Thermogenesis is a process by which organisms generate internal heat. Although it is usually associated with animals, some plants have also developed this ability. This metabolic process allows certain parts of the plant, such as flowers and inflorescences, to raise their temperature above that of the surrounding environment. Today, these plants, which include cycads and some angiosperms (flowering plants), rely on insects for pollination. The heat they generate helps volatilize and disperse floral fragrances and other chemical compounds that attract insects such as beetles, flies, and ...

They’re tiny drug-delivery systems 1000 times smaller than a human hair, but while nanomedicines have long been hailed as the future for treating debilitating and life-threatening diseases, their journey from lab to patient has many challenges.   Now, new findings from a global team of expert scientists in academia and industry has generated world-first research quality standards that will help slash costs and reduce the time it takes to develop advanced nanomedicine treatments and make them available for patients.   Published in Nature Nanotechnology today, and led by the University of South Australia’s Dr Paul Joyce and the University ...

If this galaxy is typical, then the study, published today in Nature Astronomy, indicates that our galaxy is already interacting with its closest neighbour, Andromeda.  Where does a galaxy end and deep space begin? It seems like a simple question until you look more closely at the gas that surrounds galaxies, known as the circumgalactic medium.  The halo of gas surrounding the stellar disc accounts for about 70% of the mass of the galaxy – excluding dark matter – but until now has remained something of a mystery. In the past we have only been able to observe the gas by measuring the light from a background object, ...

Dark matter is the invisible force holding the universe together – or so we think. It makes up around 85% of all matter and around 27% of the universe’s contents, but since we can’t see it directly, we have to study its gravitational effects on galaxies and other cosmic structures. Despite decades of research, the true nature of dark matter remains one of science’s most elusive questions. According to a leading theory, dark matter might be a type of particle that barely ...

A widely used disinfectant worldwide, chloroxylenol, has been associated with eco-toxicological threats in water environments due to its relatively high chemical stability and massive consumption. Researchers at the School of Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have discovered a promising alternative known as 2,6-dichlorobenzoquinone (2,6-DCQ), which works more effectively in combating certain common bacteria, fungi and viruses, and can be rapidly degraded and detoxified in receiving waters. This groundbreaking study is led by Prof. ZHANG Xiangru from HKUST's ...

In some places around the globe, the lights never go off. Streetlights, roadway lighting, and illuminated signs can deter crime, make roads safer, and enhance landscaping. Undisrupted light, however, comes with ecological, behavioral, and health consequences. In the US, some states have legislation in place to reduce light pollution; however, levels of light at night remain high in many parts of the country. Now, researchers there have investigated correlations between outside nightly light pollution and Alzheimer's disease (AD). “We show that in the US there is a positive ...

A research group led by Prof. ZHU Yingjie from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), has revealed the essential role of lateral septum (LS) neurons in mediating anorectic and weight-lowering effects of the anti-obesity drug— liraglutide in mice. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation on Sep. 03. Obesity is now among the top ten chronic diseases worldwide, causing a range of health issues and increasing the medical burden. Anti-obesity medications have shown greater efficacy than lifestyle changes and diet, with lower risks and fewer side effects ...

From August 7 to 10, the Third SynBio Challenges were held at the Guangming Tianan Cloud Park International Conference Center in Shenzhen, China. The event was co-organized by Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Chinese Society of Biotechnology, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology (SUAT), Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology (iSynBio), Shenzhen Synthetic Biology Association, and the Shenzhen Industrial Innovation Center for Engineering Biology. The SynBio Challenges aim to provide a platform for students to engage in exchange and competition within the synthetic biology ...

Cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, cabbage, kale, and cauliflower have been found to lower blood pressure, in comparison to root and squash vegetables, in middle-aged and older Australian adults with elevated blood pressure.   In a randomised, controlled, crossover trial, researchers from Edith Cowan University (ECU) found that consuming four serves a day of cruciferous vegetables resulted in a significant reduction in blood pressure, compared with four serves a day of root and squash vegetables including carrot, potato, sweet ...

Dynamic service migration is a key technology in Mobile Edge Computing(MEC). In a multi-user service migration scenario, the states of all users are combined into a global state, which leads to the instability of the system and ignores the influence of multiple users. It is more and more challenging to design an effective migration strategy to balance migration costs and latency in a multi-user distributed environment. To solve the problems, a research team led by Degan ZHANG published their new research on 15 August 2024 in Frontiers of Computer Science co-published by Higher Education Press and Springer Nature. Considering ...

Scientists at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah (the U), the National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center for the Mountain West, have made a significant breakthrough in predicting the prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a particularly aggressive disease. Their research, published in JCO Precision Oncology as part of the TOWARDS study, has led to the development of a new mechanism that accurately forecasts the aggressiveness of TNBC. This advancement could revolutionize the way doctors treat TNBC, allowing them to identify higher-risk patients and tailor precise treatments. Currently, TNBC lacks reliable methods to predict recurrence after ...

SEQUIM, Wash.—Officials gathered at the Sequim campus of the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory today to dedicate DOE’s first hybrid-electric research vessel, RV Resilience. The event marks the start of a new era of marine energy research at PNNL-Sequim, part of DOE’s Office of Science national laboratory system and Resilience’s new home port. Speakers at the dedication included U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, Washington State Rep. Steve Tharinger and representatives from DOE and PNNL. “DOE is focused on ...

ROCHESTER, Minn. — About 8 to 10 million Americans over age 40 have an overabundance of cloned white blood cells, or lymphocytes, that hamper their immune systems. Although many who have this condition — called monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL) — do not experience any symptoms, a new study shows they may have an elevated risk for several health complications, including melanoma, a form of skin cancer. The findings, by Mayo Clinic researchers, are published in a new paper in the Journal ...

PHILADELPHIA— The vision of people with a rare inherited condition that causes them to lose much of their sight early in childhood was 100 times better after they received gene therapy to address the genetic mutation causing it. Some patients even experienced a 10,000-fold improvement in their vision after receiving the highest dose of the therapy, according to researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania who co-led the clinical trial published in The Lancet. “That 10,000-fold improvement ...

After the treatment, one patient saw her first star. Another saw snowflakes for the first time. Other patients were newly able to navigate outside of the home or to read the labels on their child’s Halloween candy. The cause of these seemingly miraculous improvements? A gene therapy developed by University of Florida scientists, which restored useful vision to most patients with the rare, inherited blindness known as Leber congenital amaurosis type I, or LCA1, in a small trial.  Those who received the highest dose of the gene therapy saw up to a 10,000-fold improvement ...

Near the Florida-Georgia border, the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers meet and become the Apalachicola River, which carries freshwater and nutrients downstream to the Apalachicola Bay. New research led by FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Assistant Professor Ebrahim Ahmadisharaf examined how drought and water volume in the Lower Apalachicola River watershed affect nitrogen and phosphorous, crucial nutrients for a healthy aquatic ecosystem. The study was published in Water Research. “In watershed systems like this, that are subject to regulations upstream, knowing how the ecosystem reacts to changes helps us manage it effectively,” said Ahmadisharaf, ...

Rice and spinach are staples for babies’ and young children’s diets, but toxic metals and metalloids found in those foods can cause severe health impacts.  In particular, heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, mercury, and metalloid arsenic could delay brain development in babies and young children. In new research published in the academic journal Environmental Geochemistry and Health, University of Delaware scientists have found that flooded rice fields tend to contain higher amounts of arsenic and lower amounts of cadmium. The drier those rice fields are, the lower the amounts of arsenic and the higher the amounts of cadmium. However, the higher cadmium is lower ...

Using hypertonic saline nasal drops can reduce the length of the common cold in children by two days, according to a study that will be presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Vienna, Austria [1]. They can also reduce the onward transmission of colds to family members. The results of the ELVIS-Kids randomised controlled trial were presented by Professor Steve Cunningham from Child Life and Health, University of Edinburgh, UK. He said: “Children have up to 10 to 12 upper respiratory tract infections, what we refer to as colds, per year, which ...

Vaccination against respiratory syncytial virus for adults over 60 is likely cost-effective by preventing illness, hospitalizations, lost quality of life and deaths, according to new research.   The study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published in the journal Vaccine, evaluated newly approved RSV vaccines: Arexvy, manufactured by GSK, and Abrysvo, manufactured by Pfizer. The study did not include a third approved vaccine, Moderna's mRESVIA.   The vaccines are now available to adults 60 and older. The CDC recommends a single ...

The Ecological Society of America (ESA) presents a roundup of seven research articles recently published across its esteemed journals. Widely recognized for fostering innovation and advancing ecological knowledge, ESA’s journals consistently feature illuminating and impactful studies. This compilation of papers explores the impact of rising temperatures on pathogens, dynamics of predatory seabirds and their penguin prey in Antarctica, factors determining the speed of coral reef recovery from disturbance and more.   From Ecology: Some pathogens can’t ...

Researchers at Auburn University, in collaboration with scientists from the University of Basel and ETH Zurich, have made a groundbreaking advance in the fight against cancer. The team, led by Dr. Rafael Bernardi, Associate Professor of Biophysics in the Department of Physics, has developed a novel approach integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with molecular dynamics simulations and network analysis to enhance the prediction of binding sites on the PD-L1 protein. This breakthrough promises to accelerate the development ...

ResearchGate, the professional network for researchers, and Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., a global media company dedicated to creating, curating, and delivering impactful peer-reviewed research and authoritative content services, are pleased to announce a new partnership through ResearchGate’s innovative Journal Home offering. The partnership covers five Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. open access journals spanning the health and medical sciences. All backfile content and all new articles published with ...

Dallas, September 5, 2024 – The growing legal use of recreational and medical cannabis has generated an increased concern for potential side effects from long-term use, particularly regarding problems with memory and sleep. Until now, the effect of cannabis use on sleep and on memory have only been studied separately. Research led by Francesca Filbey, PhD, from the Laboratory of Neuroimaging of Reward Dynamics at The University of Texas at Dallas’ Center for BrainHealth®, in collaboration with a team from the University of Amsterdam, aimed to fill this gap by testing how sleep impacts memory among cannabis users. The study, “The ...

Plant scientists have long known that phosphorus is a crucial component in plant growth. A major discovery by a K-State biologist and her lab is leading to a better understanding of how plants detect and use that resource — potentially leading to more efficient production of crops for food, fiber and fuel. A team of researchers led by Kathrin Schrick, associate professor of biology, recently published this research in New Phytologist, a high-impact journal in the plant sciences. Schrick's lab focused on a specific transcription factor that regulates gene expression during development. They discovered a new kind of molecular interaction between the ...

Over-the-counter blood pressure measuring devices offer a simple, affordable way for people to track hypertension at home, but the standard arm-size ranges for these devices won’t appropriately fit millions of U.S. consumers, according to a new study from researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The researchers compared standard arm cuff size ranges for popular retail automatic blood pressure measuring devices to arm circumference data from U.S. government-sponsored national ...