Astronomers have untangled a messy collision between two massive clusters of galaxies in which the clusters' vast clouds of dark matter have decoupled from the so-called normal matter. The two clusters each contain thousands of galaxies and are located billions of light-years away from Earth. As they plowed through each other, the dark matter—an invisible substance that feels the force of gravity but emits no light—sped ahead of the normal matter. The new observations are the first to directly probe the decoupling of the dark and normal matter velocities. Galaxy ...

Lyda Hill Philanthropies has donated $290,000 to Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies for the Western Fire & Forest Resilience Collaborative. The two-year grant will help to engage a research team within the Collaborative that is focused on wildfire-related challenges and solutions in Colorado, where Lyda Hill has deep family ties. Led by Winslow Hansen at Cary Institute and launched with seed funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Western Fire & Forest Resilience Collaborative joins together multidisciplinary ...

Research Highlights: In mice with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), increasing ketone supply to the heart allowed their hearts to utilize more ketones and produce more energy. Researchers hope this study may help to improve our understanding of the complex and different root causes of HFpEF from a metabolic perspective and potentially identify targets for development of medications to treat HFpEF. Note: The study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts ...

Electron microscopes have long been indispensable tools in scientific research, offering unparalleled resolution and magnification capabilities. However, current electron microscopy technologies face significant limitations, including high cost, large size, strong radiation damage to samples through interaction with the electron beam, and the need for cryogenic temperatures. A research team from City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) is working on a new quantum electron microscope (QEM) to eliminate interaction between the electron beam and sample. At this stage, the team is using partial key components of QEM ...

ITHACA, N.Y. – A new Cornell University study provides evidence that a spillover of avian influenza from birds to dairy cattle across several U.S. states has now led to mammal-to-mammal transmission – between cows and from cows to cats and a raccoon. “This is one of the first times that we are seeing evidence of efficient and sustained mammalian-to-mammalian transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1,” said Diego Diel, associate professor of virology and director of the Virology Laboratory at the Animal Health Diagnostic ...

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. Recent developments at MD Anderson include low-dose radiation for B-cell lymphoma, a target for overcoming treatment resistance in pancreatic cancer, decreased public trust in U.S. health agencies providing cancer information, ...

Less than a decade ago, when Dr. Hansruedi Mathys launched an ambitious project to create an annotated library of all the gene readouts stored within 100 individual brain cells, the task felt daunting. Now, with technological advances, Mathys successfully mapped out such ‘transcriptomes’ from not just 100, but from 1.3 million brain cortex cells from 48 individuals with and without Alzheimer’s disease. Mathys, who pioneered single-cell transcriptomic analysis on post-mortem human brain tissue during his postdoctoral training and is now an assistant professor of neurobiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, says that the resulting ...

Tree bark surfaces play an important role in removing methane gas from the atmosphere, according to a study published today (24 July) in Nature.  While trees have long been known to benefit climate by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, this new research reveals a surprising additional climate benefit. Microbes hidden within tree bark can absorb methane – a powerful greenhouse gas – from the atmosphere.   An international team of researchers led by the University of Birmingham has shown for ...

“We were excited when we realised we had imaged this new planet”, said Elisabeth Matthews, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany. She is the main author of the underlying research article published in the journal Nature. “To our surprise, the bright spot that appeared in our MIRI images did not match the position we were expecting for the planet”, Matthews points out. “Previous studies had correctly identified a planet in this system but underestimated this super-Jupiter gas giant’s ...

A new study published in JAMA Psychiatry uncovers significant associations between social vulnerability — a measurement that aggregates social determinants of health like socioeconomic status, housing type, education and insurance coverage — and the prevalence and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders in the United States. The results have the potential to reshape public health policies to better serve systemically disadvantaged populations. Powerful analysis of meaningful data “We're continually learning that so much of healthcare — both mental health and physical health — is impacted by the environment ...

About The Study: In this cohort study of U.S. adult trauma patients who were critically injured, patients who were uninsured underwent earlier withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy compared with those with private or Medicaid insurance. Based on the findings of this study, a patient’s ability to pay was likely associated with a shift in decision-making for withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy, suggesting the influence of socioeconomics on patient outcomes.   Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Graeme Hoit, M.D., email graeme.hoit@mail.utoronto.ca. To ...

About The Study: The findings of this study suggest that physicians were more likely to experience posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Targeted interventions to support physician well-being during traumatic events like pandemics are required. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Manish M. Sood, M.D., email Msood@toh.on.ca. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.23316) Editor’s ...

About The Study: Increased isolation was associated with elevated risks of mortality, disability, and dementia, irrespective of baseline isolation status in this cohort study. These results underscore the importance of interventions targeting the prevention of increased isolation among older adults to mitigate its adverse effects on mortality, as well as physical and cognitive function decline.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Judy Zhong, Ph.D., email judy.zhong@nyumc.org. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at ...

Cell membranes play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and functionality of cells. However, the mechanisms by which they perform these roles are not yet fully understood. Scientists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration with the Institut de biologie structurale de Grenoble (IBS) and the University of Fribourg (UNIFR), have used cryo-electron microscopy to observe how lipids and proteins at the plasma membrane interact and react to mechanical stress. This work shows that, depending on conditions, small membrane regions can stabilize ...

In brief: ETH Zurich researchers have discovered proteins on the surface of colorectal cancer cells and liver cells that bind together and that play a major role in the formation of new metastases. The binding of the proteins triggers fundamental changes in colorectal cancer cells that allow them to take root in the liver. These new findings will help to develop future treatments that may hinder the formation of often fatal metastases. In cases where cancer is fatal, nine out of ten times the culprit is metastasis. This is when the primary tumour has sent out cells, like seeds, and invaded other organs of the body. While medicine has made great progress in treating primary tumours, ...

CHAPEL HILL, NC – The placebo effect is very real. This we’ve known for decades, as seen in real-life observations and the best double-blinded randomized clinical trials researchers have devised for many diseases and conditions, especially pain. And yet, how and why the placebo effect occurs has remained a mystery. Now, neuroscientists have discovered a key piece of the placebo effect puzzle. Publishing in Nature, researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine– with colleagues from Stanford, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and ...

Scientists have uncovered that ‘gene misbehaviour’ – where genes are active when they were expected to be switched off – is a surprisingly common phenomenon in the healthy human population. The team also identify several mechanisms behind these gene activity errors. This may help inform precision medicine approaches and enable the development of targeted therapies to correct expression. Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the University of Cambridge and AstraZeneca studied the activity of inactive genes in a large, healthy population for the first time. While rare at the individual gene level, they revealed misexpression ...

Today, Arc Institute, the scientific research organization pioneering new models for scientific discovery and translation, is announcing the creation of its Scientific Advisory Board and its first two Scientific Advisors, as well as the appointment of two new members to the Arc Board of Directors. New Scientific Advisory Board Dr. Carolyn Bertozzi, Ph.D., and Dr. Aviv Regev, Ph.D., join as the first two members of Arc’s Scientific Advisory Board and will provide strategic guidance, share their ...

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA [July 24, 2024] — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®)—an alliance of leading cancer centers—commemorates the 25th anniversary of the NCCN Oncology Research Program (ORP). The NCCN ORP is dedicated to seeking innovative, effective, and equitable cancer care through oversight and funding for cancer research and quality improvement projects. Over the past quarter-century, the NCCN ORP has managed a diverse portfolio of more than 180 research studies and quality improvement projects to improve quality and outcomes for people with cancer. The NCCN ORP has also provided project oversight to 75 NCCN Foundation® Young Investigator Award ...

Methanol is a crucial chemical feedstock and a potential green fuel, particularly for the shipping industry. Currently, its production predominantly relies on fossil feedstocks, leading to high greenhouse gas emissions. With the global push towards decarbonization, there is an urgent need to explore cleaner alternatives like renewable e-methanol. Based on these challenges, there is a need for in-depth research to develop sustainable methanol production methods.   A team of researchers from Tsinghua ...

Barium strontium aluminum silicate (BaxSr1−xAl2Si2O8, BSAS) ceramics possess both phase stability and resistance to water vapor corrosion, making them ideal materials for radome technology and electronic packaging. To address the low tolerance of BSAS ceramics to damage and defects, the introduction of nano-reinforcements is an effective approach to enhance their strength and toughness. SiC nanowires (SiCnws) exhibit high strength and hardness inherited from SiC ceramics, along with the excellent toughness and elasticity ...

Highway construction often faces challenges in ensuring long-term subgrade performance due to traditional compaction quality control (QC) methods that rely on manual adjustments and sporadic testing. These methods are susceptible to human error, inefficiency, and incomplete assessments. Addressing these issues requires advanced, real-time monitoring systems. Such systems can provide comprehensive and accurate QC, highlighting the need for innovative technologies to improve highway construction standards. Researchers from the University of Science and Technology Beijing, alongside partners from Hunan and China Renewable Energy Engineering ...

Biological treatment methods such as anaerobic digestion, composting, and insect farming are essential for managing organic waste, converting it into valuable resources like biogas and organic fertilizers. However, these processes often face challenges due to their inherent complexity and instability, which can affect efficiency and product quality. Traditional control strategies have limited success in addressing these issues. Therefore, advanced methods like machine learning (ML) are being explored to enhance prediction, optimization, and monitoring of these biological treatments, aiming to improve overall performance and sustainability. A research team from Tongji University ...

Relays are extensively utilized in accelerators, satellites, rockets, and various advanced technology sectors. They play crucial roles in signal transmission, long-distance control implementation, and protection circuits, directly impacting the safety of aerospace and defense equipment systems. The selection of electrical contact material in a relay is crucial for its performance. Arc discharge, characterized by high temperature, heat, and energy, is a common occurrence during operation. Consequently, the arc erodes the electric contact material, ...

Acetic acid, also known as acetate, and other products that can be developed from acetic acid are used in a variety of industries, from food production to medicine to agriculture. Currently, acetate production uses a significant amount of energy and results in harmful waste products. The efficient and sustainable production of acetate is an important target for researchers interested in improving industrial sustainability. A paper published in Carbon Future on July 9 outlines a method using a polyaniline catalyst with cobalt oxide nanoparticles to produce acetate through carbon dioxide electroreduction. “The polyaniline catalyst with cobalt ...