Science
press releases.

Science7 Dec 2023

EU funds research into causes and new therapies for multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS), an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, affects more than 1 million people in Europe and an estimated 2.8 million worldwide. MS is characterized by an inflammation-related loss and damage of the myelin layer in the brain and spinal cord, which insulates the nerves – potentially leading to serious consequences such as paralysis or severe visual impairment. The cause of this damage is not known. Viral infections, particularly with the Epstein-Barr virus, have been suspected for years. However, ...

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Science7 Dec 2023

Working night shifts causes sleep disorders in more than half of workers

Sleep is critical for daytime and neurocognitive functioning, as well as physical and mental health. When people work shifts – in 2015, 21% of workers in the European Union did – their circadian sleep-wake rhythms are commonly disrupted. Now, researchers in the Netherlands have investigated the relationship between different shift working patterns, sociodemographic factors, and sleep disorders. “We showed that compared to working regular shifts during daytime hours, working other shift types is associated with a ...

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Science6 Dec 2023

Baboons in captivity in Ancient Egypt: insights from collection of mummies

Baboons were raised in captivity before being mummified in Ancient Egyptian sites, according to a study published December 6, 2023 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Wim Van Neer of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Belgium and colleagues. For over a millennium, from the 9th Century BC to the 4th Century AD, ancient Egyptians venerated and mummified various animal species for religious purposes. Included among these animals were baboons, notably species not native to ancient Egypt, and not much is ...

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Science6 Dec 2023

Jays, but not crows, use delayed gratification flexibly to avoid missing out

While Eurasian jays and New Caledonian crows can practice delayed gratification by waiting for access to higher-quality food, jays adjust this self-control behavior depending on the social context. The study by Dr. Rachael Miller at Anglia Ruskin University, UK, James Davies at the University of Cambridge, UK, and colleagues is publishing December 6 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE. Self-control helps animals to plan and achieve long-term goals. For example, the ability to resist a small, immediate reward and ...

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Science6 Dec 2023

Jays jump in while crows hold out for the treat

New research has found that two similar species of birds – both capable of displaying self-control through delayed gratification – behave very differently around their favourite food when they have company. Published in the journal PLOS ONE, the study was led by researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in Cambridge, UK, and the University of Cambridge, who compared the behaviour of two species of corvids: Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius) and New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides). Although both are highly intelligent birds ...

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Science6 Dec 2023

Evaluation of stigma toward individuals with acne

About The Study: This survey study with 1,357 respondents demonstrates that stigmatizing attitudes toward patients with acne existed across a variety of social and professional scenarios, with severe acne and acne in darker skin tone being associated with a greater degree of stigma. These findings highlight the need to identify approaches to reduce stigmatizing attitudes in the community and for adequate access to care, which might prevent negative downstream effects related to these stigmatizing attitudes. Authors: John ...

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Science6 Dec 2023

First map of human limb development reveals unexpected growth processes and explains syndromes found at birth

Human fingers and toes do not grow outward; instead, they form from within a larger foundational bud, as intervening cells recede to reveal the digits beneath. This is among many processes captured for the first time as scientists unveil a spatial cell atlas of the entire developing human limb, resolved in space and time. Researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Sun Yat-sen University, EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute and collaborators applied cutting-edge single-cell and spatial technologies to create an atlas characterising the cellular landscape of the early human limb, pinpointing the exact ...

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Science6 Dec 2023

MD Anderson Research Highlights: ASH 2023 Special Edition

ABSTRACTS: 162, 309, 322, 364, 741, 774, 856, 983 SAN DIEGO ― The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention. These advances are made possible through seamless collaboration between MD Anderson’s world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back. This special edition features oral presentations from the 2023 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, describing the latest scientific and clinical breakthroughs for hematological cancers. In addition to these ...

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Science6 Dec 2023

New findings reveal important insights into age-related nonresolving inflammation

Philadelphia, December 6, 2023 – Aging is associated with chronic, nonresolving inflammation, or “inflammaging,” that can lead to tissue dysfunction. New findings reported in The American Journal of Pathology, published by Elsevier, reveal insights into the cellular programs and factors that promote the resolution of inflammation during aging. These findings may lead to the development of new strategies to limit age-related organ decline. The resolution of inflammation is an active process that is governed by numerous factors, such as specialized ...

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Science6 Dec 2023

Newly developed floating trash interceptor cleans up the river

To reduce marine debris, which causes serious environmental pollution in the sea, researchers at the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT, President Kim, Byung-suk) have developed a technology for reducing floating debris in rivers. Since the river is the main transportation channels for land-originated marine debris, the research team led by Dr. Sang Hwa Jung launched a living lab project involving local governments, local citizens, and experts. Chungcheongnam-do (also ...

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Science6 Dec 2023

Fascicle gearing dynamics: Unveiling 3D rotation effects in muscle elongation

Detailed insights into muscle and tendon movement mechanisms during stretching are essential to improve our overall mobility and flexibility. It is not only important for optimum athletic performance, but also crucial for preventing musculoskeletal injuries. When an individual stretches, 50% to 70% of the elongation is absorbed into the muscle belly, i.e., the fleshy part of the muscle containing most fibers. However, in skeletal muscles with fascicles, the muscle fibers are shorter than the muscle belly and attach to the tendon at an angle. This angle between the fascicles and the tendon changes in response to the length of the muscle belly ...

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Science6 Dec 2023

New research reveals a fishing threshold for reef resilience

Coral reefs are the most biodiverse systems in the sea and central to the life of many coastal human communities. Half a billion people rely on coral reefs for protection from storms, provision of seafood as well as promotion of tourism and recreation. But climate change is compromising the health of coral reefs globally. Increasing sea temperatures are driving coral bleaching and death. So, the resilience of reefs in the face of climatic challenges is crucial to our collective future, and new research led by Arizona State University has delivered greater understanding of a key aspect of reef health. In a paper published on December 6, 2023, by the London, UK-based journal Proceedings of ...

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Science6 Dec 2023

Pivotal moment for humanity as tipping point threats and opportunities accelerate

The world has reached a pivotal moment as threats from Earth system tipping points – and progress towards positive tipping points – accelerate, a new report shows. The Global Tipping Points Report – the most comprehensive assessment of tipping points ever conducted – says humanity is currently on a disastrous trajectory. The speed of fossil fuel phase out and growth of zero-carbon solutions will now determine the future of billions of people. The report says current global governance is inadequate for the scale of the challenge and makes six key ...

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Science6 Dec 2023

Taming noise behind bars #Acoustics23

SYDNEY, Dec. 6, 2023 – Prisons are typically noisy environments, filled with clanking metal bars and echoing concrete surfaces. This level of constant noise is harmful to both prisoners and staff, but there are few guidelines for designing better, quieter facilities. James Boland, an acoustician for SLR Consulting, employed insights from the field of sensory criminology to better understand the unique acoustic needs inside prison environments. His presentation will take place Dec. 6 at 2:40 p.m. Australian Eastern Daylight Time, as part of Acoustics 2023 Sydney, running Dec. 4-8 at the International Convention Centre ...

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Science6 Dec 2023

Making table tennis accessible for blind players #Acoustics23

SYDNEY, Dec. 6, 2023 – Table tennis has been played for decades as a more accessible version of tennis. The sport is particularly beginner-friendly while maintaining a rich level of competitive play. However, like many sports, it remains inaccessible to people who are blind or have low vision. Phoebe Peng, an Engineering Honours student at the University of Sydney, is researching ways to allow people with low vision and blindness to play pingpong using sound. The process uses neuromorphic cameras and an array of loudspeakers, designed to allow players ...

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Science6 Dec 2023

State abortion access key factor in future US doctors’ training (residency) choices

State access to abortion is a key factor in choosing where to apply for residency (training) programmes for around three out of four future US doctors, indicate the results of a survey published online in the Journal of Medical Ethics. These medical students care about the quality of care they will be able to provide patients when qualified as well as the options for their own health, the responses indicate. In 2022 the US Supreme Court revoked the constitutional right to privacy and autonomy ...

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Science6 Dec 2023

Singing in the rain: Why the bundengan sounds better wet #Acoustics23

SYDNEY, Dec. 6, 2023 – A bundengan wears many hats – and is one too. This portable shelter woven from bamboo has protected Indonesian duck herders from the sun and rain for centuries. Able to comfortably balance on the wearer’s head, a bundengan is equipped with a visor that curves around the side to meet at a long back. A more surprising, but no less practical, feature is the collection of strings and bamboo bars added in to produce music. Duck herders fill the hours spent tending to ducks sitting underneath their outfitted shelter, playing their shield as an instrument. Over the years, bundengan musicians ...

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Science5 Dec 2023

Study of sourdough starter microbiomes to boost bread quality and safety

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — People with celiac disease, or intolerance to dietary gluten, may soon have more food options, thanks to an unlikely source: sourdough bread. Sourdough contains less gluten than other breads, making it more tolerable for people with gluten sensitivities. Now, Penn State and Colorado State University researchers are studying whether bacteria in the yeast starter needed to make sourdough bread might help reduce gluten in other bread products. Gluten is a protein naturally found in cereal grains such as wheat, barley and rye that can trigger an ...

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Science5 Dec 2023

UT receives National Institute of Justice awards for forensics research

The Forensic Anthropology Center at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has received two grants totaling over $580,000 from the Office of Justice Program’s National Institute of Justice, the research, development and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. A longtime grantee across numerous forensics research topics, the center – which includes the Anthropological Research Facility, also known as the Body Farm – is known worldwide for its research and training. The first of the two new research projects will help law enforcement locate clandestine graves, and the second will help inform how relic DNA in the soil affects forensic ...

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Science5 Dec 2023

Chemists create organic molecules in a rainbow of colors

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Chains of fused carbon-containing rings have unique optoelectronic properties that make them useful as semiconductors. These chains, known as acenes, can also be tuned to emit different colors of light, which makes them good candidates for use in organic light-emitting diodes. The color of light emitted by an acene is determined by its length, but as the molecules become longer, they also become less stable, which has hindered their widespread use in light-emitting applications. MIT chemists have now come up with a way to make these molecules more stable, allowing them to synthesize acenes of varying lengths. Using their new approach, ...

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Science5 Dec 2023

Incarcerated women punished at higher rates for minor infractions than men, UTEP study shows

EL PASO, Texas (Dec. 5, 2023) – A new study from The University of Texas at El Paso reveals a gender disparity in prison infractions that disproportionately affects women. The study, led by Melinda Tasca, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Security Studies at UTEP, and published in Justice Quarterly, analyzed the disciplinary infraction records of more than 20,000 males and females in a large western state prison, who were released between 2010 and 2013. The researchers set out to answer three questions: ...

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Science5 Dec 2023

Jefferson Lab site grows with addition of Applied Research Center

NEWPORT NEWS, VA – The Applied Research Center (ARC) is tying the knot with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. Today, the City of Newport News announced the transfer of the Applied Research Center to Jefferson Lab and the DOE. The announcement was made in a ribbon-tying ceremony for the facility. “Newport News is a hub of innovation and research, thanks in large part to Jefferson Lab’s robust educational and scientific offerings,” said Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones. “Since 1985, the city has invested more than $64 ...

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Science5 Dec 2023

Membrane raft redox signaling contributes to visfatin-induced inflammation and kidney damage

“[...] the exact mechanism of how obesity increases the advancement of chronic kidney disease is still uncertain.” BUFFALO, NY- December 5, 2023 – A new research paper was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 15, Issue 22, entitled, “Contribution of membrane raft redox signalling to visfatin-induced inflammasome activation and podocyte injury.” The number of obese patients with end-stage renal disease has ...

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Science5 Dec 2023

Cable-Dunlap, Chi, Smith and Thornton named ORNL Corporate Fellows

Four researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have been named ORNL Corporate Fellows in recognition of significant career accomplishments and continued leadership in their scientific fields. Corporate Fellow is the highest recognition for members of the ORNL research staff. Paula Cable-Dunlap, Miaofang Chi, Scott Smith and Peter Thornton have been recognized by the laboratory for their standing in the international scientific community as exceptional and influential researchers and as role models and mentors among peers and early career researchers. “Paula, Miaofang, Scott and Peter represent ...

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Science5 Dec 2023

UofL secures $6.5 million to enhance training for nursing professionals

The University of Louisville has received $6.5 million through two federal grants to help increase Kentuckians’ access to health care, particularly in underserved rural and urban areas. The UofL School of Nursing will use the funds from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to develop and implement an accelerated Licensed Practical Nurse-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing (LPN-to-BSN) pathway in medically underserved areas of Kentucky. The second HRSA-funded project aims ...

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