Microplastic pollution reduces energy production in a microscopic creature found in freshwater worldwide, new research shows. Paramecium bursaria contain algae that live inside their cells and provide energy by photosynthesis. The new study, by the University of Exeter, tested whether severe microplastic contamination in the water affected this symbiotic relationship.   The results showed a 50% decline in net photosynthesis – a major impact on the algae’s ability to produce energy and release ...

SAN ANTONIO — March 23, 2023 —A study co-authored by Southwest Research Institute Senior Research Scientist Dr. Jason Hofgartner explains the unusual radar signatures of icy satellites orbiting Jupiter and Saturn. Their radar signatures, which differ significantly from those of rocky worlds and most ice on Earth, have long been a vexing question for the scientific community. “Six different models have been published in an attempt to explain the radar signatures of the icy moons that orbit Jupiter and Saturn,” said Hofgartner, first author of the study, ...

Francis Crick Institute press release Under strict embargo: 16:00 GMT 23 March 2023 Peer reviewed Experimental study Human stem cells Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have found that the body’s process of removing old and damaged cell parts, is also an essential part of tackling infections that take hold within our cells, like TB. If this natural process can be harnessed with new treatments, it could present an alternative to, or improve use of antibiotics, especially where bacteria have become ...

The Francis Crick Institute press release Under strict embargo: 16:00 GMT Thursday 23rd March Peer reviewed Experimental Cells Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have uncovered a key role for a new type of cell in touch detection in the skin of the fruit fly. Touch allows animals to navigate their environment by gathering information from the outside world. In their study published today in Nature Cell Biology, Dr Federica Mangione and Dr Nicolas Tapon shed light on how touch-sensitive organs assemble during development. In particular the team studied the development ...

A protein complex prevents the repair of genome damage in human cells, in mice and in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a team of researchers at the University of Cologne has discovered. They also successfully inhibited this complex for the first time using a pharmaceutical agent. “When we suppress the so-called DREAM complex in body cells, various repair mechanisms kick in, making these cells extremely resilient towards all kinds of DNA damage,” said Professor Dr Björn Schumacher, Director of the Institute for Genome Stability in Aging ...

Plants produce all types of curious chemicals. Some deter predators. Some smell wonderful. Some even have medicinal value. One of these hidden gems is (–)-jerantinine A (JA), a molecule with remarkable anticancer properties, produced by a plant called Tabernaemontana corymbosa. Unfortunately, access to this Malaysian jungle plant and its promising chemical compound has been limited. Until now. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) chemists, led by Professor John E. Moses, have created a way to safely, quickly, and sustainably synthesize JA in the lab. To cancer biologists at CSHL, this breakthrough could mean future ...

Whether it’s diseases from bats, birds, pigs, or mosquitoes, climate change brings with it an increased risk of animal-borne (or “zoonotic”) diseases that can transmit to humans. Digital Science, a technology company serving stakeholders across the research ecosystem, has today released its analysis of the global research response to climate change and zoonotic diseases, in the context of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on climate and health. Using data from Dimensions, Dr Briony Fane, Ann Campbell and Dr Juergen Wastl from Digital Science have explored published research, ...

Researchers have used pluripotent stem cells to make thymus organoids that support the development of patient-specific T-cells, researchers report March 23rd in the journal Stem Cell Reports. The proof-of-concept work provides the basis for studying human thymus function, T-cell development, and transplant immunity. “We have established the framework for further basic science and translational research interrogating human thymus development and function in vitro, and in a patient-specific manner,” says senior author Holger Russ, of the University ...

When early Stone Age farmers first moved into Europe from the Near East about 8,000 years ago, they met and began mixing with the existing hunter-gatherer populations. Now genome-wide studies of hundreds of ancient genomes from this period show more hunter-gatherer ancestry in adaptive-immunity genes in the mixed population than would be expected by chance.  The findings, reported in Current Biology on March 23, suggest that mixing between the two groups resulted in mosaics of genetic variation that were acted upon by natural selection, a process through which all organisms, including humans, adapt and change ...

A male fly approaches a flower, lands on top of what he thinks is a female fly, and jiggles around. He’s trying to mate, but it isn’t quite working. He has another go. Eventually he gives up and buzzes off, unsuccessful. The plant, meanwhile, has got what it wanted: pollen. A South African daisy, Gorteria diffusa, is the only daisy known to make such a complicated structure resembling a female fly on its petals. The mechanism behind this convincing three-dimensional deception, complete ...

Francis Crick Institute press release Under strict embargo: 15:00hrs GMT 23 March 2023 Peer reviewed Observational study People Research from the Francis Crick Institute published today in Current Biology has revealed that diversity in genes coding for immunity may have facilitated adaptation to farming lifestyles in prehistoric periods.  Researchers at the Ancient Genomics Laboratory at the Crick studied available genome-wide DNA from 677 individuals dating to Stone Age Europe, spanning the movement of Neolithic farmers from the Near East into Europe about 8000 years ago, where they mixed with Mesolithic hunter-gatherers already in Europe. They were interested in whether ...

Being vaccinated against Covid halves people’s risk of developing long Covid, according to new research from the University of East Anglia. Long Covid still affects some two million people in the UK, and new research published today reveals the risk factors associated with developing the condition.   Overweight people, women, smokers and those over the age of 40 are also more likely to suffer from long Covid according to the study - which includes more than 860,000 patients and is thought to be the largest of its kind. The study also finds that co-morbidities such as asthma, COPD, Type 2 Diabetes, coronary heart disease, immunosuppression, anxiety ...

About The Study: This systematic review and meta-analysis of 41 studies including 860,000 patients found that certain demographic characteristics (e.g., age and sex), comorbidities, and severe COVID-19 were associated with an increased risk of post−COVID-19 condition (PCC; also known as long COVID), whereas vaccination had a protective role against developing PCC sequelae. These findings may enable a better understanding of who may develop PCC and provide additional evidence for the benefits of vaccination.   Authors: Vassilios ...

About The Study: This cohort study found that in people with SARS-CoV-2 infection who had at least one risk factor for progression to severe disease, treatment with nirmatrelvir within five days of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result was associated with reduced risk of post−COVID-19 condition (also known as long COVID) across the risk spectrum in this cohort and regardless of vaccination status and history of prior infection. The totality of the findings suggests that treatment with nirmatrelvir ...

About The Study: This case control study found that for female individuals, the loss of abortion rights was associated with a 10% increase in prevalence of mental distress relative to the mean over the three months after the Supreme Court of the U.S. decision. Restricting legal abortion access may be associated with disproportionate outcomes among individuals of lower socioeconomic status and in medically underserved areas, who may experience greater economic and mental health burdens of having unwanted pregnancies due to increased travel costs of obtaining abortions.  Authors: Muzhe Yang, Ph.D., of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, ...

BOSTON – New research led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a founding member of Mass General Brigham (MGB), found that males but not females born to mothers with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection during pregnancy were more likely to receive a neurodevelopmental diagnosis in the first 12 months after delivery. The findings are published in JAMA Network Open. Previous studies have found associations between other infections during pregnancy and increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children, such as autism spectrum disorder, but it’s unclear if such a link exists with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection during pregnancy. To investigate, ...

MIAMI, FLORIDA (EMBARGOED UNTIL THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023, AT 11 A.M. ET) – Treatment outcomes for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, a rare cancer commonly known as mesothelioma, are often affected by social determinants of health and overall survival rates could be improved by addressing these health disparities and improving access to specialized care. That’s the key takeaway from new research published March 23 by investigators at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and collaborators, whose study appears in the journal JAMA Network Open. “We found that mesothelioma patients who ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Research from Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center experts revealed a type of RNA, previously considered to be “junk,”  that may help doctors distinguish and treat a subgroup of patients with medulloblastoma. Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in children, accounting for about 20% of all pediatric brain cancers. Four groups of medulloblastomas have been identified, and one is named sonic hedgehog (SHH) because of the spiky, hedgehog-like appearance of fruit flies ...

We still do not understand exactly how antibiotics kill bacteria. However, this understanding is necessary if we want to develop new antibiotics. And that is precisely what is urgently needed, because bacteria are currently showing more and more resistance to existing antibiotics. Therefore, researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn used high-performance microscopes to observe the effect of different antibiotics on the cell division of Staphylococcus aureus. They found that the biosynthesis of peptidoglycan, core component of the bacterial cell wall, is the driving force during the entire process of cell division. In ...

Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT) will award the Edward Netter Leadership Award to Crystal Mackall, MD, of Stanford University, at the ACGT Awards Luncheon on March 30 at Riverpark restaurant at the Alexandria Center for Life Science, located at 450 E. 29th St., New York City. Named for ACGT co-founder, Edward Netter, the award recognizes a researcher who has made unparalleled and groundbreaking contributions to the field of cell and gene therapy for cancer. Dr. Mackall is a leader in advancing cell and gene therapies for the treatment of solid tumors, with a major focus on children’s cancers. In addition to being an ACGT Research ...

Issues around the loss of coastal heritage due to climate change and how these can be effectively addressed in policy will be discussed during a major conference taking place at the University of East Anglia (UEA) next week. The conference will discuss a range of pressing issues including how behavioural science can inform choices about what should be saved and how archaeological landscapes are valued, to the human cost of heritage loss and the role art and exhibitions play in addressing ecological crisis. Heritage takes many forms, and includes physical artifacts, buildings and ecosystems, but also the rich cultural and social aspects ...

For decades, health care practitioners have used body mass index (BMI) as an indicator of a person’s health. But this equation only considers height and weight, and may not capture an accurate picture of a person’s risk for obesity-related diseases, like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Jacob Earp, assistant professor of kinesiology in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, recently published papers in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health and Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases that include a series of equations that add simple circumference measurements to better predict how a person’s ...

Amsterdam, March 23, 2023 – When Marina Noordegraaf was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at age 49, she noticed when it came to treatment decisions, she sometimes felt powerless. She observed that she herself played an active role in communicating her hopes and wishes to her healthcare professionals, which were not automatically taken into account. She took back control by taking her own hope seriously, prescribing her own recipe of “hopamine,” a self-invented word representing ...

Physical exercise practiced by patients submitted to bariatric surgery acts on brain regions involved in food intake, reducing hunger or accelerating satiety, for example. This was the result observed in a clinical trial conducted at Hospital das Clínicas (HC), the hospital complex run by the University of São Paulo’s Medical School (FM-USP) in Brazil. An article on the study, pointing to positive effects of exercise on obesity-related conditions in post-bariatric patients, is published in the International Journal of Obesity. The study showed that an exercise ...

The ever-increasing generation of plastic solid waste has resulted in global plastic pollution both on land and in the oceans. Projections show that plastic waste will double in the next 20 years, causing further environmental problems. Large amounts of plastic waste are, at present, incinerated or deposited in landfills. This not only degrades the environment but also depletes valuable resources. In this light, recycling plastics such as polymers is a promising sustainable alternative for waste management. But this involves the breaking of chemical bonds between ...