A multitude of new genomic sequence data fills major gaps in the fruit fly tree of life, Bernard Kim from Stanford University, US, and colleagues report in the open-access journal PLOS Biology, publishing July 18th. Fruit flies are classic model organisms in biological research and were among the first species to have their whole genome sequenced. With over 4,400 species, the diversity of the fruit fly family could offer insights into evolutionary patterns and processes. But only a fraction of these species ...

A large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) using data from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Million Veterans Program (MVP) – one of the largest US-based biobanks – fills crucial gaps in our knowledge of the relationships between genes, traits, and disease across diverse populations, according to a new study. The findings underscore the importance of diversity in genetic studies and the need for expanding representation in future GWAS investigations. GWAS studies have provided foundational knowledge about the genetic basis of disease ...

When at the edges of their geographic ranges, fruit-eating birds favor foods that more closely match their beak size, researchers report, suggesting that foraging niches (the diversity of food resources a species uses) become more specialized toward the periphery of a species range. The findings may help explain geographic variation in species’ fitness and are important for accurately predicting species’ responses to continued environmental change, which is forcing many populations to live near or outside their historic range limits. Animals feed on a subset of available resources within their environment. Optical ...

In a Perspective, Daniel Drucker highlights the growing body of evidence that hints at the potential of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-based medications in treating conditions other than diabetes and obesity, including cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disorders. GLP-1 is a hormone released from the gut after eating that enhances glucose-dependent insulin secretion. Pharmacological GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) activation reduces glucagon secretion and slows gastric emptying, making it an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes. Later studies found that GLP-1 administration also inhibited food intake through ...

Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) have become the cornerstone of malaria treatment and control. However, the recent emergence and spread of artemisinin-resistance (ART-R) in malaria-causing Plasmodium falciparum parasites in eastern Africa has compromised the efficacy of these crucial treatments. In a Policy Forum, Mehul Dhorda and colleagues argue that urgent action is needed to prevent a surge in malaria-related sickness and death in the region. “Success in containing ART-R in the Greater Mekong Subregion in Asia, where ART-R was first reported in 2008, suggests that a multipronged approach is needed ...

Physical exercise is associated with fewer depression symptoms in people with osteoarthritis, even - and especially - in those who experience the most pain, per Australian study. #### Article URL: https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0003129 Article Title: Physical activity and depression symptoms in people with osteoarthritis-related pain: A cross-sectional study Author Countries: Australia, Canada Funding: This work was supported by the Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund (IL., AP., MM., VA., RL, MW.). ...

Unlocking the power of nanopores Poking holes through membranes with atomic accuracy to build pocket-sized ‘molecule detectives’ Brussels/Washington 19/07/2024 - Transmembrane β-barrel pores (TMBs) are extensively used for single-molecule DNA and RNA sequencing. They enable the miniaturization of a wide array of sensing and sequencing applications into portable USB-size devices and point-of-care technologies. A team of Belgian and American researchers has now described a general approach to design TMB pores from scratch with custom shapes and properties, opening up new opportunities for single-molecule analytics. Their results were published ...

PHILADELPHIA— The majority of genetic studies focus on people of European descent, which limits the understanding of how genes influence health in other populations. Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, have partnered with a team of researchers at the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Energy Oak Ridge and Argonne National Laboratories to conduct large-scale studies with diverse groups to better ...

Persistently unhealthy sleep, either not enough or too much, is associated with a significantly increased risk of Type 2 diabetes in a racially and economically diverse adult population, an international team of researchers has reported.   While previous research has linked suboptimal sleep durations to increased diabetes risk, the current report, published in the journal Diabetologia, extended these findings to a large cohort of primarily low-income, middle- to older-age Black and white adults in the southeastern United States.   “Our study contributes new information to support the importance of sleep health in midlife, particularly maintaining ...

NEW ORLEANS, La. –  For the second consecutive year, Ochsner Health, the leading nonprofit healthcare provider in the Gulf South, has been named one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for 2024 by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group. Ochsner’s inclusion on this year’s list highlights the health system’s dedication to delivering excellence in inclusivity, employee empowerment and innovative culture. Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group recognize the America’s Greatest Workplaces in the United States by conducting a large-scale employer ...

Temperature extremes, becoming increasingly frequent due to growing global climate change, are associated with higher rates of missed primary care appointments, according to a recently published study from Drexel University researchers in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The researchers found that rates of missed appointments increased by 0.72% for every 1°F decrease in daily maximum temperatures below 39°F and increased by 0.64% for every 1°F increase above 89°F. Patients 65 and older and those with ...

Oil drops from underwater oil spills can break into tinier droplets at the surface that remain suspended in the water, according to research from the University of Illinois Chicago. That means cleanups after disasters like the Deepwater Horizon spill may be removing less oil from the environment than was thought. Because oil is lighter than water, it rises through the ocean after spills, which are usually caused by leaking underwater pipelines or sometimes by natural processes. It was believed that when these ...

Scimitar syndrome, a rare congenital heart disease, involves an anomalous pulmonary venous return where the right pulmonary veins return to the inferior vena cava instead of the left atrium. It is mainly diagnosed in infants, with an estimated prevalence of 1–3 per 100,000 births. Delayed treatment can lead to pulmonary hypertension, right heart failure, respiratory failure, heart arrhythmia, and growth disorders. This syndrome is characterized by anomalous pulmonary venous drainage to the inferior vena cava, and the usual surgical repair involves re-implanting the right pulmonary veins (scimitar vein) to the left atrium or creating an intra-atrial tunnel to ...

The Association for Computing Machinery’s US Technology Policy Committee (USTPC) has released a Statement in Support of Mandatory Comprehensive Digital Accessibility Regulations. The US Department of Justice recently updated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability, with requirements for the accessibility of web content and mobile applications. The aim of the revision to the ADA is to ensure that services, programs and activities provided by state and local governments online ...

Philadelphia, July 18, 2024 – Accumulating evidence on the effect of the time of eating in relation to our circadian rhythm and metabolism shows that when we eat may influence our overall health and well-being. A special issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (JAND) on chrononutrition, published by Elsevier, examines the effects of various fasting regimens and covers safety considerations and practical guidance. The field of chrononutrition is gaining traction as it explores the relationship between temporal eating patterns, circadian rhythms, and metabolism for optimal health. Guest Editor Krista Varady, PhD, Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, ...

NORMAN, OKLA. – University of Oklahoma professor Chenghao Wang has received three years of funding through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Early Career Investigator Program in Earth Science. Wang, an assistant professor in both the OU School of Meteorology and the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, will study compound heat and ozone pollution episodes in urban environments. Heat waves and air pollution are two increasingly occurring challenges that disproportionately impact urban areas. When multiple stressor events happen simultaneously, these compound events can have more significant impacts than isolated events. ...

In an editorial for the scientific journal Eurosurveillance, the incoming ECDC Director Dr Pamela Rendi Wagner outlined her vision for the European Union’s public health agency, highlighting the mounting challenges to public health after the COVID-19 pandemic, including war in Europe, climate change, and increasing social inequalities. She also emphasised the importance of reinforcing and restoring public trust in science. Current challenges in public health  “War, flooding and the effects of ...

In China, Property Rights Take Wrong Turn Protecting them fueled an economic boom; eroding them risks long-term damage AUSTIN, Texas — China’s economy, long an engine of world growth, has been sputtering lately. During the second quarter of 2024, it grew at an annual rate of 4.7% — down from an average 7% a year during the past decade. For the next two years, the International Monetary Fund forecasts more of the same. Analysts have blamed China’s slowdown on short-term factors, such as debt-ridden real estate and a delayed recovery from the COVID-19 ...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As the number of major utility-scale ground solar panel installations grows, concerns about their impacts on natural hydrologic processes also have grown. However, a new study by Penn State researchers suggests that excess runoff or increased erosion can be easily mitigated — if these “solar farms” are properly built. Solar panels are impervious to water, and vast arrays of them, it was feared, could increase the volume and velocity of stormwater runoff similar ...

Researchers from Drexel’s College of Medicine have identified new drugs that show early success in shrinking breast cancer tumors that have metastasized in the brain. The discovery marks the first time that targeting a key metabolic enzyme in cancer cells in the brain has shrunk tumors in a mouse model. The findings, which could develop into more effective therapies for breast cancer brain metastases, were recently published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology. Brain tumor growth depends on converting an energy source for the brain known as acetate, to acetyl-CoA — a molecule involved in biochemical reactions in carbohydrates, ...

While poring over nearly century-old photos documenting the University of Cincinnati’s historic excavation at Troy, archivist Jeff Kramer was struck by just how many people worked behind the scenes for years to contribute to its success. The archivist and research associate in UC’s Department of Classics created a digital archive of pictures and documents from UC archaeologist Carl Blegen’s influential 1930s project that identified nine periods of reconstruction and evidence of a great battle and fiery devastation that some historians said was suggestive of the ransacking of Troy. But ...

Electronics have evolved over the years to supersede simply enhancing day-to-day life to becoming almost seamlessly integrated with daily life. People have become accustomed to wearable electronics, but what about stretchable ones? There is a growing demand for this type of technology, but the current methods are not easily scalable for mass production to make these devices available to the public. However, mass development may be possible using the roll-to-roll (R2R) process, which prints various layers on a flexible rolled substrate, cutting out the manual nature of the process. By rolling this type of electronic out into the market, the possibility for stretchable electronics and even ...

Delving into the nuances of plant nutrition, researchers have discovered that the form of nitrogen intake profoundly affects the efficiency of photosynthesis in plants. This pivotal finding sheds light on how plants process and utilize nitrogen, offering critical insights for enhancing crop productivity and optimizing nitrogen use in agriculture. Photosynthesis efficiency in plants is influenced by the type of nitrogen absorbed. Ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-) are the primary nitrogen sources, each affecting plant physiology differently. Variations in leaf anatomy, such as cell wall thickness and chloroplast number, play a crucial role in ...

A pioneering study has unlocked the potential of hydrogen nanobubbles to significantly augment the antioxidant content in tomatoes. This innovative irrigation technique not only fortifies the fruit with higher concentrations of health-boosting compounds but also opens new avenues for enhancing the nutritional value of agricultural produce. The research provides a blueprint for leveraging hydrogen's unique properties to combat oxidative stress and promote a healthier diet. Tomatoes are a key source ...

A new tool that can be used to predict the emergence of unusually large and unpredictable waves at sea — known as rogue waves — up to five minutes into the future is presented in a study published in Scientific Reports. The authors suggest that the tool could be used to issue advance warnings to ships and offshore platforms to enable those working on them to seek shelter, perform emergency shutdowns, or manoeuvre to minimise the impacts of approaching rogue waves. The tool developed by Thomas Breunung and Balakumar Balachandran consists of a neural network that has been trained ...