A groundbreaking study, published today in Science, has provided new insights into the extensive impact of metal mining contamination on rivers and floodplains across the world, with an estimated 23 million people believed to be affected by potentially dangerous concentrations of toxic waste. Led by Professors Mark Macklin and Chris Thomas, Directors of the Lincoln Centre for Water and Planetary Health at the University of Lincoln, UK – working with Dr Amogh Mudbhatkal from the University’s Department of Geography – the study offers a comprehensive understanding of the environmental and health challenges associated with metal mining activities. Using ...

When the spinal cords of mice and humans are partially damaged, the initial paralysis is followed by the extensive, spontaneous recovery of motor function. However, after a complete spinal cord injury, this natural repair of the spinal cord doesn’t occur and there is no recovery. Meaningful recovery after severe injuries requires strategies that promote the regeneration of nerve fibers, but the requisite conditions for these strategies to successfully restore motor function have remained elusive. “Five years ago, we demonstrated that nerve fibers can be regenerated across anatomically complete spinal cord ...

In order to keep track of their environment, cells use cilia, antenna-like structures that can sense a variety of stimuli, including the flow of fluids outside the cell. Genetic defects that cause cilia to malfunction and lose their sensory abilities can result in disorders known as “ciliopathies”, including polycystic kidney diseases; but they can also disrupt the correct asymmetric positioning of internal organs during embryonic development – what is known as “organ laterality”. An example of such asymmetry is the heart, which is typically ...

New discovery allows scientists to change the shape of azobenzene molecules using visible light, which is more practical and safe than previously used ultraviolet light. Azobenzenes are incredibly versatile and have many potential uses, such as in making tiny machines and improving technology as well as making light controllable drugs. This molecule can switch between two different forms by light. However, the two forms are in equilibrium, which means that a mixture present that prevents optimal use for applications. Being able to control them with visible light and enrich only one form opens up new possibilities for these applications, making them more efficient ...

In a new study in mice, a team of researchers from UCLA, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and Harvard University have uncovered a crucial component for restoring functional activity after spinal cord injury. The neuroscientists have shown that re-growing specific neurons back to their natural target regions led to recovery, while random regrowth was not effective. In a 2018 study published in Nature, the team identified a treatment approach that triggers axons — the tiny fibers that link nerve cells and enable them to communicate — to regrow after spinal cord injury ...

Imagine if humans could ‘talk’ to plants and warn them of approaching pest attacks or extreme weather. A team of plant scientists at the Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (SLCU) would like to turn this science fiction into reality using light-based messaging to ‘talk’ to plants. Early lab experiments with tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana) have demonstrated that they can activate the plant's natural defence mechanism (immune response) using light as a stimulus (messenger). Light serves as a universal means of daily human communication, for example the signalling at traffic lights, pedestrian ...

Three independent state-of-the-art datasets reveal that the West Side has more nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution than the rest of the city Depending on the month, residents in this area experience 16 to 32% higher NO2 concentrations on average By identifying hotspots, residents and policymakers can be confident about where to prioritize immediate interventions   EVANSTON, Ill. — The western edge of Chicago — including the North and South Lawndale, East Garfield Park, Archer Heights and Brighton Park neighborhoods — experiences up to 32% higher concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) air pollution compared to the rest of the city, ...

ROCKVILLE, MD – The Biophysical Society is proud to announce its 2024 Society Fellows. This award honors the Society’s distinguished members who have demonstrated excellence in science and contributed to the expansion of the field of biophysics. The Fellows will be honored at the Biophysical Society’s 68th Annual Meeting, being held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from February 10-14, 2024. The 2024 Fellows are: Rommie E. Amaro, University of California, San Diego, USA, is named a Biophysical Society Fellow for her work on developing methods to enable the simulation of biological molecules in situ and ...

WASHINGTON — Researchers have developed a wearable optical device for early detection of hemorrhage during labor or after childbirth. This serious heavy bleeding can be hard to detect before it becomes an emergency and accounts for almost 30% of maternal deaths globally and just over 10% of maternal deaths in the United States. Studies have shown that early diagnosis and treatment for postpartum hemorrhage is the best way to prevent deaths. The new device is designed to be worn on the wrist, where it uses laser speckle imaging to continuously ...

PORTLAND, Oregon -- The United States’ most distinguished biomedical research award is being given to Oregon Health & Science University physician-scientist David Huang, M.D., Ph.D., for co-inventing an imaging technology that routinely helps prevent blindness and is increasingly used to diagnose and treat conditions of the heart, brain, skin and more. Huang is receiving the 2023 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award as a co-inventor of optical coherence tomography, or OCT, the Albert and ...

Violence was a consistent part of life among ancient communities of hunter-gatherers, according to a new study co-authored by a Tulane University researcher that looked for signs of trauma on 10,000-year-old skeletal remains from burial sites in northern Chile. The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE. Archaeological research has shown that interpersonal violence and warfare played an important role in the lives of hunter-gatherer groups over time. Still, many questions remain about the factors that influence such violence. The record of human populations in northern Chile extends across 10,000 years, providing a valuable opportunity to study patterns in violence over time. John ...

Children are taught to leave wild mushrooms alone because of their potential to be poisonous. But trees on the other hand depend on fungi for their well-being. Look no further than ectomycorrhizal fungi, which are organisms that colonize the roots of many tree species where the boreal ecosystem (zone encompassing Earth’s northernmost forests) and the temperate ecosystem (zone between the tropical and boreal regions) meet. This area features a mix of boreal trees including needle-leaved evergreens and temperate tree species including maple and oak. Just like a healthy human relationship, trees and fungi work well together because they help one another. When the ectomycorrhizal ...

HOUSTON – (Sept. 21, 2023) – To make a gene-editing tool more precise and easier to control, Rice University engineers split it into two pieces that only come back together when a third small molecule is added. Researchers in the lab of chemical and biomolecular engineer Xue Sherry Gao created a CRISPR-based gene editor designed to target adenine ⎯ one of the four main DNA building blocks ⎯  that remains inactive when disassembled but kicks into gear once the binding molecule is added. Compared to the intact original, the split editor is more precise and stays active for a narrower window of time, ...

It sounds like magic: photoelectrodes could convert the greenhouse gas CO2 back into methanol or N2 molecules into valuable fertiliser - using only the energy of sunlight. An HZB study has now shown that diamond materials are in principle suitable for such photoelectrodes. By combining X-ray spectroscopic techniques at BESSY II with other measurement methods, Tristan Petit's team has succeeded for the first time in precisely tracking which processes are excited by light as well as the crucial role of the surface of the diamond materials. At first glance, lab-grown diamond materials ...

Under normal circumstances, tau protein is part of the brain’s infrastructure, important for stabilizing neurons into their proper shapes. But sometimes tau gets knotted up into tangles and turns toxic, injuring brain tissue and causing tauopathies, a group of brain diseases characterized by problems with learning, memory and movement. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common tauopathy, but the group also includes Parkinson’s disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and several rare genetic conditions. In search of ways to prevent these destructive ...

A study has revealed new details about a key population of immune system cells critical to successful vaccination against the pandemic virus, SARS-CoV-2. Led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and New York Genome Center, the current study focused on T cells, which along with B cells, compose the human immune system’s response to invading viruses and bacteria. A subset of T cells, labeled with the surface protein CD8, produce molecules that directly kill infected cells. B cells produce antibody proteins that neutralize and label infected cells for removal from the body. Without risking ...

Psychological loss can occur when someone loses a job, loses a sense of control or safety or when a spouse dies. Such loss, which erodes well-being and negatively impacts quality of life, may be a common experience but little is known about the molecular process in the brain that occurs because of loss. New research from the University of Cincinnati explores those mechanisms through a process known as enrichment removal (ER). The study highlights an area of the brain that plays a key role in psychological loss and identifies new molecular targets that may alleviate its impact. The research was published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. The research was led by Marissa Smail, a ...

Digital Science, a technology company serving stakeholders across the research ecosystem, is pleased to announce that Cardiff University has chosen Figshare from Digital Science’s flagship products to enhance its researcher support services, as it continues its work as a leading research institution. Cardiff University – already excelling in the production of high-quality, innovative research that translates into benefits for the city, Wales and worldwide – has signed a two-year deal to utilize Figshare as its data repository and to form an integral ...

HOUSTON ― The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention. These advances are made possible through seamless collaboration between MD Anderson’s world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back. Understanding the role of exceptional research as a driving force behind progress in its mission to end cancer, MD Anderson is proud to support World Cancer Research Day, Sept. 24, which calls for global efforts to promote cancer ...

About The Study: In this study that included data from Kaiser Permanente Southern California of individuals age 19 and younger, the incidence of type 1 diabetes slightly increased overall and type 2 diabetes significantly increased after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic youth. These findings suggest the need for further evaluation of physiologic and behavioral risk factors preceding new-onset diabetes during the pandemic.  Authors: Matthew T. Mefford, Ph.D., of Kaiser Permanente Southern ...

About The Study: This analysis of assessments of 2,708 emergency medicine residents found evidence of sex-specific ethnoracial disparities in ratings on the Milestones assessments. These disparities increased over time across multiple Milestones assessments and were most severe for female residents of ethnoracial groups that are underrepresented in medicine.  Authors: Elle Lett, Ph.D., M.A., M.Biostat., of the University of Washington School of Public Health in Seattle, is the corresponding author.  To ...

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) was discovered decades ago in Drosophila, where it was found to be a key controller of developmental genes. Further analyses showed that PRC2 modifies chromatin and silences target gene expression. However, the ancestral function of PRC2 - as functioning primarily to control genes during development - was called into question when researchers discovered that PRC2 also plays a role in unicellular species, in which no development takes place. A first hint at PRC2’s original role came from studies in red algae, which found PRC2 left its methylation mark on transposons – jumping genes that ...

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of materials that contain nano-sized pores. These pores give MOFs record-breaking internal surface areas, which make them extremely versatile for a number of applications: separating petrochemicals and gases, mimicking DNA, producing hydrogen, and removing heavy metals, fluoride anions, and even gold from water are just a few examples. In the gas-separation domain, MOFs are particularly interesting for separating hydrogen from nitrogen, which is crucial for clean energy production, fuel cell efficiency, ammonia synthesis, and various ...

The team, led by Imperial College London researchers, uncovered the wiring in mouse brains that leads them to begin nesting in preparation for sleep. Published today in Nature Neuroscience, the study reveals that preparing properly for sleep is likely a hard-wired survival feature – one often neglected or overridden by humans. We all need to sleep, but since we are unconscious when we do so, it makes sense to fall asleep in a safe and warm place. For some animals this is especially important, as a burrow or nest provides a haven from ...

Tumor vaccines can help the body fight cancer. These vaccines alert the patient's immune system to proteins that are carrying cancer-typical alterations. Physicians and cancer researchers from Heidelberg and Mannheim have now treated adult patients with advanced midline gliomas, difficult-to-treat brain tumors, with a peptide vaccine for the first time. The vaccine mimicked a mutational change in a histone protein typical of this type of cancer. The vaccine proved to be safe and induced the desired immune responses directed ...