Science
press releases.

Science29 Sep 2023

Can ChatGPT help us form personal narratives?

Research has shown that personal narratives—the stories we tell ourselves about our lives—can play a critical role in identity and help us make sense of the past and present. Research has also shown that by helping people reinterpret narratives, therapists can guide patients toward healthier thoughts and behaviors. Now, researchers from the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania have tested the ability of ChatGPT-4 to generate individualized personal narratives based on stream-of-consciousness thoughts and demographic details ...

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Science29 Sep 2023

Small but mighty new gene editor

A new CRISPR-based gene-editing tool has been developed which could lead to better treatments for patients with genetic disorders. The tool is an enzyme, AsCas12f, which has been modified to offer the same effectiveness but at one-third the size of the Cas9 enzyme commonly used for gene editing. The compact size means that more of it can be packed into carrier viruses and delivered into living cells, making it more efficient. Researchers created a library of possible AsCas12f mutations and then combined selected ones to engineer an AsCas12f ...

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Science29 Sep 2023

Study finds SARS-CoV-2-associated sepsis was more common, deadly than previously thought

Using data from Mass General Brigham’s electronic health records, Brigham researchers quantified the burden of SARS-CoV-2-associated sepsis early in the pandemic New research suggests that the virus responsible for COVID-19 was a more common and deadly cause of sepsis during the initial period of the pandemic than previously assumed. The study, led by investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, used electronic health record (EHR) data from five Mass General Brigham hospitals to track the rate of SARS-CoV-2-associated ...

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Science29 Sep 2023

Visual search: Context facilitates more effective strategies

Study by LMU psychologists shows that distractor objects can help the visual system develop more effective search strategies. People are continuously provided with an overwhelming stream of events flooding the sensory organs. However, while the brain has impressive processing capabilities, its capacity is strongly limited. Thus, an observer cannot consciously experience all the events and information available at any one time, but has to focus on some limited subset of the whole. For many decades, researchers have investigated the neuro-cognitive mechanisms of this selective attention through the use of visual search and have shown that contextual cueing plays ...

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Science29 Sep 2023

New post-translational modification of the glycolytic enzyme enolase

Tsukuba, Japan—Proteins are subject to post-translational chemical modifications that result in functional diversity. Methylation is one such modification that is generally believed to occur on lysine and arginine residues. Recently, this modification has been shown to occur on histidine residues as well. Furthermore, it has been suggested that histidine methylation occurs in a wide range of proteins. However, many details remain unknown: for example, which are the proteins that are methylated and ...

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Science29 Sep 2023

Study identifies new pathway to suppressing autoimmunity

Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, and the Hospital for Special Surgery Research Institute have uncovered new details about how the immune system prevents the production of antibodies that can recognize and damage the body’s own, healthy tissues. The study, to be published September 29 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM), also reveals how this process is impaired in autoimmune disorders such as systemic sclerosis and systemic lupus ...

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Science29 Sep 2023

Groundbreaking mathematical proof: new insights into typhoon dynamics unveiled

In a remarkable breakthrough in the field of Mathematical Science, Professor Kyudong Choi from the Department of Mathematical Sciences at UNIST has provided an irrefutable proof that certain spherical vortices exist in a stable state. This groundbreaking discovery holds significant implications for predicting weather anomalies and advancing weather prediction technologies. A vortex is a rotating region of fluid, such as air or water, characterized by intense rotation. Common examples include typhoons and tornadoes frequently observed in news reports. Professor Choi’s mathematical proof establishes the stability of specific ...

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Science29 Sep 2023

Teams invent a new metallization method of modified tannic acid photoresist patterning

The micro/nano metal pattern formation is a key step in the assembly of various devices. However, ex situ approaches of metal patterning limited their industrial applications due to the poor stability and dispersion of metal nanoparticles. The in situ electroless deposition after lithography patterning may be a better choice for avoiding the growth and aggregation of metal particles in the polymers. Tannic acid is rich in natural products, having an adjacent tri-hydroxyl structure, which can realize the in situ reduction of metal ions on the photoresist pattern. A team of scientists ...

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Science29 Sep 2023

MoMFs could be central to liver regeneration

The liver is a vital organ that plays a role in many essential functions, including digestion, detoxification, and metabolism. When the liver is damaged, it has the remarkable ability to regenerate itself. However, the process of liver regeneration is not fully understood. A critical aspect of liver regeneration is removing dead tissue and necrotic lesions. In a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Feng et al. showed that monocyte-derived macrophages (MoMFs) play a crucial role in this process. MoMFs are a type of white blood cell that is recruited to the liver in response to injury. Once in the liver, MoMFs engulf dead cells ...

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Science29 Sep 2023

Research finds DEI initiatives during certain presidencies can affect bottom line

DURHAM, N.H. — Corporate initiatives focused on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) for vulnerable social groups can change a company in many ways. According to researchers at the University of New Hampshire, how DEI affects a business’ bottom line may depend on the presidential administration and the general public’s perception at the time. They found that DEI initiatives put in place to support a specific social group during a presidential administration perceived as unfriendly to a particular issue related to that community resulted in higher stock prices than during a presidency that had a better relationship ...

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Science29 Sep 2023

Alcohol 'promotion' detracted from success of Women's World Cup

Broadcasters should avoid focusing on alcohol in crowd shots during major sporting events, such as this summer’s Women’s World Cup final, say researchers. In a new commentary published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (JRSM), researchers from the Technological University of the Shannon and the University of Galway in the Republic of Ireland suggest that the ‘thorny issue of alcohol’ detracted from the success of the record-breaking tournament. The authors, Dr Frank Houghton ...

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Science29 Sep 2023

Solving a sticky, life-threatening problem

In 2009, a mysterious fungus emerged seemingly from out of thin air, targeting the most vulnerable among us. It sounds like Hollywood, but the fungus in question poses a very real threat. Scientists are scrambling to figure out what makes the life-threatening fungus Candida auris tick--and why even the best infection control protocols in hospitals and other care settings often fail to get rid of it. Researchers at U-M have zeroed in on C. auris’ uncanny ability to stick to everything from skin to catheters and made a startling discovery. The investigative team, led by Teresa O’Meara, Ph.D. of the U-M Medical School Department of Microbiology and ...

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Science28 Sep 2023

Every participant counts

Experimental researchers often find themselves of two minds when interacting with the public. On one side, researchers gather knowledge and test hypotheses based on participants’ responses. On the other side, they use their own knowledge and expertise to engage and educate the public about topics of public concern related to their science. Abby Walker, associate professor of linguistics in the Department of English at Virginia Tech, and her collaborator secured a National Science Foundation ...

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Science28 Sep 2023

How parents’ work stress affects family mealtimes and children’s development

URBANA, Ill. – Family mealtimes are important for parents and children as a space to communicate, socialize, and build attachment relationships. But it can be difficult for busy parents to balance family and work life. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explores how parents’ job stress influences their attendance at family mealtimes, and in turn, children’s socioemotional development. “We all struggle to maintain the balance between work life and family life. But this might ...

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Science28 Sep 2023

A few essential genetic differences tailor flowers to bee or hummingbird pollinators

Large differences in flower characteristics between wildflowers with different pollinators are achieved by a few key genetic differences, according to a study by Carolyn Wessinger at the University of South Carolina, US, and colleagues, publishing September 28th in the open access journal PLOS Biology. Plants that rely on animal pollinators, such as insects or birds, have evolved distinctive suites of flower characteristics — known as “pollination syndromes” — that are tailored to the pollinator. For example, most plants in the ...

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Science28 Sep 2023

Uncovered: the source of sticking power and virulence for an emerging fungal pathogen

A previously uncharacterized adhesin protein specific to a human fungal pathogen first discovered in 2009 plays a crucial role in the fungus’s ability to colonize a variety of living and non-living surfaces, and in its virulence, according to a new study. “These findings [about Candida auris] offer insight into the genetics and molecular mechanisms by which [this fungus] mediates surface association, a trait critical to the increasing disease burden of this emerging pathogen,” write the authors. Since its first discovery in 2009, C. auris has become increasingly responsible for life-threatening infections in health care facilities worldwide. Outbreaks of ...

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Science28 Sep 2023

Innovative approach unveiled: Boosting terpenoid bioproduction via remodeling of isoprene pyrophosphate metabolism

Terpenoids, the largest family of natural products, have gained significant attention for their diverse applications in industries such as pharmaceuticals, fragrances, and biofuels. However, the efficient synthesis of terpenoids using engineered cell factories has been hindered by the limited supply of isoprene pyrophosphate (IPP), the key building block for terpenoid production. Now, a research team led by Jian Chen at Jiangnan University in China has made a groundbreaking discovery that could revolutionize terpenoid bioproduction. In their research article published in the journal Engineering, Chen and his team unveil a novel approach to address the challenge of insufficient IPP ...

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Science28 Sep 2023

Scientists observe the influence of gravity on antimatter for the first time

Scientists have demonstrated the existence of gravity between antimatter and Earth, reaffirming Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity. It is thought that Isaac Newton's historic work on gravity was inspired by watching an apple fall to Earth from a tree. But for decades, scientists have wondered what would happen to an “anti-apple” made of antimatter - would it fall in the same way if it existed? Until now, the question has left scientists with an incomplete picture of the Universe's gravitating content. In a paper published today in Nature, the ALPHA collaboration at CERN’s Antimatter Factory, which ...

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Science28 Sep 2023

Researchers create first-ever map of a single animal’s early visual system

Neuroscientists at the Flatiron Institute in New York City and their colleagues have made a big breakthrough using one of the world’s smallest brains. Using an ion beam, an electron microscope and a lot of patience, the neuroscientists mapped out the entire early visual system — from the eyes that take in light to the neurons processing the information — for a parasitic wasp smaller than a grain of table salt. The feat marks the first time scientists have fully reconstructed such a system at the synaptic level from a single specimen of any animal species, the neuroscientists report ...

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Science28 Sep 2023

For the lonely, a blurred line between real and fictional people

COLUMBUS, Ohio – In lonely people, the boundary between real friends and favorite fictional characters gets blurred in the part of the brain that is active when thinking about others, a new study found. Researchers scanned the brains of people who were fans of “Game of Thrones” while they thought about various characters in the show and about their real friends. All participants had taken a test measuring loneliness. The difference between those who scored highest on loneliness and those who ...

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Science28 Sep 2023

Fish reveal cause of altered human facial development

Some substances in medicines, household items and the environment are known to affect prenatal child development. In a study published in Toxicological Sciences, researchers tested the effects of five drugs (including caffeine and the blood thinner warfarin) on the growth of zebrafish embryos. They found that all five had the same effect, impairing the migration of bone-forming cells which resulted in the onset of facial malformation. Zebrafish embryos grow quickly, are transparent and develop outside of the parent’s body, ...

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Science28 Sep 2023

How safe is your sushi?

Sushi has become everyday fare in Norway and elsewhere around the globe, and many people opt for sashimi and other raw fish when they want to treat themselves to something tasty. It is important to emphasise here that, as a general rule, it is completely safe to eat this type of food in Norway. However, despite the fact that sushi can be delicious, it also carries a health hazard, both for individuals and for society at large. “Bacteria in sushi, sashimi and cold-smoked fish products can pose a risk to people who eat such foods frequently, especially people with weak immune systems, children and the elderly,” says Hyejeong Lee. She recently completed her PhD at the Department ...

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Science28 Sep 2023

Job loss is linked to increased risk of miscarriage and stillbirth

Researchers have found a link between a pregnant woman or her partner losing their job and an increased risk of miscarriage or stillbirth. The study, which is published today (Thursday) in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals, found a doubling in the chances of a pregnancy miscarrying or resulting in a stillbirth following a job loss. The researchers, led by Dr Selin Köksal from the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex, UK, ...

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Science28 Sep 2023

New report adds heat to Levelling Up debate by revealing England's most 'insecure' regions

Accessing stable employment with fair pay and predictable hours is harder for workers in the North and Midlands, which can severely affect their living standards, health, and future job prospects. A new report published by the Work Foundation at Lancaster University reveals the regions with the highest and lowest levels of ‘severely insecure’ work (employment that is involuntarily temporary or part-time, or when multiple forms of insecurity come together, such as casual or zero-hours contracts, or low or unpredictable ...

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Science28 Sep 2023

Swapping starch and refined carbs for whole grains and fruit linked to less midlife weight gain

Increased consumption of carbohydrate from refined grains, starchy vegetables, and sugary drinks is associated with greater weight gain throughout midlife, while increased fibre and carbohydrate from whole grains, fruit, and non-starchy vegetables is linked to less weight gain, finds a large US study published by The BMJ today. Most of these associations were stronger for people with excessive body weight, highlighting the potential importance of carbohydrate quality and source for long term weight management, say the researchers. The role of carbohydrates in weight gain and obesity remains controversial, and few studies have evaluated ...

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