Tree bark surfaces play an important role in removing methane gas from the atmosphere, according to a study published today (24 July) in Nature.  While trees have long been known to benefit climate by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, this new research reveals a surprising additional climate benefit. Microbes hidden within tree bark can absorb methane – a powerful greenhouse gas – from the atmosphere.   An international team of researchers led by the University of Birmingham has shown for ...

“We were excited when we realised we had imaged this new planet”, said Elisabeth Matthews, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany. She is the main author of the underlying research article published in the journal Nature. “To our surprise, the bright spot that appeared in our MIRI images did not match the position we were expecting for the planet”, Matthews points out. “Previous studies had correctly identified a planet in this system but underestimated this super-Jupiter gas giant’s ...

A new study published in JAMA Psychiatry uncovers significant associations between social vulnerability — a measurement that aggregates social determinants of health like socioeconomic status, housing type, education and insurance coverage — and the prevalence and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders in the United States. The results have the potential to reshape public health policies to better serve systemically disadvantaged populations. Powerful analysis of meaningful data “We're continually learning that so much of healthcare — both mental health and physical health — is impacted by the environment ...

About The Study: In this cohort study of U.S. adult trauma patients who were critically injured, patients who were uninsured underwent earlier withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy compared with those with private or Medicaid insurance. Based on the findings of this study, a patient’s ability to pay was likely associated with a shift in decision-making for withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy, suggesting the influence of socioeconomics on patient outcomes.   Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Graeme Hoit, M.D., email graeme.hoit@mail.utoronto.ca. To ...

About The Study: The findings of this study suggest that physicians were more likely to experience posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Targeted interventions to support physician well-being during traumatic events like pandemics are required. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Manish M. Sood, M.D., email Msood@toh.on.ca. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.23316) Editor’s ...

About The Study: Increased isolation was associated with elevated risks of mortality, disability, and dementia, irrespective of baseline isolation status in this cohort study. These results underscore the importance of interventions targeting the prevention of increased isolation among older adults to mitigate its adverse effects on mortality, as well as physical and cognitive function decline.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Judy Zhong, Ph.D., email judy.zhong@nyumc.org. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at ...

Cell membranes play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and functionality of cells. However, the mechanisms by which they perform these roles are not yet fully understood. Scientists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration with the Institut de biologie structurale de Grenoble (IBS) and the University of Fribourg (UNIFR), have used cryo-electron microscopy to observe how lipids and proteins at the plasma membrane interact and react to mechanical stress. This work shows that, depending on conditions, small membrane regions can stabilize ...

In brief: ETH Zurich researchers have discovered proteins on the surface of colorectal cancer cells and liver cells that bind together and that play a major role in the formation of new metastases. The binding of the proteins triggers fundamental changes in colorectal cancer cells that allow them to take root in the liver. These new findings will help to develop future treatments that may hinder the formation of often fatal metastases. In cases where cancer is fatal, nine out of ten times the culprit is metastasis. This is when the primary tumour has sent out cells, like seeds, and invaded other organs of the body. While medicine has made great progress in treating primary tumours, ...

CHAPEL HILL, NC – The placebo effect is very real. This we’ve known for decades, as seen in real-life observations and the best double-blinded randomized clinical trials researchers have devised for many diseases and conditions, especially pain. And yet, how and why the placebo effect occurs has remained a mystery. Now, neuroscientists have discovered a key piece of the placebo effect puzzle. Publishing in Nature, researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine– with colleagues from Stanford, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and ...

Scientists have uncovered that ‘gene misbehaviour’ – where genes are active when they were expected to be switched off – is a surprisingly common phenomenon in the healthy human population. The team also identify several mechanisms behind these gene activity errors. This may help inform precision medicine approaches and enable the development of targeted therapies to correct expression. Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the University of Cambridge and AstraZeneca studied the activity of inactive genes in a large, healthy population for the first time. While rare at the individual gene level, they revealed misexpression ...

Today, Arc Institute, the scientific research organization pioneering new models for scientific discovery and translation, is announcing the creation of its Scientific Advisory Board and its first two Scientific Advisors, as well as the appointment of two new members to the Arc Board of Directors. New Scientific Advisory Board Dr. Carolyn Bertozzi, Ph.D., and Dr. Aviv Regev, Ph.D., join as the first two members of Arc’s Scientific Advisory Board and will provide strategic guidance, share their ...

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA [July 24, 2024] — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®)—an alliance of leading cancer centers—commemorates the 25th anniversary of the NCCN Oncology Research Program (ORP). The NCCN ORP is dedicated to seeking innovative, effective, and equitable cancer care through oversight and funding for cancer research and quality improvement projects. Over the past quarter-century, the NCCN ORP has managed a diverse portfolio of more than 180 research studies and quality improvement projects to improve quality and outcomes for people with cancer. The NCCN ORP has also provided project oversight to 75 NCCN Foundation® Young Investigator Award ...

Methanol is a crucial chemical feedstock and a potential green fuel, particularly for the shipping industry. Currently, its production predominantly relies on fossil feedstocks, leading to high greenhouse gas emissions. With the global push towards decarbonization, there is an urgent need to explore cleaner alternatives like renewable e-methanol. Based on these challenges, there is a need for in-depth research to develop sustainable methanol production methods.   A team of researchers from Tsinghua ...

Barium strontium aluminum silicate (BaxSr1−xAl2Si2O8, BSAS) ceramics possess both phase stability and resistance to water vapor corrosion, making them ideal materials for radome technology and electronic packaging. To address the low tolerance of BSAS ceramics to damage and defects, the introduction of nano-reinforcements is an effective approach to enhance their strength and toughness. SiC nanowires (SiCnws) exhibit high strength and hardness inherited from SiC ceramics, along with the excellent toughness and elasticity ...

Highway construction often faces challenges in ensuring long-term subgrade performance due to traditional compaction quality control (QC) methods that rely on manual adjustments and sporadic testing. These methods are susceptible to human error, inefficiency, and incomplete assessments. Addressing these issues requires advanced, real-time monitoring systems. Such systems can provide comprehensive and accurate QC, highlighting the need for innovative technologies to improve highway construction standards. Researchers from the University of Science and Technology Beijing, alongside partners from Hunan and China Renewable Energy Engineering ...

Biological treatment methods such as anaerobic digestion, composting, and insect farming are essential for managing organic waste, converting it into valuable resources like biogas and organic fertilizers. However, these processes often face challenges due to their inherent complexity and instability, which can affect efficiency and product quality. Traditional control strategies have limited success in addressing these issues. Therefore, advanced methods like machine learning (ML) are being explored to enhance prediction, optimization, and monitoring of these biological treatments, aiming to improve overall performance and sustainability. A research team from Tongji University ...

Relays are extensively utilized in accelerators, satellites, rockets, and various advanced technology sectors. They play crucial roles in signal transmission, long-distance control implementation, and protection circuits, directly impacting the safety of aerospace and defense equipment systems. The selection of electrical contact material in a relay is crucial for its performance. Arc discharge, characterized by high temperature, heat, and energy, is a common occurrence during operation. Consequently, the arc erodes the electric contact material, ...

Acetic acid, also known as acetate, and other products that can be developed from acetic acid are used in a variety of industries, from food production to medicine to agriculture. Currently, acetate production uses a significant amount of energy and results in harmful waste products. The efficient and sustainable production of acetate is an important target for researchers interested in improving industrial sustainability. A paper published in Carbon Future on July 9 outlines a method using a polyaniline catalyst with cobalt oxide nanoparticles to produce acetate through carbon dioxide electroreduction. “The polyaniline catalyst with cobalt ...

Insilico Medicine (“Insilico”), a clinical-stage generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven drug discovery company, today hosts Insilico Medicine Generative AI Action (IMGAIA) webinar. The webinar featured opening remarks by Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, Founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine. During the virtual event, Alex Aliper, PhD, co-founder and president of Insilico Medicine, announced the company’s sustainability initiative. Following this, the session on product launches and updates was delivered by key AI project ...

KINGSTON, R.I. – July 22, 2024 – A team of researchers at the University of Rhode Island and Nova Southeastern University in Florida have been tracking a 26-foot endangered whale shark – named “Rio Lady” – with a satellite transmitter for more than four years – a record for whale sharks and one of the longest tracking endeavors for any species of shark. Whale sharks, which live from 80 to 130 years, are the world’s largest fish and third largest creature in the ocean – behind blue and fin whales. The size of a small school bus, they inhabit tropical oceans and ...

(WASHINGTON, July 24, 2024) – In patients with diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (DLBCL), the two hallmark post-chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy toxicities are extremely rare after two weeks, supporting a shorter, more flexible toxicity monitoring period, according to a study published in Blood Advances. Currently, three CAR T-cell therapies — axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel), tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel), and lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel) — are approved for treating DLBCL, a cancer that affects the white blood cells responsible for producing antibodies. However, patients receiving these therapies are ...

Information like forest canopy height can be useful in assessing the health of a forest, but current measuring methods are not always feasible for large geographic regions or adaptable to diverse forest types. Monitoring from space can be a solution.     Forests function as more than a place for a quiet retreat: trees intake and absorb carbon dioxide (a major greenhouse gas), a process also known as carbon sequestration, and are essential parts of water regulation, habitat provision, and support much of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. Quantifying forest structure parameters, ...

All around the world, scientists are striving towards next-generation energy technologies that can help us move away from fossil fuels. Using hydrogen as an energy carrier and clean energy source is perhaps one of the most promising solutions on the horizon. However, there is a major challenge to overcome before hydrogen economies become a reality: hydrogen gas is remarkably difficult to store and transport safely, which severely limits its applicability across many fields. Against this backdrop, a research team from Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan, and Tokyo University of Science, Japan has been working hard to reach an alternative solution to the hydrogen storage problem. Led by Associate ...

Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of heart disease or having a second cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke. As more people use wearable technology, such as smartwatches, health care researchers continue to explore whether it can successfully promote physical activity. That includes customized messages designed to encourage individual patients to be more active in their current location, like walking outside when the weather is nice. In such a study led by the University of Michigan ...

DALLAS, July 24, 2024 — In this era of machine learning and artificial intelligence, harnessing large-scale neuroimaging can facilitate new discoveries in neuroscience research.[1] To that end, the American Heart Association, celebrating 100 years of lifesaving service in 2024, has awarded a two-year, $460,000 grant to a consortium of three academic medical centers to work collaboratively and share de-identified imaging data from individuals enrolled in its Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke registry. A team at Yale University will ...