Newly identified yeast could prevent fungal infections by outcompeting rivals, study suggests

Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel have identified a yeast that could be used to prevent invasive candidiasis, a major cause of death in hospitalized and immunocompromised patients. The study, to be published March 18 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM), shows that the novel yeast lives harmlessly in the intestines of mice and humans and can displace the yeast responsible for candidiasis, Candida albicans.

New composite decking could reduce global warming effects of building materials

Building materials are major contributors to global carbon dioxide emissions. So scientists have designed a composite decking material that stores more carbon dioxide than is required to manufacture it, providing the first “carbon-negative” option. They will present their results at ACS Spring 2024.

Developing bifunctional catalyst performance enhancement technology that will dramatically lower the cost of hydrogen production

Dr. Hyung-Suk Oh and Dr. Woong-Hee Lee of the Clean Energy Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), in collaboration with POSTECH and Yonsei University, have developed a methodology to improve the reversibility and durability of electrodes using bifunctional platinum-nickel alloy catalysts with an octahedral structure that exhibits both oxygen reduction and generation reactions.

Tropical Plants Beat Drought by Interacting with Specific Microbes

Researchers from the University of Arizona and the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy user facility, discovered that that plants can maintain specific microbe partnerships during times of drought, revealing a new level of resilience.

Mutations do not predict the severity of current variants of SARS-CoV-2

New research from UNC Charlotte’s Center for Computational Intelligence to Predict Health and Environmental Risks has found that the two most prevalent strains of the virus that cause COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 variants BA.2.86 and JN.1, are not significantly better than their predecessor Omicron at evading immune responses and causing infections despite having a high number of mutations compared to previous variants.

New Research in March: Colorectal Cancer, Kidney Health, OR Supply Costs, and More

The March issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) features new research on topics ranging from colorectal cancer and social vulnerability to operating room supply costs, the rise in school shootings since 1970, and the impact of permitless open carry laws on suicide rates, among others.

Revealing Nature’s Secrets from Space: Satellite Data Unlocks Drought’s Impact on Southwest China’s Carbon Cycle

A new study reveals a significant increase in aboveground carbon (AGC) in Southwest China from 2013 to 2021, defying the adverse effects of extreme droughts. This achievement underscores the region’s pivotal role as a carbon sink, attributed to extensive ecological projects and innovative remote sensing techniques.

Mapping Water Wonders: A Groundbreaking Leap in Hydrology with NDWFI

In a significant advancement for hydrological monitoring and water resource management, researchers have developed the Normalized Difference Water Fraction Index (NDWFI), leveraging Landsat imagery and Spectral Mixture Analysis (SMA) within the Google Earth Engine platform. This innovation is pivotal for accurately tracking dynamic and subtle water bodies, crucial for enhancing water security and resilience against extreme hydrological events.

twist on theatre sports could counteract a stutter

Mock ‘Ninja knife throwing’, ‘Gibberish’, or the fast and furious ‘Zap’ – they’re all favourite theatre games designed to break ice and boost confidence. But add speech therapy to theatre sports and you get a brand-new experience that’s hoping to deliver positive changes for people with a stutter.