An invasive fungus that colonizes the skin of hibernating bats with deadly consequences is a stealthy invader that uses multiple strategies to slip into the small mammals' skin cells and quietly manipulate them to aid its own survival. The fungus, which causes the disease white-nose syndrome, has devastated several North American species over the last 18 years. Scientists have learned much about the fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, since it was first documented in a New York cave in 2006, including where it thrives, its distribution, and clinical features. But exactly ...

According to current understanding, menstrual cramps only happen in cycles in which an egg is released, or an ovulatory cycle. But new research from the University of British Columbia (UBC) is challenging this notion. The findings, published in the Journal of Pain Research, reveal that some women not only experience cramps when no egg is released, but that cramps can be more severe and last longer during these anovulatory cycles. “I was surprised to see significant cramps in menstrual cycles with or without ovulation, which challenges current thinking” said co-author, Dr. Paul Yong, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UBC and Canada Research ...

Racial disparities in dementia are due to social determinants of health, with genetic ancestry playing no role, according to a new study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The study, which was based on a long-running population-based survey in four Latin American countries, helps explain why people of predominantly Native American or African ancestry have a higher prevalence of dementia: Study participants were more likely to experience social contexts and health conditions that raised their risk of cognitive decline, such as lower education levels, rural residency and high blood pressure. Once such factors ...

HOUSTON – (July 11, 2024) – Implantable technologies have significantly improved our ability to study and even modulate the activity of neurons in the brain, but neurons in the spinal cord are harder to study in action. “If we understood exactly how neurons in the spinal cord process sensation and control movement, we could develop better treatments for spinal cord disease and injury,” said Yu Wu, a research scientist who is part of a team of Rice University neuroengineers working on a solution to this problem. “We developed a tiny sensor, spinalNET, that records the electrical activity of spinal neurons as the subject performs normal ...

Image The flow of water within a muscle fiber may dictate how quickly muscle can contract, according to a University of Michigan study. Nearly all animals use muscle to move, and it's been known for a long time that muscle, like all other cells, is composed of about 70% water. But researchers don't know what sets the range and upper limits of muscle performance. Previous research into how muscle works focused only on how it worked on a molecular level rather than how muscle fibers are shaped, that they are three-dimensional ...

Nearly one in 10 people who get COVID while pregnant will go on to develop long COVID, a report publishing July 11th in Obstetrics & Gynecology has found. “It was surprising to me that the prevalence was that high,” says Torri Metz, MD, vice chair of research of obstetrics and gynecology at University of Utah Health, who co-led the nationwide study. “This is something that does continue to affect otherwise reasonably healthy and young populations.” Intersecting risks Prior research had shown that COVID affects pregnant people in uniquely ...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The rabbit hole contains madness, according to author Lewis Carroll. Online, that madness manifests in the form of increasingly extreme content, often without users realizing it. A new study by Penn State researchers suggests that giving users control over the interface feature of autoplay can help them realize that they are going down a rabbit hole.  The work — which the researchers said has implications for responsibly designing online content viewing platforms and algorithms, as well as helping users better ...

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j4zjqI21Gs Faculty in UCF’s College of Sciences and College of Engineering and Computer Science are preparing incoming students to keep pace with the emerging multidisciplinary field of artificial intelligence. A team of five faculty, led by UCF’s Center for Research in Computer Vision (CRCV), recently received a U.S. National Science Foundation grant totaling nearly $2.5 million over five years to serve as resources to uplift bright yet low-income or struggling ...

One of the intriguing abilities of the human mind is daydreaming, where the mind wanders off into spontaneous thoughts, fantasies and scenarios, often without conscious effort, allowing creativity and reflection to flow freely.  In a new study published in Frontiers of Human Neuroscience, University of Arizona researchers used low-intensity ultrasound technology to noninvasively alter a brain region associated with activities such as daydreaming, recalling memories and envisioning the future. They found that the technique can ultimately enhance mindfulness, marking a major advancement in the field ...

RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- Gravitational Waves, ripples in space-time predicted by Einstein almost a century ago, were detected for the first time in 2015. A new study led by Yanou Cui, an associate professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California, Riverside, reports that very simple forms of matter could create detectable gravitational wave backgrounds soon after the Big Bang.  “This mechanism of creating detectable gravitational wave backgrounds may shed light on ...

Employers and recruiting firms frequently infuse job postings with words and phrases like “ambitious,” “thinks outside the box,” “communicates persuasively” and “thinks strategically.” However, according to a forthcoming Management Science study, such keywords signify “rule-bender” (versus “rule-follower”) language and heavily draw narcissistic applicants who are more likely to engage in unethical or fraudulent behavior–significantly ...

DURHAM, N.C. -- No one likes to feel like they’re not getting the respect or courtesy they deserve. Think about the last time you felt talked down to, or treated as inferior, or got worse customer service than another person in line. But by the time most Americans reach adulthood, Blacks may have developed better coping skills for these disappointments than their white counterparts, potentially limiting the toll such experiences take on their mental health. That’s one of the key takeaways of a Duke University study looking at how young men and women in the U.S. react ...

EMBARGOED UNTIL 4 P.M. ET Thursday, July 11, 2024 Contact: Jillian McKoy, jpmckoy@bu.edu Michael Saunders, msaunder@bu.edu ##   As the oil and gas industry continues its rapid expansion throughout North America, a growing body of research has linked fossil fuel development to physical and mental health conditions during and after pregnancy, including preterm birth, birth defects, and psychological stress. But it appears that oil and gas production may be hazardous to this population even before they become pregnant.  A new study led by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researchers suggests that ...

Integrating medical and research data, ensuring secure data sharing, and using advanced AI models offer immense possibilities to mitigate the impact of chronic immune-mediated diseases (CIMDs) affecting 10% of Europeans. The consortium aims to transform complex biological information into actionable insights. WISDOM believes novel computational tools can provide valuable knowledge and guide decision-making throughout the patient journey, from diagnosis to treatment optimization. “As a key partner in the WISDOM project, the European Multiple Sclerosis Platform (EMSP) is committed to ensuring that patients' voices and perspectives are central to ...

MISSOULA – Since 2006, a fast-moving disease known as white-nose syndrome has killed an estimated 6.7 million bats, wiping out entire colonies and decimating creatures that provide an integral means of pest control. In response, a first-of-its-kind study by the University of Montana recently was funded by the National Science Foundation to provide critical insights on three North American bat species that are adapting to the dual threats of this disease and climate change. Awarded nearly $3 million dollars, the project will officially start Sept. 1, but groundwork already is well underway this summer. Although infectious diseases occur naturally in wildlife ...

Key takeaways The International Astronomical Union defines a planet as a celestial body that orbits the sun, is massive enough that gravity has forced it into a spherical shape, and has cleared away other objects near its orbit around the sun.  Scientists now recognize the existence of thousands of planets, but the IAU definition applies only to those within our solar system. The new proposed definition specifies that the body may orbit one or more stars, brown dwarfs or stellar remnants and sets mass limits that should apply to planets everywhere. Planetary scientists are proposing ...

Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite responsible for toxoplasmosis, a lifelong chronic infection prevalent in about 30% of the human population. It poses little harm to healthy individuals but can result in severe consequences for immunocompromised people. If infection occurs during pregnancy, the parasite can cross the placenta and cause retinal or neurological issues in the developing fetus, and potentially death in severe cases. There is currently no vaccine for Toxoplasma infection, and the biological mechanism by which the parasite affects the metabolism of host cells is still understudied. In new research ...

Waltham — July 11, 2024 — An investigational medication designated TAS-303 shows efficacy and safety in treatment of women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), reports a placebo-controlled clinical trial in the August issue of The Journal of Urology®, an Official Journal of the American Urological Association (AUA). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.  "Our study adds new evidence that TAS-303 reduces the frequency of incontinence episodes in women with SUI, without the worrisome adverse ...

The fungal pathogen that causes white-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats uses different cell entry strategies depending on the host’s hibernation status – cold and inactive, or warm and active. The findings, which required the authors to develop a new bat cell line, highlight potential therapeutic interventions against WNS using epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors, like the Food and Drug Administration-approved drug gefitinib. Bats – the second-most diverse group of mammals – play an important part in mitigating agricultural pests and the spread of insect-borne disease. However, millions of hibernating bats across North America are dying from ...

Leveraging one of the world’s oldest biological experiments – which began in 1929 – researchers have uncovered how a major crop, barley, was shaped by both agricultural pressures and its changing natural environment. The results underscore the power of long-term studies in understanding the dynamics of adaptive evolution. The survival of cultivated plants after their dispersal across different environments is a classic example of rapid adaptive evolution. For example, barley, an important neolithic crop, spread widely after domestication over 10,000 years ago to become a staple source of nutrition for humans and livestock throughout Europe, Asia, and Northern ...

New atmospheric particles form when stratospheric air intrudes into the troposphere below, according to a new study, revealing a previously unrecognized mechanism for new particle formation (NPF) in the upper troposphere. The finding suggests that NPF in these regions aloft occurs frequently and over large geographic regions, representing an important source of particles in the free troposphere. Aerosol particles smaller than one micron in diameter are abundant in the troposphere, the lowest layer of ...

Researchers from The University of Queensland have identified how a common bacterium is able to manipulate the human immune system during respiratory infections and cause persistent illness. The research, led by Professor Ulrike Kappler from UQ’s School of Chemical and Molecular Biosciences, studied the virulence mechanisms of Haemophilus influenzae, a bacterium that plays a significant role in worsening respiratory tract infections. “These bacteria are especially damaging to vulnerable groups, such as those with cystic fibrosis, asthma, the elderly, ...

Have you ever placed the palm of your left hand on the back of your right hand, in such a way that all fingers point in the same direction? If you have, then you probably know that your left thumb will not touch its right counterpart. Neither rotations nor translations nor their combinations can turn a left hand into a right hand and vice versa. This feature is called chirality. Scientists at the University of Konstanz have now succeeded to imprint such a three-dimensional chirality onto the wave function of a single electron. They used laser light to shape the electron’s matter wave into left-handed or right-handed coils ...

Engineers at the University of California San Diego have trained a humanoid robot to effortlessly learn and perform a variety of expressive movements, including simple dance routines and gestures like waving, high-fiving and hugging, all while maintaining a steady gait on diverse terrains. The enhanced expressiveness and agility of this humanoid robot pave the way for improving human-robot interactions in settings such as factory assembly lines, hospitals and homes, where robots could safely operate alongside humans or even replace them in hazardous environments like laboratories or disaster sites. “Through expressive and more human-like ...

New research from the University of Ottawa (uOttawa) has provided a complicated glance into young women’s responses to interpersonal conflict, with retaliation often the answer to rejection and perceived social exclusion by other females. The study, published in Nature’s Scientific Reports, highlights the complicated nature of women’s interpersonal relationships by examining the stress arising from rejection, and if the personal characteristics of those imposing the rejection influences ...