Plants are continuously evolving new immune receptors to ever-changing pathogens. Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) have traced the origin and evolutionary trajectory of plant immune receptors. Their discovery will make it easier to identify immune receptor genes from genomic information and could help in the development of pathogen-resistant crops. This study was published in the scientific journal Nature Communications on February 1.   As in animals, plants have immune responses that help them defend against pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and oomycetes. Before invaders can be stopped, they must first be detected, and this is accomplished ...

The renowned virologist from the University of Zurich receives the major award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for an innovative project on HIV vaccines. The grant will fund vaccine studies in well-studied groups of people living with HIV in Switzerland and South Africa to guide the design of a preventative HIV vaccine. Alexandra Trkola, Professor of Medical Virology at the University of Zurich, has been awarded a 3-year grant (INV-061559) from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for the project “RENEW clinical studies in people with HIV”. Together with her co-principal investigators Huldrych Günthard (University Hospital Zurich and UZH), Penny Moore (University ...

Our energy systems are undergoing rapid change. Many households are generating electricity with solar panels, and there are new sources of demand and storage, such as charging electric vehicles and home batteries. Local prosumers (energy consumers who also generate and store energy) are taking control of their own energy supply. This development is prompting the creation of energy communities and micro-grids, such as the SchoonSchip community in the north of Amsterdam. Energy communities allow consumers ...

Mangroves and saltmarshes sequester large amounts of carbon, mitigating the greenhouse effect. New research from the University of Gothenburg shows that these environments are perhaps twice as effective as previously thought. Natural habitats flooded by the tide form ecosystems that captures large amounts of carbon, which can help to mitigate climate change. Carbon dioxide is stored in the biomass and in the muddy soils. Therefore, several governments have launched blue carbon market initiatives to encourage landowners to restore and preserve mangrove and saltmarsh ecosystems, similar to the rainforest. Large ...

Nestling songbirds relocated as part of conservation programmes successfully learn the song repertoires they need to communicate – and ultimately survive – in the wild, a new study has found. The research, published in the journal Conservation Science and Practice, is the first to follow translocated songbird chicks over time to assess their song development. It focused on populations of cirl buntings (Emberiza cirlus), taken from a number of sites in Devon before being hand-reared and then reintroduced in Cornwall as part of a major programme co-ordinated ...

Unexplained rapid weight loss in older people could be a sign of underlying disease and can be linked with increased risk of falls and fractures, as well as a poorer long-term prognosis.    The understanding of factors that could contribute to rapid weight loss remains poor, with current treatments including correcting suboptimal dietary and physical activity behaviors.    New research by Edith Cowan University (ECU) Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Cassandra Smith noted that abdominal aortic calcification (AAC), a marker of advanced blood vessel disease, was linked to higher risk of rapid weight ...

Osaka, Japan – From coffee-shop customers who connect their laptop to the local Wi-Fi network to remote weather monitoring stations in the Antarctic, wireless communication is an essential part of modern life. Researchers worldwide are currently working on the next evolution of communication networks, called “beyond 5G” or 6G networks. To enable the near-instantaneous communication needed for applications like augmented reality or the remote control of surgical robots, ultra-high data speeds will be needed on ...

Synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) are emerging as powerful allies in the battle against weeds. These carefully crafted assemblies of microorganisms, such as compatible Pseudomonas strains, are designed to target specific weeds while promoting crop growth. The application of herbicides with SynComs will be essential to understand their synergistic effects for controlling weed and promoting wheat growth, so that provides a sustainable and eco-friendly weed control strategy. By harnessing the collective strength of Pseudomonas SynComs, this research brings us ...

Supercapacitors, also known as ultracapacitors or electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), are advanced energy storage devices with unique characteristics. Unlike traditional batteries, supercapacitors store energy through the electrostatic separation of charges at the interface between an electrolyte and a high-surface-area electrode. This mechanism allows for rapid energy storage and release, enabling supercapacitors to deliver high power bursts and exhibit exceptional cycle life.   Supercapacitors play a pivotal role in the realm of renewable energy and environmental conservation. In the context of renewable energy, supercapacitors serve as crucial components ...

Most approved gene therapies today, including those involving CRISPR-Cas9, work their magic on cells removed from the body, after which the edited cells are returned to the patient. This technique is ideal for targeting blood cells and is currently the method employed in newly approved CRISPR gene therapies for blood diseases like sickle cell anemia, in which edited blood cells are reinfused in patients after their bone marrow has been destroyed by chemotherapy. A new, precision-targeted delivery method for CRISPR-Cas9, published Jan. 11 in the journal Nature Biotechnology, enables gene editing on very specific subsets of cells while still in the body — ...

Study of 1.5 million people over the age of 16 in England, including nearly 8,000 transgender people, finds a higher proportion of transgender adults report having a long-term mental health condition than cisgender adults. Additionally, those with a gender identity other than cisgender male or cisgender female were more likely to report their mental health needs were unmet at their last general practice appointment.       Authors call for the NHS to become more gender-inclusive, including by introducing better training for health-care professionals to improve their ability ...

A University of Tennessee Extension specialist has been selected to help lead a new national effort to connect resources and individuals in the quickly evolving food and agriculture career sector.   Clint Cummings, Extension specialist in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, will serve as the National Network Lead and Regional Network Coordinator for the Southern Region for the new AgriProspects Workforce Development Network project. This project is being conducted through the Extension Foundation in collaboration with the ECOP (Extension Committee on Organization and Policy) Economic & Workforce Development Program Action Team and NECIW (National Extension ...

Pacific Island governments are increasingly imposing taxes on unhealthy foods as they battle a non-communicable disease crisis, a New Zealand study shows. The research, led by the University of Otago, Wellington, found that since 2000, a quarter of the 22 Pacific Island countries and territories studied had introduced taxes targeting unhealthy foods, a strategy in line with recommendations from the World Health Organization. The study of food taxation policies over the 20 years to 2020 is published in the international journal Public Health Nutrition. Senior Research Fellow, ...

January 31, 2024   Climate Change Threatens Older Elephants Most, Jeopardizing African Elephants’ Future New study from UMass Amherst and Wildlife Conservation Society finds that continuing international cooperation, community involvement most important in ensuring elephants’ survival   AMHERST, Mass. – A collaborative team of researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), which runs the world’s largest field conservation program, has conducted first-of-its kind research into how global climate change affects African elephants. The work, published recently in PLOS Sustainability and Transformation, ...

“These findings provided evidence for the role of senescence in the tumor microenvironment [...]” BUFFALO, NY- January 31, 2024 – A new research paper was published on the cover of Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 16, Issue 2, entitled, “Prognostic significance of senescence-related tumor microenvironment genes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.” The impact of the senescence related microenvironment on cancer prognosis and therapeutic response remains poorly understood. In this new study, researchers Young Chan Lee, Yonghyun Nam, Minjeong Kim, ...

Andrew Muhammad, professor and Blasingame Chair of Excellence in Agricultural Policy at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, has been elected president of the Southern Agricultural Economics Association. The newly elected president will be recognized at the Association’s upcoming annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, from February 3-6.   “We are excited for Dr. Muhammad in this important leadership role,” says Bill Johnson, interim department head for UT’s Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. “His previous experience with SAEA and his global perspective on agriculture ...

Rates of kidney stones are on the rise in the United States and around the world. Type 2 diabetes is associated with increased risk of kidney stones, but some forms of treatment for this condition may also have the benefit of lowering risk of kidney stones. In a study led by investigators from Mass General Brigham, researchers found that there was an association between the use of sodium-glucose contratransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and a lower risk of developing kidney stones. Their findings are reported in JAMA Internal Medicine.  Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts ...

DURHAM, N.C. – A black sedan cruises silently down a quiet suburban road, driver humming Christmas carols quietly while the car’s autopilot handles the driving. Suddenly, red flashing lights and audible warnings blare to life, snapping the driver from their peaceful reprieve. They look at the dashboard screen and see the outline of a car speeding toward them for a head-on collision, yet the headlights reveal nothing ahead through the windshield. Despite the incongruity, the car’s autopilot grabs control and swerves into a ditch. Exasperated, the driver looks around the vicinity, ...

Strong support for Ukraine means there is “little space” for European politicians to exploit pro-Russia foreign policy messages, a new study shows. Researchers have found widespread backing for Ukraine across the continent, and for policies that help the nation, such as imposing sanctions on Russia. But public opinion is more mixed on the approach NATO should take and whether Ukraine should become a member. Experts found European nations can be classified into three distinct groups. Citizens ...

You might think age-related dementia has been with us all along, stretching back to the ancient world. But a new analysis of classical Greek and Roman medical texts suggests that severe memory loss — occurring at epidemic levels today — was extremely rare 2,000 to 2,500 years ago, in the time of Aristotle, Galen and Pliny the Elder. The USC-led research, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, bolsters the idea that Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are diseases of modern environments and lifestyles, with sedentary behavior and exposure to air pollution largely to blame. “The ancient Greeks had very, very few — but we found them ...

Does the type of solution used by surgeons to disinfect skin before surgery impact the risk of surgical site infection? According to new research from an international trial jointly led by McMaster University and the University of Maryland School of Medicine – yes, it does. Researchers of the PREPARE trial, which enrolled nearly 8,500 participants at 25 hospitals in Canada and the United States, found the use of iodine povacrylex in alcohol to disinfect a patient’s skin could prevent surgical site infection in thousands of patients undergoing surgery for a closed ...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Trees are struggling to sequester heat-trapping carbon dioxide (CO2) in warmer, drier climates, meaning that they may no longer serve as a solution for offsetting humanity’s carbon footprint as the planet continues to warm, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers. “We found that trees in warmer, drier climates are essentially coughing instead of breathing,” said Max Lloyd assistant research professor of geosciences at Penn State and lead author on the study recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “They are sending CO2 right back into the ...

From the study: This research examines the anti-aging potential of the flavonoid derivative of isoquercitrin known as enzymatically modified isoquercitrin (EMIQ).   A 28-day clinical trial with 30 volunteers aged 31–55 years highlighted EMIQ's effectiveness. Participants using EMIQ-containing Essence displayed reduced facial trans-epidermal water loss and skin roughness, alongside improved skin elasticity. This study emphasizes EMIQ's potential as an anti-photoaging ingredient in cosmetics, warranting further research. The findings pave the way for developing innovative skincare products addressing photoaging effects. ...

Ketamine has received a lot of attention as a potential treatment for depression, but few studies have revealed how well it works in real world settings, especially in patients with complex mental health needs.  Now, a new study of data from veterans who had tried many depression treatments but still had severe symptoms suggests a series of intravenous doses of ketamine gave many at least partial relief. For a minority, it led to full remission.  Nearly half of 215 veterans with treatment resistant depression who received ...

Protein molecules lie at the heart of biology. Our typical understanding of proteins states that each type of protein has a specific three-dimensional shape that enables it to perform its function. This dogma is challenged by intrinsically disordered proteins which make up one third of all proteins and have central biological functions even though their shapes are constantly changing. Until now, our understanding of the structural properties of this intriguing class of proteins has been based on studies ...