Influential inventions often combine existing tools in new ways. The iPhone, for instance, amalgamated the telephone, web browser and camera, among many other devices. The same is now possible in gene editing. Rather than employ separate tools for editing genes and regulating their expression, these distinct goals can now be combined into a single tool that can simultaneously and independently address different genetic diseases in the same cell. Merging Gene Editing and Regulation In a new paper in Nature ...

Researchers in Japan have found that the taller the Japanese black pine trees (Pinus thunbergii) along the coast, the deeper their roots go into the ground. Trees with deeper roots are more resistant to damage from tsunamis and strong winds. Their findings suggest that the resilience of coastal P. thunbergii trees may be improved by inducing deep root growth, specifically in short trees. The study was published in the Journal of Forest Research. Many P. thunbergii trees have been planted in coastal forests in Japan because they are salt-tolerant and can grow in sandy soils lacking nutrients. P. thunbergii ...

Why have males been overrepresented among geniuses in STEM fields so far? A popular biological psychological explanation is the Extreme Male Brain Theory (EMB), which suggests that an overdose of prenatal androgen (male hormone) leads to the hyper-masculine brain type, characterized by a strong geek tendency and insensitivity to others' feelings. This theory explains the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and inevitably connects prenatal androgen action with talents in specific fields. However, the current research shows evidence that the opposite story might be true: reduced androgen exposure in ...

Declining blood levels of two molecules that occur naturally in the body track closely with worsening Alzheimer’s disease, particularly in women. Levels were found to drop gradually, from women with no signs of memory, disorientation, and slowed thinking to those with early signs of mild cognitive impairment. Decreases were more prominent in women with moderate or severe stages of the disease. Declines in men were evident in only one molecule, revealing a disease-specific difference between the sexes. Six million Americans, most over the age of 65 and predominantly women, are currently ...

New international research collaboration to develop and test an improved dietary supplement for pregnant women Poor nutrition during pregnancy can have serious consequences for both maternal and child health. A new research collaboration – ‘Mother’s Micronutrient Supplement for Pregnancy and Lactation’ (MoMS) – between researchers in Kenya, Norway and Denmark aims to develop and test a new, improved dietary supplement to reduce incidences of low birth weight, improve maternal and child health, and enhance growth and cognitive development in children. MoMS ...

Continuing significant advancements in the field of xenotransplantation, surgeon-scientists from the University of Maryland School of Medicine provided an extensive analysis on the second patient in the world to receive a genetically-modified pig organ. Lawrence Faucette, 58, received a pig heart at the University of Maryland Medical Center in 2023 to treat his end-stage heart failure. He lived for 40 days before choosing to forgo additional treatment after the transplant began to fail due to rejection. The report documenting insights ...

A Cranfield University, UK, academic has used drone mapping to investigate a 3000-year-old ‘mega fortress’ in the Caucasus mountains. Dr Nathaniel Erb-Satullo, Senior Lecturer in Architectural Science at Cranfield Forensic Institute, has been researching the site since 2018 with Dimitri Jachvliani, his co-director from the Georgian National Museum, revealing details that re-shape our understanding of the site and contribute to a global reassessment of ancient settlement growth and urbanism. Fortress settlements in the South Caucasus appeared between 1500-500 BCE, and represent an ...

During IVF treatment, doctors use ultrasound scans to monitor the size of follicles - small sacs in the ovaries containing eggs - to decide when to give a hormone injection known as the ‘trigger’ to prepare the eggs for collection and ensure that they are ready to be fertilised with sperm to create embryos. The timing of the trigger is a key decision, as it works less effectively if the follicles are too small or too large at the time of administration. After the eggs are collected and fertilised by sperm, an embryo is then selected and implanted into the womb to hopefully lead to pregnancy. Researchers used ‘Explainable ...

Tokyo, Japan – Glass might seem to be an ordinary material we encounter every day, but the physics at play inside are actually quite complex and still not completely understood by scientists. Some panes of glass, such as the stained-glass windows in many Medieval buildings, have remained rigid for centuries, as their constituent molecules are perpetually frozen in a state of disorder. Similarly, supercooled liquids are not quite solid, in the sense that their fundamental particles do not stick to a lattice ...

Toronto, ON – New challenges in HIV prevention and care are emerging due to climate change, according to a review published earlier this month in Current Opinions in Infectious Disease. Researchers from the University of Toronto analyzed 22 recent studies exploring HIV-related outcomes in the context of climate change and identified several links between extreme weather events and HIV prevention and care. Climate change-related extreme weather events, such as drought and flooding, were associated with poorer HIV prevention outcomes, including ...

A University of Exeter funding scheme designed to combat the global challenge of fungal antimicrobial resistance (fAMR) has announced a new call for applications. The FAILSAFE project (Fungal AMR Innovations for LMICS: Solutions and Access For Everyone) is a groundbreaking initiative tackling antifungal drug resistance. The project aims to promote worldwide innovations to tackle the global health threat of fungal infections in humans, plants and animals increasingly growing resistant to available treatment. Already, the FAILSAFE project has awarded more than £1.7 million in grants ...

AMR is when microorganisms that cause infections, such as bacteria and viruses, change over time and no longer respond to antibiotic medicines.  It makes serious conditions such as HIV, tuberculosis and malaria more difficult to treat and increases the risk of severe illness, disease spread and death.  AMR particularly impacts low-to-middle-income countries where water quality is often poor and the spread environmental spread of AMR via wastes can be high.  In 2015 the World Health Organization (WHO) formulated a Global Action Plan to co-ordinate efforts to tackle AMR.  As a result, 194 WHO member states committed to developing country-specific ...

Grapefruit and pummelo contain compounds called furanocoumarins that may affect the blood levels of more than 100 prescription drugs, so that people taking these medications are advised to remove these fruits from their diets. Research published in New Phytologist reveals genetic information about the synthesis of furanocoumarins in different citrus plant tissues and species and provides new insights that could be used to develop grapefruit and pummelo that lack furanocoumarins. The research indicates that the production of furanocoumarins in citrus ...

In research published in Advanced Intelligence Systems, scientists have developed an innovative, soft, wearable robot to help workers avoid job-related injuries while lifting, lowering, and carrying objects. While many available wearable robots are limited to supporting a single degree of freedom of the body (meaning the body can only move in one direction at a given joint), the new robot, called WeaRo, operates through multiple degrees of freedom, allowing for complex movements. In tests, WeaRo effectively reduced the muscle activation levels of lumbar, biceps, and triceps muscles by a maximum of 18.2%, 29.1%, and ...

In a recent study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, middle aged workers in the U.S. who reported high job strain at the start of the study experienced significantly more sleep disturbances over an average follow-up of nine years. The study analyzed data from 1,721 workers, with an average age of 51 years, who participated in the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study. Sleep disturbances were assessed with an established scale, based on four sleep-related symptoms: trouble falling asleep, waking up during ...

Researchers have developed a novel method to assess depression in CEOs by using machine learning models (a type of artificial intelligence) to analyze vocal acoustic features from conference call recordings. This innovative approach, detailed in an article published in the Journal of Accounting Research, provides insights into a mental health issue that often remains hidden in high-pressure executive roles. The researchers examined how CEO depression is related to career outcomes, compensation, and incentives. Their findings suggest ...

The practice of growing different but complementary plants within a given area, also known as intercropping, has numerous positive effects such as reduced soil erosion, weed suppression, nitrogen fixation (the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen to nitrogen compounds that can be used by plants and other organisms), and pollinator benefits. New research published in Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment reveals the increased land use efficiency and environmental benefits in an alfalfa–almond intercropped ecosystem ...

Overfishing, illegal fishing and increasing marketing of shark meat pose significant threats to the more than 80 species of sharks and rays that inhabit the Mediterranean Sea, according to a new study. The research examined current levels of legislation in place to protect elasmobranch populations (which include sharks, rays and skates) within each of the 22 coastal states of the Mediterranean region. Across those countries – stretching from Spain and Morocco in the west to Israel, Lebanon and Syria in the east – the researchers identified more than 200 measures that concern elasmobranchs in some ...

Trametinib, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) inhibitor, reduces mortality and morbidity in children with severe hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) caused by pathogenic variants in the RAS/MAPK pathway, according to a study published today in JACC: Basic to Translational Science. The study provides strong evidence for personalized treatment targeting the underlying genetic causes of RASopathies, a group of rare disorders that often lead to life-threatening cardiac complications.  “Our findings represent a breakthrough in the treatment of HCM in children, particularly those suffering from severe forms of the disease due to genetic variants in the RAS/MAPK ...

Genome editing with CRISPR-Cas is often associated with the induction of mutations. However, a team of researchers from the Swiss University of Lausanne now shows that it can also be used to repair natural mutations. All living organisms mutate, which is a major driver of biodiversity and evolution. Humans have been domesticating plants for thousands of years, by selecting mutations that lead to favorable characteristics such as larger or more numerous fruits. However, this process often caused the ...

For a long time, an ultrafast laser has been applied as a point-typed energy source to trigger various material modifications, and the profile of light intensity is mainly considered a Gaussian type. Therefore, the actual morphology and evolution of the light field in the focal volume have been overlooked. In International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, researchers indicates that the 3D spatial distribution of the light field at the focus can possess finer structures and is tunable, which offers a novel strategy for highly controllable micro-nano fabrication with more degrees of freedom beyond conventional point-by-point optical modification. It is proposed and experimentally demonstrated ...

A research team led by Prof. WAN Yinhua at the Institute of Process Engineering (IPE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has recently developed an innovative mix-charged nanofiltration (NF) membrane featuring horizontal charge distribution, designed specifically for wastewater treatment. This novel membrane exhibits remarkable salt permeation and organic matter retention capabilities as well as antifouling properties, making it particularly effective for treating high-salinity organic wastewater. The findings ...

Working out the kinks of mating in the animal kingdom helps to gain insights into the survival of species. Among animals that have multiple partners who deposit eggs outside their body, such as most fish, the males release sperm several times a day, but producing these gametes requires energy and time. Osaka Metropolitan University experts on fish behavior have recently uncovered a daily mating capacity for medaka. In findings published in Royal Society Open Science, Graduate School of Science Specially Appointed Dr. Yuki Kondo, Specially Appointed Professor Masanori Kohda, and Professor Satoshi Awata detailed the effects of continuous mating by medaka ...

People who drink coffee in the morning have a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a lower overall mortality risk compared to all-day coffee drinkers, according to research published in the European Heart Journal [1] today (Wednesday).   The research was led by Dr Lu Qi, HCA Regents Distinguished Chair and Professor at the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University, New Orleans, USA. He said: “Research so far suggests that drinking coffee doesn’t raise the risk of cardiovascular disease, and it ...

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The majority of low-income single mothers in Oregon who rely on federal cash assistance around the time of childbirth are in the program for less than a year, suggesting they’re using it as a form of paid family leave, Oregon State University research shows. The first-of-its-kind study has important implications in the state, which in 2023 established a taxpayer-funded paid family leave program, and throughout the United States as poverty has a particularly high incidence among young children. “Understanding how mothers ...