Spring weather brings welcome conditions for flowers and plant life to bloom across the land. The right mixture of temperature, moisture, and light helps keep the green world vibrant. Underwater plant life generally responds to similar environmental encouragements, but a curious discovery in Lake Erie circa 2012 led microbiologists to study an unseasonal display of winter abundance. Blooms of diatoms—microscopic, photosynthetic algae—were alive and well beneath (and within) the lake’s ...

Cape lions used to roam the Cape Flats grassland plains of South Africa, in what is now known as Western Cape Providence. When Europeans arrived in South Africa in the mid-1600s, Cape lions, along with many other African carnivores and herbivores, were hunted as agricultural practice to protect livestock and humans. By the mid-1800s, less than 200 years since European arrival, Cape lions had been hunted to extinction. European naturalists described the Cape lion as having a particularly black mane and as being morphologically distinct. However, alternative depictions and descriptions of Cape ...

Getting screened for cervical cancer isn’t fun. And getting an alert that your initial exam showed a potential sign of trouble, and that you need to go back for a test or procedure to rule out cancer, is even less fun. Plus, those follow-up procedures can cost hundreds of dollars, even though a law makes the initial cervical cancer screening test free to all eligible patients. So it’s no wonder that many of those eligible don’t get screened in the first place – and that among those who get screened and have initial abnormal ...

Scientists from Massey University in New Zealand, the University of Mainz in Germany,  Sorbonne University in France, and the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) discuss the limit of the periodic table and revising the concept of the “island of stability” with recent advances in superheavy element research. Their work is the cover feature of the February 2024 Nature Review Physics. In addition to the Nature Reviews Physics feature, Physics Reports published a review on the atomic electronic structure theory for superheavy elements. What is the heaviest bound nucleus ...

In the realm of physics, synthetic dimensions (SDs) have emerged as one of the frontiers of active research, offering a pathway to explore phenomena in higher-dimensional spaces, beyond our conventional 3D geometrical space. The concept has garnered significant attention, especially in topological photonics, due to its potential to unlock rich physics inaccessible in traditional dimensions. Researchers have proposed various theoretical frameworks to study and implement SDs, aiming at harnessing phenomena like synthetic gauge fields, quantum Hall physics, discrete solitons, and topological phase transitions in four dimensions or higher. Those proposals ...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Greenhouse gas emissions significantly increase in countries in the Global South within a few years after initially borrowing from the International Monetary Fund using structural loans, but not when more flexible lending conditions are involved. However, with countries’ second or subsequent IMF loans, their emissions spike almost immediately, regardless of the lending conditions involved, a recent study suggests. Structural loans, one of IMF’s two primary lending instruments, specify the precise changes borrowers are required ...

A new study from researchers at the University of California, Davis, shows a ketogenic diet significantly delays the early stages of Alzheimer’s-related memory loss in mice. This early memory loss is comparable to mild cognitive impairment in humans that precedes full-blown Alzheimer’s disease. The study was published in the Nature Group journal Communications Biology. The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high fat and moderate protein diet, which shifts the body’s metabolism from using glucose as the main fuel source to burning fat and producing ketones for energy. UC Davis researchers previously found that mice lived 13% longer on ketogenic diets. Slowing ...

Alexandria, VA, USA – A study aiming to investigate whether the spike protein of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can sensitize nociceptors and promote pain-like behaviors in mice was presented at the 102nd General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the 48th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, on March 13-16, 2024, in New Orleans, LA, USA. The abstract, “SARS-Cov-2 Spike Protein Sensitizes ...

Alexandria, VA, USA – A study aiming to develop a Lipid nanoparticles (LNP) platform for treating oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) utilizing p53 mRNA was presented at the 102nd General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the 48th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, on March 13-16, 2024, in New Orleans, LA, USA.  The abstract, “mRNA Lipid Nanoparticles for Next-Generation ...

Alexandria, VA, USA – A study aiming to determine if a relationship exists between constructs of Indigeneity and untreated caries in First Nations children in Manitoba and Ontario, controlling for selected was presented at the 102nd General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the 48th Annual Meeing of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, on March 13-16, 2024, in New Orleans, LA, USA. The abstract, “Indigeneity: A Strength-Based Approach to Oral Health of Indigenous Children.” was presented during ...

Alexandria, VA, USA – A study aiming to determine a set of oral health care services to be delivered within the comprehensive outpatient benefit package of the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) of the Philippines was presented at the 102nd General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the 48th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, on March 13-16, 2024, in New Orleans, LA, USA. The abstract, “Proposing an Oral Health Benefit Package Under the National Health Insurance Program of the ...

    Images   Teardrop-shaped particles designed to inactivate multiple strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus could one day complement existing treatments for COVID-19, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Michigan and Jiangnan University in Wuxi, China.   The COVID mRNA vaccines have been highly effective at preventing severe cases of the disease, but COVID-19 can still hospitalize vaccinated individuals, especially the elderly. New strains also continue to emerge, requiring constant updates to vaccines to maintain their effectiveness.     "Our immune system has ...

Highlights: Human actions influence the success and how species spread throughout geographic locations. This is why monitoring wildlife biodiversity is critical for scientists and policymakers to understand and preserve the present state of flora and fauna. A study led by University of Florida scientists published today in the journal of Trends and Ecology and Evolution advocates for change to promote standardized practices in the field – a practice that has been missing from the science. Assessing wildlife populations, as ...

Research Highlights: Preliminary findings from a long-term study of children in Massachusetts have potentially linked regularly drinking sugary drinks and fruit juices (8 ounces or more daily) during childhood and adolescence to a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, based on glycemic markers, among boys but not girls. The researchers also found that eating fresh fruit in childhood and adolescence was not associated with an increase or reduction in markers for Type 2 diabetes risk. Embargoed until 3p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET, Tuesday, March ...

Research Highlights: Exposure to high heat may impair the cells of the immune system that remember specific viruses and germs and over-produce signaling molecules that can lead to inflammation. Previous research testing participants’ blood on hot summer days largely only examined the effects of air temperature; they have not included analysis of the levels of immune-signaling molecules and markers of inflammation. Embargoed until 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET, Tuesday, March 19, 2024 CHICAGO, March 19, 2024 — Short-term exposure to higher heat may increase ...

Alexandria, VA, USA – A study aiming to develop a low-cost, rapid detection technique for the widescale detection and screening of oral microorganisms suitable for point-of-care settings was presented at the 102nd General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the 48th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, on March 13-16, 2024, in New Orleans, LA, USA. The abstract, ...

Alexandria, VA, USA – A study aiming to develop a novel therapeutic strategy for periodontitis that targeted stem cell senescence by modulating the microenvironmental cues was presented at the 102nd General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the 48th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, on March 13-16, 2024, in New Orleans, LA, USA. The abstract, “Polyphenol-Mediated Oxygenating Hydrogel Ameliorates Periodontitis By Targeting Stem Cell Senescence” was presented during the “Biologically ...

As much as 58% of sexual harassment reports lead to no action in sub-Saharan African newsrooms, study finds. Sexual harassment often goes unchecked in sub-Saharan African newsrooms despite many employers having policies in place, according to a study conducted by City, University of London and the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism. Researchers Dr Lindsey Blumell (City) and Dinfin Mulupi (Maryland) surveyed nearly 600 news professionals and analysed 17 anti-sexual harassment policies in newsrooms across eight sub-Saharan African countries between July and October 2020. The study sampled data from Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, ...

Dark matter is one of science’s greatest mysteries. It doesn’t absorb, reflect or emit light, so we can’t see it. But its presence is implied by the gravitational effects it appears to have on galaxies. Although dark matter  makes up about 85 percent of the cosmos, scientists know very little about its fundamental nature. Theories abound, and research by Clemson University postdoctoral fellow Alex McDaniel provides some of the most stringent constraints on the nature of dark matter yet. His research also reveals a small hint of a signal that, if real, ...

Alexandria, VA, USA – A Hands-on Workshop introducing the Updated Human Salivary Proteome (HSP) Wiki was presented at the 102nd General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the 48th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, on March 13-16, 2024, in New Orleans, LA, USA.  The information accumulated in the literature about salivary proteins, their expression, function, and role in health and disease has been made available by establishing the Human ...

Alexandria, VA, USA – A study aiming to determine experiential impact on student-empathy in relation to timing of when they experienced a VR-simulation of homelessness was presented at the 102nd General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the 48th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, on March 13-16, 2024, in New Orleans, LA, USA.  The abstract, “Evaluating Homelessness Empathy Through Virtual Reality Among Dental Students” was presented during the “Late Breaking Abstracts I” Poster Session ...

Alexandria, VA, USA – A study aiming to assess an innovative “SMARTeeth” program that provides a digital tool-enabled oral health screening for underserved pregnant women at an obstetric office facilitated by community health workers (CHWs). was presented at the 102nd General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the 48th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, on March 13-16, 2024, in New Orleans, LA, USA. The abstract, “Smart Connected Oral ...

Alexandria, VA, USA – A study investigating the effects of local application of fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) on periodontal healing in osteoporosis model rats was presented at the 102nd General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the 48th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, on March 13-16, 2024, in New Orleans, LA, USA.  The abstract, “FGF-2 Promotes Periodontal Healing in an Osteoporosis Model Rat” was presented during the “Periodontal ...

When small hierarchical groups bond, neural activity between leaders and followers aligns, promoting quicker and more frequent communication, according to a study published on March 19th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Jun Ni from Beijing Normal University, China, and colleagues. Social groups are often organized hierarchically, where status differences and bonds between members shape the group’s dynamic. To better understand how bonding influences communication within hierarchical groups and which brain regions are involved in these processes, the researchers recorded 176 three-person ...

Men and women with lower income or education levels are more likely to develop medical conditions related to alcohol abuse compared to similar individuals with a higher socioeconomic status. Alexis Edwards of Virginia Commonwealth University, US, and colleagues report these findings in a new study published March 19th in the open access journal PLOS Medicine. The World Health Organization estimates that harmful alcohol use accounts for 5.1% of the global burden of disease and injury worldwide, and results in three million deaths ...