Alexandria, VA – A symposium exploring the significance, interactions, and evolutionary mechanisms of salivary mucins was featured at the 52nd Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the AADOCR, held in conjunction with the 47th Annual Meeting of the CADR. The AADOCR/CADR Annual Meeting & Exhibition took place at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland on March 15-18, 2023. Mucin proteins in saliva are responsible for the unique physicochemical properties of saliva that include lubrication, viscosity, and barrier function. A dense array of O-glycans attached to the mucin protein backbone provide mucins with their typical functions.  Recently, ...

A study in the Journal of The National Cancer Institute Cancer Spectrum looked at chatbots and artificial intelligence (AI), as they become popular resources for cancer information. They found these resources give accurate information when asked about common cancer myths and misconceptions. In the first study of its kind, Skyler Johnson, MD, physician-scientist at Huntsman Cancer Institute and assistant professor in the department of radiation oncology at the University of Utah (the U), evaluated the reliability and accuracy of ChatGPT’s ...

University of Utah Health scientists have corrected abnormal heart rhythms in mice by restoring healthy levels of a protein that heart cells need to establish connections with one another. That protein, GJA1-20k, is underproduced in people with a genetic condition called arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, one of the leading causes of sudden cardiac arrest in athletes under the age of 35. The finding, reported in the journal Circulation Research, suggests a new strategy for treating the abnormal heart rhythms caused by arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. The results may also have implications for treating dangerous arrhythmias associated with more common ...

Recently incarcerated people with opioid use disorder have trust in working with peer support specialists who recovered from addiction and faced similar life experiences, according to a Rutgers study.   The study, published in the journal Psychiatric Services, found that peer support specialists were most valued for providing emotional and community-based addiction recovery support as well as housing and employment information — crucial when going back into the community.   More than ...

House hunting on Mars could soon become a thing, and researchers at the University of Arizona are already in the business of scouting real estate that future astronauts could use as habitats. Researchers in the UArizona College of Engineering have developed technology that would allow a flock of robots to explore subsurface environments on other worlds. "Lava tubes and caves would make perfect habitats for astronauts because you don't have to build a structure; you are shielded from harmful cosmic radiation, so all you need to do is ...

A detailed "body scan" of Malaspina Glacier, one of Alaska's most iconic glaciers, revealed that its bulk lies below sea level and is undercut by channels that may allow ocean water to gain access, should its coastal barrier erode. This makes the glacier more vulnerable to seawater intrusion than previously thought and may cause it to retreat faster than predicted.  The findings, published by University of Arizona researchers in the Journal of Geophysical Research, underscore ...

As one of the major blue carbon ecosystems, mangroves provide critical ecosystem services in mitigating global climate change. However, the future complex and variable climate conditions may lead to the uncertainty in trajectories of blue carbon capacity. Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations (eCO2) is projected to become a prominent driver to mangrove blue carbon in the future. A group of scientists working on blue carbon reviewed studies on “changes in mangrove blue carbon under elevated atmospheric CO2” to identify the pathways for how eCO2 might influence mangrove ecosystem carbon cycling. The research is published as a review article in Ecosystem health and sustainability, ...

Alexandria, VA – A study examining the mental health-oral health association cross-sectionally and longitudinally was presented at the 52nd Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the AADOCR, held in conjunction with the 47th Annual Meeting of the CADR. The AADOCR/CADR Annual Meeting & Exhibition took place at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland on March 15-18, 2023. The study, led by Alex Kalaigian of the University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry, acquired self-reported data from the Population ...

Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have found that gold nanoparticles supported on a zirconium oxide surface help turn waste materials like biomass and polyester into organosilane compounds, valuable chemicals used in a wide range of applications. The new protocol leverages the cooperation between gold nanoparticles and the amphoteric (both acid and base) nature of the zirconium oxide support. The result is a reaction that requires less demanding conditions, a greener method for upcycling waste.   Recycling is a big part of humanity’s solution to the global issue of plastic waste. Much ...

The Center for Bioenergy Innovation has been renewed by the Department of Energy as one of four bioenergy research centers across the nation to advance robust, economical production of plant-based fuels and chemicals. CBI, led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is focused on the development of nonfood biomass crops and specialty processes for the production of sustainable jet fuel to help decarbonize the aviation sector. The DOE announcement provides $590 million to the centers over the next five years. Initial funding for the four ...

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has committed another round of funding to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to lead the second phase of its Bioenergy Research Center — one of four large-scale DOE-funded research centers focused on innovation in biofuels, bioproducts, and a clean energy future for the country. Earlier today the DOE announced a five-year extension of funding for the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI), to a total of $237.9 million for the period from 2017 to 2027. CABBI ...

Alexandria, VA – A study aiming to identify biomarker species associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) was presented at the 52nd Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the AADOCR, held in conjunction with the 47th Annual Meeting of the CADR. The AADOCR/CADR Annual Meeting & Exhibition took place at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland on March 15-18, 2023. The study, led by Tanveer Vasdev of the University of Iowa, analyzed 208 saliva and subgingival samples from periodontally, healthy, frequency-matched patients belonging to adult and pediatric obesity and MetS. Bacterial ...

“This shows that SA-EXOs can serve as potent SASP mediators that activate invasive characteristics in neighboring cells.” BUFFALO, NY- March 17, 2023 – A new research paper was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 15, Issue 5, entitled, “Senescence-associated exosomes transfer miRNA-induced fibrosis to neighboring cells.” Radiation-induced fibrosis is a common side effect of radiotherapy, which is the most common ...

Balendra Sutharshan has been named chief operating officer for Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He will begin serving as ORNL’s deputy for operations and as executive vice president, operations, for UT-Battelle LLC effective April 1. He will succeed Alan Icenhour, who is retiring this spring after serving in the role since 2021. UT-Battelle operates ORNL for the Department of Energy. Sutharshan joined ORNL in February 2021 as the associate laboratory director for the Isotope Science and Engineering Directorate. Under his leadership, ISED has achieved remarkable growth in isotope research and development, as well as production ...

In space travel, custom parts for vehicles such as rockets and satellites are often needed quickly to accommodate changes in design, as well as for repair and functionality purposes. Additive manufacturing is an ideal technology to meet these needs, as components can be made through a relatively short cycle of design, build, and test. However, this cycle must be continually refined in order to ensure the quality and reliability of the 3D printed parts. A new NASA Space Technology Research Institute (STRI) led by Carnegie Mellon University seeks to shorten the cycle required to design, manufacture, and test parts that can withstand ...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $590 million to renew its four existing Bioenergy Research Centers (BRCs). This funding will help support the Department’s research into the next generation of sustainable, cost-effective bioproducts and bioenergy from domestic biomass resources, which is critical to reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring future energy security, and creating new economic opportunities in rural areas. Since their inception, the BRCs have made groundbreaking scientific contributions to and advancements ...

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The University of Queensland-Ochsner Health (UQ-Ochsner) Doctor of Medicine (MD) program and Ochsner Graduate Medical Education on March 17 celebrated Match Day 2023 – a rite of passage in which applicants from around the globe learn who has been selected for which U.S. residency program to start the next chapter of medical training. This year, 78 medical graduates from UQ-Ochsner’s Class of 2022 entered the match and received a 96% match rate through the National Residency Match Program (NRMP) – one that exceeded the national match rate for U.S. medical schools. Leonardo ...

Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder and exacts a significant toll on an individual’s mental and physical health, quality of life and productivity. But the consequences of insomnia go well beyond the individual, with cascading effects on families, employers and global economies.  Amid growing evidence that the condition is increasing globally, new research from RAND Europe, funded by Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Switzerland and published on World Sleep Day 2023, reveals the societal ...

RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- Until recently, psychologist Kalina Michalska had never used community-based participatory research, or CBPR, in her work, but now she can’t imagine not using it. CBPR, which dates to the early 1930s, is an intensive research approach that involves partnerships between researchers and community members throughout the research process, giving communities a voice in how the research proceeds and allowing them to make use of the findings more effectually. The study led by Michalska, an ...

New Haven, Conn. — The microbes that inhabit the gut are critical for human health, and understanding the factors that encourage the growth of beneficial bacterial species — known as “good” bacteria — in the gut may enable medical interventions that promote gut and overall human health. In a new study, Yale researchers have uncovered a novel mechanism by which these bacteria colonize the gut. Specifically, the Yale team discovered that one of the most abundant beneficial species found in the human gut showed an increase in colonization potential when experiencing carbon limitation — a finding that could yield novel clinical ...

The International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) will hold its 2023 Annual Meeting – the organization’s 22nd – from Wednesday, May 3 through Saturday, May 6, 2023, bringing together a global, multidisciplinary group of hundreds of autism researchers, clinicians, advocates, self-advocates, and students to exchange the latest scientific learnings and discoveries that are advancing the expanding understanding of autism and its complexities. This year’s meeting will be held in-person in Stockholm, Sweden at Stockholmsmässan, the largest exhibition facility in the Nordic region. The INSAR ...

The Tibetan Plateau, the highest and largest plateau above sea level, is one of the harshest environments settled by humans. It has a cold and arid environment and its elevation often surpasses 4000 meters above sea level (masl). The plateau covers a wide expanse of Asia—approximately 2.5 million square kilometers—and is home to over 7 million people, primarily belonging to the Tibetan and Sherpa ethnic groups. However, our understanding of their origins and history on the plateau is patchy. Despite a rich archaeological context spanning the plateau, ...

DURHAM, N.C. – A key feature of the severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis is an abrupt drop in blood pressure and body temperature, causing people to faint and, if untreated, potentially die.   That response has long been attributed to a sudden dilation and leakage of blood vessels. But in a study using mice, Duke Health researchers have found that this response, especially body temperature drop, requires an additional mechanism – the nervous system.   Appearing online March 17 in the journal Science Immunology, the study could ...

Everyone is familiar with glass—from putting on eyeglasses, pushing open the window, standing in front of a mirror, to holding a water glass. Glass is ubiquitous in nature and essential to human life. But the widespread use of persistent, non-biodegradable glass that cannot be naturally eliminated causes long-term environmental hazards and social burdens. To solve this problem, a research group led by Prof. YAN Xuehai from the Institute of Process Engineering (IPE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a family of eco-friendly glass of biological origin fabricated from biologically derived amino acids or peptides. The ...

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., March 17, 2023 — Research using a quantum computer as the physical platform for quantum experiments has found a way to design and characterize  tailor-made magnetic objects using quantum bits, or qubits. That opens up a new approach to develop new materials and robust quantum computing. “With the help of a quantum annealer, we demonstrated a new way to pattern magnetic states,” said Alejandro Lopez-Bezanilla, a virtual experimentalist in the Theoretical Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory. ...