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ScienceDaily -- the Internet's premier science news web site -- brings you the latest discoveries in science, health & medicine, the environment, space, technology, and computers, from the world's leading universities and research institutions. Updated several times a day, Science Daily also offers free search of its archive of more than 80,000 stories, as well as related articles, images, videos, books, and journal references in hundreds of different topics, including astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, geology, mathematics, physics, and more.
New research shows how migratory birds are declining globally because of the way that humans have modified the landscape in recent decades. A total of 103 species of migrating birds were studied, including rapidly declining species like the turtle dove and the common cuckoo, using large-scale datasets. Advances in satellite imagery allowed the team to map threats across Europe, Africa and Western Asia.
Older adults with untreated sight conditions may be at increased risk of dementia, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 studies involving 76,373 participants.
Temperature changes have negatively impacted most species of bumble bees over the past 120 years, according to new new research. The researchers note that changes in temperature had more of a negative impact than other factors -- such as precipitation or floral resources.
An oral antiviral drug that targets a key part of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) polymerase and inhibits the synthesis of viral genetic material has been identified, a finding that could provide an effective treatment against RSV disease.
Automation in disease diagnosis is reliant on deep learning models that can accurately and efficiently identify measurements of tumors, tissue volume, or other sorts of abnormalities. Now, researchers have unveiled a new, resource-light model capable of identifying many common eye diseases.
The neural and cognitive complexity of the octopus could originate from a molecular analogy with the human brain, according to a new study. The research shows that the same 'jumping genes' are active both in the human brain and in the brain of two species, Octopus vulgaris, the common octopus, and Octopus bimaculoides, the Californian octopus.
Over the last two decades, microscopy has seen unprecedented advances in speed and resolution. However, cellular structures are essentially three-dimensional, and conventional super-resolution techniques often lack the necessary resolution in all three directions to capture details at a nanometer scale. A research team has now investigated a super-resolution imaging technique that involves combining the advantages of two different methods to achieve the same resolution in all three dimensions; t
Researchers have developed a mathematical model of motor learning that reflects the motor learning process in the human brain. Their findings suggest that motor exploration -- that is, increased variability in movements -- is important when learning a new task. These results may lead to improved motor rehabilitation in patients after injury or disease.
Researchers say people with developmental dyslexia have specific strengths relating to exploring the unknown that have contributed to the successful adaptation and survival of our species.
For decades, field-effect transistors enabled by silicon-based semiconductors have powered the electronics revolution. But in recent years, manufacturers have come up against hard physical limits to further size reductions and efficiency gains of silicon chips. That has scientists and engineers looking for alternatives to conventional metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistors.
A new study paints a vivid image of how forests developed over centuries and contribute to Earth's carbon balance -- a crucial component to maintaining a steady global climate. The study reconstructed the natural pace and pattern of carbon storage in forests of the Midwestern United States over 10,000 years. The findings have the potential to shift ongoing debates about how landscapes can be managed to maximize carbon storage while meeting conservation goals.
In the largest epidemiologic study of arsenic and birth outcomes to date, researchers estimated arsenic levels in U.S. private well water sources by county and compared estimates to documented birth outcomes. They found an association between estimated groundwater arsenic concentration and risk of low birth weight.
People who received at least one influenza vaccine were 40% less likely than their non-vaccinated peers to develop Alzheimer's disease over the course of four years, according to a new study.
Along with high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking, environmental factors such as air pollution are highly predictive of people's chances of dying, especially from heart attack and stroke, a new study shows.
Newly identified genes may help explain why women experience different heart disease symptoms than men do, which often leads to misdiagnosing serious problems.
The female hormone estradiol was found to suppress psoriasis in mice by regulating neutrophil and macrophage cells. The conditional knockout mice without the natural ovarian hormones estradiol showed symptoms of severe skin inflammation.
Researchers have made a new discovery on how light behaves in complex media, media that tends to distort light significantly. They demonstrated that 'distortion' is a matter of perspective, outlining a simple rule that applies to all light and a vast array of media, including underwater, optical fiber, transmission in the atmosphere and even through living biological samples. Their novel quantum approach to the problem resolves a standing debate on whether some forms of light are robust or not,
Severe 'brain bleeds' experienced by some babies in the first year following their birth can lead to long-term sight problems, researchers have found as part of a ten-year follow-up study.
Researchers created a special ultrathin sensor, spun from gold, that can be attached directly to the skin without irritation or discomfort. The sensor can measure different biomarkers or substances to perform on-body chemical analysis. It works using a technique called Raman spectroscopy, where laser light aimed at the sensor is changed slightly depending on whatever chemicals are present on the skin at that point. The sensor can be finely tuned to be extremely sensitive, and is robust enough fo
Specifications from an asteroid that made headline news in 2019 because it appeared to come out of nowhere and was traveling fast has just been published.
Researchers have discovered two important novel aspects of the gene: 1) human genetic background inherited with APOE4 is unique to APOE4 patients and 2) the mechanistic defects due to APOE4 are unique to human cells.
While lower vertebrates can repair their adult hearts after a heart attack, mammals -- including humans -- cannot. The ability to regenerate dead muscle tissue in mammalian hearts disappears just a few days after birth because the heart muscle cells, called cardiomyocytes, exit the cell cycle. In 2020, researchers reported that surgery to remove the left ventricle apex of the heart of pigs, one day after birth, somehow extended the replication ability of heart muscle cells. To better understand
A new study provides additional evidence that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy helps protect babies younger than 6 months from being hospitalized due to COVID-19.
Communication networks need nodes at which information is processed or rerouted. Physicists have now developed a network node for quantum communication networks that can store single photons in a vapor cell and pass them on later.
A new study reveals important molecular information that could help scientists develop more effective treatment and prevention strategies for a difficult-to-treat form of melanoma skin cancer.
The effects of global climate change already are resulting in the loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise, and longer and more intense heat waves, among other threats. Now, a survey of planktonic lipids in the global ocean predicts a temperature-linked decrease in the production of essential omega-3 fatty acids, an important subset of lipid molecules. A significant implication of the survey is that as global warming proceeds, there will be fewer and fewer omega-3 fatty acids produced by plan
Standard infection models for COVID-19 tend to focus only on disease states, overlooking the dynamics of a complex paradox: While masking reduces transmission rates and consequently disease prevalence, the reduction of disease inhibits mask-wearing -- thereby promoting epidemic revival.
As they grow, solid tumors surround themselves with a thick, hard-to-penetrate wall of molecular defenses. Getting drugs past that barricade is notoriously difficult. Now, scientists have developed nanoparticles that can break down the physical barriers around tumors to reach cancer cells. Once inside, the nanoparticles release their payload: a gene editing system that alters DNA inside the tumor, blocking its growth and activating the immune system.
Evolutionary theories of ageing predict that all living organisms weaken and deteriorate with age (a process known as senescence) -- and eventually die. Now, researchers show that certain animal species, such as turtles (including tortoises) may exhibit slower or even absent senescence when their living conditions improve.
Researchers describe the morphological and genomic features of a ''macro' microbe' -- a giant filamentous bacterium composed of a single cell discovered in the mangroves of Guadeloupe. Using various microscopy techniques, the team also observed novel, membrane-bound compartments that contain DNA clusters dubbed 'pepins.'
The genomes of many human populations show evidence of founder events, which occur when a small number of initial members start a new population, and can lead to low genetic diversity as well as increase the risk of certain genetic diseases in the new population.
The immune system may play a fundamental role along with the central nervous system in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as 'Lou Gehrig's disease,' researchers report.
An international team of 114 scientists reports the most comprehensive study of aging and longevity to date of reptiles and amphibians worldwide. Among their many findings, they document for the first time that turtles, crocodilians and salamanders have particularly low aging rates and extended lifespans for their sizes. The team also finds that protective phenotypes, such as the hard shells of most turtle species, contribute to slower aging, and in some cases even 'negligible aging' -- or lack
Climate change is putting an enormous strain on global water resources, and according to researchers, the Tibetan Plateau is suffering from a water imbalance so extreme that it could lead to an increase in international conflicts.
Researchers have developed a new ultra-thin film that can create detailed 3D images viewable under normal illumination without any special reading devices. The images appear to float on top of the film and can be clearly viewed from all angles. The new imaging film uses a technology known as light-field imaging, which captures the direction and intensity of all rays of light within a scene to create a 3D image. With additional development, the new glass-free approach could be used as a visual se
A new report shows more than 18 million Americans (8.3 million males and 9.7 million females) with a history of cancer were living in the United States as of January 1, 2022, with a little over 12 million (67%) aged 65 years or older. The study also found substantial racial disparities in treatment and survival for common cancers.
COVID-19 vaccination is not associated with an increased risk of heart attack or stroke in patients with established cardiovascular disease, according to a large study.
Researchers have revealed the presence of a functional urea cycle in the star-shaped cells of the Alzheimer's Disease (AD) brain. Key results point to the role of the urea cycle in amyloid-beta plaque clearance, and the memory impairment caused by consequent excess GABA, ammonia, and H2O2 production. Astrocyte-specific silencing of enzyme ODC1 in AD mouse model rescues memory impairment and can be a potential new therapeutic target against the disease.
Scientists have a greater understanding of the amount of microplastics polluting Flathead Lake, the likely sources of these microplastics and what can be done to prevent more from finding their way into the lake's world-renowned pristine water.
As rising sea levels cause marshes to move inland in six mid-Atlantic states, coastal habitats will not serve as a carbon sink but instead will release more carbon into the atmosphere, a new modeling study finds. The research raises questions about the persistence of coastal habitats' carbon benefits in the face of sea level rise.
Researchers have developed a new method to assess on a large scale the three-dimensional structure of the human genome, or how the genome folds. The genome is the complete set of genetic instructions, DNA or RNA, enabling an organism to function.
Scientists have found that a midgestation increase in the hormone leptin, which most of us associate with appetite suppression, produces problematic blood vessel dysfunction and restriction of the baby's growth in preeclampsia that put mother and baby at risk.
A new study has evaluated the link between air pollution and lung function of young adults who had recently attained their expected maximum lung function. The study found that participants with higher exposure to ambient and household air pollution had worse results in lung function tests.
Millions of children globally suffer from environmental enteric dysfunction (EED), a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine that causes malnutrition and stunts their growth. A new Organ Chip models this devastating disease in living human tissue for the first time in vitro. This EED Chip allowed researchers to tease out the complex interplay of genetics and nutrition underpinning the disease, and offers clues for the development of future treatments.
Economists find that many air travelers more readily choose faster, but more expensive carbon offsetting options online if selecting a slower option requires action. However, the readiness to do so decreases as the gap between the most and the least expensive option increases.
A new study demonstrates that an equal number of girls and boys can be identified as having concerns for autism spectrum disorder when screened earlier, correcting large gender differences in current diagnoses.
In a study of more than 107,000 people eligible for cardiac rehabilitation programs, Asian, Black and Hispanic adults were significantly less likely to attend cardiac rehabilitation programs compared to white adults. These differences in cardiac rehabilitation participation were seen at all income levels. The timeframe between hospital discharge and starting cardiac rehabilitation, which can affect recovery and health outcomes, was also at least a week longer among Asian, Black and Hispanic adul
Black and Asian women are more likely than white women to experience significant delays in getting breast biopsies after a mammogram identifies an abnormality. Moreover, those delays appear to be influenced by screening site-specific factors that may stem from structural racism, according to new research.
Researchers have identified a HER2 mutation that confers therapeutic resistance and promotes metastatic behavior in lobular breast cancer. Importantly, they also showed that the drug poziotinib, which is already approved for other cancer types, reduced tumor growth and multi-organ metastasis in laboratory tests and animal models. A phase II clinical trial is on the works to determine the value of this drug in the treatment of patients with this devastating condition.
Summertime beachgoers are all too familiar with the painful reality of a jellyfish sting. But how do the stinging cells of jellyfish and their coral and sea anemone cousins actually work? New research unveils a precise operational model for the stinging organelle of the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis. The study involved the application of cutting-edge microscopic imaging technologies along with the development of a biophysical model to enable a comprehensive understanding of a mecha
Microplastic pollution is known to negatively impact seed germination and seedling growth. Although some studies have demonstrated the effects of microplastics on seed germination, the impact of microplastics on the internal biological activity of seeds remained unknown. Now, a group of researchers has used biospeckle optical coherence tomography to reveal that microplastics significantly hinder the internal activity in lentil seeds during germination and can lead to stunted growth at later stag
Many of us will have likely heard of music therapy and art therapy -- but what about 'travel therapy'? A new cross-disciplinary paper proposes we change how we view tourism, seeing it not just as a recreational experience but as an industry that can provide real health benefits.
New research demonstrates different ways to improve wearable bioelectronic devices and materials to provide better real-time monitoring of a person's health, including vital signs.
Babies can help unlock the next generation of artificial intelligence (AI), according to neuroscientists who have just published new guiding principles for improving AI. The research examines the neuroscience and psychology of infant learning and distills three principles to guide the next generation of AI, which will help overcome the most pressing limitations of machine learning.
Scientists have created a membrane made from a waste by-product of vegetable oil manufacturing, which can filter out heavy metals from contaminated water. In tests, they showed that this process of attraction, called adsorption, was able to purify contaminated water to a degree that meets international drinking standards.
Scientists have discovered that stretching of the continents is likely to have caused one of the most extreme and abrupt episodes of global warming in Earth history.
Researchers unexpectedly discovered that the ability for spirals to form in nature also happens in some non-biological systems that convert chemical energy into mechanical action -- allowing two-dimensional polymer sheets to rise and rotate in spiral helices without the application of external power. This self-assembly into coherent three-dimensional structures represents the group's latest contribution in the field of soft robotics and chemo-mechanical systems.
Researchers recently turned to pottery to tease apart the navigational history of the Caribbean, analyzing the composition of 96 fired clay fragments across 11 islands. The study was conducted in the Greater Antilles and marks the first time that pottery artifacts from the Lucayan Islands -- The Bahamas plus the Turks and Caicos Islands -- have been analyzed to determine their elemental composition and origin.
A new study focused on decoding the genetic chaos found in cancer cells reveals novel biomarkers with the potential to improve the development of precision therapies and treatment selection for the deadliest types of cancer.
Scientists have uncovered an unexpected molecular target of a common treatment for alopecia, a condition in which a person's immune system attacks their own hair follicles, causing hair loss. The findings describe how immune cells called regulatory T cells interact with skin cells using a hormone as a messenger to generate new hair follicles and hair growth.
The Jurassic cephalopod Vampyronassa rhodanica, thought to be the oldest known ancestor of the modern-day vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis), was likely an active hunter -- a mode of life that is in contrast with its opportunistic descendant. Scientists came to this conclusion after analyzing microtomographic data of this rare fossil.
A professor develops a bioadhesive based on the mussel adhesive protein for sutureless skin grafting. Skin regenerative effect maximized with controlled releases of dual drugs.
Scientists have assessed how robotics and autonomous systems might facilitate or impede the delivery of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Their findings identify key opportunities and key threats that need to be considered while developing, deploying and governing robotics and autonomous systems.
An estimated one-quarter of adults in the U.S. have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), an excess of fat in liver cells that can cause chronic inflammation and liver damage, increasing the risk of liver cancer. Now researchers have developed a simple blood test to predict which NAFLD patients are most likely to develop liver cancer.
Seven out of 10 pregnant women were cured of their multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and delivered healthy babies after taking a medication that had previously been considered unsafe in pregnancy, a new study has found.
A team of scientists has revealed how excess tau -- a key protein implicated in Alzheimer's disease -- impairs signaling between neurons in the brains of mice. The study could open new pathways for treating the symptoms and even halting the progression of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Mangrove forests play a vital role in the health of our planet. The trees and shrubs absorb a substantial amount of greenhouse gas emissions, help protect communities from rising sea levels, and act as nurseries for baby fish.
Scientists have found a way to bypass the need for biological photosynthesis altogether and create food independent of sunlight by using artificial photosynthesis. The technology uses a two-step electrocatalytic process to convert carbon dioxide, electricity, and water into acetate. Food-producing organisms then consume acetate in the dark to grow. The hybrid organic-inorganic system could increase the conversion efficiency of sunlight into food, up to 18 times more efficient for some foods.
Research looked at the long-term weight gain of more than 13,800 U.S. adults -- a rare data point unearthed in obesity research. The study shows more than half of American adults gained 5% or more body weight over a 10-year period and more than a third of American adults gained 10% or more body weight. Just under a fifth gained 20% or more body weight.
A new statistical tool for predicting protein function could help with tasks ranging from producing biofuels to improving crops to developing new disease treatments. Not only could it help with the difficult job of altering proteins in practically useful ways, but it also works by methods that are fully interpretable -- an advantage over conventional AI.
As the need to address climate change becomes increasingly urgent so too does the concurrent need for proactive stewardship of the Earth's rapidly changing biosphere, according to new research.
Gritty people may be more able to self-regulate and show 'cautious control' -- but don't necessarily have greater cognitive ability, according to a new study.
A new study finds that having a portable air cleaner in the home can reduce the negative impacts of air pollution on brain development in children. Scientists are studying the benefits of using air filters to reduce exposure to air pollution during pregnancy, and assessed the impact on children's intelligence.
The deletion of the Wt1 gene during the early stages of the embryonic reproductive organ formation leads to differences in sex development in adult mice, according to a new study.
A political science professor argues that much of the official language around older motherhood is rooted in both ageism and ableism, as well as being out of step with current childbirth trends. The average age of childbirth has been rising steadily since the mid-1960s, and in some countries, more women are giving birth between the ages of 35 to 39 than between 20 and 24. But societal expectations of mothers remain largely unchanged.
Delivering a targeted immunotoxin into breast ducts via openings in the nipple wiped out all visible and invisible precancerous lesions in laboratory studies of very early stage breast cancers.
A team has used the Hubble Space Telescope to observe Jupiter's moon, Europa, at ultraviolet wavelengths, filling in a 'gap' in the various wavelengths used to observe this icy water world. The team's near-global UV maps show concentrations of sulfur dioxide on Europa's trailing side.
Engineers devised a recipe for improving any autonomous robotic system. Their optimization code can automatically identify how and where to tweak a system to improve a robot's performance.
A full DNA analysis of mites that live in the hair follicles of all humans reveals explanations for their bizarre mating habits, body features and evolutionary future. Inbreeding and isolation means they have shed genes and cells and are moving closer to a permanent existence with us.
Researchers have demonstrated how airborne diseases such as COVID-19 spread along the length of a train carriage and found that there is no 'safest spot' for passengers to minimise the risk of transmission.
Following trauma, feeling detached from one's surroundings may suggest a higher risk of later developing serious mental health conditions. It's important to screen for feeling detached to identify patients who might benefit from preventive care.
Could the expression 'you're only as old as you feel' hold true for older people recuperating from physical disabilities? Apparently so. Researchers have found that feeling young can increase the chances of successful rehabilitation from medical conditions, even in old age.
How hard can insects bite? Having a strong chewing apparatus makes it easier to crush harder food and to succeed in fights with enemies. Biologists now present a mobile system (forceX) for measuring the bite forces of small animals, along with the software forceR to evaluate the data. This allows to understand how bite forces, for example of insects, evolved.
A long-term, increasingly warming pool of water in the northeast Pacific was recently discovered. It measures three million square kilometers, resulted from increased anthropogenic greenhouse-gas emissions, and is conducive to extreme heatwaves in the northeast Pacific.
Every day, people die of simple inflammation because bacteria can no longer be killed with antibiotics. So what do we do? Maybe we should spend less energy on killing them and more on 'only' making them harmless while they are in our body, researchers suggest.