ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• Slow motion precursors give earthquakes the fast slip
• Radioactive bone cement may be safer in treating spinal tumors
• Genetic study of Lewy body dementia supports ties to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases
• Neandertal gene variants both increase and decrease the risk for severe COVID-19
• Early step toward leukemia drug therapy
• Star employees get most of the credit - and blame
• Secret to how cholera adapts to temperature revealed
• Solution to puzzling phenomenon may open door to improved Cold Spray efficiency
• Study sheds light on how people cope with health challenges and medical debt
• Novel flexible terahertz camera can inspect objects with diverse shapes
• Differences in walking patterns could predict type of cognitive decline in older adults
• Individual differences in Achilles tendon shape can affect susceptibility to injury
• The body produces new satiety factor during prolonged exercise
• Perceiving predators: Understanding how plants 'sense' herbivore attack
• A boost for plant research
• Internet access spending in public schools increases test scores, but also disciplinary problems
• A sharper look at the interior of semiconductors
• Small 'window of opportunity' for best recovery after stroke
• Asthma may heighten flu risk and cause dangerous mutations
• The smallest galaxies in our universe bring more about dark matter to light
• How icebergs really melt -- and what this could mean for climate change
• Health survey conveys messages on how we should live
• Planetary scientists discover evidence for a reduced atmosphere on ancient Mars
• Breakthrough in the fight against spruce bark beetles
• Cataracts: New model explains origins of the eye condition
• It takes two to tango: When cells interact
• Past earthquakes triggered large rockslides in the Eastern Alps
• Psychotherapy for panic disorder shows positive long-term effects
• Existing heart failure drug may treat potential COVID-19 long-hauler symptom, study suggests
• Can evolution be predicted?
• Let the immune cell see the virus: Scientists discover unique way to target common virus
• TV and film 'thump' is not effective alternative to CPR, Warwick researchers demonstrate
• Enormous ancient fish discovered by accident
• New hope for treating chronic pain without opioids
• Collagen structures get the royal reveal
• Evolution of cereal spikes
• Quantum leaps in understanding how living corals survive
• International study reveals exceptional property of next generation optical fibers
• Luminescent windows generate energy from inside and out
• Muscle factor that controls fat metabolism identified
• Alligator hearts keep beating no matter what
• Women have a lower range of 'normal' blood pressure than men
• Despite sea-level rise risks, migration to some threatened coastal areas may increase
• FRESH 3D-printing platform paves way for tissues, organs
• Switching to firm contracts may prevent natural gas fuel shortages at US power plants
• Hydrogel promotes wound healing better than traditional bandages, gauzes
• Biologists devise new way to assess carbon in the ocean
• Aging offshore wind turbines could stunt growth of renewable energy sector
• A groundbreaking solution? Polymers can protect buildings from large fault ruptures
• Campylobacter strains exchange genes, can become more virulent and antibiotic resistant
• To improve immunotherapy, researchers look to shift immune cells' access to sugar
• Unlocking the mystery behind skeletal aging
• Supercomputer turns back cosmic clock
• Graphene 'nano-origami' creates tiniest microchips yet
• Regular caffeine consumption affects brain structure
• Kagome graphene promises exciting properties
• Shrubs and soils: A hot topic in the cool tundra
• Researchers develop algorithm to find possible misdiagnosis
• Promising biomarkers to diagnose mild traumatic brain injury
• Photosynthetic bacteria-based cancer optotheranostics

Slow motion precursors give earthquakes the fast slip Posted: 16 Feb 2021 03:59 PM PST At a glacier near the South Pole, earth scientists have found evidence of a quiet, slow-motion fault slip that triggers strong, fast-slip earthquakes many miles away.

Radioactive bone cement may be safer in treating spinal tumors Posted: 16 Feb 2021 11:43 AM PST A radioactive bone cement that's injected into bone to provide support and local irradiation is proving to be a safer alternative to conventional radiation therapy for bone tumors, according to a new study.

Genetic study of Lewy body dementia supports ties to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases Posted: 16 Feb 2021 11:43 AM PST Scientists found that five genes may play a critical role in determining whether a person will suffer from Lewy body dementia, a devastating disorder that riddles the brain with clumps of abnormal protein deposits called Lewy bodies. The results also supported the disorder's ties to Parkinson's and Alzheimer diseases.

Neandertal gene variants both increase and decrease the risk for severe COVID-19 Posted: 16 Feb 2021 11:43 AM PST Last year, researchers showed that a major genetic risk factor for severe COVID-19 is inherited from Neandertals. Now the same researchers show that Neandertals also contributed a protective variant. Half of all people outside Africa carry a Neandertal gene variant that reduces the risk of needing intensive care for COVID-19 by 20 percent.

Early step toward leukemia drug therapy Posted: 16 Feb 2021 11:43 AM PST The team has discovered that for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, there is a dopamine receptor pathway that becomes abnormally activated in the cancer stem cells. This inspired the clinical investigation of a dopamine receptor-inhibiting drug thioridazine as a new therapy for patients, and their focus on adult AML has revealed encouraging results.

Star employees get most of the credit - and blame Posted: 16 Feb 2021 11:43 AM PST Working with a 'star' employee - someone who demonstrates exceptional performance and enjoys broad visibility relative to industry peers - offers both risks and rewards, according to new research.

Secret to how cholera adapts to temperature revealed Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST Scientists have discovered an essential protein in cholera-causing bacteria that allows them to adapt to changes in temperature, according to a new study.

Solution to puzzling phenomenon may open door to improved Cold Spray efficiency Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST An international team of researchers has solved a puzzling phenomenon whereby strangely beautiful, vortex-like structures appear between materials deposited onto engineering components used in multiple settings - from space shuttles to household items and everyday transport vehicles The discovery may ultimately improve the efficiency of the 'Cold Spray' (CS) deposition process from which these structures are formed - a not-insignificant financial or functional consideration.

Study sheds light on how people cope with health challenges and medical debt Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST A recent qualitative study sheds light on how people cope with health and financial challenges, highlighting the important role that communication plays in these coping strategies.

Novel flexible terahertz camera can inspect objects with diverse shapes Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST Scientists have developed a flexible, free-standing, and versatile terahertz (THz) camera patch. This novel camera overcomes the limitations of the conventional THz cameras that are bulky and rigid. With its high sensitivity, adaptability, and ease of filming irregularly shaped objects, it is a potential tool for effective quality control of complex devices.

Differences in walking patterns could predict type of cognitive decline in older adults Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST Researchers are studying how different patterns in the way older adults walk could more accurately diagnose different types of dementia and identify Alzheimer's disease.

Individual differences in Achilles tendon shape can affect susceptibility to injury Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST Individual variation in the shape and structure of the Achilles tendon may influence our susceptibility to injury later in life.

The body produces new satiety factor during prolonged exercise Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST Researchers confirm that the hormone GDF15 is released in response to vigorous exercise, but likely not in sufficient quantity to affect behavior or appetite. These findings add nuance to a hormone that is currently under scrutiny for its potential as an anti-obesity medication.

Perceiving predators: Understanding how plants 'sense' herbivore attack Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST Plants are known to possess solid immune response mechanisms. One such response is 'sensing' attack by herbivorous animals. Researchers discuss 'elicitors' -- the molecules that initiate plant defense mechanisms against herbivore attack. He highlights the major types of elicitors and the underlying cellular signaling, and states that this could spur research on organic farming practices that could prevent the use of harmful pesticides.

A boost for plant research Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST Optogenetics can be used to activate and study cells in a targeted manner using light. Scientists have now succeeded in transferring this technique to plants.

Internet access spending in public schools increases test scores, but also disciplinary problems Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST In a new study from the University of Notre Dame, researchers quantify how school district connectivity increases test scores, but underscore the dark side of technology -- increased behavior problems.

A sharper look at the interior of semiconductors Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST A research team has developed a high-resolution imaging method based on extreme short-wave UV light. It can be used to examine internal structures in semiconductors non-destructively, and with nanometer precision.

Small 'window of opportunity' for best recovery after stroke Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST An international study has shown, for the first time, that the capacity of the human brain to recover and rewire itself peaks around two weeks after a stroke and diminishes over time.

Asthma may heighten flu risk and cause dangerous mutations Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST A subtype of asthma in adults may cause higher susceptibility to influenza and could result in dangerous flu mutations. Animal studies have found that paucigranulocytic asthma (PGA) - a non-allergic form of the condition - allows the flu virus to flourish in greater numbers in sufferers.

The smallest galaxies in our universe bring more about dark matter to light Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST Our universe is dominated by a mysterious matter known as dark matter. Its name comes from the fact that dark matter does not absorb, reflect or emit electromagnetic radiation, making it difficult to detect.

How icebergs really melt -- and what this could mean for climate change Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST Iceberg melt is responsible for about half the fresh water entering the ocean from the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets. Accurately modelling how it enters is important for understanding potential impact on ocean circulation.

Health survey conveys messages on how we should live Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST The questions in a health survey aimed at young people raise issues of status and convey norms about what people should own and how they should be. Since the 1980s, the physical and mental health of Swedish children and young people has been measured by way of surveys. One of these is the international "Health Behavior in School-aged Children Survey" which is taken by 11-, 13- and 15-year-olds every fourth year during a class in school.

Planetary scientists discover evidence for a reduced atmosphere on ancient Mars Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST The transition from a reduced planet to an oxidized planet is referred to as the Great Oxidation Event or GOE. This transition was a central part of our planet's evolution, and fundamentally linked to the evolution of life here -- specifically to the prevalence of photosynthesis that produced oxygen. Planetary geologists have discovered that Mars underwent a great oxygenation event of its own -- billions of years ago, the red planet was not so red.

Breakthrough in the fight against spruce bark beetles Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST For the first time, a research team has mapped out exactly what happens when spruce bark beetles use their sense of smell to find trees and partners to reproduce with. The hope is that the results will lead to better pest control and protection of the forest in the future.

Cataracts: New model explains origins of the eye condition Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST Cataracts are the most common eye ailment in humans. However, the exact processes leading to this condition are not fully understood. A team of researchers has now discovered that the composition of the protein solution plays a decisive role. Their conclusions are contrary to prevailing opinion in the field.

It takes two to tango: When cells interact Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST When normal, motile cells come into contact, they typically change direction to avoid collision. But cancer cells behave quite differently. A new statistical analysis sheds light on the basis for this difference.

Past earthquakes triggered large rockslides in the Eastern Alps Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST Geologists shed new light on a long-lasting debate about the trigger mechanism of large rockslides. Lake mud in two Alpine lakes in Tyrol reveal that rare strong earthquakes are the final cause of multiple, prehistoric rockslides in the Eastern Alps. The steep rock slopes were degraded by a series of prehistoric earthquakes, larger than any of the historically documented events in the region of the past ~1000 years.

Psychotherapy for panic disorder shows positive long-term effects Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:33 AM PST Psychotherapy for panic disorder produces good results, and the effects are lasting. That is the result from a large long-term study. Two years after treatment were 70 per cent of the patients clearly improved and 45 per cent were remitted.

Existing heart failure drug may treat potential COVID-19 long-hauler symptom, study suggests Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:51 AM PST A new clinical trial suggests that ivabradine may be effective in treating postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, a potential COVID-19 long-hauler symptom.

Can evolution be predicted? Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:51 AM PST Evolution adapts and optimizes organisms to their ecological niche. This could be used to predict how an organism evolves, but how can such predictions be rigorously tested? Researchers have now created a mathematical framework to do exactly that.

Let the immune cell see the virus: Scientists discover unique way to target common virus Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:51 AM PST Scientists have discovered a unique way to target a common virus that affects one in 200 newborn babies in the UK but for which there is only limited treatments available.

TV and film 'thump' is not effective alternative to CPR, Warwick researchers demonstrate Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:51 AM PST A technique frequently portrayed in dramatic resuscitation scenes in television and film is among several alternative methods to CPR that have shown no benefit in saving lives in a new review.

Enormous ancient fish discovered by accident Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:51 AM PST Fossilised remains of a fish that grew as big as a great white shark and the largest of its type ever found have been discovered by accident.

New hope for treating chronic pain without opioids Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:51 AM PST According to some estimates, chronic pain affects up to 40% of Americans, and treating it frustrates both clinicians and patients -- a frustration that's often compounded by a hesitation to prescribe opioids for pain.

Collagen structures get the royal reveal Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:50 AM PST An algorithm predicts the structures and melting temperatures of collagen, the triple helix that accounts for about a third of the body's proteins and forms the fibrous glue in skin, bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Evolution of cereal spikes Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:50 AM PST Scientists have investigated the genetic regulation of spike development in barley and wheat and they discovered different barley mutants with wheat-like spikes.

Quantum leaps in understanding how living corals survive Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:50 AM PST A new imaging technique has been developed to improve our ability to visualize and track the symbiotic interactions between coral and algae in response to globally warming sea surface temperatures and deepening seawaters.

International study reveals exceptional property of next generation optical fibers Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:50 AM PST Researchers have successfully measured for the first time back-reflection in cutting-edge hollow-core fibers that is around 10,000 times lower than conventional optical fibers.

Luminescent windows generate energy from inside and out Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:50 AM PST Engineers design and build windowpanes that redirect sunlight or illumination from indoors to edge-band solar cells.

Muscle factor that controls fat metabolism identified Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:50 AM PST Researchers have found that skeletal muscle significantly affects how the body stores and metabolizes fat.

Alligator hearts keep beating no matter what Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:50 AM PST A new study finds that an alligator heart will not fibrillate when exposed to drastic temperature changes, unlike a rabbit (mammal) heart, which is critically vulnerable to heart trauma under those conditions. The research could help better understand how the heart works and what can cause a deadly arrhythmia - which fundamentally happens when the heart doesn't pump blood correctly any longer.

Women have a lower range of 'normal' blood pressure than men Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:50 AM PST A new study shows that women have a lower 'normal' blood pressure range compared to men.

Despite sea-level rise risks, migration to some threatened coastal areas may increase Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:50 AM PST New research shows that migration to the coast could actually accelerate in some places like Bangladesh despite sea-level change, contradicting current assumptions.

FRESH 3D-printing platform paves way for tissues, organs Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:50 AM PST Research into 3D bioprinting has grown rapidly in recent years as scientists seek to re-create the structure and function of complex biological systems from human tissues to entire organs. Researchers now provide perspective on the Freefrom Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogels 3D bioprinting approach, which solves the issue of gravity and distortion by printing within a yield-stress support bath that holds the bioinks in place until they are cured.

Switching to firm contracts may prevent natural gas fuel shortages at US power plants Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:50 AM PST New research now indicates that these fuel shortages are not due to failures of pipelines and that in certain areas of the country a change in how gas is purchased can significantly reduce generator outages.

Hydrogel promotes wound healing better than traditional bandages, gauzes Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:49 AM PST For explosion wounds as well as some incurred in disasters and accidents, severe hemorrhage is a leading cause of death. Hydrogel dressings, which have advanced in recent years, may help; they are good at promoting wound healing and can better meet the demands of different situations. Many are antibacterial, biodegradable, responsive, and injectable and can fill irregularly shaped wounds.

Biologists devise new way to assess carbon in the ocean Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:49 AM PST A new study by USC scientists explains how marine microbes control the accumulation of carbon matter with important implications for global warming.

Aging offshore wind turbines could stunt growth of renewable energy sector Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:49 AM PST A new study highlights the urgent need for the UK's Government and renewable energy industries to give vital attention to decommissioning offshore wind turbines approaching their end of live expectancy by 2025. The research reveals that the UK must decommission approximately 300 and 1600 early-model offshore wind turbines by 2025 and 2030, respectively.

A groundbreaking solution? Polymers can protect buildings from large fault ruptures Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:49 AM PST Researchers have developed a solution to protect buildings sitting on deep foundations from earthquakes resulting in surface fault ruptures. Their findings show a composite foundation system using inexpensive polymer materials can significantly improve the safety of infrastructure and substantially decrease fatality and damage due to large ground deformations.

Campylobacter strains exchange genes, can become more virulent and antibiotic resistant Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:49 AM PST Campylobacter bacteria persist throughout poultry production, and two of the most common strains are exchanging genetic material, which could result in more antibiotic-resistant and infectious Campylobacter strains.

To improve immunotherapy, researchers look to shift immune cells' access to sugar Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:49 AM PST New research suggests that a way to improve immunotherapy is by altering immune cells' access to sugar.

Unlocking the mystery behind skeletal aging Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:49 AM PST Researchers have identified the role a critical enzyme plays in skeletal aging and bone loss, putting them one step closer to understanding the complex biological mechanisms that lead to osteoporosis, the bone disease that afflicts some 200 million people worldwide. Findings could hold an important key to developing more effective treatments for osteoporosis and improving the lives of an aging population.

Supercomputer turns back cosmic clock Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:49 AM PST Astronomers have tested a method for reconstructing the state of the early Universe by applying it to 4000 simulated universes using the ATERUI II supercomputer. They found that together with new observations the method can set better constraints on inflation, one of the most enigmatic events in the history of the Universe. The method can shorten the observation time required to distinguish between various inflation theories.

Graphene 'nano-origami' creates tiniest microchips yet Posted: 16 Feb 2021 07:01 AM PST Experimental physicists have developed the smallest microchips ever - 100 times smaller than conventional microchips. They believe that this next generation of microchips could lead to computers and phones running thousands of times faster.

Regular caffeine consumption affects brain structure Posted: 16 Feb 2021 07:01 AM PST Coffee, cola or an energy drink: caffeine is the world's most widely consumed psychoactive substance. Researchers have now shown in a study that regular caffeine intake can change the gray matter of the brain. However, the effect appears to be temporary.

Kagome graphene promises exciting properties Posted: 16 Feb 2021 07:01 AM PST For the first time, physicists have produced a graphene compound consisting of carbon atoms and a small number of nitrogen atoms in a regular grid of hexagons and triangles. This honeycomb-structured ''kagome lattice'' behaves as a semiconductor and may also have unusual electrical properties. In the future, it could potentially be used in electronic sensors or quantum computers.

Shrubs and soils: A hot topic in the cool tundra Posted: 16 Feb 2021 07:01 AM PST As the climate warms in the Arctic, shrubs expand towards higher latitudes and altitudes. Researchers investigated the impacts of dwarf shrubs on tundra soils in the sub-Arctic Fennoscandia.

Researchers develop algorithm to find possible misdiagnosis Posted: 16 Feb 2021 06:43 AM PST Researchers have developed an algorithm that can identify patients who may have been wrongly diagnosed. With the help of digital disease history, the algorithm is able to register disease trajectories that differ so much from normal trajectories that there may be a misdiagnosis. The algorithm has been developed on the basis of data from several hundreds of thousands of COPD patients.

Promising biomarkers to diagnose mild traumatic brain injury Posted: 16 Feb 2021 06:43 AM PST Certain plasma microRNAs could serve as diagnostic biomarkers in mild traumatic brain injury, a new study shows. The biomarkers were discovered in an animal model and they were successfully used also to diagnose mild traumatic brain injury in a subgroup of patients.

Photosynthetic bacteria-based cancer optotheranostics Posted: 16 Feb 2021 06:43 AM PST Natural purple photosynthetic bacteria (PPSB) can play a key role as a highly active cancer immunotheranostics agent that uses the bio-optical-window I and II near-infrared (NIR) light. PPSB have high tumor specificity and non-pathogenicity. Active anticancer efficacy and powerful multi-functions such as NIR-I-to-NIR-II fluorescence, photothermal conversion, reactive oxygen species generation, and contrasty photoacoustic effect, can be expressed using NIR light exposure to PPSB.

You are subscribed to email updates from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States