffective
• Evidence of broadside collision with dwarf galaxy discovered in Milky Way
• Impact of wastewater systems on Edwards Aquifer evaluated
• New tool pulls elusive COVID-19 marker from human blood
• Depths of the Weddell Sea are warming five times faster than elsewhere
• Coronavirus: Study finds further door opener into the cell
• Plants communicate at a molecular level
• Neuropilin-1 drives SARS-CoV-2 infectivity, finds breakthrough study
• Focal epilepsy often overlooked
• Study shows active older adults have better physical and mental health
• Declines in shellfish species on rocky seashores match climate-driven changes
• Highly selective membranes
• Cannabis reduces OCD symptoms by half in the short-term
• Tropical cyclones moving faster in recent decades
• Severe air pollution drives food delivery consumption and plastic waste

High levels of microplastics released from infant feeding bottles during formula prep Posted: 20 Oct 2020 04:01 PM PDT New research shows that high levels of microplastics (MPs) are released from infant-feeding bottles (IFBs) during formula preparation. The research also indicates a strong relationship between heat and MP release, such that warmer liquids (formula or water used to sterilize bottles) result in far greater release of MPs. The work underlines the need for appropriate mitigation strategies and new plastic technologies.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft successfully touches asteroid Posted: 20 Oct 2020 03:41 PM PDT NASA's Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft unfurled its robotic arm Tuesday, and in a first for the agency, briefly touched an asteroid to collect dust and pebbles from the surface for delivery to Earth in 2023.

How initiatives empowering employees can backfire Posted: 20 Oct 2020 01:12 PM PDT Strategies meant to motivate people in the workplace may have unintended consequences -- depending on who's in charge. Recent research shows that empowerment initiatives aren't necessarily the answer for business leaders hoping to motivate their employees.

Light pollution may increase biting behavior at night in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes Posted: 20 Oct 2020 01:12 PM PDT Artificial light abnormally increases mosquito biting behavior at night in a species that typically prefers to bite people during the day, according to new research.

New evidence for geologically recent earthquakes near Portland, Oregon metro area Posted: 20 Oct 2020 12:05 PM PDT A paleoseismic trench dug across the Gales Creek fault, located about 35 kilometers (roughly 22 miles) west of Portland, Oregon, documents evidence for three surface-rupturing earthquakes that took place about 8,800, 4,200 and 1,000 years ago.

Repairing the photosynthetic enzyme Rubisco Posted: 20 Oct 2020 12:05 PM PDT Researchers have elucidated how Rubisco activase works. As the name indicates, this enzyme is critical for repairing Rubisco once it has lost its activity.

Hot-button words trigger conservatives and liberals differently Posted: 20 Oct 2020 12:05 PM PDT Researchers have linked a brain region to what they call neural polarization, offering a glimpse into the partisan brain in the weeks leading up to what is arguably the most consequential U.S. presidential election in modern history.

A new material for separating CO2 from industrial waste gases, natural gas, or biogas Posted: 20 Oct 2020 10:56 AM PDT With a new material, the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) can be specifically separated from industrial waste gases, natural gas, or biogas, and thereby made available for recycling. The separation process is both energy efficient and cost-effective.

New anti-AB vaccine could help halt Alzheimer's progression, preclinical study finds Posted: 20 Oct 2020 10:56 AM PDT A preclinical study by neuroscientists indicates that an antigen-presenting dendritic vaccine with a specific antibody response to oligomeric A-beta may be safer and offer clinical benefit in treating Alzheimer's disease. The vaccine uses immune cells known as dendritic cells loaded with a modified A beta peptide as the antigen.

Lost and found: Geologists 'resurrect' missing tectonic plate Posted: 20 Oct 2020 10:14 AM PDT A team of geologists believes they have found the lost plate known as Resurrection in northern Canada by using existing mantle tomography images.

Colorful perovskites: Thermochromic window technologies Posted: 20 Oct 2020 10:14 AM PDT Scientists report a breakthrough in developing a next-generation thermochromic window that not only reduces the need for air conditioning but simultaneously generates electricity.

Cutting-edge, whole-heart imaging provides new details on heart defects Posted: 20 Oct 2020 10:13 AM PDT A cutting-edge technique that allows scientists to zoom into tiny details in a 3D image of a whole animal heart may lead to new insights on congenital heart disease.

Targeting the shell of the Ebola virus Posted: 20 Oct 2020 10:13 AM PDT As the world grapples with COVID-19, the Ebola virus is again raging. Researchers are using supercomputers to simulate the inner workings of Ebola (as well as COVID-19), looking at how molecules move, atom by atom, to carry out their functions. Now, they have revealed structural features of the Ebola virus's protein shell to provide therapeutic targets to destabilize the virus and knock it out with an antiviral treatment.

Microbial diversity below seafloor is as rich as on Earth's surface Posted: 20 Oct 2020 10:13 AM PDT For the first time, researchers have mapped the biological diversity of marine sediment, one of Earth's largest global biomes. The research team discovered that microbial diversity in the dark, energy-limited world beneath the seafloor is as diverse as in Earth's surface biomes.

Cognitive behavioral therapy reduces insomnia symptoms among young drinkers Posted: 20 Oct 2020 10:13 AM PDT More than half of young adults at risk for alcohol-related harm report symptoms of insomnia. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the first-line treatments for insomnia, but it's never been tested on young adults who are actively drinking. Researchers evaluated CBT's effect on young adult binge drinkers with insomnia to determine if this treatment can improve their sleep and potentially affect alcohol use outcomes.

Does the new heart transplant allocation policy encourage gaming by providers? Posted: 20 Oct 2020 10:13 AM PDT A new national policy was created to make determining who receives a heart transplant more fair. But new data shows it changed some practice patterns, too.

Coronavirus vaccines stir doubts among many people worldwide, new study shows Posted: 20 Oct 2020 10:13 AM PDT A new study highlights potential global hesitancy to accept a COVID-19 vaccine. Based on data collected with the previously validated COVID-SCORE survey of a sample of over 13,400 individuals from 19 countries that have been hard-hit by the virus, the investigators found that 72 percent of participants would likely take the vaccine. Of the remaining 28 percent, 14 percent would refuse, while 14 percent would hesitate, which translates into tens of millions of potential vaccine avoiders.

Anti-inflammatory therapy shows promise in slowing progression of multiple sclerosis Posted: 20 Oct 2020 10:13 AM PDT Intranasal administration of an anti-inflammatory drug helped reduce disease progression in a preclinical model of multiple sclerosis, according to recent research.

The road to uncovering a novel mechanism for disposing of misfolded proteins Posted: 20 Oct 2020 10:13 AM PDT The discovery of the cause of a rare liver disease in babies led to uncovering a novel cellular mechanism for disposing of misfolded proteins that has implications for neurodegenerative conditions of older age.

COVID-19: Distancing and masks -- good but not enough Posted: 20 Oct 2020 08:13 AM PDT Decades-old data is being used to describe the propagation of tiny droplets. Now a fluid dynamics team has developed new models: Masks and distancing are good, but not enough. Even with a mask, infectious droplets can be transmitted over several meters and remain in the air longer than previously thought.

Childlessness by circumstance Posted: 20 Oct 2020 08:13 AM PDT In birds and other species alike, pairs can face considerable difficulties with reproduction. Scientists have now shown in an extensive analysis of 23,000 zebra finch eggs that infertility is mainly due to males, while high embryo mortality is more a problem of the females. Inbreeding, age of the parents and conditions experienced when growing up had surprisingly little influence on reproductive failures.

Ultraviolet shines light on origins of the solar system Posted: 20 Oct 2020 07:55 AM PDT In the search to discover the origins of our solar system, an international team including planetary scientists has compared the composition of the sun to the composition of the most ancient materials that formed in our solar system: refractory inclusions in unmetamorphosed meteorites.

CRISPR meets Pac-Man: New DNA cut-and-paste tool enables bigger gene edits Posted: 20 Oct 2020 07:55 AM PDT Gene editing for the development of new treatments, and for studying disease as well as normal function in humans and other organisms, may advance more quickly with a new tool for cutting larger pieces of DNA out of a cell's genome, according to a new study.

Radiative cooler that cools down even under sunlight Posted: 20 Oct 2020 07:55 AM PDT Now that autumn is upon us, there is a large temperature gap between day and night. This is due to the temperature inversion caused by radiative cooling on the Earth's surface. Heat from the sun during the day causes its temperature to rise and when the sun sets during the night, its temperature cools down. Recently, a research team has demonstrated a daytime radiative cooling effect which exhibits lower temperatures than its surroundings even during the day.

Salt-based mosquito-control products are ineffective Posted: 20 Oct 2020 07:55 AM PDT A new study by a bevy of expert mosquito researchers offers an important warning to consumers: Products claiming to reduce mosquito populations with salt-water solutions are ineffective. In a series of lab tests using nine mosquito species, researchers found no evidence that adult mosquitoes are killed by salt ingested at concentrations used in several popular mosquito-control products.

Evidence of broadside collision with dwarf galaxy discovered in Milky Way Posted: 20 Oct 2020 07:55 AM PDT Astrophysicists have discovered a series of telltale shell-like formations of stars in the vicinity of the Virgo constellation, evidence of a radial merger between a dwarf galaxy and the Milky Way, and the first such 'shell structures' to be found in the Milky Way.

Impact of wastewater systems on Edwards Aquifer evaluated Posted: 20 Oct 2020 07:55 AM PDT Researchers developed an integrated hydrologic computer model to evaluate the impact of different types of wastewater disposal facilities on the Edwards Aquifer, the primary water source for San Antonio and its surrounding communities. The research results will guide authorities on what actions to take to protect the quality and quantity of water entering the aquifer.

New tool pulls elusive COVID-19 marker from human blood Posted: 20 Oct 2020 07:55 AM PDT Researchers have created a surface that repels every other element of human blood except an elusive cytokine critical to understanding the progress of COVID-19 in individual patients.

Depths of the Weddell Sea are warming five times faster than elsewhere Posted: 20 Oct 2020 07:55 AM PDT Over the past three decades, the depths of the Antarctic Weddell Sea have warmed five times faster than the rest of the ocean at depths exceeding 2,000 meters.

Coronavirus: Study finds further door opener into the cell Posted: 20 Oct 2020 07:55 AM PDT The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is known to infect cells via the receptor ACE2. Researchers have now identified neuropilin-1 as a factor that can facilitate SARS-CoV-2 entry into the cells' interior. Neuropilin-1 is localized in the respiratory and olfactory epithelia.

Plants communicate at a molecular level Posted: 20 Oct 2020 07:55 AM PDT Biologists have discovered how tomato plants identify Cuscuta as a parasite. The plant has a protein in its cell walls that is identified as 'foreign' by a receptor in the tomato.

Neuropilin-1 drives SARS-CoV-2 infectivity, finds breakthrough study Posted: 20 Oct 2020 07:55 AM PDT Researchers have potentially identified what makes SARS-CoV-2 highly infectious and able to spread rapidly in human cells. The findings describe how the virus's ability to infect human cells can be reduced by inhibitors that block a newly discovered interaction between virus and host, demonstrating a potential anti-viral treatment.

Focal epilepsy often overlooked Posted: 20 Oct 2020 05:17 AM PDT Having subtler symptoms, a form of epilepsy that affects only one part of the brain often goes undiagnosed long enough to cause unexpected seizures that contribute to car crashes, a new study finds.

Study shows active older adults have better physical and mental health Posted: 20 Oct 2020 05:17 AM PDT Older adults with higher physical activity and lower sitting time have better overall physical and mental health, according to a new study.

Declines in shellfish species on rocky seashores match climate-driven changes Posted: 20 Oct 2020 05:17 AM PDT Mussels, barnacles, and snails are declining in the Gulf of Maine, according to a new article by biologists. Their 20-year dataset reveals that the populations' steady dwindling matches up with the effects of climate change on the region.

Highly selective membranes Posted: 20 Oct 2020 05:17 AM PDT Membranes with microscopic pores are useful for water filtration. The effect of pore size on water filtration is well-understood, as is the role of ions, charged atoms, that interact with the membrane. For the first time, researchers have successfully described the impact water molecules have on other water molecules and on ions as part of the filtration mechanism. The researchers detail a feedback system between water molecules which opens up new design possibilities for highly selective membranes. Applications could include virus filters.

Cannabis reduces OCD symptoms by half in the short-term Posted: 20 Oct 2020 05:17 AM PDT People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) report that the severity of symptoms was reduced by about half within four hours of smoking cannabis. After smoking cannabis, users with OCD reported it reduced their compulsions by 60%, intrusions, or unwanted thoughts, by 49% and anxiety by 52%. The study also found that higher doses and cannabis with higher concentrations of CBD were associated with larger reductions in compulsions.

Tropical cyclones moving faster in recent decades Posted: 19 Oct 2020 01:49 PM PDT Tropical cyclones, regionally known as hurricanes or typhoons, have been moving across ocean basins faster since 1982, according to a new study.

Severe air pollution drives food delivery consumption and plastic waste Posted: 19 Oct 2020 10:36 AM PDT When the air outside is bad, office workers are more likely to order food delivery than go out for lunch, which in turn increases plastic waste from food packaging, according to a study by researchers from the National University of Singapore.

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