Understanding how plants cope with climatic extremes and grazing pressure is important for reliable prediction about future biodiversity and the functioning of dryland ecosystems[1]. An international team, coordinated by KAUST’s Fernando Maestre, has assessed how 20 chemical and morphological plant functional traits jointly respond to changes in aridity and grazing pressure across global drylands. Increasing aridity and grazing pressure could be expected to reduce the level of plant diversity. However, the diversity of plant traits — including key traits linked to nutrient cycling such as specific leaf area and foliar ...

Rome, 7 August 2024 -- Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are one of the most recent open mysteries of modern astrophysics. Within a few milliseconds, these powerful events release an immense amount of energy, among the highest observable in cosmic phenomena. FRBs were discovered just over ten years ago and mostly arise from extragalactic sources. Their origin, however, is still uncertain and there are huge ongoing efforts by the astrophysics community around the world to understand the physical processes behind them. In very few cases, the rapid flash that characterises FRBs coincides with a persistent ...

One of the academic world’s largest international meetings addressing topics in microbial ecology, the 19th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology (ISME), will take place in Cape Town, South Africa in August. More than 1 500 scientists from over 50 countries worldwide will convene at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CT-ICC) from 18 to 23 August 2024. This will be the first time that this prestigious meeting is held on the African continent. Prof. Thulani Makhalanyane, chair of the ISME organising committee and professor of microbiology at Stellenbosch University (SU), ...

Recent advancements highlight the intricate interplay between the heart and brain, underscoring their profound influence on each other, especially concerning central nervous system (CNS) neurological disorders. In light of this, a new special issue aims to explore therapeutic targets that impact both cardiac and cerebral functions. By focusing on these targets, the issue seeks to provide an in-depth understanding of the complex relationship between these vital organs. For more information and to contribute ...

Digital Science, a technology company serving stakeholders across the research ecosystem, is pleased to announce that highly experienced human resources leader and author Claire Fox has been appointed to the role of Chief People Officer. Claire joins the Digital Science Executive Team at a time of growth for the company, with its continued mission to drive progress for all through research and innovation.  Based in London, UK, Claire has more than 20 years’ HR experience, initially in national, European and global HR leadership roles in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector at Unilever. She then moved into international development, with senior leadership roles including ...

SAN DIEGO – AUGUST 7, 2024 – West Health and UC San Diego Health announced today that nearly three million older adults in California now have access to specialized care for medical emergencies, making the state the nation’s leader in accredited geriatric emergency departments (GEDs). Nearly half of the state’s seniors now have access to a GED compared to about 30% of seniors nationwide.  UC San Diego Health and West Health collaborated and collectively engaged more than 650 ...

Anyone who has picnicked on the beach has experienced the unpleasant crunch of a sandwich with a surprise helping of sand. But for primates, the tolerance for sand may depend on whether their energy is better spent reproducing and fighting rivals or on protecting their teeth from a mouthful of grit, according to a new Dartmouth study. Social rank may determine whether animals prioritize immediate energy consumption over long-term health, or vice versa, the researchers report in the journal eLife. They observed the eating habits of long-tailed ...

Los Angeles, California – August 6, 2024 - In a significant leap forward for healthcare equity and accessibility, researchers at the University of Victoria and the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) have developed a revolutionary system that combines remote health monitoring and drug delivery using 3D-printed hollow microneedles. This innovative approach, detailed in a recent study published in Advanced Healthcare Materials, promises to transform healthcare delivery, particularly for those in underserved or remote regions. The ...

A blood test can help predict which preterm babies will go onto develop chronic lung disease, allowing for earlier diagnosis and more targeted treatments, according to a new study. The research, led by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and published in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology found that changes in certain blood proteins, alongside gestational age, birth weight and sex, strongly predicated bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) within 72 hours of life. BPD usually occurs when a baby’s lungs are damaged by respiratory support and the long-term ...

New research from a team of genome scientists and DNA damage response experts breaks new ground in understanding the function of a protein currently limited in clinical trials for cancer treatments. Led by Haichao Zhao, PhD, in the Yan Lab at UNC Charlotte, the new research shows how ATM-mediated signaling is induced by DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs) for DNA damage repair – illuminating the distinct mechanisms of SSB-induced ATM kinase and shedding an important light on APE1 function. In the new study, published today in Nature Communications, ...

SOUTHFIELD, MI, Aug. 7, 2024 - New Corewell Health™ research suggests an MRI scan can help predict whether patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer (cancer confined to the entire prostate) may have more aggressive cancer in five years. Knowing this could potentially help doctors determine if treatment is needed up front vs. using a method called active surveillance where the disease is closely monitored over time. The study, recently published in the Journal of Urology, is the first to evaluate this risk group. Currently, there has been a growing trend to manage low-risk prostate cancer patients with active ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE A new drug for treatment of a type of brain cancer, called IDH-mutant low-grade glioma, was approved Aug. 6 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The promising new drug stems from a 2008 genetic discovery made at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.  The drug, called vorasidenib, is a targeted cancer therapy that works by inhibiting the activity of a mutated gene called IDH, slowing the growth of the cancer.  The gene was identified by Bert Vogelstein, M.D., and team at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center’s ...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Regenstrief Institute’s latest LOINC® content update underscores significant strides in health terminology, accomplished through extensive collaboration with the international health community. The semiannual release aims to bolster the electronic exchange of clinical and laboratory data, fostering the use and implementation of LOINC standards across healthcare systems globally.  The Regenstrief Institute Health Data Standards (HDS) unit, which administers LOINC, and partners collaborated to create more than 3,000 updates, including ...

Pesticides and herbicides are critical to ensuring food security worldwide, but these substances can present a safety risk to people who unwittingly ingest them. Protecting human health, therefore, demands sensitive analytical methods to identify even trace levels of potentially harmful substances. Now, researchers reporting in ACS’ Nano Letters have developed a high-tech imaging method to detect pesticide contamination at low levels, and its application on fruits reveals that current food safety practices ...

East Hanover, NJ – August 7, 2024 – Kessler Foundation research scientist John DeLuca, PhD, has published a significant clinical article in Journal of Neurology, shedding light on the elusive nature of fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS) and its implications for treatment. The study provides a comprehensive review of current challenges in defining, measuring, and treating MS-related fatigue, offering new insights and directions for future research. The open access article, “Fatigue in multiple sclerosis: can we measure it and can we treat it?” (Doi: 10.1007/s00415-024-12524-9), was published on July ...

A National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported study has found race- and sex-based differences in the increased chances of survival from people who received bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Average survival benefits for cardiac arrest, when the heart suddenly stops beating, could be three times as high for white adults compared to Black adults and twice as high for men compared to women. The findings published in Circulation.   “CPR saves lives — that, we know,” said Paula Einhorn, M.D., a program officer at NIH’s National, Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute ...

Florey researchers have found evidence of higher levels of the plastic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in pregnant mothers who gave birth to sons with autism.   Research published in Nature Communications, led by Florey scientists Dr Wah Chin Boon and Professor Anne-Louise Ponsonby, supports the hypothesis of a possible link between autism and exposure to plastic chemicals in the womb.  Professor Ponsonby said the researchers analysed two large birth cohorts – the Barwon Infant Study (BIS) in Australia and the Columbia Centre for Children’s Health and Environment in the USA.   “Exposure to plastic chemicals ...

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Our energy future may depend on high-temperature superconducting (HTS) wires. This technology’s ability to carry electricity without resistance at temperatures higher than those required by traditional superconductors could revolutionize the electric grid and even enable commercial nuclear fusion.   Yet these large-scale applications won’t happen until HTS wires can be fabricated at a price-performance metric equal to that of the plain copper wire sold at your ...

The composition of gut bacteria of Thoroughbred racehorses at one-month-old can predict their future athletic performance, according to a new study from the University of Surrey. Foals with lower bacterial diversity at 28 days old also had a significantly increased risk of respiratory disease later in life.  Researchers from Surrey's School of Veterinary Medicine and School of Bioscience, led by Professor Chris Proudman, investigated the composition of gut bacteria in Thoroughbred foals bred for flat ...

Populations of squaretail grouper face an uncertain future as new research shows fishing that targets their spawning sites is causing males to be repeatedly scared away from their territories during their short mating meet-ups. By fleeing for safety, individuals are losing valuable time to catch the eye and court female fish. A study, led by scientists at Lancaster University and published today in Biology Letters, shows that the impacts of fishing that targets squaretail grouper spawning sites goes beyond those fish that are caught, causing widespread behavioural change in those left behind. These changes impact ability to reproduce. With disrupted mating, fewer offspring ...

Mom always said, “Choose your friends wisely.” Now a study led by a Rutgers Health professor shows she was onto something: Their traits can rub off on you – especially ones that are in their genes. The genetic makeup of adolescent peers may have long-term consequences for individual risk of drug and alcohol use disorders, depression and anxiety, the groundbreaking study has found. “Peers’ genetic predispositions for psychiatric and substance use disorders are associated with an individual's own risk of developing ...

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) is a protein receptor on T immune cells that prevents the cells from killing other cells, such as cancer cells. Blocking CTLA-4 with a specific antibody is an effective treatment for some cancers, but it can damage the heart. New research published in The FASEB Journal reveals the mechanisms involved in this side effect—a finding that could be used to help prevent it. Experiments conducted in mice showed that blocking CTLA-4 activates certain T cells called Th17 cells, which increase inflammation. Inhibiting this activation reversed ...

Forests absorb carbon by capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making forest carbon stocks an important resource against climate change. In research published in Ecology and Evolution, investigators examined existing tree regeneration patterns to develop an indicator of potential changes to future carbon stocks across forests in the northeastern and midwestern United States. The scientists’ comparison of carbon stock predictions from tree and seedling composition suggested that 29% of plots were poised ...

Among the 250 individuals who were kidnapped during the Hamas terror attack on Israeli towns in October 2023, 19 children and 7 women were released and admitted to Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel after approximately 50 days in captivity, during a cease-fire deal. A new study published in Acta Paediatrica reports on the physical and psychological state of these returnees upon their return. The most common clinical findings included significant weight loss, psychological trauma, complications of poor hygiene (such as head lice), and complications of recent shrapnel injuries. Tests revealed that returnees also often had ...

In a survey-based study, UK dietitians exhibited significant weight stigma, both towards themselves and towards others. The study in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics involved an online survey completed in 2022 by 402 registered dietitians aged 20–70 years old. Most respondents reported personally experiencing weight stigma prior to (51%) and after becoming (59.7%) registered dieticians, and nearly a quarter (21.1%) felt that their weight influenced their own ability to perform as a dietitian. Weight stigma was experienced across the weight spectrum. Participants reported explicit (or conscious) weight bias attitudes, moderate beliefs that obesity is ...