WASHINGTON, November 17, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released today the National Strategic Germplasm and Cultivar Collection Assessment and Utilization Plan in support of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) U.S. National Plant Germplasm System’s (NPGS) mission. The USDA-ARS NPGS is confident that implementing this plan will address current operational and research challenges. The collection is vital for maintaining the nation’s food supply by providing breeders and researchers the germplasm they need to furnish U. S. consumers with abundant, ...

Proteins misfolding and clumping together, a process known as aggregation, is a key feature seen in several neurological conditions, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. These disorders involve the formation of small, potentially harmful structures called oligomers, which could serve as valuable indicators for early diagnosis. They are incredibly small, however, and much rarer than the healthy non-aggregated proteins. This makes it hard to detect and measure them accurately. In collaboration with UCB Biopharma, researchers from the University of Edinburgh’s  ...

  Researchers in Japan and Mongolia have carried out the world's first instance of incorporating satellite-based CO2 emission estimates into a GHG emission report as the verification on the Second Biennial Update Report (BUR2) of Mongolia submitted to the UNFCCC on 15 November 2023, resulting in high accuracy match with actual reported values, reports a new study published online in Scientific Reports in 2023.   Countries have reported their CO2 emissions to the UNFCCC, primarily from human activities and a significant contributor to climate change. ...

Approximately one-fifth of the world's electric energy is dedicated to refrigeration, and the International Energy Agency anticipates a twofold increase in the number of air conditioning units by 2040. Despite a century of advancements, existing refrigeration systems, relying on vapour compression, have hit their thermodynamic threshold. These systems not only emit greenhouse gases, contributing to environmental issues, but also produce significant noise. Prioritizing the development of energy-efficient and eco-friendly systems is thus paramount to address global warming ...

Growth is a fundamental biological process and a prerequisite for living organisms to develop and reproduce. The processes of cell growth (i.e. the production of new biomass) and of cell division must be coordinated with each other. In multicellular organisms such as humans, the growth of cells must also be coordinated with their environment so that cells are present in the right number and size to form functional tissue or organs. Cell growth is therefore strictly regulated and takes place only when certain growth signals are present. But cancer cells are different. They grow unchecked, they divide ...

A research project led by Professor Mingxin Huang at the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has made a brand-new breakthrough over conventional stainless steel and the development of stainless steel for hydrogen (SS-H2). This marks another major achievement by Professor Huang’s team in its ‘Super Steel’ Project, following the development of the anti-COVID-19 stainless steel in 2021, and ultra-strong and ultra-tough Super Steel in 2017 and 2020 respectively. The new steel developed by the team exhibits high corrosion ...

NYC Media Lab (NYCML) and Bertelsmann unveiled  the latest cohort joining the AI & the Creative Industries Challenge, a nine-week program in which teams explore new ways to use artificial intelligence (AI) to create digital content and reach new audiences for three Bertelsmann companies: Fremantle, Penguin Random House, and BMG. The teams are tasked with addressing how AI will impact these important creative industries.  This ongoing partnership, NYCML’s third project with Bertelsmann, will continue to build on new business frontiers enabled by technology. The four selected teams, from around the globe, come from various multidisciplinary ...

Actuators are common machine components that convert energy into movement, like the muscles in the human body, vibrators in mobile phones or electric motors.  Ideal actuator materials need good electrochemical properties to repeatedly conduct electrical currents made of flowing electrons.  In addition, actuator materials require excellent mechanical properties to withstand the physical stress associated with continual movement.  Nanoporous platinum (np-Pt), a platinum matrix containing tiny pores to increase energy conduction, was recently created in large quantities and in a cost-efficient manner, making np-Pt an ideal and more practical actuator material.   A ...

Crystalline materials are made up of atoms, ions, or molecules arranged in an ordered, three-dimensional structure. They are widely used for the development of semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, photovoltaics, and catalysts. The type of structures that fall into the category of crystalline materials continues to expand as scientists design novel materials to address emerging challenges pertaining to energy storage, carbon capture, and advanced electronics. However, the development of such materials necessitates precise ways of identifying ...

Bethesda, MD (Nov. 17, 2023) — The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) released a new evidence-based guideline recommending the use of blood and stool-based biomarkers to help manage Crohn’s disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD is estimated to affect 2.74 million people in the U.S. The guideline was published today in Gastroenterology.  Biomarkers are blood or stool tests that can give more information on an underlying disease process. In the context of IBD, biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) in blood and fecal calprotectin ...

Why should supply chains matter to you? The products on your store shelves, the packages arriving at your doorstep, and even the food on your table all rely on these intricate networks. Imagine a world where these lifelines are disrupted, where shelves sit empty, and essential goods remain out of reach. In Supply Chain 5.0: The Next Generation of Business Success Through Customer Centricity, Sustainability & Human Rights and Digitalization, we unveil the critical factors shaping the future of supply chains and how they impact your everyday life. This book holds a crucial revelation about the future of our supply chains. It ...

The discovery that chimpanzees use tools to fish for termites revolutionized our understanding of their abilities — but we still don’t have crucial context to help us understand termite fishing and chimpanzee minds. Are chimpanzees fishing for a seasonal treat or trying their luck? Researchers based at the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) and University College London (UCL) investigated the relationship between termite availability and chimpanzee fishing. They found that termites are most available early in the wet season. Although other ...

Time spent watching television or playing computer games has measurable and long-term effects on children’s brain function, according to a review of 23 years of neuroimaging research, which while showing negative impacts also demonstrates some positive effects. However, the researchers stop short of advocating limits on screen time, which they say can lead to confrontation. Instead, they urge policymakers to help parents navigate the digital world by promoting programs which support positive brain development. The evidence review, published today in the peer-reviewed journal Early Education ...

Philadelphia, November 17, 2023 – Researchers have shown for the first time that hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells where it binds oxygen, is also present in the epidermis, our skin's outermost body tissue. The study, which appears in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, published by Elsevier, provides important insights into the properties of our skin's protective external layer. This research was driven by a curiosity about how the epidermis protects our delicate body from the environment and what unexpected ...

Open-shell singlet (OS) diradicals are important building blocks for functional molecular materials，with a large number of pioneering works by researchers advancing their development and applications across various fields. Despite this progress, there remains a lack of research regarding luminescent OS diradicals, hindering their potential use in optoelectronic applications. In fact, the luminescent diradicals are rare chemical species, there are only a few reports to date.   Magnetic field effects (MFE) on the luminescence, i.e., magnetoluminescence (ML) of radicals, hold great promise for developing novel exciton spin manipulation ...

A new study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Neurotrauma shows that children with persistent symptoms following mild traumatic brain injury had evidence of ongoing cerebral microstructural changes. Click here to read the article now. Athena Stein, from The University of Queensland, and coauthors, used brain MRI-based orientation dispersion index (ODI) metrics to study the microstructural damage in the brains of pediatric patients following “mild” TBI. The investigators studied children with persistent symptoms after injury and children displaying clinical recovery at 1 and 2-3 months post-TBI compared to healthy controls. Whole-brain ODI was significantly ...

Tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific (WNP) stand as formidable natural forces, wreaking havoc on Earth and posing significant challenges to disaster preparedness. As we grapple with the uncertainties of future projections for WNP tropical cyclone activities, a recent study published in Environmental Research Letters sheds light on the crucial need to enhance identification and simulation techniques in climate models. Led by Dr. Xin Huang from the Shanghai Typhoon Institute of China Meteorological Administration and Professor Tianjun Zhou from the Institute ...

In a world where digital innovation reigns supreme, Singapore's ascent to FinTech prominence is nothing short of extraordinary. With a reputation for integrity, a conducive business environment, and unwavering support for financial innovation, this small island nation has defied all odds, to emerge as The FinTech Nation. Embark on an exhilarating journey through the dynamic world of FinTech in the heart of Asia with The FinTech Nation: Excellence Unlocked in Singapore. This captivating book unveils the secrets behind Singapore's meteoric rise as a global financial powerhouse, offering an intricate tapestry of ...

Australia’s only vulture, and a fearsome extinct eagle, are among the earliest recorded birds of prey from the Pleistocene period more than 50,000 years ago – and now Flinders University researchers are bringing them to life again.    Along with new scientific information published in Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology, a bold new pictorial reconstruction of a newly named eagle and the only known Australian vulture will be unveiled at the World Heritage-listed Naracoorte Caves in South Australia’s Limestone Coast this month.   “Imagine these majestic birds competing ...

Nature photographers posting to social media are helping improve biodiversity conservation mapping in South Asia, and the method could go global. Dr Shawan Chowdhury from UQ’s School of the Environment led an international team which scoured images on Facebook nature photography groups in Bangladesh, to add to the existing Global Biodiversity Information Facility database. “We found 44,000 photos of almost 1,000 animal species, including many birds and insects, 288 of which are considered threatened in Bangladesh,” Dr Chowdhury said. “This has vastly improved ...

SINGAPORE, 17 November 2023 – Keeping blood pressure in check could save lives among Asian adults with type 2 diabetes, suggests a sizable new study of more than 80,000 patients in Singapore. But how low should it go? A new study led by Duke-NUS Medical School—published in the Journal of the American Heart Association—examined how different blood pressure levels related to risk of dying from heart disease in Asian adults with type 2 diabetes. It found that the lowest risk was at a systolic (top number) blood pressure of 120-129 mmHg. Risk sharply increased ...

November 14, 2023 –  IPM South Africa NPC, an affiliate of the Population Council, has been issued a 15-month Transition to Scale Phase 2 award from Grand Challenges Canada to support the market introduction of the dapivirine vaginal ring  (DapiRing™) for women in Southern and East Africa.   The DapiRing is a user-controlled vaginal ring that reduces the risk of HIV infection in women during vaginal sex. The ring is made of flexible silicone and can be ...

Peer reviewed - systematic review - humans Air filtration systems do not reduce the risk of picking up viral infections, according to new research from the University of East Anglia. A new study published today reveals that technologies designed to make social interactions safer in indoor spaces are not effective in the real world. The team studied technologies including air filtration, germicidal lights and ionisers. They looked at all the available evidence but found little to support hopes that these technologies can make air safe from respiratory or gastrointestinal infections. Prof Paul Hunter, from UEA’s Norwich Medical ...

Addiction is perhaps the most and least visible of public health crises in the United States. Tens of millions of Americans are addicted to illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco and other substances including opioids, with both immediate and long-term harm to not just themselves, but also family, friends and society. At the same time, many of those affected deny or hide their addictions. Most do not seek help. A 2021 national survey on drug use and health by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), ...

Disasters are growing more frequent, severe, and unpredictable, yet our nation lacks a sustainable model for preparedness. Dr. Freeman's presentation will address the advancement of science, practice, and education in the pursuit of a coordinated and scalable approach to preparedness. To be presented on Day 3 during the Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health Inc. Annual Meeting which will be held between December 4-6, in Washington, DC. END ...