Leuven, 4 June 2024 - Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), a group of heritable disorders that affect the peripheral nerves, is marked by specific genetic changes. Research by the team of Prof. Ludo Van Den Bosch (VIB-KU Leuven) now reveals the effects of one such genetic cause. They found that the duplication of the gene PMP22 causes problems in the cell membrane of Schwann cells that provide the insulating cover for nerves. The results appeared in the journal Brain. Gene duplication in CMT1A Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a group of inherited disorders ...

   Herein, the O K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) profile of an aqueous acetonitrile solution presented a distinct sharp peak not commonly observed in the corresponding profile of liquid water. Inner-shell calculations coupled with molecular dynamics simulations revealed that this sharp peak originated from isolated water molecules surrounded by acetonitrile molecules, rather than from water clusters. Hence, O K-edge XAS could facilitate the electronic-structural analysis of isolated water molecules, differentiating their contributions ...

Marmarth, ND – Three keen-eyed young fossil hunters made the discovery of a lifetime when they found the remains of a rare teenage Tyrannosaurus rex that could rewrite history, scientists and filmmakers announce today.  The boys -- brothers Liam and Jessin Fisher, 7 and 10 years old at the time, and their 9-year-old cousin, Kaiden Madsen -- spotted a large fossilized leg bone on a walk in the Hell Creek badlands area of North Dakota on July 31, 2022. Believing they had found a relatively common duckbill dinosaur, they sent a photo to family friend and Marmarth native Dr. Tyler Lyson, Associate Curator of Vertebrate Palaeontology at the Denver ...

The ovary is an essential organ for female fertility, and its age-dependent decline in function is a major cause of infertility. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying ovarian aging are still not well understood, particularly in higher vertebrates like primates. In this study, researchers used spatiotemporal transcriptomics to analyze the gene expression patterns in young and aged primate ovaries. Key findings from the study include: The study identified significant changes in DNA methylation associated with aging. Principal component analysis revealed a reduction in global ...

Optical waves propagating through air or multi-mode fiber can be patterned or decomposed using orthogonal spatial modes, with far-ranging applications in imaging, communication, and directed energy. Yet the systems that perform these wavefront manipulations are cumbersome and large, restricting their utilization to high-end applications. The development of a Free-Standing Microscale Photonic Lantern Spatial Mode (De-)Multiplexer using 3D Nanoprinting, as revealed by a recent study, marks a significant advancement in photonic technology. This spatial multiplexer, characterized by its compactness, minimal footprint, and ability to directly print ...

A comprehensive new study by Tulane University’s Newcomb Institute and the University of California San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy has quantified the staggering economic impact of intimate partner violence in California, revealing billions in costs that deeply affect survivors, communities and taxpayers across the state. The report, “The Costs of Intimate Partner Violence in California,” reveals a cost of $73.7 billion to the state in health care, lost productivity and income and criminal justice ...

An international research team led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has uncovered in a recent research project that people’s beliefs in science and religion are primarily shaped by the words of others, rather than their personal experiences. The study could help enhance public understanding of people’s belief formation in important scientific issues, such as climate change and vaccination. Conventionally, people are generally more confident about the existence of scientific phenomena, like oxygen, than religious phenomena, like God, as it is thought that people can experience oxygen, for instance, while it is harder to observe ...

Researchers have discovered sustained hunting by humans prevented the woolly rhinoceros from accessing favourable habitats as Earth warmed following the Last Ice Age. An international team of researchers, led by scientists from the University of Adelaide and University of Copenhagen, used computer modelling to make the discovery, shedding light on an aeons-old mystery. “Using computer models, fossils and ancient DNA, we traced 52,000 years of population history of the woolly rhinoceros across Eurasia at a resolution not previously considered possible,” said lead author Associate ...

Australians are no strangers to long, hot summers, but new Griffith University research has looked at the impact of hot weather on patients with pre-existing chronic diseases and how it increases their risk of being hospitalised. The research, recently published in eBioMedicine, found the risk of hospitalisation increased with the number of pre-existing chronic diseases during hot weather. Individuals over the age of 65 with multimorbidity, defined as having two or more chronic diseases, were most at risk during hot weather. Dr Zhiwei Xu from Griffith’s School ...

It’s often said we can’t control the weather. But what if the weather controls how and when we invest our money? More specifically, what if the skies control how much we’re willing to gamble in the stock market? New research by the University of South Australia has found a connection between pleasant weather conditions and higher investment in lottery-like stocks. Lottery-like stocks are cheap compared to other stocks and, like lottery tickets, they can be seen as an opportunity to make a substantial gain. However, the chance of a higher return is minimal, and it’s therefore considered a high-risk investment. A study by UniSA finance researchers ...

In the ongoing battle against antibiotic resistance, a new study published in Engineering by Zhuoren Ling’s research team unveils a promising triple combination of antibiotics that significantly expands our arsenal against drug-resistant bacteria. Titled “The Triple Combination of Meropenem, Avibactam, and a Metallo-β-Lactamase Inhibitor Optimizes Antibacterial Coverage Against Different β-Lactamase Producers,” the research sheds light on a novel approach to tackle one of the most pressing global ...

LA JOLLA (June 4, 2024)—Global temperatures are on the rise, with experts projecting an increase of 2.7°F by 2050. Because plants cannot regulate their own temperatures, they are especially sensitive to these temperature changes. In higher temperatures, plants instruct their root systems to grow faster, creating long roots that stretch through the soil to absorb more water and nutrients. While this response may help the plants in the short term, new research suggests it’s both unsustainable for the plants and potentially ...

Researchers from The University of Texas at Arlington received 20 utility patents for their work in 2023, contributing to the University of Texas System’s overall ranking of No. 3 in the Top 100 U.S. Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents in 2023 list. Compiled by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), the rankings are based on data obtained from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The University of California system and Massachusetts Institute of Technology claimed the top ...

The combination of alcohol plus cabin pressure at cruising altitude may threaten sleeping plane passengers’ heart health, particularly on long haul flights, suggests the first study of its kind, published online in the respiratory journal Thorax. The duo lowers the amount of oxygen in the blood (SpO2) and raises the heart rate for a protracted period, even in the young and healthy, the findings indicate. The higher the alcohol consumption, the greater these effects might be, particularly among older passengers and those with pre-existing medical conditions, say ...

Excess death rates have remained high in the West for three years running since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, finds a data analysis of 47 countries published in the open access journal BMJ Public Health. This is despite the implementation of various containment measures and the availability of  COVID-19 vaccines, giving rise to “serious cause for concern,” say the researchers who call on governments and policymakers to thoroughly investigate the underlying causes. The researchers wanted to gauge the effectiveness of the response to the health crisis ...

A combination of facial thermal imaging and artificial intelligence (AI) can accurately predict the presence of coronary artery disease, finds research published in the open access journal BMJ Health & Care Informatics. This non-invasive real-time approach is more effective than conventional methods and could be adopted for clinical practice to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and workflow, pending testing on larger and more ethnically diverse numbers of patients, suggest the researchers. Current guidelines for the diagnosis of coronary heart disease rely on probability assessment of ...

-With images and video- A new study from researchers at Durham University has found that the process of domestication and selective breeding has limited the ability of domestic dogs to use facial expressions to convey affective states (emotions) as effectively as their wolf ancestors. The research, published in Nature’s Scientific Reports, used an extended Dog Facial Action Coding System to analyse video recordings of captive wolves and domestic dogs during spontaneous social interactions and reactions to external stimuli. The researchers identified nine distinct affective ...

By John Lovett University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A study of the effects of mowing on a common weed has found that what doesn’t kill you can make you stronger. A study published in Nature’s Scientific Reports has found that frequent mowing of Solanum elaeagnifolium may help create a “superweed.” Solanum elaeagnifolium — also known as silverleaf nightshade — can be found from south Texas to South Africa and Greece, infesting fields and soaking up valuable nutrients intended for cash crops. The weed with purple flowers – sometimes white and light ...

RENO, Nev. – Powerful new digital mapping tools developed by University of Nevada, Reno researchers hold promise to improve management of rangeland, particularly public lands in the far-flung Western United States. The significant improvements in mapping of vegetation enabled by the University’s research provide managers of rangeland, ranchers as well as federal managers of public lands, with better information to make large-scale decisions to mitigate effects of grazing, wildfire and other potential disruptions. The research ...

  by Brooke McDonald It turns out a common cockroach found across the globe is a pest of our own making. In a study recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Texas A&M AgriLife researchers unveiled insights into the origins of the common German cockroach, Blattella germanica. The study, “Solving the 250-year-old ...

LOS ANGELES – June 3, 2024 – For the last three decades, breakthroughs have been sparse for soft tissue sarcomas, which are rare cancers that affect muscles, fat and other connective tissues. Today, a global team of researchers funded by a Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C) grant announced clinical trial results that point to a new immunotherapy treatment option for two of the most common types of soft tissue sarcoma in adults, a breakthrough that reduces the risk of relapse by 43% at two years and will ...

Berlin, Germany:  Disturbed sleep is very common in almost all neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental conditions (NDPCs), such as autism, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. While it is understandable that the symptoms of such conditions would lead to sleep disruption and also that sleep disruption would worsen symptoms in these conditions, Irish researchers have now found new genetic associations between some of these conditions and chronotype, the behavioural manifestations of an individual’s ...

Slowing down the pace may not be common in academia, but it could lead to better science to support our planet through the current climate, biodiversity and social justice crises. This is one approach suggested by a diverse group of marine conservation scientists who were brought together in 2021 by the COMPASS “Leaders for Sea Change” Science Communication program. In a new paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the co-authors consider three pathways to better connect with the places they study.  Frequently, scientific expertise to address the global change crisis comes ...

A simple survey delivered during the first trimester through digital pregnancy support app MyHealthyPregnancy predicted which mothers went on to develop moderate to severe depression with a high level of accuracy, according to a new Archives of Women’s Mental Health study led by University of Pittsburgh and UPMC researchers. “Depression is a leading complication during pregnancy with about 15% of patients reporting symptoms at some point in their pregnancy journey,” said lead author Tamar Krishnamurti, Ph.D., associate professor of general internal medicine ...

Supplemental oxygen is among the most widely prescribed therapies in the world, with an estimated 13 to 20 million patients worldwide requiring oxygen delivery by mechanical ventilation each year. Mechanical ventilation — a form of life support — is a technology that moves breathable air into and out of the lungs, acting like a bellows. Ventilators have moved far beyond the “iron lung” machines some people might picture; now, apparatuses have progressed to sophisticated, compact digital machines that deliver oxygen through a small plastic tube that goes down the throat. Despite technological advancements, ...