Mill Valley, CA – March 25, 2025 – The SynGAP Research Fund (SRF) dba Cure SYNGAP1 501(c)(3) announced a $130,000 grant to Dr. Vikaas Sohal at The Regents of The University of California, San Francisco. The grant supports research into new therapies for reversing cognitive deficits in SYNGAP1-related disorders (SRD) by enhancing key brain functions. Dr. Sohal’s research focuses on cognitive flexibility—the ability to adapt behavior in response to environmental changes—a ...

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a growing global concern, affecting approximately 2.8% of children in the United States and 0.7% in China. ASD is characterized by challenges in social interaction, communication difficulties, and repetitive behaviors, making early diagnosis critical for improving outcomes. However, current diagnostic methods rely primarily on behavioral observations, which may delay early interventions. Despite ongoing research, the structural and functional brain differences between children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children remain poorly understood. Now, in a recent study published in NeuroImage and made available online on February ...

Siberia, a province located in Russia, is a significant geographical region playing a crucial role in the world’s carbon cycle. With its vast forests, wetlands, and permafrost regions (permanently frozen grounds), Siberia stores a considerable amount of carbon on a global scale. But climate change is rapidly altering Siberia’s landscape, shifting its vegetative distribution and accelerating the permafrost thaw. Classifying land cover is essential to predict future climatic changes, but accumulating land cover data in regions like ...

Life has evolved over billions of years, adapting to the changing environment. Similarly, enzymes—proteins that speed up biochemical reactions (catalysis) in cells—have adapted to the habitats of their host organisms. Each enzyme has an optimal temperature range where its functionality is at its peak. For humans, this is around normal body temperature (37 °C). Deviating from this range causes enzyme activity to slow down and eventually stop. However, some organisms, like bacteria, thrive in extreme environments, such as hot springs or freezing polar waters. These extremophiles have enzymes adapted to function in harsh conditions. For ...

Obesity is linked to numerous health complications, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and fatty liver disease. In a world where obesity rates continue to climb, researchers are constantly seeking effective, accessible solutions to this global health crisis. Interestingly, over the past few decades, scientists have begun to focus not only on what we eat but also on how we eat it. While much attention has indeed focused on dietary content and caloric intake, emerging research suggests that eating behaviors—including meal duration, chewing speed, and number of bites taken—may ...

A new study published in The Journal of Immunology found that a high-salt diet (HSD) induces depression-like symptoms in mice by driving the production of a protein called IL-17A. This protein has previously been identified as a contributor to depression in human clinical studies.  “This work supports dietary interventions, such as salt reduction, as a preventive measure for mental illness. It also paves the way for novel therapeutic strategies targeting IL-17A to treat depression,” shared Dr. Xiaojun Chen, a researcher at Nanjing ...

Along with nitrogen and carbon, phosphorus is an essential element for life on Earth. It is a central component of molecules such as DNA and RNA, which serve to transmit and store genetic information, and ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which cells need to produce energy. Phosphorus may also have played a key role in the origin of life. Certain conditions are needed to trigger the start of the biochemical processes that precede life. One of these is the presence of sufficient phosphorus. Its availability regulates the growth and activities of organisms. Unlike nitrogen or carbon, however, phosphorus is relatively ...

The findings come from the most comprehensive computer model of brain metabolism to date, which incorporates more than 16,800 biochemical interactions between proteins and chemicals across brain cells, supporting cells, and the blood. Scientists can now use this open-source model to find ways to prevent age-related diseases, such as dementia.“This study provides an x-ray view into the battery that powers the brain,” said Henry Markram, Professor of Neuroscience at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, the senior author of the study. “We can now track ...

A full slide deck of findings is available at the Box link here TAMPA, Fla. (March 18, 2025) – A groundbreaking new study of young people’s digital media use has revealed surprising results, including evidence that smartphone ownership may actually benefit children. The study also suggests a link between social media posting and various negative outcomes, as well as data connecting cyberbullying to depression, anger and signs of dependence on digital media. The Life in Media Survey, led by a team of researchers at the University of South Florida in collaboration with The Harris Poll, conducted a survey of ...

In vertebrate retinas, specialized photoreceptors responsible for color vision (cone cells) arrange themselves in patterns known as the “cone mosaic”. Researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) have discovered that a protein called Dscamb acts as a "self-avoidance enforcer" for color-detecting cells in the retinas of zebrafish, ensuring they maintain perfect spacing for optimal vision. Their findings have been published in Nature Communications.  Solving a mystery in vision science  Vertebrate retinas contain photoreceptor cells that convert light into neural signals. These photoreceptors come in two main types: rods, which function ...

The standard model of particle physics is our best theory of the elementary particles and forces that make up our world: particles and antiparticles, such as electrons and positrons, are described as quantum fields. They interact through other force-fields, such as the electromagnetic force that binds charged particles. To understand the behaviour of these quantum fields and with that our universe, researchers perform complex computer simulations of quantum field theories. Unfortunately, many of these calculations are too complicated for even our best supercomputers and pose great challenges for quantum computers as well, leaving many pressing ...

Artificial intelligence can improve intravenous nutrition for premature babies, a Stanford Medicine study has shown. The study, which will publish March 25 in Nature Medicine, is among the first to demonstrate how an AI algorithm can enable doctors to make better clinical decisions for sick newborns. The algorithm uses information in preemies’ electronic medical records to predict which nutrients they need and in what quantities. The AI tool was trained on data from almost 80,000 past prescriptions for intravenous nutrition, which was linked to information about how the tiny patients fared. Using AI to help prescribe IV nutrition could reduce medical errors, ...

A new study provides fresh insight into traditional acid-base chemistry by revealing that the mutual neutralization of isolated hydronium (H₃O⁺) and hydroxide (OH⁻) ions is driven by electron transfer rather than the proton transfer that is expected in bulk liquid water. Using deuterated water ions and advanced 3D coincidence imaging of the neutral products, researchers found two electron-transfer mechanisms that produce hydroxyl radicals (OH), which are crucial in atmospheric chemistry. These findings reshape our understanding ...

Washington, D.C.—As climate change continues to accelerate at an alarming pace, innovative and scalable solutions are more critical than ever. This week, the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and the International Union for Microbiological Societies (IUMS) released Microbial Solutions for Climate Change, a report developed by their scientific advisory group (SAG) of global experts. The report outlines innovative microbial technologies that can significantly contribute to climate change mitigation and underscores the urgent need for coordinated global action across nations ...

SAN DIEGO, March 25, 2025 — Sugar coatings aren’t only for candies; they also help viruses, like the ones that cause COVID-19, hide from their hosts’ immune system. Now, researchers have developed a universal vaccine that targets coronaviruses and the sugars that they use as cover. As demonstrated in animal studies, the vaccine removed sugar molecules from an area of a coronavirus spike protein that rarely mutates and created effective and plentiful antibodies to inactivate the virus. Chi-Huey Wong, a chemistry professor ...

SAN DIEGO, March 25, 2025 — Plastic is everywhere. And many products we use in everyday life, such as cutting boards, clothes and cleaning sponges, can expose people to tiny, micrometer-wide plastic particles called microplastics. Now, chewing gum could be added to the list. In a pilot study, researchers found that chewing gum can release hundreds to thousands of microplastics per piece into saliva and potentially be ingested. The researchers will present their results at the spring meeting of the American Chemical ...

SAN DIEGO, March 25, 2025 — Deep below Earth’s surface, rock and mineral formations lay hidden with a secret brilliance. Under a black light, the chemicals fossilized within shine in brilliant hues of pink, blue and green. Scientists are using these fluorescent features to understand how the caves formed and how life is supported in extreme environments, which may reveal how life could persist in faraway places, like Jupiter’s icy moon Europa. The researchers will present their results at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS Spring 2025 is being held March 23-27; it features about 12,000 presentations on ...

SAN DIEGO, March 25, 2025 — The upcoming U.S. Open has professional golfers and spectators looking forward to getting on the green. But the grass’ condition, regardless of a player’s skill, can drastically skew the chances of a winning putt. Now, scientists can slow the roll of a golf ball on a lightning-fast, dry course and speed it up on a sluggish, wet course thanks to a coating that soaks up water molecules without interfering with the ball’s aerodynamics. Thomas J. Kennedy III, owner of Chemical Innovative Solutions Inc., will present his results at the spring meeting of the American Chemical ...

A new published study reveals plants, fungi, bacteria, protists, and even some viruses deploy venom-like mechanisms, similar to that of venomous snakes, scorpions and spiders, according to researchers at Loma Linda University School of Medicine.   The definition of venom is a biological toxin introduced into the internal milieu of another organism through a delivery mechanism such as a sting or bite that inflicts a wound. According to lead author William K. Hayes, PhD, professor of biology for the Department of Earth and Biological Sciences at the School of Medicine, the findings show that reliance on venom for solving problems like predation, ...

Ecosystem disrupted following the disappearance of Great white sharks, new study finds Known for their powerful ability to launch out of the water in pursuit of prey, the loss of Great white sharks from False Bay in South Africa has scientists and conservationists concerned about the rippling effects on the ecosystem. Miami, Florida – A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, has uncovered evidence of far-reaching ecosystem consequences following the disappearance of Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) from False Bay, South Africa. The research, conducted by scientists at the University of Miami Rosenstiel ...

By using new geometric shapes in the shock-absorbing material, researchers at the Universities of Gothenburg and Isfahan have developed a bicycle helmet that provides better protection against head injuries. The material absorbs shock by contracting bilaterally. Bicycle helmets are important for protecting cyclists from head injuries, but traditional designs have limitations in terms of impact absorption and fit. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg and the University of Isfahan in Iran designed a bicycle helmet whose shock-absorbing ...

HOUSTON, Texas, USA, 25 March 2025 – Schizophrenia affects millions worldwide, yet its causes remain one of the greatest medical mysteries. In an exclusive Genomic Press Interview, Dr. Consuelo Walss-Bass, a pioneering researcher in psychiatric genetics, shares how both genetic predisposition and environmental factors contribute to severe mental health disorders. As the John S. Dunn Foundation Distinguished Chair in Psychiatry at UTHealth Houston, Dr. Walss-Bass has dedicated her career to understanding these mechanisms, transforming scientific discoveries into real-world applications ...

The Super-Kamiokande and T2K Collaborations present a joint measurement of neutrino oscillation parameters from their atmospheric and beam neutrino data. It uses a common interaction model for events overlapping in neutrino energy and correlated detector systematic uncertainties between the two datasets, which are found to be compatible. Using 3244.4 days of atmospheric data and a beam exposure of 19.7(16.3) x 1020 protons on target in (anti)neutrino mode, the analysis finds a 1.9???? exclusion ...

Crashes on electric scooters are mostly due to the behaviour of the riders, with one-handed steering and riding in a group being some of the largest risk factors. The researchers are also concerned about riders who deliberately crash or cause dangerous situations when riding, a phenomenon that seems to be specific to electric scooters. This is shown by a study from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, which for the first time examines the causes behind crashes with electric scooters from naturalistic data within an urban environment. The arrival of electric scooters in cities has meant an opportunity to quickly and smoothly make shorter trips. But not ...

Abstract The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT, President: TOKUDA Hideyuki, Ph.D.) has revealed, through fMRI-based brain activity analysis, that multiple regions in the human cerebral cortex flexibly represent numerical quantity. This finding comes from research by HAYASHI Masamichi (Researcher (Tenure-Track)) at Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), part of NICT’s Advanced ICT Research Institute, in collaboration with the University of Tokyo’s graduate student KIDO Teruaki (NICT ...