Science X Newsletter Wed, Feb 28

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for February 28, 2024:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Reducing halide segregation in wide-bandgap mixed-halide perovskite solar cells using redox mediators

Change in gene code may explain how human ancestors lost tails

Genetic study suggests a Stone Age strategy for avoiding inbreeding

Supernova SN 1987A investigated with the James Webb Space Telescope

Research team uncovers universal code driving the formation of all cell membranes

How does vaccination thwart pneumococcal infection? Animal model uncovers 'capture and kill' scenario

Female North Atlantic right whales growing smaller, leading to fewer births

Cannabis oil found to be effective treatment for canine discoid lupus erythematosus

Researchers develop world-leading microwave photonics chip for high-speed signal processing

Light stimulates a new twist for synthetic chemistry

AI finds key signs that predict patient survival across dementia types

Researchers model blood-brain barrier using 'Tissue-in-a-CUBE' system

Understanding genetic risk could save sight and predict multiple sclerosis earlier in young people

Want fewer microplastics in your tap water? Try boiling it first

Scientists propose anti-fatigue preparation for 3D-printed titanium alloy

Nanotechnology news

	New, more biocompatible materials for bioelectronic applications Bioelectronics is a field of research in which biology and electronics converge. In medicine, for example, an external electric current is used to cure or monitor diseases of the nervous system, and also to monitor biomarkers in situ. Devices made of conductive materials are used for these applications.
	Nanocarrier research demonstrates tumor-specific drug release through controlled endosomal escape Protein-based drugs must be transported into cells in a way that prevents their immediate degradation. A new approach is intended to ensure that they remain intact only in certain cells, such as cancer cells. In a study published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition, a Japanese research team has introduced a nanocarrier that can "escape" from endosomes before its cargo is destroyed there. This ability to escape is only triggered within the endosomes of certain tumor cells.
	AI technique 'decodes' microscope images, overcoming fundamental limit Atomic force microscopy, or AFM, is a widely used technique that can quantitatively map material surfaces in three dimensions, but its accuracy is limited by the size of the microscope's probe. A new AI technique overcomes this limitation and allows microscopes to resolve material features smaller than the probe's tip.

Physics news

	Researchers develop world-leading microwave photonics chip for high-speed signal processing A research team led by Professor Wang Cheng from the Department of Electrical Engineering (EE) at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) has developed a world-leading microwave photonic chip that is capable of performing ultrafast analog electronic signal processing and computation using optics.
	Researchers develop 'foundational tool' for understanding behavior of hydride superconductors at high pressure Hydrogen (like many of us) acts weird under pressure. Theory predicts that when crushed by the weight of more than a million times our atmosphere, this light, abundant, normally gaseous element first becomes a metal, and even more strangely, a superconductor—a material that conducts electricity with no resistance.
	Researchers achieve real-time microscopic imaging during plasma treatment An interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Antwerp (Belgium) successfully conducted in-situ studies with a plasma generated inside a scanning electron microscope (SEM). This marks the first time live SEM imaging while treating the sample with a plasma was achieved. The study is published in the journal Advanced Materials Technologies.
	Study provides new insights into proton mass origins A study led by Prof. Chen Xurong at the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has provided new insights into the origins of proton mass. From an experimental standpoint, the researchers suggested that the influence of heavy quarks on proton mass could be bigger than scientists initially thought. The findings were published in Physical Review D on Feb. 27.
	Researchers discover tunable room-temperature nonlinear Hall effect in bismuth thin films A research team from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and the University of Salerno in Italy has discovered that thin films of elemental bismuth exhibit the so-called non-linear Hall effect, which could be applied in technologies for the controlled use of terahertz high-frequency signals on electronic chips.
	A promising leap towards computers with light-speed capabilities Scientists have created a reprogrammable light-based processor, a world-first, that they say could usher in a new era of quantum computing and communication.
	Novel non-destructive inspection technique reconstructs inner hidden composition and structure of inspection targets A research group at Chuo University, Japan, led by Assistant Professor Kou Li (Faculty of Science and Engineering), in collaboration with National Institute of Informatics, have developed a novel non-destructive inspection technique by effectively combining their own multi-functional photo monitoring device and system with image data-driven three-dimensional (3D) restoration methods. The technique precisely evaluates target objects by compositional identifications and structural reconstructions.

Earth news

	Want fewer microplastics in your tap water? Try boiling it first Nano- and microplastics are seemingly everywhere—water, soil and the air. While many creative strategies have been attempted to get rid of these plastic bits, one unexpectedly effective solution for specifically cleaning up drinking water might be as simple as brewing a cup of tea or coffee.
	Scientists provide first detailed estimates of how much sediment is supplied to coral islands from the reef system Scientists have produced the first detailed estimates of how much sediment is transported onto the shores of coral reef islands, and how that might enable them to withstand the future threats posed by climate change.
	A reliable food supply in West Africa requires smarter planning for low-yield events Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2) aims to create a world free of hunger. Africa is not making enough progress towards achieving this target with about 20% of the population experiencing ongoing hunger. In a new study, IIASA researchers developed a model to demonstrate how the reliability of food supply in West Africa can be enhanced in a cost-effective way by accounting for low-yield events.
	In an interconnected world, managing and perceiving risk is key, experts say The world is becoming increasingly interconnected, which has many benefits. Shoppers in Colorado, for instance, can enjoy tropical fruits in the dead of winter, thanks to vast and complex trade networks.
	Where does lightning strike? New maps pinpoint 36.8 million yearly ground strike points in unprecedented detail It's been a warm day, maybe even a little humid, and the tall clouds in the distance remind you of cauliflower. You hear a sharp crack, like the sound of a batter hitting a home run, or a low rumble reminiscent of a truck driving down the highway. A distant thunderstorm, alive with lightning, is making itself known.
	An 80-mph speed record for glacier fracture helps reveal the physics of ice sheet collapse There's enough water frozen in Greenland and Antarctic glaciers that if they melted, global seas would rise by many feet. What will happen to these glaciers over the coming decades is the biggest unknown in the future of rising seas, partly because glacier fracture physics is not yet fully understood.
	Better air quality is linked to reduced suicide rates, study finds Researchers in the United States and China have discovered a curious link between air pollution and suicide rates that prompts us to reconsider how to approach this issue. China's efforts to reduce air pollution have prevented 46,000 suicide deaths in the country over just five years, the researchers estimate. The team used weather conditions to tease apart confounding factors affecting pollution and suicide rates, arriving at what they consider to be a truly causal connection.
	Meltwater in the north Atlantic can lead to European summer heat waves, study finds Scientists from the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) have discovered that increased meltwater in the North Atlantic can trigger a chain of events leading to hotter and drier European summers.
	EU countries have seen a decade of progress towards their 2030 sustainable energy goal Countries in the European Union (EU) have made progress over the past decade toward Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7), which calls for "access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all" by 2030, according to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE by Marek Walesiak from Wroclaw University of Economics and Business, Poland, and Grażyna Dehnel from Poznań University of Economics and Business, Poland.
	World must act to stem surge of polluting trash, UN warns The world generated 2.3 billion tonnes of municipal waste last year and the pile of trash is set to grow another two-thirds by 2050, the UN said Wednesday, warning of devastating costs for health, economies and the environment.
	Vietnam's 'rice bowl' cracks in monster heat wave Southern Vietnam, including business hub Ho Chi Minh City and its "rice bowl" Mekong Delta region, suffered an unusually long heat wave in February, weather officials said Wednesday.
	Study investigates sustainable urban mobility in Berlin and 18 other European cities In the quest for sustainable urban living, understanding the complex relationships between urban form and mobility behavior is crucial. A recent study published in Transportation Research Part D by Dr. Peter Berrill and colleagues sheds light on this issue by examining the intricate associations between urban form, car ownership, and travel behavior across Berlin and 18 further European cities.
	Unlocking the ocean's secrets: Next-gen tech for precision seafloor mapping The exploration of oceanic resources through seismic methods necessitates precise seafloor geophone positioning. Traditional techniques, however, grapple with issues such as the influence of outliers, suboptimal use of precise observations, and the inefficiency of real-time data processing. These challenges undermine the accuracy and effectiveness of seismic exploration, hindering the ability to precisely locate underwater petroleum and natural gas reserves.
	Urban nature is often plentiful but inaccessible, says study Living near parks, trees, streams, coastlines, and other green and blue natural features may promote physical and mental well-being.
	Researchers develop a more precise carbon footprint measurement method Bayreuth researchers want to calculate the carbon footprint of companies more accurately in the future. The term "carbon footprint" refers to the recording of climate-impacting greenhouse gases and the compilation of these in a greenhouse gas balance.
	Researchers: We can't say yet if grid-breaking thunderstorms are getting worse, but we shouldn't wait to find out On February 13, six transmission line towers in Victoria were destroyed by extreme wind gusts from thunderstorms, leading to forced electricity outages affecting tens of thousands of people. The intense winds knocked trees onto local power lines or toppled the poles, which caused about 500,000 people to lose power. Some people went without electricity for more than a week. A month earlier, severe thunderstorms and wind took out five transmission towers in Western Australia and caused widespread outages.
	The importance of critical minerals should not condone their extraction at all costs, says researcher Global warming is real and climate change is worsening day-by-day with raging forest fires, unseasonably warm winters and flooding disasters taking place across Canada. Meanwhile, the carbon-zero transition required to move away from such a dire future is hampered by a key weakness—"critical minerals."
	How climate change risks increase at a national scale as the level of global warming increases A major research program led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) has quantified how climate change risks to human and natural systems increase at a national scale as the level of global warming increases.
	Texas springs in crisis: New study highlights overwhelming increase in dry springs New research from The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University uncovers a concerning decline in the state's groundwater resources, finding that the number of dry springs has nearly tripled since the early 1980s.
	US nuclear weapons plant says open as normal after wildfires closure A nuclear weapons plant in the US state of Texas said it would be open as usual on Wednesday after raging wildfires caused it to pause operations and led to evacuations in the area.
	Under climate change, catastrophic bushfires in Australia can strike any time Victorians were braced for the worst on Wednesday amid soaring temperatures and gusty winds, creating the state's worst fire conditions in years. Authorities have declared a "catastrophic" fire risk in some parts of the state.

Astronomy and Space news

	Supernova SN 1987A investigated with the James Webb Space Telescope An international team of astronomers has used the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to conduct mid-infrared observations of a nearby supernova known as SN 1987A. Results of the observational campaign, published February 21 on the pre-print server arXiv, shed more light on the nature of this supernova.
	Study finds the West is best to spot UFOs In July of 2023, retired commander in the U.S. Navy David Fravor testified to the House Oversight Committee about a mysterious, Tic Tac-shaped object that he and three others observed over the Pacific Ocean in 2004. The congressional hearings riveted the world by bringing Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) out of the "alien truther" realm and into the mainstream.
	The possibility of past life on Mars: Biomolecules may have originated from atmospheric formaldehyde Organic materials discovered on Mars may have originated from atmospheric formaldehyde, according to new research, marking a step forward in our understanding of the possibility of past life on the red planet.
	Webb finds dwarf galaxies reionized the universe Using the unprecedented capabilities of the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, an international team of scientists has obtained the first spectroscopic observations of the faintest galaxies during the first billion years of the universe. These findings, published in the journal Nature, help answer a longstanding question for astronomers: What sources caused the reionization of the universe? These new results have effectively demonstrated that small dwarf galaxies are the likely producers of prodigious amounts of energetic radiation.
	US Moon lander's battery likely has hours left: company An American lunar lander that tipped over during its historic touchdown last week likely only has hours left until its battery runs out, the private company operating it said Tuesday.
	Who owns the moon? The first successful moon landing of a private lander, Odysseus, last week came a month after Japan and six months after India touched down on Earth's natural satellite.
	Some intelligent civilizations could be trapped on their worlds Evolution has produced a wondrously diverse variety of lifeforms here on Earth. It just so happens that talking primates with opposable thumbs rose to the top and are building a spacefaring civilization. And we're land-dwellers. But what about other planets? If the dominant species on an ocean world builds a technological civilization of some sort, would they be able to escape their ocean home and explore space?
	A black hole discovery could force us to rethink how galaxies came to be Peering deep into the infancy of the universe, the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) recently confirmed the discovery of the brightest and fastest growing quasar. Quasars are luminous objects in the night sky powered by gas falling into a large black hole at the center of a galaxy.
	A new space mission: Astrobotic eyes an expansion of its North Side headquarters Astrobotic Technology's latest space-related venture won't take it far from home.
	Research on dynamics and FNTSM control of spacecraft with a film capture pocket system In recent years, with the significant increase in space launch activities, the number of deorbited spacecraft has sharply risen, posing a serious impact on both active orbiting spacecraft and future space activities. Traditional rope net capture systems, serving as a technology for actively deorbiting spacecraft, hold vast potential in mitigating and clearing space debris.

Technology news

	Reducing halide segregation in wide-bandgap mixed-halide perovskite solar cells using redox mediators Multi-junction solar cells, solar cells comprised of many individual semiconductor junctions stacked together, have the potential of outperforming single-junction solar cells both in terms of efficiency and stability. In recent years, material scientists and engineers have been trying to identify viable material combinations for fabricating these solar cells.
	Scientists propose anti-fatigue preparation for 3D-printed titanium alloy A research team led by Profs. Zhang Zhefeng and Zhang Zhenjun from the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has proposed an innovative strategy to fabricate an anti-fatigue 3D-printed titanium alloy by separately regulating their microstructure and defects, called as net-additive manufacturing preparation (NAMP).
	Study unlocks nanoscale secrets for designing next-generation solar cells Perovskites, a broad class of compounds with a particular kind of crystal structure, have long been seen as a promising alternative or supplement to today's silicon or cadmium telluride solar panels. They could be far more lightweight and inexpensive, and could be coated onto virtually any substrate, including paper or flexible plastic that could be rolled up for easy transport.
	Scientists develop liquid metal-embraced photoactive films for artificial photosynthesis Solar-driven photocatalytic or photoelectrochemical water splitting holds great promise for direct solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion, especially in the context of the carbon-neutral initiative, while its practical applications hinge on significant advances in the scalable production of robust and efficient photoactive films.
	Researchers design open-source AI algorithms to protect power grid from fluctuations caused by renewables and EVs In order to prevent power grid failure in a society where electrification is supplied increasingly by variable sources like solar and wind, researchers in Sweden report the development of artificial intelligence algorithms intended to react swiftly when the network's voltage balance is threatened.
	Online toxicity can only be countered by humans and machines working together, say researchers Wading through the staggering amount of social media content being produced every second to find the nastiest bits is no task for humans alone.
	Grand Theft Auto and AI help team turn dog pics into 3D models Photographs of dogs could soon be used to help generate 3D models more accurately than ever before—thanks to an award-winning study from the University of Surrey and the famous video game Grand Theft Auto.
	Data leaks can sink machine learning models When developing machine learning models to find patterns in data, researchers across fields typically use separate data sets for model training and testing, which allows them to measure how well their trained models do with new, unseen data. But, due to human error, that line sometimes is inadvertently blurred and data used to test how well the model performs bleeds into data used to train it.
	Nissan plans self-driving taxi service in Japan Nissan is planning to launch a self-driving taxi service in Japan in the financial year starting April 2027, the auto giant said Wednesday.
	Microsoft's GitHub offers companies souped-up AI coding tool Microsoft Corp.'s GitHub is releasing a pricier paid version of its artificial intelligence software development tool that can answer questions based on a company's own programming code, a feature designed to help new engineers get up to speed and enable veteran coders to work faster.
	Scientists develop a high-precision router Your next router will know where you're sitting. A team of researchers from two Madrid universities—Polytechnic (UPM) and Carlos III (UC3M)—has developed a prototype router with high positioning accuracy that allows them to know the exact location of a mobile phone.
	Cutting-edge grid planning tools drive India's distributed energy future India has set a goal of adding 450 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy to its power system by 2030. By the same year, the country also plans to achieve 40% renewable electricity capacity.
	Bitcoin tops $60,000, approaches all-time high Bitcoin passed the $60,000 mark on Wednesday, approaching its all-time high and continuing its unbridled rise since the approval of a new type of investment indexed to the cryptocurrency.
	Zuckerberg meets LG, Samsung chiefs in Seoul as Meta ramps up AI ambitions Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg discussed cooperation on extended reality devices with LG Electronics executives on Wednesday as part of his visit to South Korea that highlights Meta's ambitions in artificial intelligence.
	Researchers found 37 mine sites in Australia that could be converted into renewable energy storage The world is rapidly moving towards a renewable energy future. To support the transition, we must prepare backup energy supplies for times when solar panels and wind turbines are not producing enough electricity.
	US looks at regulating connected vehicles to prevent abusers from tracking victims The agency that regulates U.S. telecommunications is considering a rule that could stop domestic abusers from tracking victims through vehicles that are connected wirelessly.
	Apple abandons electric car plans: media Apple has abandoned its ambitions to produce an electric car, US media reported Tuesday, ending a struggling decade-long project.
	AI the new obsession for venture capital investing After the earthquake of ChatGPT's phenomenal success a year ago, Silicon Valley investors have gone into overdrive with artificial intelligence, looking for the newest blockbuster idea in an ocean of hype and overpromising.
	A small drone flies into a damaged Fukushima nuclear reactor for the first time to study melted fuel A drone small enough to fit in one's hand flew inside one of the damaged reactors at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant Wednesday in hopes it can examine some of the molten fuel debris in areas where earlier robots failed to reach.
	OpenAI seeks dismissal of parts of NY Times copyright suit OpenAI asked a US judge to dismiss several elements of a lawsuit brought by The New York Times, which accuses the ChatGPT creator of using millions of articles for training without permission.
	Scalable photoelectrochemical system for solar hydrogen possible, if made from efficient all-perovskite materials Our recent article published in Nature Energy relates our first attempt at the development of a scalable photoelectrochemical (PEC) system to produce green hydrogen.
	Nvidia's $70 million Florida supercomputer hobbled by DeSantis law When Chris Malachowsky, a billionaire co-founder of chip giant Nvidia Corp., bankrolled one of the world's biggest supercomputers at the University of Florida, Ron DeSantis predicted the machine would be a magnet for artificial intelligence talent.
	Airlines had their safest year on record in 2023: IATA Last year was the safest ever for commercial air travel, despite a massive rebound in passenger flights, an airline industry group said Wednesday.
	Google CEO slams 'completely unacceptable' Gemini AI errors Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Tuesday slammed "completely unacceptable" errors by its Gemini AI app, after gaffes such as images of ethnically diverse World War II Nazi troops forced it to stop users from creating pictures of people.
	A survey on federated learning: A perspective from multi-party computation Federated learning (FL) has emerged as a popular machine learning paradigm which allows multiple data owners to train models collaboratively without sharing their raw datasets. It holds potential for a wide spectrum of analytics applications on sensitive data.
	Prospects for battery recycling in Latin America Reuse and recycling are core elements of a sustainable approach to used lithium-ion batteries in Latin America. This is essential to conserve valuable resources and avoid climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions. The application of tried-and-proven best practices here would potentially avoid the disposal of up to two million tons of batteries as waste and enable up to 2.8 million tons to be recycled in the region by 2050.
	Zero-emission ship nears finish of round-the-world voyage A ship powered by renewable energy, including hydrogen produced onboard, is docked in the southeastern US state of Florida this week as it prepares to finish the last leg of a voyage around the world.
	US to limit sale of personal data to foreign adversaries President Joe Biden is set to issue an executive order Wednesday aimed at limiting the flow of sensitive US personal data abroad due to concerns of misuse by countries including China.
	Shedding light on the intricacies of numerical simulations of soil behavior A solid understanding of soil mechanics and behavior is one of the fundamental pillars of geotechnical engineering. The stability and resilience of many modern geotechnical structures, including building foundations, dams, bridges, and embankments, rely on appropriate modeling based on accurate measurements of soil properties.

Chemistry news

	Light stimulates a new twist for synthetic chemistry Molecules that are induced by light to rotate bulky groups around central bonds could be developed into photo-activated bioactive systems, molecular switches, and more.
	Scientists create single-atom catalysts for efficient electrooxidation of water Single-atom catalysts (SACs), due to their excellent catalytic activity, have been a hot topic in the field of energy catalysis. In SACs, the metal atoms are able to directly interact with the supports, thus maximizing the metal-support interface. The metal-support interactions (MSIs) largely affect the electronic properties of single-atom catalysts and catalytic performance.
	Researchers develop novel method to photosynthesize hydrogen peroxide using water and air Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a microporous covalent organic framework with dense donor–acceptor lattices and engineered linkages for the efficient and clean production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) through the photosynthesis process with water and air.
	How molecular 'handedness' emerged in early biology Molecules often have a structural asymmetry called chirality, which means they can appear in alternative, mirror-image versions akin to the left and right versions of human hands. One of the great mysteries about the origins of life on Earth is that virtually all of the fundamental molecules of biology, such as the building blocks of proteins and DNA, appear in just one chiral form.
	Experimental analysis, computer simulations reveal how woven fabric composites are deformed by heat Materials called triaxially woven fabric composites (TWFCs) have fibers woven together in three directions, commonly at a 60-degree angle to each other. They are increasingly used in many applications but their response to heating and cooling has not been well-studied.
	Hot stuff: A new thermal pathway for a high explosive TATB (1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene) is an important explosive compound because of its extensive use in munitions and worldwide weapons systems. Despite its importance, researchers have been trying to understand its response to temperature extremes for the past 50 years.

Biology news

	Change in gene code may explain how human ancestors lost tails A genetic change in our ancient ancestors may partly explain why humans don't have tails like monkeys, finds a new study led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
	Research team uncovers universal code driving the formation of all cell membranes Researchers at the University of Alberta have uncovered what they say has been the missing puzzle piece ever since the genetic code was first cracked.
	Female North Atlantic right whales growing smaller, leading to fewer births A team of oceanologists affiliated from the U.S. and Scotland has found reductions in body size of female North Atlantic right whales is resulting in fewer births, endangering the species. In their study, published in Royal Society Open Science, the group analyzed historical data that included whale length information going back to the 1970s.
	Cannabis oil found to be effective treatment for canine discoid lupus erythematosus A team of veterinary students and scientists at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, in Brazil, working with the Cannabis Development and Innovation Center, also in Brazil, has found that oral administration of cannabis oil to dogs can reduce symptoms of discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), a canine autoimmune-based skin disorder.
	How the SARS-CoV-2 virus acquires its spherical shape For centuries, coronaviruses have triggered health crises and economic challenges, with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that spreads COVID-19, being a recent example. One small protein in SARS-CoV-2, the membrane protein, or M protein, is the most abundant and plays a crucial role in how the virus acquires its spherical structure. Nonetheless, this protein's properties are not well understood.
	Double trouble at chromosome ends: New study alters our understanding of telomere biology Half a century ago, scientists Jim Watson and Alexey Olovnikov independently realized that there was a problem with how our DNA gets copied. A quirk of linear DNA replication dictated that telomeres that protect the ends of chromosomes should have been growing shorter with each round of replication, a phenomenon known as the end-replication problem.
	African great apes predicted to see frequent extreme climate events in the next 30 years African apes are already being exposed to climate change impacts, and will experience extreme events such as wildfires, heat waves and flooding more frequently in the next 30 years, according to a study published February 28 in the open-access journal PLOS Climate by Razak Kiribou at Haramaya University in Ethiopia and colleagues.
	AI sorts public photos to show recovering pacific humpback whales hit climate ceiling Scientists have found that recovering humpback whales in the North Pacific are now responding to shifts in food availability affected by climate change. They drew the conclusion from thousands of whale photographs submitted over 20 years by researchers and the public.
	Moth coloration study verifies evolutionary ecology hypothesis on predator selection An international group of researchers leveraged open-access digital collections to validate an age-old hypothesis in evolutionary ecology. The classic hypothesis proposes that predators select for a great variety of camouflage and a limited variety of warning signals, but the idea has never been tested on natural prey.
	Expedition finds Tibetan lakes harbor bacteria that produce antibiotics Skoltech researchers and their colleagues from China and Russia have discovered that the waters and soils of the Tibetan Plateau are teeming with bacteria that produce antibiotics. While none of the antimicrobial compounds identified by the team are new to science, the findings bring certain hope amid the outbreak of bacterial resistance triggered by irresponsible drug use.
	Study finds ability to solve food puzzles is the only predictor of innovation, brain size in wild birds When certain species of wild birds and primates discover new ways of finding food in the wild, it can serve to measure their flexibility and intelligence.
	Scientists discover why ripe fruit is more susceptible to necrotrophic pathogens than unripe fruit In a recent study published in Molecular Plant, researchers have elucidated the mechanism underlying the increased susceptibility to necrotrophs during fruit ripening and have developed a rapid strategy to improve tomato fruit resistance to necrotrophs without compromising fruit quality.
	Nature's sonar: Scientists reveal how Japanese horseshoe bats perceive moving objects Unlike most animals that rely on visual senses, bats navigate and locate prey or obstacles through echolocation. By emitting sounds and comparing them to the reflected echoes, bats can "visualize" movement in the environment. When sound waves encounter a moving object, they can undergo changes such as a Doppler shift in frequency or experience a delay, which the bat can sense. However, it is unclear which acoustic characteristics bats rely on to detect moving objects.
	Study reveals accelerated soil priming under climate warming A first-of-its-kind study led by researchers at the University of Oklahoma highlights a crucial biosphere feedback mechanism and its effects on releasing soil carbon into the atmosphere.
	Overcrowding increases tree mortality, perhaps explaining higher biodiversity in tropical forests When a tree is surrounded by many similar individuals, its mortality increases, which is probably caused by specialized pathogens or herbivores. This effect occurs in forests all over the world, but is more pronounced in rare tropical tree species, which could contribute to the astonishing tree species diversity of tropical forests.
	Drying without dying: Tracing water scarcity coping mechanisms from mosses to flowering plants Imagine you find the dried-up remains of a once green and lush philodendron on your bookshelf and realize you can't remember the last time you watered your houseplants. You soak the soil with water, hoping you can breathe life back into its desiccated husk, but it is futile. The plant has been too dehydrated for too long, and irreparable damage has been done.
	Avian influenza virus is adapting to spread to marine mammals The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 has adapted to spread between birds and marine mammals, posing an immediate threat to wildlife conservation, according to a study from the University of California, Davis, and the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) in Argentina.
	Research finds geochemical landscape drives musk oxen reproductive success Researchers have studied Greenland musk oxen that have been followed for 25 years to see how their feeding habits affect their reproductive success. And it turns out that when they go to areas with more copper and selenium in the ground, they have more calves.
	Female olfactory cues hasten mortality and reproductive aging, mouse study finds Sensory cues from the opposite sex can influence how animals age, a University of Otago-led study has found.
	New discovery speeds scientists' push for Huanglongbing-tolerant citrus It's one thing for a hybrid citrus tree to tolerate citrus greening disease (a.k.a. Huanglongbing) and quite another if it also produces orange-like fruit—especially if the juice makes for a delicious breakfast beverage. Now, that holy grail of traits could be closer at hand, thanks to the chemical and genetic sleuthing of a team of Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) scientists.
	Building bionic jellyfish for ocean exploration Jellyfish can't do much besides swim, sting, eat, and breed. They don't even have brains. Yet, these simple creatures can easily journey to the depths of the oceans in a way that humans, despite all our sophistication, cannot.
	A liking for licking—sex and social status influence social grooming among free-ranging feral cattle in Hong Kong Unique insights into the social lives of cattle revealed in a new study by scientists at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) can enhance our understanding of animal behavior and welfare. The study suggests that sex and social status influence social grooming (where one animal licks another, also known as allogrooming) among free-ranging feral cattle in Hong Kong.
	Climate change found to be reducing fish weight Fish weight in the western North Pacific Ocean dipped in the 2010s due to warmer water limiting food supplies, according to a new study at the University of Tokyo. The work appears in Fish and Fisheries.
	Elephant seals, once nearly extinct, are finding new places to call home Wildlife is vanishing around the world, plummeting at rates unprecedented in human history. Then there are elephant seals.
	Soil carbon cycling depends on both microbial thermal adaptation and substrate availability A new study has shed light on how soil microorganisms, which are crucial to the carbon cycle, adapt to different levels of temperature and organic matter availability.
	Yeast and kelp flies can replace fishmeal in feed for farmed salmon, suggests thesis Kelp flies and marine yeast cultivated on by-products from the seafood industry can be used in feed for farmed salmon. Replacing fishmeal and soybeans can create more sustainable and circular food production, according to a thesis from the University of Gothenburg.
	Breeding programs initiated in Vietnam to help turtle species threatened by extinction Considered a delicacy in China and Vietnam, the spotted softshell turtle faces threats from overconsumption and habitat loss. Conservationists have initiated breeding programs in Vietnam to recover spotted softshell turtle populations.
	Discovery of primitive mitochondrial DNA replication enzymes Researchers led by University of Tsukuba have discovered rdxPolA, a putative DNA polymerase involved in replicating ancestral mitochondrial genomes, in diverse eukaryotic lineages. Based on the phylogenetic distribution of rdxPolA among eukaryotes, they proposed an evolutionary scenario of DNA polymerases for mitochondrial genome maintenance in the early evolution of eukaryotes.
	Predatory insects protect apples from pests when flowers are planted on farms, finds study Bugs including hoverflies, lacewings and ladybirds play an important role in keeping Britain's apples healthy, a new study has shown.
	Researchers are first to see at-risk bat flying over open ocean On a research cruise focused on marine mammals and seabirds, Oregon State University scientists earned an unexpected bonus: The first-ever documented sighting of a hoary bat flying over the open ocean.
	Counting rays: Aerial surveys reveal ample populations in southeast Florida The whitespotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) and the giant manta ray (Mobula birostris) are rapidly declining globally. Both species are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as endangered worldwide, and the giant manta ray is designated as threatened under the United States Endangered Species Act.
	Unlocking the secrets of geraniol: A key to enhanced disease resistance in tea plants Geraniol contributes to the floral scent of tea (Camellia sinensis) and is abundant in tea plants, yet its biosynthesis and role in stress responses remain unclear.
	New tool helps decipher gene behavior Scientists have extensively researched the structure and sequence of genetic material and its interactions with proteins in the hope of understanding how our genetics and environment interact with diseases. This research has partly focused on 'epigenetic marks,' which are chemical modifications to DNA, RNA, and the associated proteins (known as histones).
	Study finds drought fuels invasive species after wildfires In a study recently published in the journal Ecology, University of California, Irvine scientists uncover the intricate dance between drought, wildfires and invasive species in Southern California's coastal sage scrub ecosystems.
	Medicinal plant research unveils the genetic blueprint of Chaenomeles speciosa Chaenomeles speciosa (2n=34), a diploid species within the Rosaceae family, has been traditionally used in Chinese medicine for its various health benefits. To date, the lack of genomic sequence and genetic studies has impeded efforts to improve its medicinal value.

Medicine and Health news

	How does vaccination thwart pneumococcal infection? Animal model uncovers 'capture and kill' scenario In findings that are nothing short of surprising, scientists have demonstrated that the liver is the site where the immune system unleashes its assault on pneumococcal bacteria following vaccination against the potentially lethal pathogens.
	AI finds key signs that predict patient survival across dementia types Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and others have harnessed the power of machine learning to identify key predictors of mortality in dementia patients.
	Researchers model blood-brain barrier using 'Tissue-in-a-CUBE' system A research team at the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR) in Japan has succeeded in establishing a model of the blood-brain barrier using modularized tissue derived from human cells. The "Tissue-in-a-CUBE" is a small cubic structure that could provide a boost in the drug discovery field and be used as an alternative to animal models in pre-clinical studies.
	Understanding genetic risk could save sight and predict multiple sclerosis earlier in young people Young people could be spared from going blind by a new genetic risk tool that could also help diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS) earlier, to start effective treatments.
	Scientists discover neurons help flush waste out of brain during sleep There lies a paradox in sleep. Its apparent tranquility juxtaposes with the brain's bustling activity. The night is still, but the brain is far from dormant. During sleep, brain cells produce bursts of electrical pulses that cumulate into rhythmic waves—a sign of heightened brain cell function.
	How early-stage cancer cells hide from the immune system One of the immune system's primary roles is to detect and kill cells that have acquired cancerous mutations. However, some early-stage cancer cells manage to evade this surveillance and develop into more advanced tumors.
	Study unravels the earliest cellular genesis of lung adenocarcinoma Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center built a new atlas of lung cells, uncovering new cellular pathways and precursors in the development of lung adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer. These findings, published in Nature, open the door for development of new strategies to detect or intercept the disease in its earliest stages.
	The 'switch' that keeps the immune system from attacking the body A microscopic battle rages in our bodies, as our cells constantly fend off invaders through our immune system: a complex system of cells and proteins designed to protect us from harmful pathogens. One of its central components is the enzyme cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), which acts as a sentinel, detecting foreign DNA and initiating an immune response.
	More than just neurons: Scientists create new model for studying human brain inflammation The brain is typically depicted as a complex web of neurons sending and receiving messages. But neurons only make up half of the human brain. The other half—roughly 85 billion cells—are non-neuronal cells called glia.
	How 40Hz sensory gamma rhythm stimulation clears amyloid in Alzheimer's mice Studies at MIT and elsewhere are producing mounting evidence that light flickering and sound clicking at the gamma brain rhythm frequency of 40 Hz can reduce Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression and treat symptoms in human volunteers as well as lab mice.
	Bioinformatics approach offers a step toward personalized immunotherapy for all Most cancers are thought to evade the immune system. These cancers don't carry very many mutations, and they aren't infiltrated by cancer-fighting immune cells. Scientists call these cancers immunologically "cold."
	Insulin-inhibitory receptor research offers hope for type 2 diabetes therapy Research targeting the insulin-inhibitory receptor, or inceptor, unveils promising avenues for beta cell protection, offering hope for causal diabetes therapy.
	A simple eye reflex test may be able to assess autism in children Scientists at UC San Francisco may have discovered a new way to test for autism by measuring how children's eyes move when they turn their heads. They found that kids who carry a variant of a gene that is associated with severe autism are hypersensitive to this motion.
	How to make mRNA therapeutics safe from the start The success of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 has unleashed a flood of interest in using the technology to create more vaccines and treatments for everything from rare diseases and infections to cancer.
	Whole genome sequencing reveals new genetic marker for cardiomyopathy In the first study to use whole genome sequencing to examine tandem repeat expansions in heart conditions, scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have laid the groundwork for early detection of and future precision therapies for cardiomyopathy.
	Using 3D printing to make artificial eyeballs more quickly and accurately A team of biomedical and ophthalmological researchers from several institutions in Europe, working with computer graphics specialists, has developed a technique for 3D printing artificial eyeballs that is faster, more accurate and less expensive than conventional techniques. Their paper is published in the journal Nature Communications.
	Conflicting theories of consciousness may fit together after all Professor Emeritus Johan Frederik Storm has led research forming the basis of a article that aims to uncover an alternative approach to the understanding of how human consciousness functions. It is currently available on the PsyArXiv preprint server and in prepress in the journal Neuron.
	Developing artificial intelligence technology to improve treatment of rare diseases An international team of scientists has developed a technology based on artificial intelligence (AI) for the study of minority diseases and has successfully applied it to identify the possible causes of the appearance of what is known as myasthenic-congenital syndromes, a group of rare inherited disorders that limit the ability to move and cause varying degrees of muscle weakness in patients.
	Data-processing tool could enable better early stage cancer detection Cancers begin with abnormal changes in individual cells, and the ability to track the accumulation of mutations at the single-cell level can shed new light on the early stages of the disease. Such knowledge could enable more effective early detection and treatment options for patients as well as more accurate predictions of disease progression.
	Eyes serve as immunological barrier in fight against brain pathogens, finds study The eyes have been called the window to the brain. It turns out they also serve as an immunological barrier that protects the organ from pathogens and even tumors, Yale researchers have found.
	Sensory nerves appear to drive head and neck cancer growth Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus studying interactions between nerves and tumor microenvironments have found that commonly used drugs like botox may stop or slow the progression of certain head and neck cancers.
	Molecular clusters on glial cells show they are more than our brain's 'glue' Neuroscientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center have found that an often-overlooked type of brain cell called glia has more of a role in brain function than previously thought.
	Study proposes streamlined approach to developing cancer drugs Drug discovery can be a frustrating process of trial and error. Scientists using fragment-based drug discovery link fragments of different molecules together to create a more potent drug but may not know whether a compound works until millions of dollars in research and development have already been spent.
	New study links hospital privatization to worse patient care A new review has concluded that hospitals that are privatized typically deliver worse quality care after converting from public ownership. The study, led by University of Oxford researchers, has been published today in The Lancet Public Health.
	A 'gene of prejudice' could help explain variations in human personality and demystify autism Individuals with the neurodevelopmental disorder Williams syndrome have a gregarious "cocktail party" personality, while those with the opposite genetic alteration, in contrast, tend to have autistic traits and are prone to struggle socially.
	Scientists discover mucus allows young pancreatic cancer cells to grow but may also prevent a deadly transformation Knowing exactly what's inside a tumor can maximize our ability to fight cancer. But that knowledge doesn't come easy. Tumors are clusters of constantly changing cancer cells. Some become common cancer variants. Others morph into deadlier, drug-resistant varieties. No one truly understands what governs this chaotic behavior.
	Psychosocial therapies could be effective treatment for non-physical symptoms of menopause Interventions such as mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), could be an effective treatment option for menopause-related mood symptoms, memory and concentration problems, finds a new study by UCL researchers.
	Study identifies blood biomarkers to predict risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis impacts approximately 2 million people in the United States and is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, assessing cardiovascular risk is difficult in patients with rheumatoid arthritis because standard clinical assessments based on factors like age, cholesterol, and smoking status tend to underestimate cardiovascular risk in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis.
	Cannabis use linked to increase in heart attack and stroke risk An analysis of 430,000 adults in the U.S. found that using cannabis, most commonly through smoking, eating, or vaporizing it, was significantly associated with a higher risk of heart attack and stroke, even after controlling for tobacco use (combustible cigarettes and other tobacco products) and other cardiovascular risk factors, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
	A potential flaw in operating room ventilation may increase risk of COVID-19 infection NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) engineers studying ventilation systems in surgical operating theaters have found that traditional ventilation systems may inadvertently facilitate the circulation of aerosolized pathogen-carrying particles. As a result, this puts surgical teams at a higher risk of infection by COVID-19 and other airborne diseases.
	New pediatric cancer marker: Hope for a treatment target Researchers have newly identified a universal, essential biomarker for the childhood cancer neuroblastoma—and a potential new target for treatment.
	New approach may prevent deadly intestinal disease in preemies Scientists from Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and colleagues found that an investigational protein replacement—recombinant human insulin-like growth factor 1 and its binding protein-3 (rhIGF-1/BP3)—protected neonatal mice from necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a deadly intestinal disease that often strikes extremely premature infants. Results were published in the journal Pediatric Research.
	Review discusses metabolic reprogramming of T cells When foreign antigens trigger an immune response, T cells respond by proliferating and differentiating into two groups—effector and memory cells. Epigenetic and transcriptional pathways mediate this response, but the cells also undergo metabolic reprogramming to meet the dynamic biosynthetic demands of proliferation and differentiation.
	Q&A: Supercomputer simulations find new starting point for HIV therapies Molecular simulations on the JUWELS supercomputer show how the HIV-1 virus is able to evade the human immune system. The newly discovered mechanism could prove to be the Achilles' heel of the virus and open new doors for HIV therapies.
	Do high-stress jobs put pregnancy at risk? Raw tuna. Copious caffeine. Cigarettes. Unpasteurized brie. Alcohol. Most women know to avoid these potentially harmful substances while pregnant, plus certain risky activities such as rock climbing, ice skating, and skiing. But what if your job could negatively impact your pregnancy?
	Hours on hold, limited appointments: Why California babies aren't going to the doctor Maria Mercado's 5- and 7-year-old daughters haven't been to the doctor for a check-up in two years. And it's not for lack of trying.
	Prevalence of uncorrected refractive error 14.6 percent in Black Americans, finds study Overall, 14.6 percent of African Americans aged 40 years and older have uncorrected refractive error (UCRE), according to a study published online Feb. 22 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
	Social media and adolescent mental health: Consensus report In an editorial, Sandro Galea and Gillian Buckley summarize the findings of a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine consensus study report on social media and adolescent mental health. The work is published in the journal PNAS Nexus.
	Fetal growth restriction found to harm the heart and lungs via the brainstem Babies affected by fetal growth restriction (FGR) have poor cardiorespiratory control; now Hudson Institute researchers have become the first to show persistent injury in the brainstem of growth-restricted fetuses as the likely cause.
	New findings could be life-changing for genetic syndrome sufferers An international research team led by QIMR Berghofer and Peter MacCallum Cancer Center has discovered that people with the hereditary cancer disorder Li Fraumeni syndrome are at greater risk of a much broader spectrum of cancers than previously thought.
	Q&A: Decline in condom use indicates need for further education, awareness New research from the University of Washington shows that condom use has been trending downward among younger gay and bisexual men over the last decade, even when they aren't taking pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.
	The emotional aftereffects of trauma on communities It was shortly before noon on Dec. 6, 2023, and Stephen Benning had just wrapped up a Zoom meeting in his office in the Carol C. Harter Classroom Building Complex when his office and cell phones pinged. It was a university-issued alert that campus police were responding to a report of shots fired.
	Investigating the ethical landscape of brain organoid research With advances in neuroscience and the development of new technologies, new ethical considerations have emerged. This is particularly true for human brain organoids, which are three-dimensional tissues grown from stem cells that partially replicate the characteristics of the human brain.
	Regression approach outperforms ML algorithms in predicting optimal surgical method in submucosal tumor patients Submucosal tumors (SMTs) are usually found in the stomach and esophagus during an upper endoscopy. Submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection (STER) and non-tunneling endoscopic resection (NTER) are the two most commonly used techniques in the treatment of gastric and esophageal SMTs.
	How do we age? New probe can detect senescent cells in urine A team of researchers has developed a new probe to detect senescent cells in urine, which could help to monitor and better understand the processes related to aging and establish new strategies to reverse the degenerative processes associated with it.
	Reanalyzing the impact of COVID-19 on the kidneys In a new study, Yale researchers found that adults with COVID-19 who develop acute kidney injury have a lower risk of kidney disease progression and mortality over the longer term compared to those with AKI related to other causes.
	Anti-aging drug rapamycin found to improve immune function through endolysosomes The therapeutic drug rapamycin, which is normally used in cancer therapy and after organ transplants, can extend the lifespan and health span of laboratory animals. Understanding how rapamycin extends lifespan is important, as it helps to prevent unwanted side effects.
	Improving a non-invasive way to monitor contractions during labor Uterine contractions are a key part of childbirth, but they can temporarily reduce oxygen supply to the fetus. During high-risk childbirth, monitoring of contractions is crucial to ensure the safety of the mother and unborn child. However, traditional monitoring techniques can be affected by maternal movements, or they are quite invasive.
	Factors that increase risk of frailty in old age are different in men and women, finds study Older people with frailty syndrome should be prioritized in primary health care because they are more likely to suffer from falls, hospitalizations, incapacitation, and early death. The syndrome is characterized by the presence of three or more of the following factors: involuntary weight loss, fatigue, muscle weakness, slow gait, and a low level of physical activity.
	Research discovers promising biomarker for sudden cardiac death in men Plasma 4β-hydroxycholesterol (4βHC) measurement could offer a possibility to predict and prevent sudden cardiac deaths in men with coronary artery disease, according to a study by the University of Oulu.
	Promising pathways to simplified Alzheimer's diagnosis unveiled in new study The Global Alzheimer's Platform Foundation (GAP) is releasing the first results from the Bio-Hermes-001 Study. This study of more than 1,000 community-based participants from throughout the U.S. compared the results of blood and digital biomarkers with brain amyloid PET scans or cerebrospinal fluid assays.
	The aorta categorized as an independent organ for the first time The aorta, also known as the main artery, is now categorized as an independent human organ. This has now been established in the guidelines for aortic surgical treatments of the European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery (EACTS) and the US Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS).
	Risk of hospital readmission after surgery found to be high for older Americans A new Yale study finds an increased risk of hospital readmission for older Americans within 180 days of undergoing major surgery—a risk that is particularly acute for individuals who are frail or have dementia.
	What people told researchers about their experience of grief Have you ever felt a sudden pang of sadness? A bird seems to stop and look you in the eye. A photo drops out of a messy drawer from long ago, in the mundanity of a weekend spring clean.
	War in Ukraine affected well-being worldwide, but people's speed of recovery depended on their personality, finds study The war in Ukraine has had impacts around the world. Supply chains have been disrupted, the cost of living has soared and we've seen the fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II. All of these are in addition to the devastating humanitarian and economic impacts within Ukraine.
	Children get arthritis too, with life-changing effects—but exercise can help Arthritis is usually associated with older people, but kids can suffer too. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common type of arthritis in children. It affects about 1 in 1,000 kids under 16 in the UK (roughly 15,000 children), and causes joint pain and inflammation in the hands, knees, ankles, elbows, and wrists—although it can affect other body parts, too.
	Are slushies really bad for young children's health? Recently there have been concerning reports in the news of a three-year-old boy who collapsed and was admitted to hospital after drinking a slushy drink. Fortunately, after a few days, the child recovered completely.
	Low-level blasts from heavy weapons can cause traumatic brain injury—the physics of invisible cell death When the force of a blast shoots a round out of a large-caliber rifle, howitzer or M1 Abrams tank gun, the teams of people operating these weapons are exposed to low-level blasts that can cause traumatic brain injuries.
	What is measles, and how can I shield myself & my family? Once thought to be a bygone disease, measles is making a comeback in the United States and globally as folks shun a safe, surefire way to prevent it: The measles vaccine.
	For people with tough-to-treat epilepsy, seizure dogs may reduce seizures For people with drug-resistant epilepsy, having a dog companion trained in detecting seizures and other epilepsy-related tasks may reduce the amount of seizures they have, according to new research published in Neurology. For the study, researchers looked at adults with severe epilepsy who had been unable to find effective treatment to reduce seizures.
	For young people, irregular meals, e-cigarette use linked to frequent headaches For children and teens, irregular meals such as skipped breakfasts are linked to an increased risk of frequent headaches, according to a new study published in Neurology. The study also found that for those ages 12 to 17, substance use and exposure, specifically electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), were associated with frequent headaches.
	New study finds link between health care disparities and stroke treatment For people with stroke, social factors such as education, neighborhood and employment may be linked to whether they receive treatment with clot-busting drug, according to a preliminary study that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 76th Annual Meeting taking place April 13–18, 2024, in person in Denver and online. The study looked at people with ischemic stroke, which is caused by a blockage of blood flow to the brain and is the most common type of stroke.
	Researchers develop a new toolkit of fruit flies to study Zika virus To study how Zika virus proteins hijack and disrupt host developmental pathways during infection and disease progression, Dr. Shinya Yamamoto, assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine and principal investigator at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; Dr. Nichole Link, assistant professor at the University of Utah; and colleagues have generated a toolkit of transgenic flies expressing all ten Zika virus proteins.
	New method discovered to halt active cancer cells Scientists have discovered a way to stop active cancer cells in their tracks—meaning they can then be eliminated by new drug treatments.
	Consistent evidence links ultra-processed food to over 30 damaging health outcomes Consistent evidence shows that higher exposure to ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of 32 damaging health outcomes including cancer, major heart and lung conditions, mental health disorders, and early death.
	Significant proportion of cancer drugs lack proof of added benefit, finds study Many cancer drugs approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) between 1995 and 2020 lack proof of added benefit, particularly those approved through expedited ("fast track") pathways, finds a study published by The BMJ.
	Menu calorie labeling may reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease in England, modeling study suggests The current policy of mandatory calorie labeling in large food businesses in England could potentially prevent approximately 730 deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) between 2022 and 2041—and if the policy were extended to all English food businesses, could potentially prevent around 9,200 CVD deaths over the same time period, suggests first modeled estimation of the impact of the policy published in The Lancet Public Health.
	Calcium crystal deposits in the knee found to contribute to joint damage Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, affecting approximately 600 million people worldwide and 34 million people in the U.S. There are no treatments available that prevent its progression to date. Recommended pharmacological treatments for symptoms have either small-to-moderate effects or short-term effects, often with side effects, and lifestyle behaviors such as exercise and weight loss are under-utilized.
	Sedentary behavior found to increase mortality risk Based on decades-long observations of centenarians, author Dan Buettner (Blue Zones) conjectures that people live longer when they get up and move around after sitting for twenty minutes.
	Research identifies hantavirus in South Korea using a new rapid test, paving the way for early outbreak control Orthohantaviruses, highly transmissible zoonotic pathogens, are notorious for causing hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Eurasia and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome in the Americas. With a significant impact on public health, they have been extensively researched for effective outbreak control and intervention strategies.
	Research shows continued cocaine use disrupts communication between major brain networks A collaborative research endeavor by scientists in the Departments of Radiology, Neurology, and Psychology and Neuroscience at the UNC School of Medicine have demonstrated the deleterious effects of chronic cocaine use on the functional networks in the brain.
	Anti-cancer drug could improve symptoms after stroke A study by the Institut de Neurociències of the UAB (INc-UAB) demonstrates in animal models the benefits of vorinostat after having suffered a stroke. The drug, used in humans to treat cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, has been proven to mitigate brain injuries and help in restoring brain tissue.
	Most LGBTQ+ orthopedic trainees and professionals report workplace bias: Study Most lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ+) orthopedic trainees and professionals openly identify their sexual orientation or gender identity to at least some colleagues, but many report experiencing bullying, discrimination, or differential treatment in their workplaces, according to research presented in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research (CORR).
	Immunotherapy combination may benefit patients with transplanted kidneys and advanced skin cancers People who have had a kidney transplant are at high risk for developing skin cancers. New research directed by investigators from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center is exploring the best combination of treatments to target skin cancers while preserving the transplanted organs.
	Caring for the Alzheimer's caregivers Researchers at the University of Houston Andy & Barbara Gessner College of Nursing have published a systematic approach to re-designing a structured life review intervention for patients living with dementia and have outlined the curriculum and teaching strategies developed to educate older adult caregivers. Life review is a natural process, occurring when individuals recall their past experiences, evaluate and analyze them to achieve a more profound self-concept.
	Prognostic model development and molecular subtypes identification in bladder urothelial cancer A new research paper titled "Prognostic model development and molecular subtypes identification in bladder urothelial cancer by oxidative stress signatures" has been published in Aging.
	Chill parents found to make for cool kids A chip of the old block—this old saying takes on new significance in 21st-century Singaporean homes, where research shows that when parents exercise self-control, do not wrestle with economic or financial difficulties, set clear rules and enforce them frequently, use less harsh punishment, and communicate clearly and effectively, their children will be more mentally empowered and less emotionally stressed under adversity.
	Researcher discusses turbocharging CRISPR to understand how the immune system fights cancer Over the past two decades, the immune system has attracted increasing attention for its role in fighting cancer. As researchers have learned more and more about the cancer-immune system interplay, several antitumor immunotherapies have become FDA-approved and are now regularly used to treat multiple cancer types.
	Model uses AI to create better outcomes and save costs for prediabetic patients Better prevention of type 2 diabetes could save both lives and money. The U.S. spends over $730 billion a year—nearly a third of all health care spending—on treating preventable diseases like diabetes.
	Improving children's access to care could mitigate the health consequences of exposure to neighborhood violence A new collaborative study between Boston Medical Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia finds exposure to neighborhood violence among children was associated with unmet health needs and increased acute care utilization.
	A safer treatment path for high-risk children to overcome food allergies New research from the University of British Columbia reveals a safe path to overcoming food allergies for older children and others who can't risk consuming allergens orally to build up their resistance.
	Utilizing drones to deliver childhood vaccines could save lives, says research Delivering childhood vaccines via drone could be a triple whammy—saving lives, saving money and improving health outcomes—according to research in Transportation Science. The authors developed optimization models to strategically design a distribution network for drones to deliver vaccines. Their proposed approach was evaluated using real-world data from the Vanuatu region, where vaccine delivery by drones was tested.
	Neurologist explains aphasia Aphasia is a condition that can affect a person's ability to communicate.
	If you're poor, fertility treatment can be out of reach Mary Delgado's first pregnancy went according to plan, but when she tried to get pregnant again seven years later, nothing happened. After 10 months, Delgado, now 34, and her partner, Joaquin Rodriguez, went to see an OB-GYN. Tests showed she had endometriosis, which was interfering with conception. Delgado's only option, the doctor said, was in vitro fertilization.
	Urgent need to develop best practices to advance use of AI in cardiovascular care Artificial intelligence (AI) may transform cardiovascular medicine. For now, though, many challenges remain, and few AI tools have been proven to improve care, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement published in Circulation.
	Breaking detrimental oral habits in young kids It's very common for babies and young children to have what dentists call "non-nutritive sucking" behaviors in which they regularly suck on a pacifier, thumb, finger(s) or other objects.
	Unintended consequences of NZ's COVID vaccine mandates must inform future pandemic policy During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, policy was being made in crisis management mode. Decisions had to be made faster than usual, and there was limited ability to undertake wider consultation and impact analysis.
	Research and customized care make aging with multiple sclerosis better Physician scientists at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine are studying why multiple sclerosis (MS) worsens as patients grow older.
	Two-thirds of high-risk osteoporosis patients in Germany remain untreated: Report More than 831,000 fragility fractures occur annually in Germany, the equivalent of 95 broken bones per hour. The cause is osteoporosis, a disease in which the skeleton becomes weak and fragile, increasing the risk of fragility fractures that result in disability, loss of independence, and premature death for some sufferers.
	BRCA1 and BRCA2 in a cohort of ovarian cancer patients from the Salento peninsula A new research paper titled "Prevalence and spectrum of germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 in a cohort of ovarian cancer patients from the Salento peninsula (Southern Italy): a matter of preventive health" has been published in Oncotarget.
	Exchange program research provides critical nutrition recommendations in Tanzania Using a novel research methodology, researchers in the U.S. and Tanzania have identified new recommendations for reducing nutrient deficiency in the East African country.

Other Sciences news

	Genetic study suggests a Stone Age strategy for avoiding inbreeding Blood relations and kinship were not all-important for the way hunter-gatherer communities lived during the Stone Age in Western Europe. A new genetic study, conducted at several well-known French Stone Age burial sites, shows that several distinct families lived together. This was probably a deliberate system for avoiding inbreeding.
	Climate change threatens thousands of archaeological sites in coastal Georgia Thousands of historic and archaeological sites in Georgia are at risk from tropical storm surges, and that number will increase with climate change, according to a study published in PLOS ONE by Matthew D. Howland and Victor D. Thompson of Wichita State University and the University of Georgia.
	Experiment captures why pottery forms are culturally distinct Potters of different cultural backgrounds learn new types differently, producing cultural differences even in the absence of differential cultural evolution. Kobe University-led research, published in PNAS Nexus, has implications for how we evaluate the difference of archaeological artifacts across cultures.
	New research shows how attention lapses are exploited by fake news sites Think before you click. That's the advice from Alexander Stewart, Professor in the School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of St Andrews, whose research indicates inattentive readers are more likely to click on a false news story, with misinformation content producers exploiting this attention gap.
	AI chatbots not ready for election prime time, study shows In a year when more than 50 countries are holding national elections, a new study shows the risks posed by the rise of artificial intelligence chatbots in disseminating false, misleading or harmful information to voters.
	Many reported gender differences may actually be power differences, researchers suggest Why do men and women seem so different? According to a study, a wide range of gender differences that have been attributed to biological sex may actually be due to differences in power.
	A threat to what is ours: How Japanese people react to perceived territorial infringements Throughout the world, it is common for threats to national sovereignty or territorial integrity to stir up strong emotions among the public. Now, researchers from Japan have found that the strength of the reaction to such threats can break down along political lines in interesting ways.
	New study reveals widening gap on racial inequality in higher education A UC Berkeley-led study revealed that disparities in the share of Black and Latino students admitted to America's elite colleges and universities have endured and even widened over the last 40 years.
	Renters need better policies to cope with natural disasters, new research shows After Hurricane Katrina, 29% of single-family homes were damaged in Louisiana versus 35% of rental units, but while 62% of homeowners received disaster recovery assistance, only 18% of renters received similar aid.
	Cultural factors and consumer attitudes toward global brands in India A study published in the International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management has provided new insights into the influence of cultural values and ethnic identity on consumer attitudes towards global brands in India. Harsandaldeep Kaur and Pranay Moktan of the University School of Financial Studies at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar, Punjab, hoped to fill the gaps in our understanding of these factors by developing a comprehensive framework for investigation.
	Why do some organizations' boards fail? It might be how directors perceive their expertise and responsibilities While many of us can name a handful of CEOs, identifying directors serving on the boards of those same organizations is probably more challenging. The work of directors, whether they hold volunteer or compensated positions, is rarely publicized, and when it is, it is rarely good news.
	Should you be checking your kid's phone? How to know when your child is ready for 'phone privacy' Smartphone ownership among younger children is increasing rapidly. Many primary school children now own smartphones and they have become the norm in high school.
	Anyone can play Tetris, but architects, engineers and animators alike use the math concepts underlying the game With its bright colors, easy-to-learn rules and familiar music, the video game Tetris has endured as a pop culture icon over the last 40 years. Many people, like me, have been playing the game for decades, and it has evolved to adapt to new technologies like game systems, phones and tablets. But until January 2024, nobody had ever been able to beat it.
	Economic sanctions can have a major impact on the neighbors of a target nation, research finds After Ukraine was invaded in February 2022, countries and major corporations around the world quickly responded by trying to inflict financial pain on Russia through economic sanctions.
	Maps shape our lives—showing us not just where we are, but who we are Maps and everyday life are now so intertwined for most people that it's difficult to imagine a world without them. Most of us use at least one map every day. Some of us use many, especially now, they have become one of the dominant interfaces of our digital society, alongside the scrolling screen, camera view, and search engine.
	Researcher: The true cost of food is far higher than what you spend at the checkout counter After several years of pandemic-driven price spikes at the grocery store, retail food price inflation is slowing down. That's good news for consumers, especially those in low-income households, who spend a proportionally larger share of their income on food.
	Vast majority views disinformation as a threat to democracy and social cohesion, German study finds According to 84% of people in Germany, misinformation that is deliberately spread online is a big or even a very big threat to German society. Moreover, 81% believe that disinformation jeopardizes democracy and social cohesion. Those are the findings from the Bertelsmann Stiftung's new study "Disconcerted Public."
	Police pullback linked to increases in crime When police pull back, crime accelerates. But policing alone is no cure-all. That's the takeaway from a new Denver-area study co-authored by researchers at CU Boulder and collaborators in Nebraska, Michigan, and South Carolina.
	How air pollution can harm team performance High levels of air pollution can harm the performance of teams, which are vital for solving complex problems such as developing clean energy technologies and vaccines, and this could harm economic development in highly polluted emerging economies, says a new study co-authored at Cambridge Judge Business School.
	Who owns prehistory? How debate over fossils in China shaped the relationship between science and sovereignty Many museums and other cultural institutions in the West have faced, in recent years, demands for artistic repatriation. The Elgin Marbles, currently housed in the British Museum, are perhaps the most prominent subject of this charge, with numerous appeals having been made for their return to their original home in Greece.
	Gender can shape how teaching assistants are evaluated, study finds Male teaching assistants are more likely to receive higher ratings than their female counterparts, and both genders are perceived as more valuable when exhibiting traits historically associated with their respective roles in society, a Cornell study finds.
	'Vision Zero' road safety projects in Seattle found unlikely to have negative impacts on local business sales Seattle is routinely listed as one of the most walkable and bike-friendly cities in the nation. The city government has committed to Vision Zero, which aims to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries completely by 2030 and embarked on a slew of infrastructure projects: expanding the city's bike network, redesigning high-crash intersections, and enhancing crosswalks to protect pedestrians.
	Researchers create method to detect cases of anemia in archaeological remains Diagnosing anemia in living people is typically a matter of a routine blood test. Retrospectively diagnosing anemia in people who died decades or even centuries ago is much more challenging since there is no blood left to test.

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