Science X Newsletter Wed, Oct 4

Dear ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 4, 2023:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Trio wins Nobel Prize in chemistry for work on quantum dots, used in electronics and medical imaging

Finger-shaped sensor enables more dexterous robots

V0610 Virgo is a low-mass contact binary, observations find

How floods kill, long after the water has gone: Sobering data from a global decade-long study

Unique voice prints in parrots could help birds be recognized in a flock, no matter what they say

Zebrafish avatars can help tailor glioblastoma therapies

Women living in more walkable neighborhoods found to have lower rates of obesity-related cancers

New robot could help diagnose breast cancer early

Researchers develop 3D printing method that shows promise for repairing brain injuries

Researchers identify underused strategy for recovering endangered species

A prehistoric cosmic airburst preceded the advent of agriculture in the Levant

Researchers design potential therapy to prevent brain deterioration in children with rare genetic conditions

Portable laboratory device can detect SARS-CoV-2

Use of antiviral medication shown to preserve insulin production in children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes

Honeybees are more selective in their choices for nutrition than previously thought

Nanotechnology news

	Graphene oxide nanoflakes reduce the toxicity of Alzheimer's proteins, shows study A probable early driver of Alzheimer's disease is the accumulation of molecules called amyloid peptides. These cause cell death and are commonly found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have now shown that yeast cells that accumulate these misfolded amyloid peptides can recover after being treated with graphene oxide nanoflakes.
	Quantum dots: the tiny 'rainbow' crystals behind chemistry Nobel Quantum dots are tiny crystals that scientists can tune to different colors, giving an extra-vivid pop to next-generation TV screens or illuminating tumors inside bodies so surgeons can hunt them down.
	MXene and MBene compounds can be engineered to selectively capture carbon dioxide, says study Some of the thinnest materials known to mankind may provide solutions to scientists in their quest to curb the effects of global warming.
	Three giants of chemistry connected by the quantum realm This year's Nobel Chemistry winners are pioneers in the nanoworld.
	Extracellular vesicles study outlines new strategies to combat neurodegenerative diseases A new study by the University of Barcelona could drive the design of future strategies to regenerate damaged brain areas in neurodegenerative diseases. The study emphasizes the role of neuron-derived extracellular vesicles in the processes that modulate synaptic plasticity and neuronal signaling pathways. In addition, the results outline a new scenario for using these extracellular vesicles derived from healthy neurons—capable of transporting molecules between cells—in treatments against neurodegenerative diseases.

Physics news

	How quantum light sees quantum sound Researchers at the University of East Anglia have proposed a new way of using quantum light to "see" quantum sound.
	A precise test of quantum electrodynamics: Measuring the g factor of electrons in hydrogen-like tin Quantum electrodynamics is the best-tested theory in physics. It describes all electrical and magnetic interactions of light and matter. Scientists at the Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik in Heidelberg (MPIK) have now used precision measurements on their Alphatrap experiment to investigate the magnetic properties of electrons bound to highly ionized tin atoms. Such tests provide insights into the behavior of particles under extreme field strengths. They also serve as a starting point for the search for new physics.
	Navigating moiré physics and photonics with band offset tuning When two lattices with distinct angles or periodicities come together, they conjure a moiré superlattice—a realm where astonishing phenomena like superconductivity and optical solitons spring to life. At the heart of this realm lies the moiré flatband, a key player in shaping advanced light–matter interactions, such as laser emission and second harmonic generation. In moiré physics and its relevant applications, wielding control over flatbands is a pivotal superpower.
	What is an attosecond? A physical chemist explains the tiny time scale behind Nobel Prize-winning research A group of three researchers earned the 2023 Nobel Prize in physics for work that has revolutionized how scientists study the electron—by illuminating molecules with attosecond-long flashes of light. But how long is an attosecond, and what can these infinitesimally short pulses tell researchers about the nature of matter?
	Nobel prize in physics awarded for work unveiling the secrets of electrons The 2023 Nobel prize in physics has been awarded to a trio of scientists for pioneering tools used to study the world of electrons.
	Superconductivity at room temperature remains elusive a century after Nobel Prize for landmark discovery On April 8, 1911, Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes scribbled in pencil an almost unintelligible note into a kitchen notebook: "near enough null."
	Exploring stellar hydrogen burning via muons and nuclei The muon is a subatomic particle that resembles an electron but is 200 times heavier. It interacts with nuclei through the weak force, one of the four fundamental forces in the universe. When a muon binds with a deuteron (composed of one proton and one neutron), it forms a system with two neutrons. This process is analogous to proton-proton fusion, where two protons combine to form a deuteron.

Earth news

	Filling the data gap for volcanic ash effects on Earth systems Volcanic ash is no ordinary dust: It gets injected into the atmosphere, climbs to the stratosphere, impacts climate, powders roadways and clogs jet engines.
	Study uses social media and machine learning to show environmental injustices in Philadelphia's urban parks In urban areas throughout the United States, it is imperative for all communities to have equal access to high quality parks. These parks can have many benefits for the physical and mental well-being of the residents who live in close proximity to the urban green spaces. For instance, they are a place to socialize and exercise outdoors while also providing vegetation nearby, which can help reduce urban heat.
	Humans increasingly settling in high-risk flood zones, study warns Humans are increasingly settling in areas highly exposed to dangerous flooding, a study warned Wednesday, with China helping drive the rise in risky urban expansion into exposed areas.
	US drinking water often contains toxic contaminants, scientist warns Most Americans take it for granted that the water that comes out of their taps is clean and safe to drink.
	Study identifies jet-stream pattern that locks in extreme winter cold, wet spells Winter is coming—eventually. And while the Earth is warming, a new study suggests that the atmosphere is being pushed around in ways that cause long bouts of extreme winter cold or wet in some regions.
	New research finds that ancient carbon in rocks releases as much carbon dioxide as the world's volcanoes A new study led by the University of Oxford has overturned the view that natural rock weathering acts as a CO2 sink, indicating instead that this can also act as a large CO2 source, rivaling that of volcanoes. The results, published today in the journal Nature, have important implications for modeling climate change scenarios.
	Canada's wildfires take devastating toll on wildlife No droppings, tracks, nests or other traces of wildlife—Canada's boreal forests were devastated by record wildfires this year.
	Greenland's Inuit falling through thin ice of climate change The thunder of icebergs crashing into the turquoise sea of eastern Greenland is the sound of one of the planet's most important ecosystems teetering on the edge of collapse.
	Research quantifies how much microplastic is emitted into the atmosphere by sea spray A new study quantifies the amount of microplastic exported into the atmosphere from sea spray. When bubbles burst on the surface of the sea, small particles, such as salt or bits of organic matter, can be flung into the air. This process moves significant amounts of matter, enough to affect global climate dynamics by influencing the radiative balance of the atmosphere and serving as cloud condensation nuclei. But can sea spray also toss microplastics, which are now ubiquitous in the ocean, into the atmosphere?
	Climate change challenges marine conservation efforts in Atlantic Canada Extreme ocean changes due to climate change are not an abstract or future scenario. This summer alone, 23 percent of the world's oceans experienced a heat wave, corresponding to an area roughly equivalent to the entire Atlantic Ocean.
	Irrigating Australia's deserts won't increase rainfall, new modeling shows ,For generations, Australians have been fascinated with the idea of turning our inland deserts green with lush vegetation.
	Microplastics in the mud: Finnish lake sediments help us get to the bottom of plastic pollution The sun is shining, and air feels surprisingly warm when we walk on a 35cm ice that covers a frozen lake in central Finland. The heavy sledges move nicely, because there is not much snow on the ice today. The journey isn't far either, as we're by the city of Kuopio, which is surrounded by Finland's 10th largest lake. Despite the temperature of -10˚, I need to take off my hat—the sun in early March is already warm, or it could be the fact that the heavy sledge is following me obediently.
	Diagnosing anthropogenic carbon emissions: A 'carbon dioxide checkup' of Earth's health Since 2020, many countries have pledged their plans for "carbon peak and carbon neutrality". Managing anthropogenic emissions, especially from major industries, is crucial for addressing global warming and promoting sustainable growth. However, existing emission records lack transparency and accuracy due to limited knowledge of CO2 emissions from cities and key sectors, leading to uncertainty in the global carbon budget and hindering carbon asset management across industries.
	Biodegradable bags not currently recommended for recycling organic waste Bags made from biodegradable materials for collecting organic household waste have been available on the market for several years. Now researchers in a large-scale pilot study have conducted an extensive investigation into whether these bags fully decompose. In addition, a first-of-its-kind study also took a look into the consumers interest in using biodegradable bags.
	Simultaneous large wildfires will increase in Western US, says study Simultaneous outbreaks of large wildfires will become more frequent in the Western United States this century as the climate warms, putting major strains on efforts to fight fires, new research shows.
	Firefighters tell of hellish battle against Canada wildfires Facing grueling conditions worthy of a Dantean hell, up against soaring walls of blistering flames, thousands of firefighters mobilized throughout the Canadian summer. They came out exhausted and worried for the future.
	Taiwan cancels flights, shuts schools ahead of typhoon Taiwan canceled flights and closed schools in parts of its southern region on Wednesday ahead of Typhoon Koinu's expected landfall, the second major storm to make a direct hit on the island in a month.
	Living in fear on Italy's Campi Flegrei volcano As a child, Alfredo Colato cooked eggs on this southern Italian volcano. Today, he is poised to flee Campi Flegrei, as experts warn earthquakes rocking his hometown could herald an eruption.
	Five killed by India glacial lake burst flood, 23 soldiers missing At least five people have been killed and dozens including 23 soldiers are missing in India after intense rains burst a glacial lake and triggered a torrential flash flood, officials said Wednesday.
	Climate scientist 'could lose job' for refusing to fly A climate scientist on Wednesday said he was being threatened with the sack for refusing to fly back to Germany from a research trip in Papua New Guinea.
	Brazil vows more aid as Amazon waters dry up Brazil's Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin said Wednesday that more help would be sent to an Amazon state where rivers are drying up in a severe drought, causing mass die-offs of fish and dolphins.

Astronomy and Space news

	V0610 Virgo is a low-mass contact binary, observations find Astronomers from the Binary Systems of South and North (BSN) project have conducted photometric observations of a distant binary star known as V0610 Virgo. Results of the observation campaign, published Sept. 23 in a research paper on the pre-print server arXiv, indicate that V0610 Virgo is a low-mass contact binary system.
	Creating a 3D model of methane lake impact on local weather on Titan A team of Earth and planetary scientists from the Southwest Research Institute, Yale University, Université Paris-Saclay, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea and Sorbonne Université has created a 3D model to show the likely impact of methane lakes on local weather on Saturn's largest moon, Titan. They have published a paper on the arXiv preprint server describing the factors that went into their model and comparing it with 2D models.
	NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft views sample return capsule's departure After years of anticipation and hard work by NASA's OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security—Regolith Explorer) team, a capsule of rocks and dust collected from asteroid Bennu returned to Earth on Sept. 24 in a targeted area of the Department of Defense's Utah Test and Training Range near Salt Lake City.
	Hubble records rare radio galaxy NGC 612 A striking orange and blue streak fills this new image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Hubble's visible and infrared capabilities captured this edge-on view of lenticular galaxy NGC 612. Lenticular galaxies have a central bulge and disk much like spiral galaxies, but they lack the characteristic arms. They typically have older star populations and little ongoing star formation. In NGC 612, dust and cool hydrogen gas make up the majority of the galactic disk, the plane of matter we see in orange and dark red. This galaxy appears in the Sculptor constellation and is easily visible from Earth's southern hemisphere.
	SpaceX aims for its 50th Space Coast launch this year SpaceX is targeting its 50th Space Coast launch of the year with another Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
	Astronomers watched a massive star disappear. JWST might have some answers In 2009 a giant star 25 times more massive than the sun simply vanished. OK, it wasn't quite that simple. It underwent a period of brightening, increasing in luminosity to a million suns, just as if it was ready to explode into a supernova. But then it faded rather than exploding. And when astronomers tried to see the star using the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), Hubble and the Spitzer space telescope, they couldn't see anything.
	Space needs better 'parking spots' to stay usable, and an engineer is finding them Any mission headed to space needs a "parking spot" at its destination. But these parking spots, regions located on orbits, are quickly becoming occupied or more vulnerable to collisions.

Technology news

	Finger-shaped sensor enables more dexterous robots Imagine grasping a heavy object, like a pipe wrench, with one hand. You would likely grab the wrench using your entire fingers, not just your fingertips. Sensory receptors in your skin, which run along the entire length of each finger, would send information to your brain about the tool you are grasping.
	Study findings may dramatically lower the cost of producing green hydrogen According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global hydrogen demand is expected to reach 530 million tons in 2050, a nearly six-fold increase from 2020.
	Study presents new method for explainable AI Artificial intelligence is already in widespread use, yet it is still difficult to understand how an AI system reaches its decisions. Scientists at the Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz-Institut (HHI) and the Berlin Institute for the Foundations of Learning and Data (BIFOLD) at TU Berlin have collaborated for many years to make AI explainable. Now the scientists led by Prof. Thomas Wiegand (Fraunhofer HHI, BIFOLD), Prof. Wojciech Samek (Fraunhofer HHI, BIFOLD) and Dr. Sebastian Lapuschkin (Fraunhofer HHI) have achieved another milestone.
	AI-powered chat assistance elevates online conversation quality, study finds Check the comments section of many social media and digital news platforms, and you're likely to find a cesspool of insults, threats and even harassment. In fact, a Pew Research Center survey found that 41% of American adults have personally experienced online harassment, and 1 in 5 adults say they've been harassed online for their political views.
	Scientists illuminate the mechanics of solid-state batteries As current courses through a battery, its materials erode over time. Mechanical influences such as stress and strain affect this trajectory, although their impacts on battery efficacy and longevity are not fully understood.
	Research team develops highly efficient solar cell that enables decentralized production of hydrogen Researchers around the world are working on more efficient methods for producing hydrogen. Hydrogen could make a decisive contribution to reducing the consumption of fossil raw materials, especially if it is produced using renewable energies. Existing technologies for producing climate-neutral hydrogen are still too inefficient or too expensive for broader application.
	'Electronic tongue' holds promise as possible first step to artificial emotional intelligence Can artificial intelligence (AI) get hungry? Develop a taste for certain foods? Not yet, but a team of Penn State researchers is developing a novel electronic tongue that mimics how taste influences what we eat based on both needs and wants, providing a possible blueprint for AI that processes information more like a human being.
	New technology could reduce lag, improve reliability of online gaming, meetings Whether you're battling foes in a virtual arena or collaborating with colleagues across the globe, lag-induced disruptions can be a major hindrance to seamless communication and immersive experiences.
	Got returns? Call Uber. The ride-hailing service is now offering to return parcels for a fee Uber is adding a new task to its list of services: mailing consumers' return packages.
	SoftBank's Son says AI will surpass human intelligence in a decade, urges Japanese firms to adopt it Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son on Wednesday said he believes artificial intelligence will surpass human intelligence within a decade, urging Japanese companies to adopt it or be left behind.
	A Chinese media scholar explains the Taoist philosophy behind the WeChat app's design Elon Musk's vision of Twitter, now rebranded as X, as an "everything app" is no secret. When the X logo replaced Twitter's blue bird, the internet buzzed with heated discussions about just what it would mean for X to be an everything app.
	Airlines are being hit by anti-greenwashing litigation—here's what makes them perfect targets A wave of anti-"greenwashing" litigation is seeking to hold major players in the aviation industry to account for sensational claims of being sustainable, low-carbon or contributing to net zero. While the industry has faced legal backlash in the past, the dramatic proliferation of these cases may spell disaster for major airlines.
	The dawn of domestic robots could dramatically cut gender inequality when it comes to household work Domestic work is vital for society to function. Meals need to be cooked, clothes and homes cleaned, and people need to be cared for. These tasks take time and, generally speaking, are not shared equally within households.
	Novel robots help understand how insects evolved two distinct strategies of flight Robots built by engineers at the University of California San Diego helped achieve a major breakthrough in understanding how insect flight evolved, as described in the journal Nature. The study is a result of a six-year long collaboration between roboticists at UC San Diego and biophysicists at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
	Insect cyborgs: Toward precision movement Insect cyborgs may sound like science fiction, but they're a relatively new development that uses electrical stimuli to control the movement of insects. These hybrid insect computer robots, as they are scientifically called, herald the future of small, highly mobile and efficient devices.
	Google packs more artificial intelligence into new Pixel phones, raises prices for devices by $100 Google on Wednesday unveiled a next-generation Pixel smartphones lineup that will be infused with more artificial intelligence tools capable of writing captions about photos that can also be altered by the technology.
	Meta expands generative AI tools to boost effectiveness of ads Meta Platforms Inc. is rolling out new generative AI tools for all advertisers, expanding on an earlier test of the features that let marketers create images and text more quickly.
	Fighting food waste: New system uses wireless signals in the sub-terahertz band to determine fruit ripeness One bad apple may not spoil the whole bunch, but when it comes to distributing food, a lot of good goes out with the bad.
	Improving accuracy, reliability and interpretability of distributed computing A new study by Botond Szabo (Bocconi Department of Decision Sciences) published in The Annals of Statistics lays the cornerstone for more accurate, reliable and interpretable distributed computing methods.
	Durable, low-emission vehicle components made from fiber-reinforced biopolymers Plastics have many positive properties: They are lightweight, durable and provide a wide range of design possibilities. However, conventional lightweight components made of fossil-based plastics offer great scope for reducing CO2 emissions.
	Using deep learning to classify steel materials objectively Rolling bearings are installed wherever something is in rotation. The wide range of applications extends from large wind turbines to small electric toothbrushes. These bearings, which consist of steel components, must be carefully selected and tested with regard to their quality and the application in question. The grain size has a crucial effect on the mechanical properties of the steel.
	Mathematical model predicts what is leached out of building facades by rain The plaster and mortar used in facades often contain heavy metals and biocides that leach out and infiltrate into the soil when it rains. The Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP has created a model that combines measurements of the substances that leach out with regional meteorological data.
	Checking items of clothing using a smartphone, AI and infrared spectroscopy Researchers at Fraunhofer have developed an ultra-compact near-infrared spectrometer suitable for recognizing and analyzing textiles. Mixed fabrics can also be reliably identified through the combination of imaging, special AI (artificial intelligence) algorithms and spectroscopy.
	Guarantees of optimality: A new model to help the manufacturing industry transition to renewables The sixth UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, which came out in the spring of 2022, was clear: technologies are available now to make the transition away from a fossil-fueled economy. However, making these swift changes is not as simple as flipping a switch.
	Apple releases fix for issue causing the iPhone 15 to run 'warmer than expected' Apple has released an iOS 17 system update that includes a fix to prevent the iPhone 15 lineup from becoming uncomfortably hot.
	TikTok ends retail business in Indonesia after ban on social media shopping TikTok said it will halt its online retail operation in Indonesia on Wednesday to comply with the country's decision to ban e-commerce transactions on social media platforms—a big blow to the video platform's fastest-growing market.
	Farmers turn to solar power in Syria's former breadbasket At his farm in Syria's northeast, Abdullah al-Mohammed adjusts a large solar panel, one of hundreds that have cropped up over the years as farmers seek to stave off electricity shortages in the war-ravaged region.
	That blaring noise you heard? It was a test of the federal government's emergency alert system "THIS IS A TEST": If you have a cellphone or were watching television Wednesday, you should have seen that message flash across your screen as the federal government tested its emergency alert system used to tell people about emergencies.
	EU formally starts probe into Chinese electric cars subsidies The European Union said Wednesday that it had "sufficient evidence" of illegal Chinese electric car subsidies as it officially launched an inquiry that has enraged Beijing.
	Ford reports higher US auto sales amid strong demand Ford reported increased US quarterly sales Wednesday, reflecting strong demand despite higher interest rates in an auto market that has yet to see significant effects from a labor strike.
	Forget company car, France embraces the company bike As the popularity of cycling soars in France, a growing number of companies are giving employees the chance to ditch driving in favor of a greener, healthier alternative: the company bike.
	NASA studies human pilots to advance autonomous air taxis Air taxis may become an important part of the U.S. transportation ecosystem, quickly carrying people relatively short distances—and eventually some may fly without a pilot aboard. NASA is helping prepare for that future with research to ensure that fully autonomous flight technology is safe.
	How Dallas licked partisan politics and regional rivalries to land a coveted biotech hub By most metrics, Dallas was the underdog in the battle over the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health.
	Strike means strong US car sales may be on borrowed time Ford reported increased US quarterly sales Wednesday, rounding out a series of upbeat performance updates in a still-robust auto market that has yet to feel significant pain from a labor strike.
	Many Dutch municipalities do not yet respond adequately to security vulnerabilities, research finds Many local authorities respond too slowly or inadequately to reports about security vulnerabilities. These coordinated vulnerability disclosures (CVD reports) are often made by ethical hackers who aim to make the internet safer. While this process has improved in recent years, the study by the University of Twente and the Dutch Institute for Vulnerability Disclosure (DIVD) indicates that there is still much room for improvement for local authorities.

Chemistry news

	Trio wins Nobel Prize in chemistry for work on quantum dots, used in electronics and medical imaging Three scientists won the Nobel Prize in chemistry Wednesday for their work on quantum dots—tiny particles just a few nanometers in diameter that can release very bright colored light and whose applications in everyday life include electronics and medical imaging.
	New sustainable way to synthesize vital fertilizer QUT scientists have discovered how to produce the vital agricultural fertilizer urea at room temperature without the large energy input of the traditional production process of synthetic urea.
	Molecular knots, left and right: How molecules form knots Helical molecules, similarly to a corkscrew, have a spiral shape that can be either left- or right-turning. Such "chiral molecules" can collectively organize (assemble) into large left- or right-handed twisted structures. These exhibit special optical properties and produce splendid colors, for example, in some insects.
	Team develops superhydrophobic surface that can stay dry for months underwater A species of spider lives its entire life underwater, despite having lungs that can only breathe atmospheric oxygen. How does it do it? This spider, known as the Argyroneta aquatica, has millions of rough, water-repellent hairs that trap air around its body, creating an oxygen reservoir and acting as a barrier between the spider's lungs and the water.
	Machine learning reveals how to dissolve polymeric materials in organic solvents Dissolving polymers with organic solvents is the essential process in the research and development of polymeric materials, including polymer synthesis, refining, painting, and coating. Now more than ever recycling plastic waste is a particularly imperative part of reducing carbon produced by the materials development processes.
	Swedish media report that the winners of the Nobel Prize in chemistry may have been announced early Swedish media say the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences may have announced the winners of this year's Nobel Prize in chemistry prematurely.
	Nobel chemistry winner flunked first college chemistry exam Talk about bouncing back. MIT professor Moungi Bawendi is a co-winner of this year's Nobel chemistry prize for helping develop "quantum dots"—nanoparticles that are now found in next generation TV screens and help illuminate tumors within the body.
	Video: Why you can't recycle your pants—until now Have you ever actually recycled a pair of pants or an old T-shirt?

Biology news

	Unique voice prints in parrots could help birds be recognized in a flock, no matter what they say Parrots are exceptional talkers. They can learn new sounds during their entire lives, amassing an almost unlimited vocal repertoire. At the same time, parrots produce calls so they can be individually recognized by members of their flock—raising the question of how their calls can be very variable while also uniquely identifiable.
	Researchers identify underused strategy for recovering endangered species During a recent review of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's recovery plans for more than 200 endangered and threatened vertebrate species in the United States, Michigan State University researchers made an interesting discovery.
	Honeybees are more selective in their choices for nutrition than previously thought Honeybees have been considered generalists when selecting flowering plants; in other words, they can use a wide range of different plants. However, recent research has shown that honeybees are quite selective.
	Same-gender sexual behavior found to be widespread across mammal species and to have multiple origins A trio of ecologists from Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Universidad de Granada and Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación has found same-gender sexual behavior to be widespread across mammal species and report that it appears to have multiple independent origins.
	Study reveals novel therapeutic target to eliminate unwanted and misfolded proteins Biological cells contain in-built "housekeeping" mechanisms for taking care of damaged cellular structures. This includes the ubiquitin‒proteasome system (UPS), which selectively tags unwanted proteins with the ubiquitin molecule, and then clears them. When the UPS mechanism fails, cells activate a compensatory protein clearance process called "aggrephagy," in which protein aggregates are degraded by the cell in a controlled manner. However, thus far, the mechanism behind aggrephagy has been unknown.
	New 'assembly theory' unifies physics and biology to explain evolution and complexity An international team of researchers has developed a new theoretical framework that bridges physics and biology to provide a unified approach for understanding how complexity and evolution emerge in nature.
	AI drones successfully monitor crops to report the ideal time to harvest For reasons of food security and economic incentive, farmers continuously seek to maximize their marketable crop yields. As plants grow inconsistently, at the time of harvesting, there will inevitably be variations in quality and size of individual crops. Finding the optimal time to harvest is therefore a priority for farmers.
	Revealing the 'secrets' of coronavirus cell entry Researchers from the Utrecht University have uncovered a sophisticated mechanism by which coronavirus spike proteins can be activated for cell entry. The study, published in the journal Nature, used powerful microscopes and computer simulations to reveal how a tiny sugar molecule binds to a human coronavirus spike and triggers exposure of components that are required to invade the host cell.
	How insects evolved to ultrafast flight Mosquitoes are some of the fastest-flying insects. Flapping their wings more than 800 times a second, they achieve their speed because the muscles in their wings can flap faster than their nervous system can tell them to beat.
	Tracking the bacteria behind life-threatening sepsis in premature babies Premature babies in neonatal care units are extremely vulnerable, and susceptible to life-threatening infections. To help keep these babies safe the risk of infection needs to be kept as low as possible.
	Hippos' prominent tusks and wide gaping mouths prevent efficient chewing, study shows Hippos' huge tusks and wide gape restrict grinding jaw movements, making their chewing inefficient, according to a study by Annika Avedik and Marcus Clauss at the University of Zurich, Switzerland published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.
	Adoption of vegan dog and cat diets could have environmental benefits A new analysis estimates a variety of potential benefits for environmental sustainability—for instance, reduced freshwater consumption and greenhouse gas emissions—that could result from switching all pet dogs and cats in the US or around the world to nutritionally sound, vegan diets. Andrew Knight of Griffith University, Australia, presented these calculations in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.
	Growth of coral reefs likely cannot keep pace with rising sea level Tropical coral reefs could end up being one of the first victims of climate change. The marine diversity hotspots are threatened and declining as a result of global warming, ocean acidification, a deterioration of water quality, as well as diseases of reef-building organisms, and their growth is unable to keep up with the projected rise in sea levels.
	Predictions of the effect of drugs on individual cells are now possible Experts from ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich, and the University Hospital Zurich have used machine learning to jointly create an innovative method to predict how individual cells react to specific treatments, offering hope for more accurate diagnoses and therapeutics.
	The soil plastisphere: Effects of microplastic particles in soil Plastic is everywhere in the environment, and while earlier research efforts have dealt predominantly with the ocean and aquatic systems, soil has increasingly come into focus, especially soils in agricultural ecosystems, where we grow our food.
	History of black corals rewritten Scientists from Queensland Museum Network and the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution have rewritten the history of black corals, revealing their origin on the continental slopes (250–3,000 meters deep) 437 million years ago.
	From glowing cats to wombats, fluorescent mammals are much more common than you'd think Recently, several mammals have been reported to "glow" under ultraviolet (UV) light, including our beloved platypus. But no one knew how common it was among mammals until now.
	The cat larynx can produce purring sounds without cyclical neural input A recent investigation led by voice scientist Christian T. Herbst from the University of Vienna, published in Current Biology, delivers novel insights into how cats produce their purring sounds. A special "pad" embedded in the vocal folds might explain why the cats can produce these low-frequency sounds.
	Scientists discover how the SARS-CoV-2 virus initiates replication program in infected cells How SARS-CoV-2 initiates its replication process during infection is not yet fully understood. Researchers from the Helmholtz Institute Würzburg have now shown for the first time in the journal Cell that it is the human protein SND1 that works together with the viral protein NSP9 to stimulate the virus's genetic replication program in infected cells.
	Climate change primary driver of amphibian decline: Study Climate change has become the main factor driving amphibians towards extinction as they remained the most threatened vertebrates over the past two decades, according to research published on Wednesday.
	Climate change emerges as major driver of amphibian declines, new research finds Amphibians are in trouble and in desperate need of conservation action, according to a new global assessment of the world's amphibian population.
	How llamas help mitigate effects of climate change Introducing llamas (Llama glama) into land exposed by retreating glaciers can speed the establishment of stable soils and ecosystem formation, mitigating some of the harmful effects of climate change, according to experimental research conducted by scientists at The University of Texas at Austin and partner institutions in Peru.
	Meadow spittlebug's record-breaking diet also makes it a top disease carrier for plants New research fueled in part by citizen scientists reveals that the meadow spittlebug—known for the foamy, spit-like urine released by its nymphs—can feed on at least 1,300 species of host plants, more than twice the number of any other insect.
	Ancient technology turns plant-based cheese into 'something we want to eat' To produce plant-based cheeses that feel and taste like dairy cheese, scientists have their sights set on fermentation. In a new research result, University of Copenhagen scientists demonstrate the potential of fermentation for producing climate-friendly cheeses that people want to eat.
	Ruffed grouse population more resilient than expected, genetic study finds Despite decades of decline, a genetic analysis of ruffed grouse reveals that Pennsylvania's state bird harbors more genetic diversity and connectivity than expected. The findings suggest that the iconic game bird could be maintained in persistent numbers if appropriate protections are implemented. The study, led by Penn State and Pennsylvania Game Commission researchers, is published in Molecular Ecology.
	How proteins roll the dice to determine bee sex To date it has been unclear exactly how the sex of a bee is determined. A research team from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) including biologists and chemists has now identified a key gene and the molecular mechanism linked with it. In the current issue of the journal Science Advances, they describe how this process is similar to a game involving two dice.
	Seabird couples with similar personalities make better parents, finds study Seabird couples with similar personalities are more likely to be successful parents, which in turn makes them less likely to seek another partner, according to a new study by the University of Liverpool.
	Inuit hunters blame cruise ships as narwhal disappear To hunt the narwhal, whose long tusk was the unicorn horn of medieval myth, you need absolute silence.
	Climate change draws great white sharks north, threatening ecosystem There never used to be young great white sharks basking off the busy beaches of central California, but as climate change starts to bite, warmer waters are enticing them north—with possibly catastrophic consequences for a whole ecosystem.
	Warming beaches threaten Yemen sea turtles' future On a Yemeni beach, a sea turtle clambers ashore to lay eggs, which will likely be born female due to rising temperatures, creating a gender imbalance that brings the threat of local extinction.
	Extreme fires and heavy rainfall driving platypuses from their homes Australia's emerging pattern of severe mega bushfires and heavy rainfall may be driving platypuses from their homes, a new study by University of Melbourne researchers has shown.
	Study of more than 330,000 genomes indicates 34 genes potentially involved in vegetarianism Certain variations in genes involved in lipid metabolism and brain function may be associated with choosing a vegetarian diet, according to a new study led by Nabeel Yaseen of Northwestern University, published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.
	Lower snowfalls threatening rare High Country snowpatch ecosystem A new study, "Early-melting snowpatch plant communities are transitioning into novel states," published in Scientific Reports, has found that lower snowfalls and earlier meltout has seen the ecosystem begin to transition into a new community "with an uncertain future."
	Study identifies trend toward larger and fewer eyespot patterns on butterflies Eye spots, color patterns that resemble the eyes of vertebrates, on butterfly wings are common in nature. A research team involving the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB) and researchers in Mexico, Brazil and the U.S., have now identified a trend towards fewer and bigger eyespots in a group of tropical butterflies in a DNA-based study.
	Understanding greenhouse gases in oil palm plantations The rapid spread of oil palm plantations and associated high use of fertilizer raises concerns about the emission of nitrous oxide (N2O), a powerful greenhouse gas. A new study by an international research team led by the University of Göttingen shows that oil palms' photosynthesis and their response to meteorological and soil conditions play an important but still widely unexplored role in the amount of N2O produced by oil palm plantations.
	Sycamore Gap: What the long life of a single tree can tell us about centuries of change Only a few individual trees could be rightly labeled as world famous, but the tree at Sycamore Gap along Hadrian's Wall in northern England was one of them. No wonder its recent felling provoked public outcry and collective mourning.
	Prototype device to sniff out illegal wildlife trade More than 90% of illegal wildlife products are transported around the world via shipping routes, but fewer than 2% of all shipping containers are physically inspected.
	Demystifying the role of plant x- and y-type thioredoxins The potential for exposure to fluctuating light has necessitated that plants evolve protective mechanisms for when the light intensity exceeds photosynthetic capacity. Under these conditions, reactive oxygen species cause photoinhibition, which hinders photosynthetic efficiency. To counter this loss in photosynthetic efficiency, chloroplasts evolved thioredoxin (Trx) proteins that regulate redox balance within the photosynthetic apparatus and provide a photoprotective function.
	AI analyzes bird sightings to help conserve species For the first time, big data and artificial intelligence are being used to model hidden patterns in nature—not just for one bird species, but for entire ecological communities across continents.
	Pandemic found to have boosted gardening, hunting in New York State A survey of New York state residents found that nearly half of respondents increased the amount of time they spent on wild and backyard food in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic—confirming anecdotes about increases in activities such as sourdough baking, fishing and gardening.
	2023 GAP Report: Only by working together will agricultural productivity meet demand Agricultural productivity growth is crucial for ensuring food security and for meeting the nutritional needs of a growing global population while simultaneously meeting environmental goals.
	Invertebrate biodiversity is improving in England's rivers, long-term trends show Rivers across England have seen a significant improvement in river invertebrate biodiversity since 1989, shows a study led by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) researchers.
	Recent research expedition reveals alarming extent of coral mortality in Florida Scientists from Chicago's Shedd Aquarium, a leader in conservation research, returned from a multi-institutional research expedition to survey coral bleaching impacts from Miami and the Florida Keys to the Dry Tortugas, following an unprecedented rise in ocean temperatures.
	Study: Climate, population structure impact oakleaf hydrangea genetic diversity Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is an understory shrub native to the southeastern United States. The species occupies a small native range, and little is known about its demography, genetic diversity, or needs for conservation.
	Advancing biodiversity research: New initiative bridges biodiversity and omics data standards Biodiversity observation and research rely more and more on biomolecular data. The standardization of this data, encompassing both primary and contextual information (metadata), is crucial for enabling data (re-)use, integration, and knowledge generation. While both the biodiversity and the omics research communities have recognized the urgent need for (meta)data standards, they each have historically developed and adopted their own standards, making collaboration and data integration challenging.
	NGOs accuse Bayer of hiding glyphosate risk data An NGO grouping said Wednesday it had filed claims in an Austrian court alleging that chemicals firm Bayer withheld data showing health risks from exposure to its herbicide glyphosate, which the EU has proposed to keep using for 10 more years.

Medicine and Health news

	How floods kill, long after the water has gone: Sobering data from a global decade-long study With New York's declared state of emergency following flash flooding, there is increasing concern such events will become more common globally.
	Zebrafish avatars can help tailor glioblastoma therapies Scientists have created a new zebrafish xenograft platform to screen for novel treatments for an aggressive brain tumor called glioblastoma, according to a new study published in EMBO Molecular Medicine.
	Women living in more walkable neighborhoods found to have lower rates of obesity-related cancers Residing in a more walkable neighborhood protects against the risk of overall obesity-related cancers in women, specifically postmenopausal breast cancer, but also ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, and multiple myeloma, according to a new study by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
	New robot could help diagnose breast cancer early A device has been created that could carry out clinical breast examinations (CBE).
	Researchers develop 3D printing method that shows promise for repairing brain injuries A breakthrough technique developed by University of Oxford researchers could one day provide tailored repairs for those who suffer brain injuries. The researchers have demonstrated for the first time that neural cells can be 3D-printed to mimic the architecture of the cerebral cortex. The results have been published in the journal Nature Communications.
	Researchers design potential therapy to prevent brain deterioration in children with rare genetic conditions A research team at the Francis Crick Institute and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH)/UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health have identified new potential treatments for children with rare genetic conditions of blood vessels, which cause severe, lifelong, and disabling symptoms like seizures and impaired development.
	Portable laboratory device can detect SARS-CoV-2 A new study has demonstrated rapid and sensitive on-site detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from environmental surfaces using a portable laboratory device. The study was published in Microbiology Spectrum.
	Use of antiviral medication shown to preserve insulin production in children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes Norwegian researchers have previously demonstrated an association between diabetes and virus infection. New research shows that, among children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes (T1D), treatment with antiviral drugs could help preserve the production of insulin. The result shows that it is possible to slow down and eventually prevent type 1 diabetes.
	Bioinspired flexible network scaffolds for soft tissue regeneration During synthetic scaffold implantation in a clinical setting, graft-host mechanical mismatch is a long-standing issue for soft tissue regeneration. While bioengineers have denoted numerous efforts to resolve this challenge, the regenerative performance of the synthetic scaffolds can be limited by slow tissue growth conditions when compared to autografts, alongside mechanical defects.
	Hospital superbugs: Could one vaccine rule them all? What if a vaccine, given to patients just before or after arriving at the hospital, could protect them against lethal superbugs that lurk in health care settings?
	New wound healing research produces full thickness human bioprinted skin A research paper published in Science Translational Medicine presents a significant breakthrough in the area of skin regeneration and wound healing by researchers at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM).
	Largest dataset of thousands of proteins a landmark step for research into human health The journal Nature has published the results of the world's largest and most comprehensive study on the effects of common genetic variation on proteins circulating in the blood and how these associations can contribute to disease. This unprecedented population-scale investigation of proteins, powered by turning biological samples into data from UK Biobank, will help scientists better understand how and why diseases develop, which could help drive the development of new diagnostics and treatments for a wide range of health conditions.
	Being a vegetarian may be partly in your genes From Impossible Burger to "Meatless Mondays," going meat-free is certainly in vogue. But a person's genetic makeup plays a role in determining whether they can stick to a strict vegetarian diet, a Northwestern Medicine study has found.
	Cancer immunotherapy candidate provokes powerful dual response in cancer and immune cells Cancer immunotherapy drugs called PD-1 inhibitors are widely used to stimulate the immune system to fight cancer, but many patients either don't respond or develop resistance to them. A new small-molecule drug candidate being tested in an early-stage clinical trial aims to improve patient responses to immunotherapy.
	Research shows strong link between ADHD and car crashes in older adult drivers In a study on the prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and its association with crash risk among older adult drivers, researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health found that older adult drivers with ADHD are at a significantly elevated crash risk compared with their counterparts without ADHD.
	Food insecurity and the benefits of SNAP When Laura Samuel talks about food insecurity, she often draws upon her own experiences spending part of her youth in a mobile home in coastal Maine, one of six children in a hardworking family that often faced tough choices regarding money. Despite these challenges, her parents never failed to provide food for their kids.
	Research team may have found the key to stimulating human brown adipose tissue into combating obesity A UCLA-led team of researchers has found nerve pathways that supply brown adipose tissue (BAT), a type of tissue that releases chemical energy from fat metabolism as heat—a finding that could pave the way toward using it to treat obesity and related metabolic conditions.
	Fathers should be screened for postpartum depression, study suggests Dads can suffer from postpartum depression, and a new pilot study at the University of Illinois Chicago suggests they can and should be screened for the condition. Given the intertwined effects of mothers' and fathers' physical and mental health, addressing the health of fathers may be a powerful untapped tool in improving the nation's ongoing maternal health crisis.
	Research shows coaching program reduces burnout in medical residents A pilot program that successfully reduced burnout among female medical residents has shown even greater results on a national level, according to researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
	Esketamine nasal spray: An option for patients with treatment-resistant depression Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a particularly challenging form of major depressive disorder. As Albino Oliveira-Maia, head of the Champalimaud Foundation's Neuropsychiatry Unit and the study's national coordinator for Portugal, explains, "TRD is defined as the persistence of depressive symptoms despite adequate courses of at least two different antidepressant medications." Despite repeated therapeutic attempts, these patients' depressive symptoms remain.
	Study identifies six drugs that can be repurposed for treatment of toxoplasmosis Scientists are looking for new ways to treat toxoplasmosis, an infectious disease that affects more than a third of the world population. One of the most recent advances is reported in an article published in the journal PLOS ONE by researchers at the Jundiaí Medical School (FMJ) in São Paulo state, Brazil.
	New research assesses unmet health needs for HIV, hypertension and diabetes in rural South Africa The burden of non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes is increasing globally, especially in low-income and middle-income countries where they occur alongside epidemics of communicable diseases like HIV. A large public health survey in South Africa led by Emily Wong, M.D., has assessed the multimorbidity health needs of individuals and communities in rural KwaZulu-Natal and established a framework to quantify met and unmet health needs for individuals living with infectious and non-communicable diseases.
	Unlocking the secrets of neuronal function: A universal workflow Biophysically detailed neuronal models provide a unique window into the workings of individual neurons. They enable researchers to manipulate neuronal properties systematically and reversibly, something that is often impossible in real-world experiments.
	No new Nipah cases detected in India: WHO No new cases of Nipah virus have been detected in India since September 15, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, following an outbreak earlier in the month that caused two deaths.
	New blood test could improve concussion diagnosis: Study A global blood test for concussion could be a step closer after a Monash University-led study discovered specific proteins or biomarkers that can help diagnose concussions relatively quickly and accurately.
	Analysis shows opioid prescription rates have decreased for US adolescents A new analysis reveals that rates of opioid prescribing to US adolescents have decreased in recent years, primarily limited to non-surgery indications. Opioid prescription rates for surgery have remained stable.
	Intervention for caregivers helps prevent elder mistreatment An educational and social support intervention for caregivers reduced elder mistreatment of older adults with chronic illness, including dementia. That's the result of a double-blind, randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
	Potential of genetic screening for aggressive melanoma Researchers from The University of Queensland and The Alfred hospital in Melbourne have identified gene variants which may contribute to people being at higher risk for nodular melanoma.
	Signs of antimicrobial resistance detected in wastewater of care and retirement homes A new study analyzing wastewater samples from several aged care and retirement homes in Adelaide, has uncovered worrying signs of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in at least one facility. The study has been published in Microbiology Spectrum.
	Vulnerability found in immunotherapy-resistant triple-negative breast cancer Researchers at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center have discovered a drug target on natural killer cells that could potentially trigger a therapeutic response in patients with immunotherapy-resistant, triple-negative breast cancer.
	Large-scale proteomics in population-based studies may contribute to a better understanding of diseases In an article revealed in Nature, scientists from deCODE Genetics, a subsidiary of the pharmaceutical company Amgen, demonstrated how plasma proteomics can contribute to a better understanding of diseases.
	Both high and low HDL cholesterol tied to increased risk of dementia Having either high or low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, or "good" cholesterol, is tied to a small increased risk of dementia in older adults, according to a study published in the October 4, 2023, online issue of Neurology. This study does not prove that high or low levels of HDL cholesterol cause dementia; it only shows an association.
	Immunotherapy shows promise as a kinder first-line treatment for advanced head and neck cancers Immunotherapy can extend the response of some head and neck tumors to treatment, maintaining the anti-tumor effects and preventing them from growing or spreading for longer, a study reports.
	No, stress won't dry up your milk. How to keep breastfeeding your baby in an emergency Bushfires currently burning in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania bring into sharp focus the fire risks Australian families face over the coming summer months.
	Large data analysis suggests striking inequalities in provision of life-saving heart valve replacement in England There are striking inequalities in the provision of major (aortic) heart valve replacement surgery across England, with women, Black and Asian people, and those living in areas of deprivation much less likely to receive the life-saving procedure, suggests a large data analysis, published in the open access journal Open Heart.
	When RSV weighs heavily on the Canadian health-care system Every winter, Canadian pediatric hospitals experience a wave of admissions linked to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), one of the leading causes of hospitalization among children. These hospitalizations represent a major burden for the health-care system, and the adoption of preventive measures could certainly alleviate this burden, shows a study carried out by researchers at the Montreal Children's Hospital and BC Children's Hospital Research Institute.
	Challenges in acute heart attack care continue post COVID-19 A door-to-balloon (D2B) time of 90-minutes or less is associated with improved outcomes for heart attack patients. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic certain obstacles—including the need for COVID-19 screening, associated isolation procedures and terminal cleaning in the cardiac cath lab—led to increased D2B times.
	Antibody therapy inspired by patient case reduces tau tangles in a preclinical model of Alzheimer's disease A team led by researchers from Mass General Brigham reports promising results for a monoclonal antibody that takes aim at a new target for Alzheimer's disease.
	Discrimination is the biggest career obstacle for women of color in the NHS—new research In March 2023, NHS midwife Olukemi Akinmeji won an employment tribunal case against the hospital in Kent where, as an employee, she had faced race discrimination and victimization.
	Cosmetic surgery boosts some people's mental health—but for others it makes problems worse Demand for cosmetic procedures is higher than ever. From breast augmentations to "tweakments" such as lip fillers and Botox, more and more people around the world each year are undergoing procedures to change how they look.
	Cell death: Immunologist explains when cells decide to die with a bang or take their quiet leave Living cells work better than dying cells, right? However, this is not always the case: your cells often sacrifice themselves to keep you healthy. The unsung hero of life is death.
	Screening test predicts preterm preeclampsia during pregnancy Scientists have developed a new method to identify pregnant women who are at imminent risk of developing pre-eclampsia, a leading cause of disability and death.
	FDA approves updated Novavax COVID vaccine Federal regulators on Tuesday gave the go-ahead to an updated Novavax COVID vaccine, giving Americans a more traditional alternative to two recently revamped mRNA vaccines.
	Neighborhood, individual factors cut racial disparities in heart health Neighborhood- and individual-level factors attenuate racial disparities in cardiovascular health, according to a study published online Sept. 29 in JAMA Network Open.
	Study finds nirmatrelvir/ritonavir cuts COVID-19 complications in highest-risk patients For individuals with the highest risk for complications from COVID-19 infection, nirmatrelvir and ritonavir is associated with a reduced risk for COVID-19 hospitalization or death, according to a study published online Oct. 2 in JAMA Network Open.
	Q&A: How social isolation, loneliness can shorten your life Loneliness and social isolation are on the rise in the U.S., but as we take steps to find remedies, a new study reminds us that the two are separate problems, often linked (sometimes in surprising ways) but not always, and have different potential impacts. Being socially isolated carries much greater physical health risks but loneliness has a larger impact on mental-health-related conditions.
	Over 75,000 Kaiser Permanente union workers go on strike Health care workers who serve millions of Americans began a three-day strike on Wednesday after contract negotiations over staffing levels stalled.
	CPAP helps cut heart risks—but you have to actually use it For sufferers of sleep apnea, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines may guard against having a second heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular crisis, but they have to use it consistently, a new study finds.
	Study recommends improving gut health with okara biscuits Soy milk and tofu are common in Asian diets. However, the production of these soy-based products results in a solid by-product known as okara. About 4 million tons of okara are produced each year in China, Japan, and Korea alone. Commonly used as livestock feed, okara is becoming an ingredient of interest for food due to its high fiber content.
	Blood vessel breakdown linked with Alzheimer's disease Researchers at the Centenary Institute have discovered a connection between the health of blood vessels and the development of Alzheimer's disease.
	Study raises concerns over powdered infant formula preparation machines A study by Swansea University academics into powdered infant formula preparation safety has revealed that 85% of the 74 infant formula preparation machines tested by parents in UK homes did not appear to produce water that would be hot enough to kill all harmful bacteria in infant formula, and this could pose a serious risk to infant health.
	Online treatment can reduce effects of chronic pain, shows study Research is showing a free online program for people with chronic pain can reduce how much the pain affects them and improve their overall quality of life—and the effects are long lasting.
	Is climate change increasing substance abuse? We knew that climate change and its effects—natural disasters, pandemics, pollution—are negatively impacting mental and physical health around the world. Now a new study published in Perspectives on Psychological Science sheds light on another health impact of climate change: increased substance abuse.
	Bidirectional control of prosthetic hands using ultrasonic sensors For anyone who has lost a hand, a functional prosthetic hand is of enormous benefit when it comes to everyday activities. So researchers at Fraunhofer are working as part of an EU research project to improve control of prosthetic hands down to individual fingers.
	Novel genetic sequencing technology helps researchers find answers in cases of rare pediatric disorders A new genetic sequencing technology from Element Biosciences has helped researchers from the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), part of the City of Hope, identify the likely genetic causes of disorders in six of nine children from Sonora, Mexico. These research results have been independently confirmed in a clinical lab setting.
	Prediction of risk of recurrence of venous thrombosis: Validity of Vienna Prediction Model confirmed A prediction model can be used to identify people affected by venous thromboembolism who have only a low risk of recurrence and may not require long-term blood thinning. The validity of this Vienna Prediction Model developed at MedUni Vienna has now been confirmed in a large-scale clinical study, and the results have been published in the European Heart Journal.
	Nearly a third of patient deaths in mental health wards potentially avoidable, according to study New research suggests close to one in three deaths in inpatient psychiatric care in New South Wales were due to self-harm or potentially avoidable medical conditions.
	Examining options for reactivating, repurposing and rewiring the brain Developing brains become shaped by the sights, sounds, and experiences of early life. The brain's circuits grow more stable as we age. However, some experiences later in life open up opportunities for these circuits to be rapidly rewired. New research from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Associate Professor Stephen Shea helps explain how the brain adapts during a critical period of adulthood: the time when new mothers learn to care for their young.
	New survey shows alarming increase in challenges to health of Californians High rates of food insecurity, hate incidents and difficulties accessing health care were at the forefront of issues affecting the health of Californians in 2022, according to the annual California Health Interview Survey, or CHIS, released today by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
	Highest income bracket Black women had a 20% higher risk of suicide compared to lowest income bracket white women: Study Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. among individuals aged 10–34 years of age and the fourth leading cause of death for individuals aged 35–44 years. Suicide attempts (non-fatal, self-directed potentially injurious behavior with any intent to die) and self-inflicted injuries represent a major risk factor for completed suicides.
	Blood-based biomarker may redefine future treatment for advanced melanoma Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is emerging as a blood-based biomarker for many solid tumor types, including melanoma. A new study that assessed ctDNA in the blood of patients with BRAF wild-type (BRAF WT) stage III and IV melanoma concludes that measuring ctDNA may lead to alternative treatment options and better outcomes for these patients, report investigators in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.
	Police blame some deaths on 'excited delirium.' ER docs consider pulling the plug on the term The way Sheldon Haleck's parents see it, the 38-year-old's only crime was jaywalking. But that March night in 2015, after Honolulu police found him behaving erratically, they pepper-sprayed him, shocked him with a Taser, and restrained him. Haleck became unresponsive and was taken to a hospital. Before his parents could get from their home in Utah to Hawaii, the former Hawaii Air National Guardsman was taken off life support.
	Tirzepatide as effective at treating early-onset type 2 diabetes as diabetes diagnosed later in life, research finds Tirzepatide is as effective at treating early-onset type 2 diabetes (T2D), a more aggressive form of the condition that normally responds less well to treatment, as it is at treating T2D diagnosed later in life, new research being presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Hamburg, Germany (2–6 Oct) has found.
	Commonly prescribed drugs linked to higher risk of sudden cardiac arrest in people with type 2 diabetes New research being presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Hamburg, Germany (2–6 Oct) has identified a range of characteristics associated with a higher risk of sudden cardiac arrest in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
	Researchers publish second international consensus report on clinical translation of precision diabetes medicine Precision medicine is part of the logical evolution of contemporary evidence-based medicine that seeks to reduce errors and optimize outcomes when making medical decisions and health recommendations. Diabetes affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, many of whom will develop life-threatening complications and die prematurely.
	Study reveals distinct illness trajectory in the years leading up to type 2 diabetes diagnosis New research presented at this year's Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), Hamburg (2–6 Oct), reveals a marked increase in several common conditions in the years leading up to, and immediately prior to, type 2 diabetes diagnosis, suggesting considerably earlier diagnosis might be possible in some patients.
	Wastewater surveillance research provides a 12-day lead time for RSV season, shows study In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers using wastewater surveillance over conventional indicators have predicted the start of the annual respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season 12 days early, providing more lead time for hospital preparedness and the timely initiation of RSV prevention therapy provided by the province for at risk-infants and young children.
	Addressing the soaring suicide rates among Black adolescents Grim statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on suicide among young people indicate that Black youth under 13 are twice as likely to die by suicide compared to their white peers, and the suicide death rate among Black youth is increasing faster than any other racial or ethnic group. The disturbing reality leads scientists to wonder if Black adolescents are properly represented in suicide research, the path to finding answers and possible solutions to the tragic increase.
	Risk of long COVID in people with pre-existing conditions found to be higher among short sleepers While infections and hospitalizations from the COVID-19 virus are expected to rise during the fall and winter respiratory virus season, a new study suggests that sleep duration modulates the relationship between pre-existing medical conditions and long COVID.
	Researchers develop calculation to identify high-risk moderate aortic stenosis patients Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a calculation that can help identify moderate aortic stenosis patients at higher risk of dying from the condition. According to new research published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, calculating the patient's mean arterial pressure (AugMAP) is a simple and effective way to identify those patients who may benefit from more aggressive treatment strategies.
	Aging in place: New study highlights racial disparities among older adults Roughly 40% of older Black adults live with a disability, compared to only one-third of older adults overall.
	Team trains AI model for age-related disease target discovery A new research paper titled "Biomedical generative pre-trained based transformer language model for age-related disease target discovery" has been published in Aging.
	Does COVID-19 or COVID-19 vaccination worsen migraines? Research published in the European Journal of Neurology indicates that COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination have negligible effects on migraine severity.
	More than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente Unions workers could strike on 4 Oct Health care workers who serve millions of Americans could strike Wednesday if Kaiser Permanente and union workers do not reach an agreement.
	Facing criticism, feds award first maternal health grant to a predominantly Black rural area A federal program to combat the alarming rates of rural women dying from pregnancy complications has marked a first: It's supporting an organization that serves predominantly Black counties in the Deep South.
	Novartis generics unit Sandoz makes stock market debut Swiss generic drugs group Sandoz began trading as an independent company in Zurich on Wednesday, in a stock market debut following a spin-off by parent company Novartis as it pivots toward new drug development.
	Jill Biden urges women to get mammograms or other cancer exams during Breast Cancer Awareness Month Jill Biden is urging women to consult their doctors about getting mammograms or other cancer screenings, saying in a new public service announcement for Breast Cancer Awareness Month that early detection saves lives.
	Thousands of US health care workers go on strike in multiple states over wages and staff shortages Some 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers walked off the job Wednesday in multiple states, kicking off a major health care strike amid an extraordinary year for U.S. labor organizing and work stoppages.
	Treatment response rate found to increase with lower first-morning urine osmolality in nocturnal enuresis Children with nocturnal enuresis (NE) with a lower first-morning urine osmolality (Uosm) have higher treatment response rates, according to a study published in the September issue of Investigative and Clinical Urology.
	Video: Who benefits from taking statins? If you're at risk of heart disease, your health care team might use the pooled cohort equation (PCE) tool to determine your long-term risk and whether taking statins—cholesterol-lowering medication—is a good option.
	People who shielded during COVID treated as 'second class citizens,' says UK report People who shielded during the COVID pandemic say they have been treated like "second class citizens" whose needs have been ignored.
	Say goodbye to the COVID-19 vaccination card. The CDC has stopped printing them It's the end of an era for a once-critical pandemic document: The ubiquitous white COVID-19 vaccination cards are being phased out.
	Use of telehealth services rose during the pandemic and remains high When the COVID-19 pandemic forced restrictions and shutdowns, health care providers turned to telehealth. The result was a surge in the use of telehealth by Californians to access care, according to a new study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

Other Sciences news

	A prehistoric cosmic airburst preceded the advent of agriculture in the Levant Agriculture in Syria started with a bang 12,800 years ago as a fragmented comet slammed into the Earth's atmosphere. The explosion and subsequent environmental changes forced hunter-gatherers in the prehistoric settlement of Abu Hureyra to adopt agricultural practices to boost their chances for survival.
	Researchers find that early human migrants followed lush corridor-route out of Africa An international team of scientists has found early human migrants left Africa for Eurasia, across the Sinai peninsula and on through Jordan, over 80,000 years ago.
	Study shows prehistoric people occupied upland regions of inland Spain in even the coldest periods of the last Ice Age Paleolithic human populations survived even in the coldest and driest upland parts of Spain, according to a study published October 4, 2023 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Manuel Alcaraz-Castaño of the University of Alcalá, Spain, Javier Aragoncillo-del Rió of the Molina-Alto Tajo UNESCO Global Geopark, Spain and colleagues.
	Analysis of grinding tools reveals plant, pigment and bone processing in Neolithic northern Saudi Arabia In recent years, studies have revealed that the now-arid region of northern Arabia was once much wetter and greener, providing Neolithic human populations with access to both water and game. The present aridity of the region, however, preserves little organic matter, making a reconstruction of the Neolithic lifestyle difficult.
	Life-size images of extinct camel species found carved into stones in Saudi Arabia An international team of archaeologists has discovered life-size images of an extinct camel species carved into rock formations in Saudia Arabia. In their project, reported in the journal Archaeological Research in Asia, the group discovered the carvings on a rock outcropping in the Nefud desert.
	Researchers find barriers to driver training and licensure, especially among low-income teens Researchers from the Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the Stuart Weitzman School of Design at the University of Pennsylvania have found that teenagers living in lower-income areas of the Columbus, Ohio metro area are up to four times less likely to complete driver training and obtain their driver's license before age 18.
	Socioeconomic status and power outage duration linked, finds study Communities with more socioeconomic vulnerability experience longer-duration power outages than more advantaged communities, according to a study. Research has shown that environmental disasters hit economically and socially vulnerable communities hardest. The research is published in the journal PNAS Nexus.
	LGBTQ+ Americans feel they are just getting by in retirement and face greater financial risks While preparing for retirement can be difficult for anyone, LGBTQ+ Americans face unique challenges that can cast a shadow over their golden years. For example, LGBTQ+ people over age 60 leave the workforce sooner, are less likely to believe that their retirement savings are on track and struggle more to pay medical bills than their straight and cisgender counterparts. They're also twice as likely to report having experienced discrimination in the past year.
	'Emotionally, he's destroyed me': Why intimate partner sexual violence needs to be taken as seriously as stranger rape Last month, "That 70s Show" actor Danny Masterson was found guilty of raping two women in the early 2000s. However, the jury could not reach a verdict on a third allegation of rape involving Masterson's former girlfriend. The case, along with countless others, points to the challenges in understanding and responding to cases of intimate partner sexual violence.
	Have some economists severely underestimated the financial hit from climate change? Recent evidence suggests yes Scientists say severe climate change is now the greatest threat to humanity. Extreme weather is expected to upend lives and livelihoods, intensifying wildfires and pushing ecosystems towards collapse as ocean heat waves savage coral reefs. The threats are far-reaching and widespread.
	Nationwide test of Wireless Emergency Alert system could test people's patience—or rebuild trust in the system The Wireless Emergency Alert system is scheduled to have its third nationwide test on Oct. 4, 2023. The Wireless Emergency Alert system is a public safety system that allows authorities to alert people via their mobile devices of dangerous weather, missing children and other situations requiring public attention.
	Learning is easier with a positive attitude, finds meta-study Students who think positively about their own abilities and their subject are more likely to achieve the goals they have set for themselves. Conversely, a lack of confidence in one's own abilities can lead to goals being missed. This is shown by a meta-study conducted by the DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education and other institutions.
	Researcher working to revitalize an Indigenous language and bring it into the future Language is foundational to Indigenous communities, including my own, and a vital connection to our cultures.
	AI-generated misinformation: 3 teachable skills to help address it In my digital studies class, I asked students to pose a query to ChatGPT and discuss the results. To my surprise, some asked ChatGPT about my biography.
	Oops! Nobel chemistry winners are announced early in rare slip-up The most prestigious and secretive prize in science ran headfirst into the digital era Wednesday when Swedish media got an emailed press release revealing the winners of the Nobel Prize in chemistry and the news prematurely went public.
	New study shows signs of early creation of modern human identities Early ancestors collected eye-catching shells that radically changed the way we looked at ourselves and others. A new study confirms previous scant evidence and supports a multistep evolutionary scenario for the culturalization of the human body.
	Pandemic posed vocabulary challenges for preschoolers, study reveals When it came to learning language, money mattered for pandemic preschoolers, according to a new study out of U of T Mississauga's Child Language and Speech Studies (CLASS) Lab.
	Underappreciation of LGBT executives creates investment opportunity, says study Academics from Northumbria University have uncovered an "extreme underappreciation" of firms with CEOs who are openly gay, lesbian, trans or bisexual—and they say it's driven by discrimination.
	Professor helps accounting research catch up with a fast-changing economy It's a time of transformation for capital markets. And Maria Nykyforovych, assistant professor of accounting at George Mason University School of Business, believes that accounting research can help resolve the confusions of economic change. But scholars must update their thinking first.
	Hot weather hits productivity—even in air-conditioned factories Hot weather reduces workers' productivity—even if their workplace is air conditioned, new research shows.
	Can public financing for political campaigns affect voter participation? Policies that provide public financing for political campaigns have gained popularity in the United States. One example is the Democracy Vouchers program that was implemented in Seattle, Washington in 2017 to potentially reduce candidates' reliance on large donations. Research published in Contemporary Economic Policy studied the effects of this program on voter registration and turnout.
	How secondary mathematics teachers' beliefs and knowledge influence their teaching in mainland China Past research on Chinese mathematics teaching has focused mainly on the role of teacher's beliefs and professional knowledge separately in teaching approaches, or examined three variables—teacher's beliefs, professional knowledge and teaching approaches—in correlational studies. How teaching beliefs and professional knowledge specifically influence teaching approaches remained largely unclear. Also, most studies have focused on pre-service or elementary school teachers in the West. There is a need to know whether these conceptual frameworks can be applied and adapted to the Chinese teaching context at the secondary level.
	Q&A: Colorado's Latina legislators giving voice to their communities Betty Benavidez strove to improve access to better education in her west Denver neighborhood. She worked in her local schools and founded action centers, belonged to the Hispanic Education Leadership Program and the West High School PTA, and was district captain for the Democratic party to mobilize Mexican-American voters.

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