ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Potential treatment approach kills lymphoma while sparing healthy cells
• Experimental vaccine can counter dangerous effects of synthetic cannabinoids
• How the spread of the internet is changing migration
• Dark storm on Neptune reverses direction, possibly shedding a fragment
• Researchers identify neurons that control nausea-like responses in mice
• Many Americans reported economic hardships even early in the COVID-19 pandemic
• Driving force behind cellular 'protein factories' identified
• COVID-19 spread increases when UV levels decrease
• Saturn moon, Enceladus, could support life in its subsurface ocean
• The 16 facial expressions most common to emotional situations worldwide
• Teaching artificial intelligence to adapt
• Carbon capture's next top model
• Information transport in antiferromagnets via pseudospin-magnons
• New use for an old drug: How does ketamine combat depression?
• Effects of organohalogen pollution are coded in gene expression profiles of Baltic salmon
• Biodiversity collections, vital for pandemic preparedness, face drop in specimen deposits
• Invention may get quadcopters to move faster
• Researcher identifies gene teams working in subregions of brain
• Colorful, magnetic Janus balls could help foil counterfeiters
• Astronomers detect possible radio emission from exoplanet
• Monitor groundwater along river corridors
• Some neurons target tiny cerebral blood vessel dilation
• The bull's eye: New modified stem cells can deliver drugs specifically to tumor cells
• An atlas of S. pneumoniae and host gene expression during colonization and disease
• Maternal diet during lactation shapes functional abilities of milk bacteria
• New guideline supports behavioral, psychological treatments for insomnia
• A non-destructive method for analyzing Ancient Egyptian embalming materials
• Bigger and better 'tweezer clock' is super stable
• New type of atomic clock keeps time even more precisely
• Oh so simple: Eight genes enough to convert mouse stem cells into oocyte-like cells
• Turning sweat against itself with a metal-free antiperspirant
• Despite decrease in recent years, rate of sledding-related injuries still concerning
• When dinosaurs disappeared, forests thrived
• A pair of lonely planet-like objects born like stars
• Characterizing cold fusion in 2D models
• Novel biomarkers predict the development of incident heart failure
• New salmonella proteins discovered
• New combined process for 3D printing
• The human helpers of SARS-CoV-2
• Physicists solve geometrical puzzle in electromagnetism
• Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain may not deliver the desired outcomes for nature
• How hope can make you happier with your lot in life
• Infrastructure key to balancing climate and economic goals in developing countries
• New insights into Fragile X syndrome and the fetal brain
• Three pillars of mental health: Good sleep, exercise, raw fruits and veggies
• Researchers expose power of enzyme on key immune cells
• Lipid identified in human breast milk may play important role in early childhood weight
• The DNA regions in our brain that contribute to make us human
• New study links cadmium to more severe flu, pneumonia infections
• Babbler bird falls into climate change trap
• Extracting precious zinc from waste ash
• A new method for the functionalization of graphene
• Evapotranspiration in an arid environment

Potential treatment approach kills lymphoma while sparing healthy cells Posted: 16 Dec 2020 03:37 PM PST Scientists at Scripps Research have demonstrated a promising new strategy for treating lymphomas, a group of cancers that begin in infection-fighting cells of the immune system called lymphocytes.

Experimental vaccine can counter dangerous effects of synthetic cannabinoids Posted: 16 Dec 2020 03:37 PM PST Made in clandestine laboratories and sold widely across the United States, the diverse class of drugs known as synthetic cannabinoids presents a growing public health threat. In a new study, scientists have devised a way to deactivate these designer drugs after they've been administered -- offering a potential path for treating addiction and overdose.

How the spread of the internet is changing migration Posted: 16 Dec 2020 03:36 PM PST The spread of the Internet is shaping migration in profound ways. A new study of over 150 countries links Internet penetration with migration intentions and behaviors, suggesting that digital connectivity plays a key role in migration decisions and actively supports the migration process.

Dark storm on Neptune reverses direction, possibly shedding a fragment Posted: 16 Dec 2020 03:36 PM PST Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope watched a mysterious dark vortex on Neptune abruptly steer away from a likely death on the giant blue planet.

Researchers identify neurons that control nausea-like responses in mice Posted: 16 Dec 2020 03:36 PM PST Researchers have identified neurons that regulate nausea-like responses in mice. When these neurons are experimentally turned on, nausea-like responses can be activated regardless of exposure to nausea-triggering substances. Without these neurons, nausea-like responses to poisons are lost. The results shed light on the sensation of nausea and present new targets for the design of improved, more precise antinausea medications.

Many Americans reported economic hardships even early in the COVID-19 pandemic Posted: 16 Dec 2020 12:52 PM PST Significant proportions of U.S. respondents were experiencing economic hardships even early in the COVID-19 pandemic, with Hispanic citizens being particularly affected, according to new research.

Driving force behind cellular 'protein factories' identified Posted: 16 Dec 2020 12:52 PM PST Researchers have identified the driving force behind a cellular process linked to neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's and motor neuron disease.

COVID-19 spread increases when UV levels decrease Posted: 16 Dec 2020 12:52 PM PST Natural variations in ultraviolet radiation influence the spread of COVID-19, but the influence is modest compared to preventive measures such as physical distancing, mask wearing, and quarantine, according to new research.

Saturn moon, Enceladus, could support life in its subsurface ocean Posted: 16 Dec 2020 12:52 PM PST Using data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft, scientists modeled chemical processes in the subsurface ocean of Saturn's moon Enceladus. The studies indicate the possibility that a varied metabolic menu could support a potentially diverse microbial community in the liquid water ocean beneath the moon's icy facade.

The 16 facial expressions most common to emotional situations worldwide Posted: 16 Dec 2020 12:52 PM PST Whether at a birthday party in Brazil, a funeral in Kenya or protests in Hong Kong, humans all use variations of the same facial expressions in similar social contexts, according to a new study. The findings confirm the universality of human emotional expression across geographic and cultural boundaries at a time when nativism is on the rise.

Teaching artificial intelligence to adapt Posted: 16 Dec 2020 12:52 PM PST Getting computers to 'think' like humans is the holy grail of artificial intelligence, but human brains turn out to be tough acts to follow. Now, researchers have used a computational model of brain activity to simulate this process more accurately than ever before. The new model mimics how the brain's prefrontal cortex uses a phenomenon known as 'gating' to control the flow of information between different areas of neurons.

Carbon capture's next top model Posted: 16 Dec 2020 12:51 PM PST Creating accurate, detailed models is key to scaling up carbon capture technology. A recent article examines and compares the various modeling approaches for hollow fiber membrane contactors (HFMCs), a type of carbon capture technology. The group analyzed over 150 cited studies of multiple modeling approaches to help researchers choose the technique best suited to their research.

Information transport in antiferromagnets via pseudospin-magnons Posted: 16 Dec 2020 10:47 AM PST A team of researchers has discovered an exciting method for controlling spin carried by quantized spin wave excitations in antiferromagnetic insulators.

New use for an old drug: How does ketamine combat depression? Posted: 16 Dec 2020 10:47 AM PST A group of proteins called 4E-BPs, involved in memory formation, is the key to unlocking the antidepressant effect of ketamine in the brain, according to researchers. The discovery could lead to better and safer treatments for certain patients suffering from major depression.

Effects of organohalogen pollution are coded in gene expression profiles of Baltic salmon Posted: 16 Dec 2020 10:47 AM PST Researchers have measured hepatic organohalogen (OHC) concentrations and gene expression profiles in Atlantic salmon collected from three areas in the Baltic Sea. The results showed that OHCs and gene expression profiles were individually grouped in three areas and the covariation of the two datasets provided by a multivariate method was significantly similar. This suggests that the gene expression profiles in salmon are affected by OHC contamination.

Biodiversity collections, vital for pandemic preparedness, face drop in specimen deposits Posted: 16 Dec 2020 10:47 AM PST While the importance of natural history museums to human health has never been higher, in recent years the number of specimens being deposited in biodiversity collections actually has been declining.

Invention may get quadcopters to move faster Posted: 16 Dec 2020 10:47 AM PST Researchers believe a new hinge is the key to get load-bearing, large, Army quadrotors to climb a few dozen feet in seconds.

Researcher identifies gene teams working in subregions of brain Posted: 16 Dec 2020 10:47 AM PST You must first understand how something works normally before you can figure out why it's broken. A researcher has now identified six mini gene co-expression networks for a normally functioning brain. That will allow researchers to test each of the gene teams to see if gene pairs are changing in brain tumors or people with intellectual disabilities.

Colorful, magnetic Janus balls could help foil counterfeiters Posted: 16 Dec 2020 10:47 AM PST Counterfeiters who sell knockoffs of popular shoes, handbags and other items are becoming increasingly sophisticated, forcing manufacturers to find new technologies to stay one step ahead. Now, researchers have developed tiny 'Janus balls' that show their colored side under a magnetic field. These microparticles could be useful in inks for anti-counterfeiting tags, which could be verified with an ordinary magnet, the researchers say.

Astronomers detect possible radio emission from exoplanet Posted: 16 Dec 2020 10:47 AM PST By monitoring the cosmos with a radio telescope array, an international team of scientists has detected radio bursts emanating from the constellation Boötes. The signal could be the first radio emission collected from a planet beyond our solar system.

Monitor groundwater along river corridors Posted: 16 Dec 2020 10:46 AM PST Spend time in any of the world's great forests and you'll start seeing the trees as immense pillars holding the heavens aloft while firmly anchored in the earth. It's as much fact as sentiment. Trees really do link the ground to the sky by exchanging energy and matter between the soil and the atmosphere.

Some neurons target tiny cerebral blood vessel dilation Posted: 16 Dec 2020 10:46 AM PST Neurons control blood flow in tiny vessels in the brain, but researchers know little about this relationship. Now a team of Penn State engineers has found a connection between nitric oxide expressing neurons and changes in arterial diameters in mice, which may shed light on brain function and aging.

The bull's eye: New modified stem cells can deliver drugs specifically to tumor cells Posted: 16 Dec 2020 10:46 AM PST Targeting drugs to cancer tissues is a major challenge in cancer treatment. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are known for their ability to find and target tumor cells in the body, but using MSCs for drug delivery has been tricky, because upon loading with drugs, MSCs lose their viability and migratory ability. Now, researchers have successfully modified MSCs to deliver large quantities of anti-cancer drugs in a targeted manner to developing cancer cells.

An atlas of S. pneumoniae and host gene expression during colonization and disease Posted: 16 Dec 2020 10:46 AM PST The bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae colonizes the nasopharynx and can cause pneumonia. Then, it can spread to the bloodstream and cause organ damage. To understand how this pathogen adapts to different locations in the body, and also how the host responds to the microbe, researchers have measured bacterial and host gene expression at five different sites in a mouse model -- the nasopharynx, lungs, blood, heart and kidneys -- using three genetically different strains of S. pneumoniae.

Maternal diet during lactation shapes functional abilities of milk bacteria Posted: 16 Dec 2020 10:46 AM PST The mother's diet while breastfeeding can shape the profile of human milk oligosaccharides (HMO), a type of complex carbohydrate in the mother's milk. Changing the HMOs, which are food and fodder for healthy microbes, in turn modifies the functional abilities of the milk microbiome.

New guideline supports behavioral, psychological treatments for insomnia Posted: 16 Dec 2020 10:46 AM PST A new clinical practice guideline establishing recommendations for the use of behavioral and psychological treatments for chronic insomnia disorder in adults has been published.

A non-destructive method for analyzing Ancient Egyptian embalming materials Posted: 16 Dec 2020 10:45 AM PST Ancient Egyptian mummies have many tales to tell, but unlocking their secrets without destroying delicate remains is challenging. Now, researchers have found a non-destructive way to analyze bitumen -- the compound that gives mummies their dark color -- in Ancient Egyptian embalming materials. The method provides clues to the bitumen's geographic origin and, in one experiment, revealed that a mummy in a French museum could have been partially restored, likely by collectors.

Bigger and better 'tweezer clock' is super stable Posted: 16 Dec 2020 08:33 AM PST Physicists have boosted the signal power of their atomic 'tweezer clock' and measured its performance in part for the first time, demonstrating high stability close to the best of the latest generation of atomic clocks.

New type of atomic clock keeps time even more precisely Posted: 16 Dec 2020 08:33 AM PST A newly-designed atomic clock uses entangled atoms to keep time even more precisely than its state-of-the-art counterparts. The design could help scientists detect dark matter and study gravity's effect on time.

Oh so simple: Eight genes enough to convert mouse stem cells into oocyte-like cells Posted: 16 Dec 2020 08:32 AM PST By activating just eight genes for transcription factors, researchers have directly converted mouse stem cells into oocyte-like cells that mature and can even be fertilized like egg cells. In addition to giving new insight into egg cell development, the research may lead to a simple route for generating large amounts of oocyte cytoplasm for use in reproductive biology and medicine.

Turning sweat against itself with a metal-free antiperspirant Posted: 16 Dec 2020 08:32 AM PST Body odor is an unpleasant smell, produced when bacteria living on the skin break down the proteins in sweat. To avoid stinking, some people apply antiperspirants that clog sweat ducts with foreign materials, such as metals, to slow perspiration. As a step toward a more natural solution, researchers have turned sweat against itself using an evaporation-based approach in which the salts in sweat create a gel-like plug.

Despite decrease in recent years, rate of sledding-related injuries still concerning Posted: 16 Dec 2020 08:32 AM PST A new study found that 220,488 patients were treated in U.S. emergency departments for injuries related to sledding from 2008 through 2017. Nearly 70% of these patients were children age 19 years and younger.

When dinosaurs disappeared, forests thrived Posted: 16 Dec 2020 08:32 AM PST To understand how specific ecosystems were affected by a large asteroid impact that led to the mass extinction of dinosaurs, a team of scientists has analyzed the microscopic remains of plants from this period. They found that local plant communities and ecosystems experienced a long-term shift towards fewer aquatic plants and an increase in terrestrial plants, including trees such as birches and elms. Changes in rainfall patterns during the extinction event were relatively minor and short-lived.

A pair of lonely planet-like objects born like stars Posted: 16 Dec 2020 08:32 AM PST An international research team has discovered an exotic binary system composed of two young planet-like objects, orbiting around each other from a very large distance. Although these objects look like giant exoplanets, they formed in the same way as stars, proving that the mechanisms driving star formation can produce rogue worlds in unusual systems deprived of a Sun.

Characterizing cold fusion in 2D models Posted: 16 Dec 2020 07:46 AM PST Researchers show theoretically how cold fusion driven by muon capture would unfold within 2D systems, without any need for approximations.

Novel biomarkers predict the development of incident heart failure Posted: 16 Dec 2020 07:46 AM PST Researchers have discovered several new biomarkers that are associated with incident heart failure. In a new study, several inflammatory biomarkers and cell energy metabolites were linked to an increased risk of incident heart failure.

New salmonella proteins discovered Posted: 16 Dec 2020 07:46 AM PST Only one small protein needs to be missing and salmonellae are no longer infectious. This was discovered in a study in which the pathogens were re-analysed using bioinformatics.

New combined process for 3D printing Posted: 16 Dec 2020 07:46 AM PST Chemists have developed a way to integrate liquids directly into materials during the 3D printing process. This allows, for example, active medical agents to be incorporated into pharmaceutical products or luminous liquids to be integrated into materials, which allow monitoring of damage.

The human helpers of SARS-CoV-2 Posted: 16 Dec 2020 07:46 AM PST Proteins are the functional units of the cell and enable the virus to enter the host cell or help the virus to replicate. Scientists have examined the corresponding genes of the helper proteins in a large study.

Physicists solve geometrical puzzle in electromagnetism Posted: 16 Dec 2020 07:46 AM PST A team of scientists have solved the longstanding problem of how electrons move together as a group inside cylindrical nanoparticles.

Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain may not deliver the desired outcomes for nature Posted: 16 Dec 2020 07:46 AM PST England's proposed mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain requirement for new developments might not deliver on promises to increase biodiversity, according to new research.

How hope can make you happier with your lot in life Posted: 16 Dec 2020 07:46 AM PST New research finds that that having hope for the future can make you happier with your lot - and protect you from risky behaviors such as drinking and gambling.

Infrastructure key to balancing climate and economic goals in developing countries Posted: 16 Dec 2020 07:46 AM PST Developing nations have an opportunity to avoid long-term dependence on fossil fuel-burning infrastructure as they move toward economic stability, even if they are slow to cut carbon emissions, say the authors of a new article. Countries with low per capita incomes can keep their contributions to global warming to 0.3 degrees Celsius with careful foresight and planning, urge scientists.

New insights into Fragile X syndrome and the fetal brain Posted: 16 Dec 2020 06:46 AM PST Researchers have revealed further insight into the fetal development of our brain and the potential causes of Fragile X syndrome (FSX).

Three pillars of mental health: Good sleep, exercise, raw fruits and veggies Posted: 16 Dec 2020 06:46 AM PST Getting good quality sleep, exercising, and eating more raw fruits and vegetables predicts better mental health and well-being in young adults, a study has found.

Researchers expose power of enzyme on key immune cells Posted: 16 Dec 2020 06:46 AM PST Communication, serendipity and an enzyme called DOT1L have all combined to produce some exciting findings into the immune system's B cells and T cells. These findings could result in further studies into a target for asthma and allergies, and fundamental work exploring the formation of immunity itself.

Lipid identified in human breast milk may play important role in early childhood weight Posted: 16 Dec 2020 05:50 AM PST A lipid metabolite called 12,13-diHOME is in human breast milk. The authors of the study propose that 12,13-diHOME, as well as linked pathway metabolites from breast milk, have a protective effect against obesity development in offspring. They also suggest that a single bout of maternal exercise may boost levels of the metabolite in breast milk and that may translate into benefits for offspring in terms of healthy growth and development.

The DNA regions in our brain that contribute to make us human Posted: 16 Dec 2020 05:50 AM PST With only 1 percent difference, the human and chimpanzee protein-coding genomes are remarkably similar. Understanding the biological features that make us human is part of a fascinating and intensely debated line of research. Researchers have developed a new approach to pinpoint adaptive human-specific changes in the way genes are regulated in the brain.

New study links cadmium to more severe flu, pneumonia infections Posted: 16 Dec 2020 05:50 AM PST High levels of cadmium, a chemical found in cigarettes and in contaminated vegetables, are associated with higher death rates in patients with influenza or pneumonia -- and may increase the severity of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses, according to a new study.

Babbler bird falls into climate change trap Posted: 16 Dec 2020 05:50 AM PST Animals can fall into an 'ecological trap' by altering their behavior in the 'wrong direction' in response to climate change, researchers say.

Extracting precious zinc from waste ash Posted: 16 Dec 2020 05:50 AM PST Incineration of solid waste produces millions of tons of waste fly ash in Europe each year, that most commonly ends up in landfill. But this ash often contains significant amounts of precious metals, such as zinc. A unique method can now help extract these precious metals, potentially leading to reductions in environmental pollution, landfill and transport.

A new method for the functionalization of graphene Posted: 16 Dec 2020 05:50 AM PST A research team has demonstrated a novel process to modify the structure and properties of graphene, a one atom thick carbon.

Evapotranspiration in an arid environment Posted: 15 Dec 2020 01:49 PM PST Evapotranspiration is an important process in the water cycle because it is responsible for 15% of the atmosphere's water vapor. Without that input of water vapor, clouds could not form, and precipitation would never fall. It is the process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere by evaporation from the soil and other surfaces and by transpiration from plants.

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