Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists are working on a new research project to fight plant diseases transmitted by psyllid insects — particularly the zebra chip disease, which has impacted potato production for decades. Funded by a $682,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, this three-year project will investigate the mechanisms through which the bacterial pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum affects plant and insect immune systems, leading to agricultural losses. The findings by researchers in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences could ...

A novel drug holds promise for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare genetic disorder that causes severe muscle degeneration. McGill University researchers have discovered that an experimental compound called K884 can boost the natural repair abilities of muscle stem cells. Current treatments can slow muscle damage, but don’t address the root problem. DMD affects about one in 5,000 boys worldwide, often leading to wheelchair dependence by the teenage years and life-threatening complications ...

To fight the virus that causes influenza, one of the avenues being explored by scientists is the development of drugs capable of destabilising its genome, made up of eight RNA1 molecules. But the challenge is daunting: each RNA molecule is tightly bound to an assembly of proteins which creates a double helix, forming a protective coat that is difficult to manipulate. For the first time, however, the structure of this protective mantle and its interactions with the virus' RNA have been described on an atomic scale by scientists from the CNRS2 ...

DARIEN, IL — The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has issued a new position statement advocating for permanent telehealth coverage, emphasizing its essential role in providing high-quality, patient-centered care for individuals with sleep disorders. The position statement, published as an accepted paper in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, comes at a crucial turning point as current telehealth flexibilities implemented by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency are set to expire this month. The AASM emphasizes that permanent coverage with adequate reimbursement is vital for the ...

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a major cause of skin and soft tissue infections that can sometimes lead to sepsis and toxic shock syndrome. The microbe poses a significant threat to public health, made worse by the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (MRSA) in recent years. According to The Lancet, S. aureus was associated with more than one million deaths around the globe in 2019. “It is a pathogen in dire need of control because it causes significant morbidity and mortality not just in the United States, but worldwide,” ...

Wedel Studying How Transnational Networks Shape Non-Western Offshore Spaces Janine Wedel, Distinguished University Professor, Schar School of Policy and Government, received money for a project on the growing non-Western offshore system used by transnational networks emanating from autocratic regimes such as Russia to skirt international checks and balances. Wedel and her colleagues are investigating these informal networks and how they enable “weaponized corruption” — the use of corruption for geopolitical ends — and the evasion of Western sanctions. They are ...

Paulo Costa, Director, C5I Center; Dept. Chair Cyber Security Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), and Shou Matsumoto, Research Assistant Professor, C5I Center, CEC, received funding for the project: “HERA: Hypothesis Evaluation and Reasoning Assistant.” Costa and Matsumoto are developing an explainable artificial intelligence (AI) methodology for hypothesis management and an architecture for the proposed solution. They are also supporting Interactive Aptitude, LLC, in defining use cases in one or more domains and identifying data requirements to support hypothesis management. The Mason/Interactive Aptitude team's solution ...

FORT COLLINS, Colo., December 11, 2024 — People around the world are dealing with drought, so it’s not shocking that it affects wildlife, too: lack of moisture contributes to habitat loss, affects how animals compete for resources, and leads to dehydration and heat stress. The surprising part? The extreme degree to which many animals may need to adapt. New research predicts that many wildlife species in the continental United States will experience year-long droughts nearly five times as often in the coming decades (2050-2080) than they did historically (1950-2005). In an even more dramatic turn of events, three-year droughts ...

Tsukuba, Japan—Under stress, animals change their behavior, such as through "fight or flight" or "freezing" response. Simultaneously, physiological responses essential for stress adaptation are triggered in the body. Cardiovascular regulation, including changes in blood pressure and heart rate, is a critical stress response. Researchers have focused on the lateral habenula, a brain region where neurons are activated in response to stress. They investigated the neural mechanisms underlying cardiovascular responses by activating ...

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (Duncan NRI) at Texas Children’s Hospital and collaborating institutions have gained new insights into the molecular changes leading to Rett syndrome, a severe neurological disorder caused by mutations in the MeCP2 gene encoding methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2). The team reports in the journal Neuron that loss of MeCP2 in adulthood causes immediate progressive dysregulation of hundreds of genes – some are activated while others are suppressed – and these changes occur well before any measurable deficiencies in neurological function. The MeCP2 protein is most highly expressed ...

LAWRENCE — Are human spacecraft, landers, rovers and other space-exploration debris little more than trash littering the surface of Mars, or the modern equivalent of Clovis points — treasured artifacts marking Homo sapiens’ lust for new frontiers? New scholarship by University of Kansas anthropologist Justin Holcomb argues physical artifacts of human Martian exploration deserve cataloging, preservation and care in order to chronicle humanity’s first attempts at interplanetary exploration. The ...

About The Study: In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 33 observational studies involving 96,000 adults, higher daily step counts were associated with fewer depressive symptoms in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies in the general adult population. Further prospective cohort studies are needed to clarify the potential protective role of daily steps in mitigating the risk of depression during adulthood. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Estela Jimenez-Lopez, PhD, MPH, email estela.jimenezlopez@uclm.es. To ...

About The Study: The findings of this randomized clinical trial show that cannabidiol (CBD) can be used safely in women with advanced breast cancer and clinical anxiety. Although the study did not meet its primary end point comparing pre-ingestion vs post-ingestion anxiety change scores between study arms, anxiety levels in the CBD arm were significantly lower 2 to 4 hours after ingestion, suggesting a possible anxiolytic effect and warranting further investigation. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Ilana ...

About The Study: The results of this randomized clinical trial suggest that transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation would be safe and effective in treating chronic insomnia. Future multicenter clinical trials with large sample sizes are needed to validate its effectiveness across diverse populations. Corresponding Authors: To contact the corresponding authors, email Yu Wang, MD, PhD, (wy8166@126.com) and Peijing Rong, MD, PhD, (drrongpj@163.com). To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website ...

EMBARGOED by the Journal of the American Medical Association until 11 a.m. ET, Dec.16, 2024 (Boston)—In the U.S., atrial fibrillation (AF), a heart condition that causes an irregular heartbeat in the upper chambers of the heart, affects up to one in three people in their lifetime. Significant complications associated with this condition include ischemic stroke, heart failure, myocardial infarction, chronic kidney disease, dementia and mortality. In a new review article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers from Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center summarize ...

Collaborative asthma project between Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Wyss Institute advances with new grant support New industry support enables the team to expand their search and validation of diagnostic biomarkers to shed light on asthma with thus far unexplained causes and improve therapy  By Benjamin Boettner (BOSTON) – Asthma affects more than 260M people worldwide and nearly 28M people in the U.S. alone, where, on average, 10 people die from attacks of the chronic disease each day. Many of these deaths could be prevented if ...

Human civilization is currently evolving at an unprecedented rate, with new breakthroughs every single day. This has become possible due to never-tapped-before levels of energy resources. However, the unsustainable development has recently raised concerns about adverse effects on the environment, resulting in a growing urgency to address issues pertaining to energy efficiency and climate change, especially in urban environments. Notably, rapid urbanization has worsened the urban heat island effect, a phenomenon where a city experiences significantly warmer temperatures than ...

A joint research team from the University of Canberra and Kuwait College of Science and Technology has achieved groundbreaking detection of Parkinson's disease with near-perfect accuracy, simply by analyzing brain responses to emotional situations like watching video clips or images. The findings offer an objective way to diagnose the debilitating movement disorder, instead of relying on clinical expertise and patient self-assessments, potentially enhancing treatment options and overall well-being for those affected by Parkinson's disease. The study was published Oct. 17 in Intelligent ...

Prostate cancer remains a global health challenge, ranking as the second most commonly diagnosed cancer among men. Although treatments like androgen deprivation therapy have been effective for early-stage prostate cancer, advanced stages, such as castration-resistant prostate cancer, present significant treatment challenges due to resistance to therapies. Current approaches targeting androgen receptor (AR) signaling, such as taxanes and newer agents, show limited success. Cisplatin, a widely used anticancer drug, has been used in combination therapies but its use is limited by severe ...

Sign language serves as a sophisticated means of communication vital to individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, relying on hand movements, facial expressions, and body language to convey nuanced meaning. American Sign Language exemplifies this linguistic complexity with its distinct grammar and syntax. Sign language is not universal; rather, there are many different sign languages used around the world, each with its own grammar, syntax and vocabulary, highlighting the diversity and complexity of sign languages globally. Various ...

UTSA’s Office of Research today announced the launch of the Center for Space Technology and Operations Research (CSTOR), a new research center dedicated to advancing engineering, technology and operations that will support space missions between the Earth and the Moon, an area referred to as cislunar space, as well as the lunar surface. The center will address the growing demand for research and workforce development by civil, commercial and national security space agencies and companies. David Silva, UTSA distinguished professor of physics and astronomy, will serve as the center’s inaugural director. CSTOR will provide enhanced support ...

Craniopharyngioma (CP) is a rare brain tumor that develops in the regions close to the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. The CP tumors lead to complications like defective vision, neuronal defects, diabetes, and developmental problems. There are two primary subtypes of CPs: adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP) and papillary craniopharyngioma (PCP). These two subtypes are distinguished by their distinct genetic profiles. ACP is typically characterized by mutations in the CTNNB1 gene, while PCP is primarily associated with BRAF gene mutations. The primary course of action for treating CP is surgical intervention. However, the tumor's invasive ...

Among the many artificial intelligence and machine learning models available today for image translation, image-to-image translation models using Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) can change the style of images. These models work by using two input images: a content image, which is altered to match the style of a reference image. These models are used for tasks like transforming images into different artistic styles, simulating weather changes, improving satellite video resolution, and helping autonomous vehicles recognize different lighting conditions, like day and night.   Now, researchers ...

Allergic diseases such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, and food allergies have been increasing in frequency over the last few years. Food allergies in particular affect millions of people worldwide—this includes allergies to foods such as milk, peanuts, eggs and shellfish. They are typically caused by the immune system being hypersensitive to harmless substances in foods and the environment. Flavonoids are chemicals present in various fruits and vegetables that are known to have anti-allergic effects and show promise as natural allergic treatments. To better understand how these allergies can be treated, let’s look at an interesting anti-allergic mechanism in our cells. ...

How can we ensure that as many households as possible adopt not only solar panels, but also their own battery to store solar energy, a heat pump, and an electric car? Researchers at the Universities of Basel and Geneva have looked into just this question. Climate protection and the energy revolution must continue to make progress, and private households could make a significant contribution to this goal if they would use environmentally friendly technologies such as solar panels, electric vehicles, and heat pumps. Dr. Mart van der Kam and Professor Ulf Hahnel at the University of Basel, Switzerland, conducted research into the political measures that would be necessary to fully realize ...