ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• Potential COVID-19 medication found among tapeworm drugs
• A microRNA network is the putative mediator of reductive stress in the heart
• Trials reveal efficacy and safety of oral drug for treating anemia associated with kidney disease
• Do vitamin D supplements offer kidney-related benefits for individuals with high diabetes risk?
• The 'phytoplankton factory' -- from nutrients to algae growth
• Face masks protect against aerosolized toxins from algal blooms, study finds
• New device can diagnose COVID-19 from saliva samples
• New technology will allow important metals to be made more efficiently
• New drug combo shows early potential for treating pancreatic cancer
• Licensed drug could reduce SARS-CoV-2 infection by up to 70 per cent, lab study reveals
• To do or not to do: Cracking the code of motivation
• Mountain lions moved less, downsized territory during LA’s pandemic shutdown
• Histone deacetylase inhibitor gel shows promise for the treatment of patients with basal cell carcinoma
• Researchers discover fresh water in the Mediterranean Sea
• Minor volcanic eruptions could ‘cascade’ into global catastrophe
• Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 remain stable, or even increase, seven months after infection
• Novel research identifies gene targets of stress hormones in the brain
• Emergent magnetic monopoles controlled at room temperature
• Light therapy helps burn injuries heal faster by triggering growth protein
• Newly developed, bioinspired cell delivery vehicles
• Protein complex SMC ensures the dynamics of holocentromeres
• Scientists reverse a key hallmark of motor neurone disease in the laboratory
• New study examines privacy and security perceptions of online education proctoring services
• The future of medicine is nearer thanks to researchers’ invention
• An action agenda for Africa’s electricity sector
• New drug molecules could prevent skin aging caused by sun exposure
• Polymer coating accelerates fuel production

Potential COVID-19 medication found among tapeworm drugs Posted: 06 Aug 2021 02:19 PM PDT From a collection of molecules inspired by anti-parasitic medicines comes a potential drug candidate against COVID-19.

A microRNA network is the putative mediator of reductive stress in the heart Posted: 06 Aug 2021 02:19 PM PDT Last year, researchers reported that reductive stress -- an imbalance in the normal oxidation/reduction homeostasis -- caused pathological changes associated with heart failure in a mouse model. Now, researchers describe the putative molecular regulators of this pathological chronic reductive stress -- a microRNA network.

Trials reveal efficacy and safety of oral drug for treating anemia associated with kidney disease Posted: 06 Aug 2021 02:19 PM PDT Pooled results from phase 3 clinical trials demonstrate that roxadustat is efficacious and may be comparable to placebo in studies done to date for treating anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease who do not require dialysis.

Do vitamin D supplements offer kidney-related benefits for individuals with high diabetes risk? Posted: 06 Aug 2021 02:19 PM PDT In a clinical trial of individuals at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes, which is the leading cause of kidney disease, vitamin D supplementation did not have significant effects on kidney health. As participants were not selected according to baseline vitamin D levels, investigators cannot exclude a kidney benefit for individuals with vitamin D deficiency.

The 'phytoplankton factory' -- from nutrients to algae growth Posted: 06 Aug 2021 02:19 PM PDT Phytoplankton are the foundation of ocean ecosystems: like rainforests, they consume carbon from the atmosphere, form the basis of the marine food web and have a decisive influence on fish abundance and global climate. A recent study provides new insights into the complex biogeochemical processes at the base of the marine ecosystem.

Face masks protect against aerosolized toxins from algal blooms, study finds Posted: 06 Aug 2021 02:19 PM PDT Intense blooms of toxic algae are becoming common occurrences along the coast of Florida and elsewhere. Results from a new study found that wearing the face mask everyone has become accustomed to during the COVID-19 pandemic may help protect against these airborne toxins too.

New device can diagnose COVID-19 from saliva samples Posted: 06 Aug 2021 12:59 PM PDT A new device can detect SARS-CoV-2 from saliva in about an hour. Researchers report that the diagnostic is just as accurate as PCR tests and can identify COVID-19 variants.

New technology will allow important metals to be made more efficiently Posted: 06 Aug 2021 12:58 PM PDT Researchers have invented a cheaper, safer, and simpler technology that will allow a 'stubborn' group of metals, such as the Pt-group elements, to be transformed into thin films for various practical applications.

New drug combo shows early potential for treating pancreatic cancer Posted: 06 Aug 2021 07:45 AM PDT A team of researchers has developed an immunotherapy strategy that can eliminate pancreatic tumors in mice. The new therapy, a combination of three drugs that boost the body's immune defenses against tumors, is expected to enter clinical trials later this year.

Licensed drug could reduce SARS-CoV-2 infection by up to 70 per cent, lab study reveals Posted: 06 Aug 2021 07:44 AM PDT A licensed drug normally used to treat abnormal levels of fatty substances in the blood could reduce infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus by up to 70 per cent, a new study in the laboratory reveals.

To do or not to do: Cracking the code of motivation Posted: 06 Aug 2021 07:43 AM PDT By manipulating the dopamine receptors of monkeys and studying their behavior, scientists reveal how our brain makes us feel motivated.

Mountain lions moved less, downsized territory during LA’s pandemic shutdown Posted: 06 Aug 2021 07:43 AM PDT As people sheltered in place at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, sightings of wildlife in urban areas reinforced an intuitive belief: Carnivores were stretching their legs, and their ranges, by expanding into long-lost territory. But new research shows that mountain lions in Greater Los Angeles, when briefly spared the proximity of people, instead responded with an economy of movement that also reveals the costs of living near them.

Histone deacetylase inhibitor gel shows promise for the treatment of patients with basal cell carcinoma Posted: 06 Aug 2021 07:43 AM PDT Remetinostat, a topical cream and first-in-class inhibitor of histone deacetylation, showed signs of clinical efficacy in patients with basal cell carcinoma.

Researchers discover fresh water in the Mediterranean Sea Posted: 06 Aug 2021 07:43 AM PDT There is enough water on our planet, but by far the largest part is salt water that is unsuitable as drinking water. Therefore, especially in dry regions of the earth, the search for new freshwater resources is very active. An international team of researchers has now discovered strong evidence of a groundwater deposit off the coast of Malta.

Minor volcanic eruptions could ‘cascade’ into global catastrophe Posted: 06 Aug 2021 07:43 AM PDT Researchers call for a shift in focus away from risks of 'super-volcanic' eruptions and towards likelier scenarios of smaller eruptions in key global 'pinch points' creating devastating domino effects.

Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 remain stable, or even increase, seven months after infection Posted: 06 Aug 2021 07:43 AM PDT The levels of IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein remain stable, or even increase, seven months after infection, according to a follow-up study in a cohort of healthcare workers. The results also support the idea that pre-existing antibodies against common cold coronaviruses could protect against COVID-19.

Novel research identifies gene targets of stress hormones in the brain Posted: 06 Aug 2021 07:43 AM PDT Chronic stress is a well-known cause for mental health disorders. New research has moved a step forward in understanding how glucocorticoid hormones ('stress hormones') act upon the brain and what their function is. The findings could lead to more effective strategies in the prevention and treatment of mental health disorders.

Emergent magnetic monopoles controlled at room temperature Posted: 06 Aug 2021 07:43 AM PDT Three dimensional (3D) nano-network promise a new era in modern solid state physics with numerous applications in photonics, bio-medicine, and spintronics. The realization of 3D magnetic nano-architectures could enable ultra-fast and low-energy data storage devices. Due to competing magnetic interactions in these systems magnetic charges or magnetic monopoles can emerge, which can be utilized as mobile, binary information carriers. Researchers have now designed the first 3D artificial spin ice lattice hosting unbound magnetic charges. The magnetic monopoles are stable at room temperature and can be steered on-demand by external magnetic fields.

Light therapy helps burn injuries heal faster by triggering growth protein Posted: 06 Aug 2021 07:43 AM PDT The research found that photobiomodulation -- a form of low-dose light therapy -- sped up recovery from burns and reduced inflammation in mice by activating a protein that controls cell growth and division.

Newly developed, bioinspired cell delivery vehicles Posted: 06 Aug 2021 07:43 AM PDT A research team has designed nanocontainers made of sugar and protein components. These containers are taken up by cells through natural processes and can thereby transport substances that normally cannot penetrate the cell membrane -- such as drugs or labelled substances for the investigation of cell functions -- into cells.

Protein complex SMC ensures the dynamics of holocentromeres Posted: 06 Aug 2021 07:43 AM PDT Monocentromeres are typical for the chromosomes of most animals and plants. The centromere is necessary for the transport of the chromosomes and represents the connection point between the chromatids. This is how the classic X-shape of the chromosome is formed. However, in an estimated 350,000 species, including butterflies, nematodes and some plants, the centromeres are distributed along the entire length of the chromosome. For this reason, they are called holocentromeres. A research team has now used modelling to investigate how the centromere changes dynamically in the course of a cell division in these species.

Scientists reverse a key hallmark of motor neurone disease in the laboratory Posted: 05 Aug 2021 06:15 PM PDT Scientists have studied how proteins accumulate in the wrong parts of brain cells in motor neurone disease, and have demonstrated how it might be possible, in some cases, to reverse this.

New study examines privacy and security perceptions of online education proctoring services Posted: 05 Aug 2021 03:06 PM PDT Educational institutions have had to transition to remote learning and exam taking. This has led to an increase in the use of online proctoring services to curb student cheating. In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers explored the security and privacy perceptions of students taking proctored exams.

The future of medicine is nearer thanks to researchers’ invention Posted: 05 Aug 2021 03:06 PM PDT Researchers recently unveiled their discovery of a new process for making RNA. The resulting RNA is purer, more copious and likely to be more cost-effective than any previous process could manage. This new technique removes the largest stumbling block on the path to next-generation RNA therapeutic drugs.

An action agenda for Africa’s electricity sector Posted: 05 Aug 2021 11:12 AM PDT A new scientific article outlines how to undertake the much-needed expansion and modernization of Africa's electricity sector. The article highlights the crucial role that international partnerships such as the Sustainable Energy for All Initiative have to play in achieving this goal.

New drug molecules could prevent skin aging caused by sun exposure Posted: 05 Aug 2021 11:11 AM PDT Two new molecules that generate minute amounts of the gas hydrogen sulfide have been found to prevent skin from aging after being exposed to ultraviolet light found in sunlight. Sunburn is a major cause of premature aging in skin, and a primary risk factor for skin cancer, and other skin problems associated with aging. Now, an international research team has made inroads towards being able to reverse or delay this damage for the first time.

Polymer coating accelerates fuel production Posted: 05 Aug 2021 10:37 AM PDT Researchers have found that introducing a polymer coating onto a tin catalyst accelerated the conversion of a greenhouse gas (CO2) into an industrial fuel (formate). Computational and electrochemical investigations supported a mechanism wherein a complete polymer layer surrounding the porous tin catalysts effectively captured and shuttled CO2 molecules to the catalytically active metal surface. This simple catalyst design strategy can be applied to develop CO2-recycling systems.

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