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• New starfish-like fossil reveals evolution in action
• Hematopoietic stem cell transplants may provide long-term benefit for people with MS
• Brain pressure disorder that causes headache, vision problems on rise
• Late rainy season reliably predicts drought in regions prone to food insecurity
• On the origins of money: Ancient European hoards full of standardized bronze objects
• Designer DNA therapeutic wipes out cancer stem cells, treats multiple myeloma in mice
• Methamphetamine overdose deaths rise sharply nationwide
• Age influences sex-related outcomes after heart attack
• New antifungal compound from ant farms
• An anode-free zinc battery that could someday store renewable energy
• Study shows how network of marine protected areas could help safeguard Antarctic penguins
• Breakthrough in understanding 'tummy bug' bacteria
• Making microwaves safer for children
• Free online tool calculates risk of COVID-19 transmission in poorly-ventilated spaces
• Amber-encased fossil shines light on evolution of bioluminescent insects
• Brain cell network supplies neurons with energy
• Researchers discover mechanism behind most severe cases of a common blood disorder
• NAD+ can restore age-related muscle deterioration, research finds

New starfish-like fossil reveals evolution in action Posted: 20 Jan 2021 05:40 PM PST Researchers have discovered a fossil of the earliest starfish-like animal, which helps us understand the origins of the nimble-armed creature.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplants may provide long-term benefit for people with MS Posted: 20 Jan 2021 01:20 PM PST A new study shows that intense immunosuppression followed by a hematopoietic stem cell transplant may prevent disability associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) from getting worse in 71% of people with relapsing-remitting MS for up to 10 years after the treatment. The study also found that in some people their disability improved over 10 years after treatment.

Brain pressure disorder that causes headache, vision problems on rise Posted: 20 Jan 2021 01:20 PM PST A new study has found a brain pressure disorder called idiopathic intracranial hypertension is on the rise, and the increase corresponds with rising obesity rates.

Late rainy season reliably predicts drought in regions prone to food insecurity Posted: 20 Jan 2021 12:10 PM PST The onset date of the yearly rainy season reliably predicts if seasonal drought will occur in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa that are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity, and could help to mitigate its effects.

On the origins of money: Ancient European hoards full of standardized bronze objects Posted: 20 Jan 2021 12:10 PM PST In the Early Bronze Age of Europe, ancient people used bronze objects as an early form of money, even going so far as to standardize the shape and weight of their currency, according to a new study.

Designer DNA therapeutic wipes out cancer stem cells, treats multiple myeloma in mice Posted: 20 Jan 2021 09:24 AM PST A new study supports launch of Phase I clinical trial to test a designer DNA agent -- an antisense oligonucleotide that targets a gene called IRF4 -- in patients with multiple myeloma.

Methamphetamine overdose deaths rise sharply nationwide Posted: 20 Jan 2021 08:48 AM PST Methamphetamine overdose deaths surged in an eight-year period in the United States, according to a new study. The analysis revealed rapid rises across all racial and ethnic groups, but American Indians and Alaska Natives had the highest death rates overall.

Age influences sex-related outcomes after heart attack Posted: 20 Jan 2021 05:51 AM PST Approximately 1.5 million heart attacks and strokes occur every year in men and women in the US. Sex and age play a large part in who experiences a heart attack, the methods used to treat these heart attacks, and the eventual post hospital outcomes of the people who experience heart attacks.

New antifungal compound from ant farms Posted: 20 Jan 2021 05:50 AM PST Attine ants are farmers, and they grow fungus as food. Pseudonocardia and Streptomyces bacteria are their farmhands, producing metabolites that protect the crop from pathogens. Surprisingly, these metabolites lack common structural features across bacteria from different geographic locations, even though the ants share a common ancestor. Now, researchers report they have identified the first shared antifungal compound among many of these bacteria across Brazil. The compound could someday have medical applications.

An anode-free zinc battery that could someday store renewable energy Posted: 20 Jan 2021 05:50 AM PST Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, could help decrease the world's reliance on fossil fuels. But first, power companies need a safe, cost-effective way to store the energy for later use. Massive lithium-ion batteries can do the job, but they suffer from safety issues and limited lithium availability. Now, researchers have made a prototype of an anode-free, zinc-based battery that uses low-cost, naturally abundant materials.

Study shows how network of marine protected areas could help safeguard Antarctic penguins Posted: 20 Jan 2021 05:50 AM PST New research highlights how a proposed network of marine protected areas could help safeguard some of the most important areas at sea for breeding Antarctic penguins.

Breakthrough in understanding 'tummy bug' bacteria Posted: 20 Jan 2021 05:50 AM PST Scientists have discovered how bacteria commonly responsible for seafood-related stomach upsets can go dormant and then 'wake up'.

Making microwaves safer for children Posted: 20 Jan 2021 05:50 AM PST Researchers worked diligently to document the frequency and severity of burn injuries resulting from removing hot contents from the microwave and young children's vulnerability to them.

Free online tool calculates risk of COVID-19 transmission in poorly-ventilated spaces Posted: 19 Jan 2021 04:44 PM PST The vital role of ventilation in the spread of COVID-19 has been quantified by researchers, who have found that in poorly ventilated spaces, the virus spreads further than two meters in seconds, and is far more likely to spread through prolonged talking than through coughing.

Amber-encased fossil shines light on evolution of bioluminescent insects Posted: 19 Jan 2021 04:44 PM PST Trapped in amber for ~100 million years, an exceptionally well-preserved, light-producing beetle sheds light on the diversification of bioluminescent beetles in the Cretaceous period and provides the missing fossil link between fireflies' living relatives.

Brain cell network supplies neurons with energy Posted: 19 Jan 2021 04:43 PM PST Until recently, oligodendrocytes were primarily thought to be a kind of cellular insulating tape that accelerates the transmission of electrical signals in the brain. A study now shows that they are also important for the energy supply of neurons in some brain regions.

Researchers discover mechanism behind most severe cases of a common blood disorder Posted: 19 Jan 2021 11:02 AM PST G6PD deficiency affects about 400 million people worldwide and can pose serious health risks. Now, researchers think they've found the cause of the most severe cases, which could finally lead to treatments.

NAD+ can restore age-related muscle deterioration, research finds Posted: 19 Jan 2021 08:44 AM PST Scientists have discovered that Alzheimer's-like protein aggregates underly the muscle deterioration seen in aging. But the aggregates can be reversed by boosting the levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), which turns on the defense systems of mitochondria in cells and restores muscle function.

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