Animal study shows ability to overcome a long-standing hurdle in HIV vaccine development
Month: December 2019
Modern technology and old-fashioned legwork solve science mystery
Video shows single-cell organism making complex decisions
Brain differences detected in children with depressed parents
The largest brain imaging study of children ever conducted in the United States has revealed structural differences in the brains of those whose parents have depression. In Brief Depression is a common and debilitating mental health condition that typically arises…
Physical forces affect bacteria’s toxin resistance, study finds
A random conversation between two Cornell researchers at a child’s birthday party led to a collaboration and new understanding of how bacteria resist toxins, which may lead to new tools in the fight against harmful infections. Physical forces have been…
Concordia research shows that using green products leads to a warm glow in shoppers
The ‘greenconsumption effect’ can change the way retailers provide goods and services, says Onur Bodur
A solution for cleaning up PFAS, one of the world’s most intractable pollutants
Treatment train for a PFAS compound known by its trade name, GenX
Pilot study finds time-restricted eating has benefits for people at risk for diabetes
Previous studies have looked at employing time-restricted eating (TRE), a form of intermittent fasting, as a way to lose weight and improve health measures such as blood sugar and blood pressure in mice and healthy people. But in a study…
Dull teeth, long skulls, specialized bites evolved in unrelated plant-eating dinosaurs
Herbivorous dinosaurs evolved many times during the 180 million-year Mesozoic era, and while they didn’t all evolve to chew, swallow, and digest their food in the same way, a few specific strategies appeared time and time again. An investigation of…
Can a single-celled organism ‘change its mind’? New study says yes
More than 100 years ago, a zoologist by the name of Herbert Spencer Jennings described surprisingly complex and varied avoidance behaviors in a single-celled freshwater protist known as Stentor roeseli . When later experiments in a related organism failed to…
What is a scream? The acoustics of a primal human call
Researchers hone in on what makes screams distinctive
NeutroCure: Exploiting the dual nature of neutrophils to cure inflammatory diseases
The project has received European funding of €3 million for 5 years in the category H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2020 – FET Open — novel ideas for radically new technologies
Janus bases among The Scientist’s Top Innovations of 2019
Invented at Carnegie Mellon, the bivalent nucleic acid recognition platform is being used to develop treatments for rare genetic diseases
Gay, bisexual men increasingly agree: HIV ‘undetectable equals untransmittable’
Yet transmission-risk misunderstandings persist, finds large NIH-supported study
Using lungs from increased-risk donors expands donor pool, maintains current survival rates
Currently, there are nearly 1,500 people waiting for a lung transplant in the US
Rats are more social than we thought
Rats are using the same brain region people use to empathize with others
High-speed fire footage reveals key insights for power plant safety
Fire protection and optical engineers at Sandia National Laboratories are using high-speed cameras and advanced algorithms, imaging and analytic methods to understand these dangerous arc faults between two conductors, such as the high-voltage bus bars in a switchgear at a power plant. Flames in an arc fault experiment contain useful information that can help keep power plants operating safely.
Rural decline not driven by water recovery
New research from the University of Adelaide has shown that climate and economic factors are the main drivers of farmers leaving their properties in the Murray-Darling Basin, not reduced water for irrigation as commonly claimed.
Can the state of Alabama conquer its biggest health challenges? It’s a Grand Challenge, and one state university is determined to prevail
For far too long, Alabama’s residents have seen their health statuses languish when compared to those of other states. Often, Alabama is a punchline when it comes to obesity, diabetes and the overall health of its people. But the consequences, unfortunately, are counted in decreased quality of life, increased health costs and lives lost — hardly a laughing matter.
Deployable Human-Scale Immersive Virtual Environments?
Combined with networks of sensors and controllers, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Collaborative Research Augmented Immersive Virtual Environment Laboratory Lab provides its users new modes of interactions between humans and virtual worlds, with experiences ranging from the familiar to the otherwise remote or downright imaginary.
Early-career engineers learn about the wide variety of tasks in PPPL program
The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory’s new rotational engineering program allows early-career engineers to receive a variety of training as they rotate through four different engineering areas during the two-year program.
Scientists Detail how Chromosomes Reorganize after Cell Division
Researchers have discovered key mechanisms and structural details of a fundamental biological process—how a cell nucleus and its chromosomal material reorganizes itself after cell division. The new findings in chromosomal architecture and function may offer important insights into human health and disease.
A Cancer Drug Trial For Dogs Presented At The RSNA Annual Meeting
What do you do when your best friend is diagnosed with a cancer that kills most of its patients within a few months? A few brave dog owners turned to Johns Hopkins, where veterinarians, radiologists and physicists have teamed up to conduct an experimental trial of a therapy they hope will extend the lives of their beloved pets.
For Concussion, MS, Other Neurologic Disorders, Telemedicine May Be as Effective as Office Visit
For people with many neurologic disorders, seeing the neurologist by video may be as effective as an in-person visit, according to a review of the evidence conducted by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). The evidence review examined all available studies on use of telemedicine for several neurologic conditions – stroke being one of the conditions that is well-validated and highly utilizes telemedicine – and is published in the December 4, 2019, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the AAN. The results indicate that a diagnosis from a neurologist by video for certain neurologic conditions is likely to be as accurate as an in-person visit.
Moffitt’s Top Blood Cancer Research Highlighted at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting
Moffitt Cancer Center, a leader in the clinical care and research of blood malignancies, will present its top clinical research at the 61st American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting, Dec. 7-10 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
STUDY FINDS ‘VIRTUAL BIOPSY’ ALLOWS DOCTORS TO ACCURATELY DIAGNOSE PRECANCEROUS PANCREATIC CYSTS
Research from doctors at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center finds a new “virtual biopsy” allows them to definitively diagnose cysts in the pancreas with unprecedented accuracy. This means they can eliminate precancerous cysts and potentially save lives.
Sea-Level Research Must Change So Communities Can Better Plan for the Future
New Brunswick, N.J. (Dec. 4, 2019) – With sea-level rise threatening hundreds of millions of people, researchers must do a better job engaging communities and other stakeholders so they can make the best-informed decisions on how to adapt in the…
Vaping and Your Health: Here’s What You Need to Know
BIDMC pulmonologist Sean Levy, MD, shares what you need to know about vaping.
Gaseous disk around white dwarf ‘intriguing’ find for exoplanet hunters
An international team of scientists has reported in the journal Nature that they’ve discovered evidence of a gaseous disk around a white dwarf star — expanding astronomers’ understanding of planetary bodies that can exist around white dwarfs. Lisa Kaltenegger, who…
ACR and EULAR Release New Classification Criteria for IgG4-Related Disease
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) released the 2019 ACR/EULAR Classification Criteria for IgG4-Related Disease. It is the first criteria developed specifically for this recently recognized disease.
Flu Preparedness Hearing Opens Opportunities for Vaccine, AMR Action
Today’s subcommittee hearing on U.S. preparedness and responses for the 2019-2020 flu season offers an important opportunity to examine and act on gaps and challenges exacerbating the public health threats of seasonal influenza outbreaks.
Long-distance timber trade underpinned the Roman Empire’s construction
The ancient Romans relied on long-distance timber trading to construct their empire, according to a study published December 4, 2019 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Mauro Bernabei from the National Research Council, Italy, and colleagues.
Air pollution in Taiwan boosts risk of ischemic stroke
Long-term exposure to hydrocarbons in the air may be a risk factor for ischemic stroke development, according to a study published December 4, 2019 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Han-Wei Zhang of China Medical University, Taiwan, and colleagues.
Rutgers Researchers Teach Lessons on Extraterrestrial Life in Local Elementary Schools
Each week, researchers with Rutgers ENIGMA teach astrobiology lessons to children in grades four through eight at McKinley Community School and Greater New Brunswick Charter School. Astrobiology is a relatively new interdisciplinary field that seeks to understand whether life arose elsewhere and whether we can detect it.
The Big Questions: José Rodriguez on Catalysts
The Big Questions series features perspectives from the five recipients of the Department of Energy Office of Science’s 2019 Distinguished Scientists Fellows Award describing their research and what they plan to do with the award. José Rodriguez is a senior chemist at Brookhaven National Laboratory.
Common Diabetes Medications Tested for Anti-Aging Effects
Two drugs already on the market to treat type two diabetes are being tested in nonhuman primates to see if they can impact the aging process. Researchers dosed marmosets with Metformin and Acarbose and found no adverse side effects
Hundreds of Environmental Health Professionals Across the Country Report Challenges and Research Needs
Hundreds of environmental health professionals across the nation report challenges and research needs in six areas — drinking water quality, wastewater management, healthy homes, food safety, public health pests and emerging issues such as disaster risk reduction and new facility types for body art and cannabis-infused products — in research from Baylor University and national health partners.
3 Reasons to Celebrate the CSU
With 23 campuses serving more than 482,000 students across the state, the California State University has the power to transform lives with higher education. And the 3.8 million alumni who are driving the world’s fifth largest economy are a testament to that. Read on for more reasons to celebrate the CSU.
The Medical Minute: Progress slow against pancreatic cancer
Researchers are still trying to find ways of catching pancreatic cancer early – or better yet, preventing it altogether. Meantime, here’s what patients need to know.
First Parker Solar Probe scientific papers publish in Nature
The first published science from the Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP) instruments aboard NASA’s Parker Solar Probe (PSP) poses a major challenge to our understanding of the dynamics of the near-sun solar wind.
Helping children birth to 5 with social/emotional, developmental disorders
More than 50 mental health clinicians and 14 Head Start teachers are increasing their ability to help young children experiencing social and emotional difficulties, thanks to training provided through the South Dakota Early Childhood Mental Health Collaborative.
Solving the Mystery of Carbon on Ocean Floor
Little bits of black carbon littering the ocean floor, separate and distinct from the organic carbon believed to come from the ocean’s surface. The source of that strange, and older, carbon has now been identified by UD researchers. The discovery is an important step in understanding the marine carbon cycle.
CicloMed Expands Fosciclopirox Phase 1 Trial to Include Cisplatin-Ineligible Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer Patients
First patient enrolled at The University of Kansas Cancer Center in expansion cohort study characterizing the safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of fosciclopirox in bladder cancer patients
Single Dose of Ketamine Plus Talk Therapy May Reduce Alcohol Use
A single infusion of ketamine plus behavioral therapy helped alcohol-dependent individuals reduce their drinking, a new study finds.
National Park Service Scientists: Does Aircraft Noise Make Birds More Vocal?
National Park Service scientists analyzed nearly 1 million 10-second audio recording samples from national parks across the country and discovered a small increase in bird sound detection when an aircraft sound is also detected. During the 178th ASA Meeting, Kurt Fristrup will present the findings and how human responses to noise might be studied.
At-home beauty devices: to buy or not to buy
If you are thinking of buying a skin rejuvenation device as a holiday gift, think again.
Mindfulness training may help lower blood pressure, new study shows
As the leading cause of death in both the United States and the world, heart disease claims nearly 18 million lives every year, according to the World Health Organization.
S&T and CBP Host the Havre Sector Field Experiment
As part of the HSE’s ongoing efforts to address vulnerabilities, DHS S&T and USBP conducted a field test at USBP Havre Sector.
ASA, CDC Plan Revamp of Sound-Related Wikipedia Pages for International Year of Sound 2020
As harmful effects of noise are becoming more widely known, popular internet websites are increasingly being used as resources of information. For the International Year of Sound 2020 (#IYS2020), the Acoustical Society of America and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, part of the CDC, took the lead in designing the online event Wiki4YearOfSound2020. The event will facilitate the improvement of Wikipedia content in topics related to acoustics, communication, music, noise and soundscapes.
Highlights for reporters from the 2019 ASCB|EMBO Meeting
Check out this day-by-day rundown of events and sessions of interest to media at the 2019 ASCB|EMBO Meeting taking place Dec. 7-11 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC.
Updated Genetic Screening Guidelines Published by National Comprehensive Cancer Network Feature Emerging Evidence on Personalized Medicine
NCCN Guidelines for Genetic/Familial Risk Assessment: Breast, Ovarian, and Pancreatic updated with new and expanded sections on risk assessment and management related to three major cancer types.