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press releases.

Science26 Jun 2024

Osiris 39 examines the role of disability in the history of science

Disability studies has gained prominence in recent years, transforming fields ranging from design to literary studies with insurgent approaches to access and representation. The newest volume of Osiris, “Disability and the History of Science,” extends this movement to ask how disability has been a central, if unacknowledged, force in the scientific disciplines and the history of science. The volume examines the many roles that disability and disabled people have played throughout the history of science, calling attention to the shaping of scientific knowledge production by disability. Editors Jaipreet Virdi, Mara Mills, and Sarah F. Rose, in their introduction ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

New research tools reveal the dynamics behind breaking a sweat

Excessive heat across the United States is making this summer a season of sweat. Perspiration and its evaporation are crucial to keeping us cool when things get hot. But our understanding of how sweat evaporates is limited to the profuse phases of the process, when our bodies are coated in a sticky film or even pools of perspiration. Relatively is little is known about the dynamics behind initial phases of sweating, when tiny droplets are emitted by individual sweat glands and then quickly evaporate. “There are mechanical engineering researchers around the world, myself included, who are devoted to understanding the different parameters of droplet behavior on ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

Study shows how liver damage from stress and aging might be reversible

DURHAM, N.C. – While the liver is one of the body’s most resilient organs, it is still vulnerable to the ravages of stress and aging, leading to disease, severe scarring and failure. A Duke Health research team now might have found a way to turn back time and restore the liver. In experiments using mice and liver tissue from humans, the researchers identified how the aging process prompts certain liver cells to die off. They were then able to reverse the process in the animals with an investigational drug. The finding, which ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

Do people who exercise more have a lower risk of ALS?

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4 P.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2024 MINNEAPOLIS – Moderate levels of physical activity and fitness may be linked to a reduced risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) later in life, according to a new study published in the June 26, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study only found an association between physical activity and risk of ALS in male participants, not female participants. ALS is a rare, progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. People with ALS lose the ability to initiate ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

Pathologists awarded grant from American Society of Hematology

Dr. Zhen Mei, a clinical pathologist, and Dr. Vivian Chang, a pediatric hematologist-oncologist, both at UCLA Health, have been awarded $30,000 from the American Society of Hematology to revise blood cell ranges for people with Duffy-null Associated Neutrophil Count, which is also known as Duffy-negative. Those who are Duffy-negative, estimated to be two out of three people identifying as Black in the U.S., lack Duffy antigens on the surface of their red blood cells as a mechanism to resist malaria. This helps provide protection but ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

Global consensus for sarcopenia

“[...] the development of a global conceptual definition of sarcopenia signifies a new dawn for this muscle disease.” BUFFALO, NY- June 26, 2024 – A new editorial paper was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 16, Issue 11, entitled, “Global consensus for sarcopenia.” In this new editorial, researchers Ben Kirk, Peggy M. Cawthon, and Alfonso J. Cruz-Jentoft from the University of Melbourne and Western Health discuss the global societal issue of skeletal muscle loss and weakness, termed Sarcopenia. Low muscle ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

How do our memories last a lifetime? New study offers a biological explanation

Whether it’s a first-time visit to a zoo or when we learned to ride a bicycle, we have memories from our childhoods kept well into adult years. But what explains how these memories last nearly an entire lifetime? A new study in the journal Science Advances, conducted by a team of international researchers, has uncovered a biological explanation for long-term memories. It centers on the discovery of the role of a molecule, KIBRA, that serves as a “glue” to other molecules, thereby solidifying memory formation. “Previous efforts to understand ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

First case of Down syndrome in Neandertals documented in new study

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- A new study published by an international multidisciplinary team of researchers including faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York, documents the first case of Down syndrome in Neandertals and reveals that they were capable of providing altruistic care and support for a vulnerable member of their social group. The research, led by anthropologists at the University of Alcalá and the University of Valencia in Spain, studied the skeletal remains of a Neandertal child, whom they affectionately named “Tina”, found at Cova Negra, a cave in Valencia, Spain long known for yielding important Neandertal discoveries. “The ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

Future risk of coral bleaching set to intensify globally

An international team of researchers led by the University of Adelaide has projected future marine heatwaves will cause coral reefs to be at severe risk of bleaching for longer periods than previously seen. Through climate modelling and supercomputing, the researchers discovered that extended bleaching events may significantly disrupt coral spawning. “We found that coral bleaching will start earlier in the year and last longer than previously thought,” said lead author Dr Camille Mellin, from the University of Adelaide’s Environment Institute. “Our results show that by 2080, coral bleaching will tend to start in spring, rather than late summer, which ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

The science of procrastination

Procrastination, the deliberate but detrimental deferring of tasks, has many forms. Sahiti Chebolu of the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics uses a precise mathematical framework to understand its different patterns and their underlying reasons. Her insights could help tailor individual strategies to tackle the issue. “Why did I not do this when I still had the time?” – Whether it is filing taxes, meeting a deadline at work, or cleaning the apartment before a family visit, most of us have already wondered why we tend to put off certain tasks, even in the face of unpleasant consequences. Why do we make decisions that are harmful to us – against our better ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

Saudi women’s quest for change enabled them earn citizenship rights

Saudi women have obtained their citizenship rights through their own struggle and there is little truth in the widely held idea in the West that their role in the fight for their freedom has been negligible. The finding is part of a new research in the journal Diogenes authored by Zahia Salhi, a professor at Sharjah University’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. The University of Cambridge Press has also posted Prof. Salhi’s research online. “Far from being passive victims of their society, Saudi women are active agents ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

NIH statement on preliminary efficacy results of twice-yearly lenacapavir for HIV prevention in cisgender women

The injectable antiretroviral drug lenacapavir was safe and 100% effective as long-acting HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among cisgender women in a Phase 3 clinical trial, according to top-line findings released by Gilead Sciences, Inc., the study sponsor. Lenacapavir is administered every six months, making it the most durable HIV prevention method to have shown efficacy in this population. NIAID applauds the study sponsor, investigators, study staff, and—most importantly—the participants ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

Stress testing pension funds: Lithuanian researchers lead global innovation

“We wanted to investigate how second pillar pension funds react to financial crises and how to protect them from the crises,” says Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) professor Dr Audrius Kabašinskas, who, together with his team, discovered a way to achieve this goal. The discovery in question is the development of stress tests for pension funds. Lithuanian researchers were the first in the world to come up with such an adaptation of the stress tests. Stress tests are usually carried out on banks or other financial institutions to allow market regulators to determine and assess their ability to withstand adverse economic conditions. According to the professor at ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

Multivitamin use and mortality risk in 3 prospective US cohorts

About The Study: Multivitamin use was not associated with a mortality benefit in this cohort study of U.S. adults. Still, many adults report using multivitamins to maintain or improve health. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Erikka Loftfield, Ph.D., M.P.H., email erikka.loftfield@nih.gov. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.18729) Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

From takeoff to flight, the wiring of a fly's nervous system is mapped

Work is underway on a wiring diagram of the motor circuits in the central nervous system that control muscles in fruit flies. This connectome, as the wiring diagram is called, is already providing detailed information on how the nerve coordination of leg movements differs from that controlling the wings. Although fruit flies seem like simple creatures, the researchers said that their motor system contains “an unexpected level of complexity.” “A typical fly motor neuron receives thousands of synapses from hundreds ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

Scientists discover genetic ‘off switch’ in legume plants that limits biological ability to source nutrients

A genetic “off switch” that shuts down the process in which legume plants convert atmospheric nitrogen into nutrients has been identified for the first time by a team of international scientists. Legumes like beans, peas and lentils are unique among crops for their ability to interact with soil bacteria to convert or “fix” nitrogen into a usable form of nutrients. However, this energy-intensive biological process is reduced when nitrogen is already abundant in the soil either through natural processes or through the application of synthetic ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

Innovative research unveils link between depression and amygdala activity in rats

A significant new study published in the Cyborg Bionic Systems journal by Fanli Kong and colleagues sheds light on the intricate relationship between depression and brain activity, particularly focusing on the basolateral amygdala (BLA) in rats. This research offers compelling insights into how depression can alter neural circuits and could pave the way for new treatments. Depression is a debilitating mental health issue affecting millions worldwide and is known for symptoms like persistent sadness, loss of interest in enjoyable activities, and fatigue. While traditional treatments have focused on neurotransmitters in the brain, this study dives deeper into the brain’s structural ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

PLOS announces new publishing agreement with Colombian consortium

SAN FRANCISCO —The Public Library of Science (PLOS) is pleased to announce a consortium agreement with Consorcio Colombia / Consortia facilitated by Accucoms, that allows joining member institutions to participate in PLOS’ three innovative publishing models across all 14 PLOS titles. The agreement provides researchers from affiliated institutions unlimited publishing privileges in PLOS journals without incurring fees. Eight Colombian institutions have joined the agreement in 2024 [1], and more institutions are expected to join in the following years. “Consorcio ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

Biting flies on dairy farms can spread bovine mastitis

Highlights: Bovine mastitis is a potentially fatal condition with myriad known causes, including bacteria. Biting flies may help cause mastitis, but the mechanisms are not well elucidated. Researchers characterized microbial diversity in biting flies and manure to look for connections. The flies carried relevant bacterial strains, also found in the manure, associated with mastitis. The research may point to new strategies for protecting cows from disease-causing pathogens. Washington, D.C.—Bovine mastitis, which affects cows, leads to reduced milk production and can be fatal if left untreated. The USDA National Animal Health Monitoring ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

Small, adsorbent ‘fins’ collect humidity rather than swim through water

Clean, safe water is a limited resource and access to it depends on local bodies of water. But even dry regions have some water vapor in the air. To harvest small amounts of humidity, researchers in ACS Energy Letters have developed a compact device with absorbent-coated fins that first trap moisture and then generate potable water when heated. They say the prototype could help meet growing demands for water, especially in arid locations. Earth’s atmosphere holds trillions of liters of fresh water as vapor, but it’s challenging to collect this colorless, transparent and dilute gas. Previously, researchers developed systems that trap ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

Plankton researchers urge their colleagues to mix it up

Comprising the base of the food web, plankton are extremely important to marine ecosystems. However, there is still much to be discovered about these organisms, and that’s especially true for mixoplankton. Plankton are typically divided into two groups. Similar to plants, phytoplankton contain chlorophyll and derive energy from photosynthesis. Zooplankton, on the other hand, consume other organisms for their energy. However, there is also a third group, mixoplankton, that is a combination of the two. And, despite accounting for, at times, more than half of all plankton in the ocean, they remain ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

Towards non-toxic antifouling agents: A novel method for total synthesis of scabrolide F

Marine organisms produce many organic compounds with diverse chemical structures and biological activities. These natural marine products are regarded as potential starting points for the discovery and development of new drugs. Among these are norcembranolide diterpenes isolated from the soft corals of the genus Sinularia. These compounds exhibit diverse biological activities, and many of them have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. Consequently, many studies have investigated the properties of norcembranolide diterpenes and their synthesis methods. Given their potential in drug discovery, developing a synthetic ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

New global study unveils city-region networks, highlights role of intermediate cities

Rome - Rural livelihoods are quite intertwined with urban centers, with mid-sized cities playing an extraordinary role in providing required services, including for food security, agricultural livelihoods and viable rural development, according to a new study by researchers at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and other institutions. Some two-thirds of the world’s population, or more than 5 billion people, live within one hour of travel time – using locally available means of ...

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Science26 Jun 2024

Research shows children and adolescents may be motivated to rectify gender and ethnicity biases in the classroom

A new Child Development study by researchers at the University of Maryland, Furman University, Education Northwest and University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa in the United States, examined whether children think it’s unfair for a teacher to select students from only one gender or ethnic group for leadership duties. Researchers learned that children and adolescents are not only aware of these situations, but they are also motivated to rectify these types of inequalities in the classroom. Understanding ...

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Science25 Jun 2024

Study reveals potential therapeutic role of sodium valerate in reducing binge drinking

In a significant finding, researchers from The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) and UConn Health have discovered that sodium valerate, a short-chain fatty acid produced by gut microbes, can dramatically reduce binge drinking behavior and blood ethanol concentration in mice. The study, reported June 17 in Microbiome, offers promising insights into the gut-brain axis and presents a novel therapeutic approach for excessive alcohol use. We are interested in physiological addiction genetics and genomics to identify new drug targets for treating addiction/overdose. The research team, led by Yanjiao Zhou, M.D., ...

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