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UrduThere is wide variation in the performance of commercial kits for detecting antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), according to a study published September 24 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Jonathan Edgeworth and Blair Merrick of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Suzanne Pickering and Katie Doores of King’s College London, and colleagues. As noted by the authors, the rigorous comparison of antibody testing platforms will inform the deployment of point-of-care technologies in healthcare settings and their use in monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Category: Research Results
Talking Alone: Researchers Use Artificial Intelligence Tools to Predict Loneliness
A team led by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine has used artificial intelligence technologies to analyze natural language patterns to discern degrees of loneliness in older adults.
How do Americans view the virus? Anthropology professor examines attitudes, perceptions of COVID-19
In her latest study, Northern Arizona University professor Lisa Hardy looks at how Americans’ attitudes and responses have changed during the time of the pandemic and how to many people, the virus is not a biological agent but instead a malicious actor.
Genetic, immunological abnormalities in Type I interferon pathway are risk factors for severe COVID-19
Individuals with severe forms of COVID-19 disease can present with compromised type I interferon (IFN) responses based on their genetics, according to results published in two papers today in the journal Science. Type I IFN responses are critical for protecting cells and the body from more severe disease after acute viral infection.
Driven by climate, more frequent, severe wildfires in Cascade Range reshape forests
In recent years — and 2020 is no exception — parts of the Pacific Northwest that are typically too wet to burn are experiencing more frequent, severe and larger wildfires due to changes in climate.
One-Off Extreme Drinking May Cause Structural Brain Atrophy in Young Adults
A new study suggests that a single episode of extreme drinking in young adults may be linked to almost immediate structural brain atrophy. Adolescence and emerging adulthood are known to represent critical stages for brain development, involving heightened vulnerability to the toxic effects of drinking. Chronic alcohol use among young adults is associated with structural brain abnormalities, especially in the corpus callosum, which transfers information between brain hemispheres — a key function in learning and memory. Preclinical research in rodents suggests that a single drinking episode might result in brain atrophy. However, it was unclear whether and how a single episode of extreme drinking in young adults could affect brain structure. The study, published in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, assessed participants before and after a single episode of extreme drinking — consuming more than four to five alcohol-containing beverages in a single episode — scanning the br
Solving the strange storms on Jupiter
At the south pole of Jupiter lurks a striking sight–even for a gas giant planet covered in colorful bands that sports a red spot larger than the earth.
Next-gen bioinformatics tool enables big data analysis without programming expertise
A new data analysis tool developed by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center incorporates a user-friendly, natural-language interface to allow biomedical researchers without specialized expertise in bioinformatics or programming languages to conduct intuitive analysis of large datasets.
Genome of Alexander Fleming’s original penicillin-producing mould sequenced
Researchers have sequenced the genome of Alexander Fleming’s penicillin mould for the first time and compared it to later versions.
Scientists achieve higher precision weak force measurement between protons, neutrons
Through a one-of-a-kind experiment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, nuclear physicists have precisely measured the weak interaction between protons and neutrons. The result quantifies the weak force theory as predicted by the Standard Model of Particle Physics.
HIGHLY DETAILED MAP OF THE HUMAN HEART COULD GUIDE PERSONALIZED HEART TREATMENTS
Scientists have created a detailed cellular and molecular map of the healthy human heart to understand how this vital organ functions and to shed light on what goes awry in cardiovascular disease.
Handheld Device Could Someday Provide Fast, Objective Method to Diagnose Concussions in Youth Athletes
Building upon years of research, a new study has demonstrated how a specific assessment of the eye could someday help properly diagnosis and monitor concussions.
Antibodies protect against wide range of influenza B virus strains
Researchers have identified two antibodies that protect mice against lethal infections of influenza B virus, report scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Together with an antibody that targets the other major kind of influenza viruses that infect people — influenza A — these antibodies potentially could form the basis of a broad-spectrum flu drug that could treat almost all flu cases.
Genetic Study Uncovers Mutation Associated with Fibromuscular Dysplasia
Researchers report first clinically actionable findings for a rare blood vessel disease in a study of four unrelated families, all with the same genetic variant.
Uncovering a ‘suPAR’ culprit behind kidney injury in COVID-19
A new observational study finds patients in the hospital for COVID-19 have high levels of soluble urokinase receptor (suPAR), an immune-derived pathogenic protein that is strongly predictive of kidney injury.
Camera traps show impact of recreational activity on wildlife
The COVID-19 pandemic has fired up interest in outdoor activities in our parks and forests. Now a new UBC study highlights the need to be mindful of how these activities may affect wildlife living in protected areas.
Biomarker Candidates to Revolutionize Earlier Diagnosis of Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer mainly caused by exposure to asbestos fibers.
Something old, something new combine for effective vaccine against parasitic skin disease
Scientists are planning for Phase 1 human trials of a vaccine they developed by using CRISPR gene-editing technology to mutate the parasite that causes leishmaniasis, a skin disease common in tropical regions of the world and gaining ground in the United States.
Can you paint your migraine?
“Can you draw me a picture of your headache?” may sound like an unusual question – but drawings of headache pain provide plastic surgeons with valuable information on which patients are more or less likely to benefit from surgery to alleviate migraine headaches.
The psychosocial benefits of plastic surgery for young women with congenital breast asymmetry
Nearly all women have breasts that are slightly different from each other. However, some women have more marked differences in the size, shape, or position of the breasts even after development is complete – leading to negative effects on emotional well-being and self-image.
5G Wireless May Lead to Inaccurate Weather Forecasts
Upcoming 5G wireless networks that will provide faster cell phone service may lead to inaccurate weather forecasts, according to a Rutgers study on a controversial issue that has created anxiety among meteorologists.
Many Americans continue to maintain unhealthy lifestyle habits during COVID-19; overeating, alcohol drinking and marijuana use increase while exercise declines, reports USC Center for the Digital Future
After more than six months of living in a pandemic, large percentages of Americans continue to indulge in unhealthy lifestyle habits, including overeating and increased use of alcohol and marijuana — all while many are exercising less, according to a study of the cultural impact of COVID-19 conducted by the USC Center for the Digital Future (CDF).
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Risk Varies in Patients with Different Types of Epilepsy
People with generalized epilepsy who have seizures arising from both sides of the brain simultaneously, have a higher risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) compared to patients who have focal epilepsy where seizures emanate from one area of the brain, according to a Rutgers study.
Insomnia, sleeping less than six hours may increase risk of cognitive impairment
Middle-aged adults who report symptoms of insomnia and are sleeping less than six hours a night may be at increased risk of cognitive impairment, according to a study by Penn State College of Medicine researchers.
World first study links obesity with reduced brain plasticity
A world-first study has found that severely overweight people are less likely to be able to re-wire their brains and find new neural pathways, a discovery that has significant implications for people recovering from a stroke or brain injury.
Novel cell membrane model could be key to uncovering new protein properties
Researchers have recently shed light on how cell membrane proteins could be influenced by the lipids around them. By developing a novel type of membrane model, they were able to show that the shape and behavior of a protein can be altered by exposure to different lipid compositions. The research team confirmed the artificial membrane’s structure using x-ray and neutron scattering at the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Brookhaven (BNL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL).
Houston Methodist COVID-19 study shows rapid spread and potential for mutant viruses
Molecular analysis of COVID-19’s powerful second wave in Houston shows a mutated virus strain linked to higher transmission and infection rates than the coronavirus strains that caused Houston’s first wave. Gene sequencing results from 5,085 COVID-positive patients tested at Houston Methodist since early March show a virus capable of adapting, surviving and thriving – making it more important than ever for physician scientists to understand its evolution as they work to discover effective vaccines and therapies.
Institute for Autism Research at Canisius College finds innovative outpatient treatment (MAXout) highly effective for children with autism
Researchers at the Institute for Autism Research at Canisius College find innovative outpatient treatment (MAXout) highly effective for children with higher-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFASD). Children demonstrate significant improvements in social skills, ASD symptoms, social-cognitive skills, and problem behaviors.
New study first to define link between testosterone and fathers’ social roles outside the family
Lee Gettler, associate professor of anthropology at Notre Dame, led a team that worked with the BaYaka and Bondongo societies in the Republic of the Congo.
SLAC invention could make particle accelerators 10 times smaller
A team led by scientists at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has invented a new type of accelerator structure that could make accelerators used for a given application 10 times shorter.
Likely molecular mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis are revealed by network biology
Researchers combined a lung-epithelial cell host interactome with a SARS-CoV-2 interactome. Network biology analysis of this human/SARS-CoV-2 interactome revealed potential molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis for SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Study Discovers Multiple Unapproved Drugs in “Brain Boosting” Supplements
Supplements that claim to improve mental focus and memory may contain unapproved pharmaceutical drugs and in potentially dangerous combinations and doses, according to a new study published in the September 23, 2020, online issue of Neurology® Clinical Practice, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers found five such drugs not approved in the United States in the supplements they examined. The supplements are sometimes called “nootropics,” “smart drugs” or “cognitive enhancers.”
Statins Reduce COVID-19 Severity, Likely by Removing Cholesterol That Virus Uses to Infect
Analyzing anonymized patient medical records, UC San Diego researchers discovered that cholesterol-lowering statins reduced risk of severe COVID-19 infection, while lab experiments uncovered a cellular mechanism that helps explain why.
Meditation for mind-control
A BCI is an apparatus that allows an individual to control a machine or computer directly from their brain.
Active learning accelerates redox-flow battery discovery
In a new study from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, researchers are accelerating the hunt for the best possible battery components by employing artificial intelligence.
Wobbling shadow of the M87 black hole
In 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration delivered the first image of a black hole, revealing M87*–the supermassive object in the center of the M87 galaxy.
Bristol scientists shine light on tiny crystals behind unexpected violent eruptions
In a new study of volcanic processes, Bristol scientists have demonstrated the role nanolites play in the creation of violent eruptions at otherwise ‘calm’ and predictable volcanoes. The study, published in Science Advances, describes how nano-sized crystals (nanolites), 10,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair, can have a significant impact of the viscosity of erupting magma, resulting in previously unexplained and explosive eruptions.
Antarctic Ice Loss Expected to Affect Future Climate Change
In a new climate modeling study that looked at the impacts of accelerated ice melt from the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) on future climate, a team of climate scientists reports that future ice-sheet melt is expected to have significant effects on global climate.
Ultra-Low-Cost Hearing Aid Could Address Age-Related Hearing Loss Worldwide
Using a device that could be built with a dollar’s worth of open-source parts and a 3D-printed case, researchers want to help the hundreds of millions of older people worldwide who can’t afford existing hearing aids to address their age-related hearing loss.
Survey reveals popular misconceptions about child marriage
Misconceptions about child marriage (marriage under 18) appear widespread among the American public, potentially hampering efforts to address the practice globally.
First evidence that air pollution particles and metals are reaching the placenta
Pollution particles, including metals, have been found in the placentas of fifteen women in London, according to research led by Queen Mary University of London.
Mathematics: Modelling the timings of a COVID-19 second wave in Europe
How a second wave of COVID-19 infections may evolve across Europe over the next few months, using data on infection rates and travel within and between European countries, is modelled in a Scientific Reports paper.
Amyloid deposits not associated with depression in the elderly
Depression in elderly people can include symptoms such as memory loss, making it hard to distinguish from the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.
Study: Death counts fail to capture full mortality effects of COVID-19
More than 200,000 people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19.
UK lockdown and air pollution: Nitrogen dioxide halved but sulphur dioxide doubled
A University of Liverpool study of air pollution in the UK during the first 100 days of lockdown has revealed that whilst nitrogen oxide levels were cut by half, levels of sulphur dioxide increased by over 100%.
Automatic database creation for materials discovery: Innovation from frustration
A collaboration between the University of Cambridge and Argonne has developed a unique method of generating automatic databases to support specific fields of science using AI and high-performance computing.
New genes for human deafness found in Israeli families
Until now, seven genes were known to be involved in hearing loss in Israel’s Jewish population. A new study led by Zippora Brownstein, PhD, and Prof. Karen Avraham from the Sackler Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University has found that 32 genes are responsible for inherited hearing loss in Israeli Jewish families.
Study Reveals Benefits from VA Payment Reforms for Dialysis
• Over the last decade, the Department of Veterans Affairs implemented payment changes to reduce spending on community dialysis treatments and to improve access to care for Veterans with kidney failure.
• The changes led to reduced costs for dialysis sessions and less variation in payments for dialysis.
• The changes led to improved access to dialysis care without change in the quality of that care.
Scientists develop forecasting technique that could help advance quest for fusion energy
An international group of researchers has developed a technique that forecasts how tokamaks might respond to unwanted magnetic errors. These forecasts could help engineers design fusion facilities that create a virtually inexhaustible supply of safe and clean fusion energy to generate electricity.
Prenatal cannabis exposure associated with adverse outcomes during middle childhood
Research from the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis shows prenatal cannabis exposure may impact child behavior later in life.