Scientists have uncovered a new role for a cell’s own RNA in fending off attacks by RNA viruses. Some of the cell’s RNA molecules, researchers found, help regulate antiviral signaling. These signals are part of the intricate coordination of immune responses against virus invasion. A paper this week in Science reports how cellular RNA carries out its infection-controlling function. “With RNA increasingly seen as both a drug and a druggable target,” the scientists wrote, “this opens the potential for RNA-based therapeutics for combating both infection and autoimmunity.” The senior investigator is Ram Savan, professor of immunology at the ...

After several years of service under harsh weather conditions, the rotor blades of offshore wind parks are subjected to degradation and surface erosion, releasing sizeable quantities of particle emissions into the environment. A team of researchers led by the Alfred Wegener Institute has now investigated the effects of these particle on blue mussels – a species also being considered for the multi-use of wind parks for aquaculture. In the experiment, the mussels absorbed metals from the rotor blades’ coatings, as the team describes in a study just released in the journal Science of the Total Environment, where they also discuss ...

Arlington, Va., December 19, 2024 – Hand hygiene (HH) monitoring in hospitals could be reduced significantly, allowing infection preventionists to redirect efforts toward quality improvement and patient safety initiatives, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Infection Control. The study’s findings suggest that hospitals could reduce the number of HH observations from 200 to as few as 50 observations per unit per month without compromising data quality.  Hand hygiene is the simplest ...

TORONTO, CA – New research published in The American Journal of Human Genetics has identified a previously unknown genetic link to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study found that variants in the DDX53 gene contribute to ASD, providing new insights into the genetic underpinnings of the condition.  ASD, which affects more males than females, encompasses a group of neurodevelopmental conditions that result in challenges related to communication, social understanding and behaviour. While DDX53, located on the X chromosome, is known to play a role in brain development and function, it was not previously definitively associated with autism.  In ...

Two machine learning algorithms can determine whether a whisky is of American or Scotch origin and identify its strongest aromas, according to research published in Communications Chemistry. The results also suggest that the algorithms can outperform human experts at assessing a whisky’s strongest aromas. A whisky’s aroma is determined by a complex mixture of odorous compounds. This makes it highly challenging to assess or predict a whisky’s aroma characteristics, or notes, based solely on its molecular composition. Panels of human experts are often used to identify the strongest notes of a whisky, but these require a ...

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fast-progressing neurodegenerative disease with an average survival time of three years. In ALS, certain types of neurons called motor neurons that are required for muscle contractions die off, leading to progressive paralysis affecting most muscles of the body. The molecular causes of ALS are poorly understood, and effective treatments are missing.   To study ALS in the lab, Hideyuki Okano and his colleagues from Keio University, Japan, developed a new method to make motor neurons from stem cells taken directly from ALS patients. The results were published today in the journal Stem Cell Reports. ...

The capacity of bacteria to spread disease across the Plant Kingdom may be much more widespread than previously suspected, according to new analysis.  John Innes Centre researchers took a comparative evolutionary approach, using the diversity of Pseudomonas syringae bacteria, to determine how this pathogen infects distantly related plants.  In experiments, researchers in the team of Dr Phil Carella, group leader, analysed the toxin syringomycin produced by the most widely infectious P. syringae strains, and compared its effect on both non-flowering and flowering plants.  The results showed that syringomycin was toxic in non-flowering plants (represented in this ...

About The Study: Cold-related mortality rates more than doubled in the U.S. between 1999 and 2022. Prior research suggests that cold temperatures account for most temperature-related mortality. This study identified an increase in such deaths over the past 6 years. The underlying drivers of this trend warrant further research and may include more frequent extreme winter weather events and/or the rising burden of risk factors for cold-related mortality such as homelessness, social isolation, ...

About The Study: In this randomized clinical trial that compared a brief outpatient rehabilitation program with a cognitive and behavioral approach with usual care in 314 patients with post–COVID-19 condition, self-reported physical function improved statistically and clinically significantly in the intervention group after 2 to 8 outpatient encounters. The effect was sustained over time and adverse effects were negligible. This trial adds to the evidence supporting such interventions in routine clinical care. Future research should investigate which elements ...

About The Study: In this cohort study, there were no differences in mortality rates between Black and white newborns, but Black newborns had higher rates of necrotizing enterocolitis and late-onset sepsis. Continued quality improvement and addressing social determinants of health are critical for promoting health equity in hospital outcomes and beyond. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Nansi S. Boghossian, PhD, email nboghoss@mailbox.sc.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.51707) Editor’s ...

About The Study: In this prospective cohort study, moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) during pregnancy was associated with a lower risk of preterm birth among women with gestational diabetes. Concentrated physical activity was associated with similar benefits in reducing preterm birth risk as regular physical activity. These findings provide key evidence for the health benefits of MVPA during pregnancy and lay the foundation for establishing physical activity guidelines for pregnant women with gestational diabetes. Corresponding ...

Scientists investigating the severe developmental disorder known as Rett syndrome have discovered a series of crucial molecular changes that occur long before symptoms appear. The findings could be used to develop better treatments for the devastating, life-shortening condition, the researchers say. Rett syndrome strikes girls almost exclusively. Children with Rett initially appear healthy and appear to develop normally for the first six to 18 months before beginning to regress and lose previously acquired skills. For example, children who crawl can become unable to do so, and language skills ...

WASHINGTON — Researchers have developed a laser-based artificial neuron that fully emulates the functions, dynamics and information processing of a biological graded neuron. With a signal processing speed of 10 GBaud —a billion times faster than its biological counterparts — the new laser graded neuron could lead to breakthroughs in fields like artificial intelligence and other types of advanced computing. The body contains various types of nerve cells, including graded neurons that encode ...

As the world faces the pressing challenge of climate change, global and national organizations are on the constant lookout for strategies to combat this concern. In this vein, world leaders adopted the ‘Pact for the Future,’ including a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations as annexes, at the ‘Summit of the Future’ held at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in September 2024. To align with the UN initiatives, the Global Young Academy (GYA), the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable ...

A newly published review in eGastroenterology compiles recent research on alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), offering an overview of its pathogenesis and efforts to better understand this condition. ALD, caused by excessive alcohol consumption, remains a significant contributor to liver-related mortality worldwide. Effective treatments are still limited, underscoring the need for a deeper understanding of its mechanisms. This review summarizes findings on the cellular, molecular, and systemic processes involved in ALD progression, with a focus on liver ...

For people taking popular blood thinners after having a blood clot, a reduced dose may limit the future risk of bleeding as well as hospital visits, a Michigan Medicine-led study suggests. The research team focused the study on the two most prescribed direct oral anticoagulants, or DOACs, rivaroxaban (brand name Xarelto) and apixaban (brand name Eliquis). Investigators analyzed nearly1,000 cases of patients who were treated for a blood clot, also known as venous thromboembolism, and who were taking the medications to prevent one from recurring. Some patients had their doses reduced after six months, while others stayed on the full therapeutic dose.  While ...

The best way to deal with narcissistic people in your personal life may be the hardest advice to take, according to an expert who has studied narcissism for more than 20 years.   The best course of action is to identify narcissistic people early on and get them out of your life, said Amy Brunell, professor of psychology at The Ohio State University’s Mansfield campus.   Brunell said that is often difficult because narcissists can be charming and likable early in a relationship. But there are usually subtle signs that you should not ignore.   “If you’re in a new relationship and you’re ...

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (12/19/2024) — A first-of-its-kind study from researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities shows how remote sensing can help monitor and remove plastic debris from freshwater environments like the Mississippi River. The research, published in Nature, a peer-reviewed scientific journal, helps to increase the understanding of plastic debris behavior in freshwater environments. Plastic pollution in oceans continues to be a growing environmental issue, with the United Nations Environment Programme naming it one of the leading pollution challenges. ...

Wearing sunscreen is important to protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation but doesn’t cool people off. However, a new formula, described in ACS’ Nano Letters, protects against both UV light and heat from the sun using radiative cooling. The prototype sunblock kept human skin up to 11 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius) cooler than bare skin, or around 6 F (3 C) cooler than existing sunscreens. Radiative cooling involves either reflecting or radiating heat away from something, cooling whatever’s underneath. It is already used to create cooling fabrics and coatings that could both cool and ...

The vast majority of women who contract bird flu during pregnancy and their unborn baby will die from the virus, according to a new study. And the findings stress the importance of early inclusion of pregnant women in public health vaccination programs during pandemics. The research, led by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), recommends that as human cases of avian influenza viruses A (H5N1 and H5N2) increase, an awareness around the vulnerability of pregnant women to a new pandemic is urgently needed. The systematic review of more than 1500 research ...

Hand choice is an unconscious decision frequently made in daily life, whether it's reaching for an object such as a cup or performing any other task. This decision is influenced by target-related information, such as the location, shape, and orientation of the object. However, the selection probability for each hand reaches equilibrium when the target-related factors are similar for the left and right hands. Recent findings suggest that hand choice in such ambiguous situations is biased by prior information before the target presentation. One such factor is prior somatosensory stimulation on one wrist, which likely affects brain activity, enhancing the likelihood ...

 Arizona State University and Banner Alzheimer’s Institute researchers, along with their collaborators, have discovered a surprising link between a chronic gut infection caused by a common virus and the development of Alzheimer’s disease in a subset of people. It is believed most humans are exposed to this virus — called cytomegalovirus or HCMV — during the first few decades of life. Cytomegalovirus is one of nine herpes viruses, but it is not considered a sexually transmitted disease. The virus is usually ...

Seattle, WASH.—December 19, 2024—Today, the Allen Institute announced eight distinguished scientists who will make up the 2024 Next Generation Leaders (NGL) in bioscience cohort. New this year, the program has expanded beyond neuroscience to welcome researchers from the fields of bioengineering, chemistry, and medicine. Their diverse and impressive range of research expertise includes social cognition, music mindfulness, and psychedelics, to using computational machine learning methods for single-cell omics to study inflammatory disease. The program is run out of the Allen Institute’s Learning, ...

The operating life and life span of buildings are often far apart. If a property is no longer fit for purpose, it is usually demolished even though it would still be perfectly usable. Even in the event of damage to individual parts of the building, the entire building usually has to make way. This is because in most cases it is cheaper to build a new building than to carry out a conversion or renovation of the existing one. However, this approach does not conserve resources. In the MOHOHO project, an interdisciplinary team from the Institute of Architectural Technology and the Institute of Timber Engineering ...

Researchers at University of California San Diego have developed and tested a new software package, called Spatial Modeling Algorithms for Reactions and Transport (SMART), that can realistically simulate cell-signaling networks — the complex systems of molecular interactions that allow cells to respond to diverse cues from their environment. Cell-signaling networks involve many distinct steps and are also greatly influenced by the complex, three-dimensional shapes of cells and subcellular components, making them difficult to simulate with existing tools. SMART offers a solution to this problem, which could help accelerate research in fields across ...