The earliest reptiles, birds and mammals may have borne live young, researchers from Nanjing University and University of Bristol have revealed. Until now, the hard-shelled egg was thought to be the key to the success of the amniotes - a group of vertebrates that undergo embryonic or foetal development within an amnion, a protective membrane inside the egg. However, a fresh study of 51 fossil species and 29 living species which could be categorised as oviparous (laying hard or soft-shelled eggs) or viviparous (giving birth to live young) suggests otherwise. The findings, published today in Nature Ecology & Evolution, show that all the great evolutionary branches ...

WASHINGTON --- Researchers at Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and colleagues who have been exploring the complexities of biochemical pathways involved in cancer development have found that a form of glucose, a type of sugar, is intricately linked to a pathway used to build DNA molecules.  When this pathway is overactive, it can lead to cancer and resistance to chemoradiotherapy. The findings appear June 12, 2023, in Nature Chemical Biology. “For a good while, my lab has been exploring cell signaling and DNA transcription mechanisms by which cellular metabolism changes in response to environmental and genetic cues, with the goal of designing ...

Higher neighborhood density of unhealthy retail food establishments was associated with a higher risk of delivering a baby that was large-for-gestational age, according to a new study at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, while neighborhoods with a high density of healthy food retail establishments was linked with a lower risk of giving birth to a baby that was small-for-gestational age. Babies born either small- or large-for-gestational age, a measure of birth weight adjusted for length of pregnancy, are at greater risk for long term health complications, but until now little was known about how neighborhood characteristics including walkability and the ...

According to Einstein’s general theory of relativity, time and space are fused together in a quantity known as spacetime. The theory suggests that massive objects, like a galaxy or galaxy clusters, can cause spacetime to curve. Gravitational lensing is a rare yet observable example of Einstein’s theory in action; the mass of a large celestial body can significantly bend light as it travels through spacetime, much like a magnifying lens. When light from a more distant light source passes by this lens, scientists can use the resulting visual distortions to view objects that would otherwise be too far away and too faint to be seen.  An ...

HOUSTON – A new study by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center highlights novel insights into the evolution of multiple myeloma from precursor disease, which may help better identify patients likely to progress and develop new interventions. Published today in Cancer Cell, the study integrates paired single-cell RNA sequencing and B cell receptor sequencing from 64 patients with multiple myeloma or precursor disease. The study achieved several notable milestones in the effort to better understand ...

A new material, created at the little-explored intersection of organic and inorganic chemistry, could not only enable more powerful solar panels, but it could also usher in the next generation of cancer treatments. Described in a Nature Chemistry journal paper published today, the composite is made of ultra-tiny silicon nanoparticles, and an organic element closely related to those used in OLED televisions. It is capable of increasing the speed with which two molecules can exchange energy, and of converting lower-energy light into higher-energy light. Only a handful of laboratories ...

It's tough accomplishing everything we want to get done in a day. But it would have been even more difficult had we lived earlier in Earth's history. Although we take the 24-hour day for granted, in Earth's deep past, days were even shorter. Day length was shorter because the Moon was closer. "Over time, the Moon has stolen Earth's rotational energy to boost it into a higher orbit farther from Earth," said Ross Mitchell, geophysicist at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and lead author of a new study published in Nature Geoscience. "Most models of Earth's rotation predict that day length was consistently shorter ...

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have created a new method of studying the smallest bioparticles in the body. The study, which is published in Nature Biotechnology, has considerable scientific potential, such as in the development of more effective vaccines. Circulating around the body are nanoparticles that affect it in one way or another. For example, there are lipoproteins that maintain cell metabolism, pathogenic viruses that cause many diseases and lipid nanoparticles that are used to carry drugs, like recent lipid nanoparticle-based mRNA vaccines.   However, ...

In a study published in Nature Astronomy today, a team of researchers from the University of Naples “Federico II”, the University of Wroclaw, and the University of Bergen examined a quantum-gravity model of particle propagation in which the speed of ultrarelativistic particles decreases with rising energy. This effect is expected to be extremely small, proportional to the ratio between particle energy and the Planck scale, but when observing very distant astrophysical sources, it can accumulate to observable levels. The ...

FAIRFIELD, NJ—Parker Laboratories Inc. has announced that the environmental protection and pesticide control agencies of all 50 states have authorized registration of Tristel DUO, an intermediate-level disinfecting foam for the cleaning and disinfection of general medical surfaces—including noninvasive ultrasound transducers and their related equipment. Tristel DUO is manufactured and distributed for US markets by Parker Laboratories under an exclusive commercial partnership with UK-based infection prevention company Tristel plc. Parker Laboratories ...

DALLAS, June 12, 2023 — The American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary organization focused on heart and brain health, invites scientific researchers across the globe to compete in a new data challenge to better inform the scientific understanding of how lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels impact the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. The winning project is eligible to receive a $40,000 USD cash prize. High levels of Lp(a) — a low-density lipoprotein variant containing a protein called apolipoprotein(a) ...

(Toronto, June 12, 2023) – New research published in JMIR Cardio reveals the remarkable potential of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in analyzing coronary angiography, a common diagnostic procedure for coronary artery disease. Led by Dr In Tae Moon, the study conducted at Uijeongbu Eulji University Hospital in Korea showcases the power of AI-based quantitative coronary angiography (AI-QCA) in enhancing clinical decision-making.  The study compared AI-QCA to intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), to validate its performance. IVUS is ...

JMIR Bioinformatics and Biotechnology (JBB) is a leading, international, peer-reviewed journal that aims to publish high-quality original research articles, reviews, and perspectives on all aspects of bioinformatics, computational biology, and biotechnology.  We invite researchers, educators, and practitioners to submit their original research articles, reviews, and perspectives to JBB. Our scope includes but is not limited to: Bioinformatics, including genomic variation detection algorithms, tools, and databases Artificial ...

“It is an honor,” Smith said. “The ASME Turbo Expo community has been a valuable part of my professional development and it has been a pleasure to give back."  Since joining SwRI in 2016, Smith has performed aerodynamic design and testing of turbomachinery and advanced system analysis for programs related to power generation, aviation, oil and gas, and energy storage, including next-generation supercritical carbon dioxide power cycles. Smith has also managed three long-duration energy storage projects, developing a pumped thermal energy storage (PTES) demonstration facility, conducting a techno-economic feasibility study of ...

Journalists who register for the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) will have access to about 12,000 presentations on topics including agriculture and food, energy and fuels, health and medicine, sustainability and more. ACS Fall 2023 is a hybrid meeting being held virtually and in-person in San Francisco on Aug. 13-17 with the theme “Harnessing the Power of Data.” ACS considers requests for press credentials and complimentary registration to meetings from reporters (staff and freelance) and public information officers at government, nonprofit and ...

Employees who frequently interact with artificial intelligence systems are more likely to experience loneliness that can lead to insomnia and increased after-work drinking, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. Researchers conducted four experiments in the U.S., Taiwan, Indonesia and Malaysia. Findings were consistent across cultures. The research was published online in the Journal of Applied Psychology. In a prior career, lead researcher Pok Man Tang, PhD, worked in an ...

Florida Atlantic University’s College of Education has received a three-year $1.5 million grant through the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities (FCSUA) for the FAU Academy for Community Inclusion. The funds will help sustain the academy, an approved Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program (FPCTP) that serves the community through continuing employment and independent living skills opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities. Unemployment and under-employment for people with intellectual disabilities far exceed the norm – less than 10 percent of adults with intellectual ...

An overactive inflammatory response could be at the root of many long COVID cases, according to a new study from the Allen Institute and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Looking at proteins circulating in the blood, the scientists found a set of molecules associated with inflammation that were present only in a subset of patients with long COVID and were not seen in those who recovered from their disease. The researchers published an article describing their findings in the journal Nature Communications today. Out of 55 patients with long ...

Two major ridesharing companies have promised all-electric fleets by 2030 in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint. To understand additional impacts of this transition, researchers reporting in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology conducted life-cycle comparisons of battery-powered electric vehicle fleets to a gas-powered one, using real-world rideshare data. They found up to a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from full electrification; however, traffic problems and air pollution could increase. Ridesharing apps are an increasingly popular way to travel around urban areas, ...

Taking biofabrication to the next level: innovations in volumetric bioprinting UMC Utrecht researchers propose solutions for bioprinting living tissue Bioprinting is the printing of living cells and tissues. It's a promising technique that hopefully, one day, can solve the organ donor shortage by growing organs from patients' own cells. However, printing living tissues and cells is extremely complicated, and many hurdles need to be overcome to be able to get there. In this article, three recent innovations ...

Cellular stress, or oxidative stress, occurs when there is a buildup of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which interferes with cellular mechanisms and can even cause damage to proteins, lipids, and DNA. Owing to their destructive nature, all cells have robust mechanisms in place to remove ROS and reduce oxidative stress. One such mechanism is the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2)-mediated stress response, where NRF2 is a master transcription factor that aids in reducing oxidative stress.   Much is known about the redox-dependent activation of NRF2 and its subsequent role in stress response. In this pathway, ...

Statement Highlights: Around the world, most people are regularly exposed to low or moderate levels of lead, cadmium and arsenic in the environment, increasing risk of coronary artery disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease, according to a new American Heart Association statement. These metals, considered contaminant metals, have no function in the human body. They are found in groundwater, water pipes, paint, tobacco products, fertilizer, plastic, electronics, gasoline, batteries, some foods and other commonly used items. Lead, ...

Study’s findings point to the importance of considering other risk factors beyond breast density. Dense breast tissue, which contains a higher proportion of fibrous tissue than fat, is a risk factor for breast cancer and also makes it more difficult to identify cancer on a mammogram. Many states have enacted laws that require women with dense breasts to be notified after a mammogram, so that they can choose to undergo supplemental ultrasound screening to improve cancer detection. A recent study published ...

The number of species of the green alga sea lettuce in the Baltic Sea region and Skagerak and  is much larger than what was previously known. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have surveyed 10,000 kilometres of coast and found twenty species of sea lettuce. Green macroalgae of the genus Ulva, also known as sea lettuce, are almost ubiquitous in the wider Baltic Sea region and and can be found from the Atlantic waters all the way up to the Bay of Bothnia in the Baltic Sea. Sea lettuce reproduce easily and grow ...

Pandemic restrictions corresponded with a significant drop in diagnoses of breast, colorectal and prostate cancers as well as melanoma, according to a new Alberta study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.221512. "The sweeping and unprecedented measures enacted at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta had an inevitable impact on cancer care," writes Dr. Darren Brenner, an epidemiologist in Calgary, Alberta, and associate professor at the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine, with coauthors. "Even though treatment and urgent surgeries for cancers were prioritized ...