Scientists have identified a protein that blocks the activity of bone-forming cells (osteoblasts) by stopping them from maturing during the journey to sites of bone formation, a new study has found.   In a paper published in Communications Biology today (Friday 11 October 2024), a team of researchers led by Dr Amy Naylor and Professor Roy Bicknell along with their team including Dr Georgiana Neag from the University of Birmingham have found that protein CLEC14A, which is found on blood vessel cells called endothelial ...

A classical way to image nanoscale structures in cells is with high-powered, expensive super-resolution microscopes. As an alternative, MIT researchers have developed a way to expand tissue before imaging it — a technique that allows them to achieve nanoscale resolution with a conventional light microscope. In the newest version of this technique, the researchers have made it possible to expand tissue 20-fold in a single step. This simple, inexpensive method could pave the way for nearly any biology lab to perform nanoscale imaging. “This democratizes imaging,” says Laura Kiessling, the Novartis Professor ...

Novel magnetic nanodiscs could provide a much less invasive way of stimulating parts of the brain, paving the way for stimulation therapies without implants or genetic modification, MIT researchers report.  The scientists envision that the tiny discs, which are about 250 nanometers across (about 1/500 the width of a human hair), would be injected directly into the desired location in the brain. From there, they could be activated at any time simply by applying a magnetic field outside the body. The new particles could quickly find applications in biomedical research, and eventually, after sufficient testing, ...

When something draws us in like a magnet, we take a closer look. When magnets draw in physicists, they take a quantum look. Scientists from Osaka Metropolitan University and the University of Tokyo have successfully used light to visualize tiny magnetic regions, known as magnetic domains, in a specialized quantum material. Moreover, they successfully manipulated these regions by the application of an electric field. Their findings offer new insights into the complex behavior of magnetic materials at the quantum level, paving the way for future technological advances. Most of us are familiar with magnets that stick to metal surfaces. But what about those that do not? Among ...

Being a teenager is hard, confusing — and crucially important. Scientists studying teenage socializing have found that teenaged friendships could lay essential foundations for wellbeing in later life, and that not just the kinds of friendships teenagers experience but the timing of those friendships is critical.   “A teen’s perception of how broadly socially accepted they are by their peers in early adolescence is particularly influential in predicting adult wellbeing,” said Emily Shah of the University of Arkansas, first author of the article in Frontiers in Developmental Psychology. “Conversely, in late adolescence, the quality of their more ...

Hawaii could soon be welcoming a new distillery after a postgraduate student at Scotland’s Heriot-Watt University won a prestigious entrepreneurial award. Canadian student Ethan Wang, 42, wants to open a new distillery on Hawaii’s scenic volcanic island of Maui and said he was in “total shock” after winning cash and support from an industry membership organisation to help make his idea happen. The award, called the Worshipful Company of Distillers’ Entrepreneurship Award, is designed to help students apply their science in the real world and is run jointly by Heriot-Watt’s respected International Centre for Brewing and Distilling and The Worshipful Company ...

Trinity researchers find ‘natural killer’ cells that live in the lung are ready for a sugar rush  Trinity College Dublin researchers, based at St James’s Hospital have provided important insights into the behaviour and metabolic function of a previously largely unknown, but crucial ‘natural killer’ (NK) immune cell resident in the lungs.  Their findings, published today [Thursday, 10th October 2024] in the journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) provide ...

University of California San Diego and University of California Berkeley researchers have been awarded up to $7 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to conduct research under the PROTECT project — Pro/Prebiotic Regulation for Optimized Treatment and Eradication of Clinical Threats. The project targets pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and potentially Staphylococcus aureus, which pose significant health risks for individuals with cystic fibrosis and those dependent on respirators. PROTECT co-principal investigators are ...

Breakdancers may be at risk of developing a condition caused by repeatedly doing a cardinal move of their practice and performance—the headspin—warn doctors in the journal BMJ Case Reports.   Dubbed the ‘headspin hole,’ or ‘breakdance bulge,’ the condition is unique to breakdancers, and appears as a protruding lump on the scalp, often accompanied by hair loss and tenderness.  Breakdancers are particularly prone to injuries because of the complexities and physical demands of the moves, note the authors. Sprains, strains, and tendinitis are particularly common. Head and brain injuries, including subdural haematomas (pooling ...

Patients shouldn’t rely on AI powered search engines and chatbots to always give them  accurate and safe information on drugs, conclude researchers in the journal BMJ Quality & Safety, after finding a considerable number of answers were wrong or potentially harmful. What’s more, the complexity of the answers provided might make it difficult for patients to fully understand them without a degree level education, add the researchers. In February 2023, search engines underwent a significant shift thanks to the introduction ...

DALLAS, October 10, 2024 — Across the United States, more than 90% of stroke patients have some form of disability as a result and more than 11% experience a second stroke within a year. This risk weighs particularly heavily on people living in rural areas, who may face challenges accessing health care. The American Heart Association, with support from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, has committed $4.7 million in Minnesota and $5.05 million in South Dakota to strengthen the full spectrum of stroke care across ...

HOUSTON, October 10, 2024  —  Former University of Georgia and University of Miami football coach   Mark Richt has been named the recipient of the American Heart Association’s 2025 Paul 'Bear' Bryant Heart of a Champion Award presented by Houston (Texas) based-St. Luke’s Health, honoring his exceptional contributions to college football and the community while supporting the Association’s relentless pursuit of a world of longer, healthier lives for everyone everywhere. The Heart of a Champion Award recognizes individuals whose notable contributions ...

Researchers at UTHealth Houston have been awarded an $8.1 million grant by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to examine skeletal stem cells as potential drivers of craniofacial bone diseases and deformities. The study is led by Noriaki Ono, DDS, PhD, associate professor of orthodontics, and diagnostic and biomedical sciences at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry. Bones in the craniofacial region are highly susceptible to diseases because of the demands of chewing, breathing, and swallowing, which can impact bone growth and regeneration. In previous research, Ono identified a type ...

About 20% of children as young as age 3 have an identified mental health problem Can mark the beginning of a negatively spiraling mental health course as children grow Poor mental health in toddlers can be reversed if addressed early CHICAGO --- Northwestern University has launched a new Mental Health, Earlier Center at the Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences (DevSci), thanks to an $11.7 million award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) of the National Institutes of Health. Co-led by researchers at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah, the center will address ...

There’s history, glitz, and glamor surrounding the awarding of Michelin stars to restaurants, but new research shows there can be a downside to achieving even the highest industry rankings. In a study published in Strategic Management Journal, Daniel B. Sands of University College London found that restaurants that received a Michelin star were more likely to close in subsequent years. The study helps to explain how third-party evaluators' reviews, ratings, and rankings can help or hurt the creation and capture of value, and underscores the importance of solidifying key ...

As strains of pathogens resistant to frontline antibiotics become more common worldwide, clinicians are more often turning to combination treatments that degrade this resistance as a first treatment option. One might expect, then, that antibiotic-resistant pathogens might evolve to adapt to this approach. Previous studies, however, have resulted in contradictory conclusions about how likely that is. In a new study published on September 27 in Nature Communications, researchers from Duke University have discovered the mechanism behind these discrepancies — the ...

Self-harm remains neglected worldwide, with at least 14 million episodes yearly. A new Lancet Commission, led by University of Bristol researchers, urges policy action on societal drivers and health services’ response to this pressing issue. The report, involving an international team of experts, is published today [9 October]. Self-harm is not a psychiatric diagnosis; it is a behaviour shaped by society, culture, and individual factors. The social determinants of health, particularly poverty, heavily influence the distribution of self-harm within communities. This new report highlights that at ...

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) launched its AMS Weather Band as a closed community for weather enthusiasts in 2020. To further its mission of public outreach and nurturing scientific engagement, the Society this month announced that it is re-launching Weather Band as a free resource, available to all. Since the Weather Band began in 2020, it has been a source of engaging, informative content related to weather, water, and climate science, aimed at the general public and weather enthusiasts. This move makes a vast collection of resources and learning material available at no cost, aligning with AMS’s goal to further science education by connecting its ...

(MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Oct. 10, 2024) Immunotherapy, using a patient’s own immune system to treat disease, has shown promise in some patients with cancer but has not worked in most. New research from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and colleagues found that disrupting Asxl1, a gene in T cells, improved sensitivity to a type of immunotherapy called immune checkpoint blockade and improved long-term tumor control in modes systems. The findings were published today in Science.   Cells of the immune system use “checkpoints” or signals that tell them how to react to diseased cells or pathogens. ...

RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- Skin pigmentation may act as a “sponge” for some medications, potentially influencing the speed with which active drugs reach their intended targets, a pair of scientists report in a perspective article published in the journal Human Genomics. The researchers argue that a sizable proportion of drugs and other compounds can bind to melanin pigments in the skin, leading to differences in how bioavailable and efficacious these drugs and other compounds are in people with varying skin tones. “Our review paper concludes that melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color, shows a surprising affinity for certain drug compounds,” ...

The NEC Society, Cincinnati Children's, and UNC Children’s are proud to announce the NEC Symposium in Chicago, September 7 - 10, 2025. As the world’s largest conference focused on necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), the NEC Symposium will bring together key stakeholders to unite the global community for a world without NEC. The NEC Society has organized the NEC Symposium biennially since 2017, with the most recent 2023 NEC Symposium engaging over 200 participants from nine countries and 35 U.S. states. The 2025 NEC Symposium in Chicago will bring together 300 clinicians, scientists, patient-family advocates, ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, October 10, 2024 Contact: Jillian McKoy, jpmckoy@bu.edu Michael Saunders, msaunder@bu.edu ## By nature of their living situation, people experiencing homelessness (PEH) are considered one of the most vulnerable populations to the health impacts of extreme weather. PEH are particularly vulnerable to heat, and the impact of heat on mortality in this group is substantially greater than for the general population, according to a new study by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH).    Published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, the study examined mortality rates in two hot-climate US counties—Clark ...

Fillia Makedon, a Distinguished Professor in the Computer Science and Engineering Department at The University of Texas at Arlington, has been awarded two new National Science Foundation (NSF) grants involving human-computer interaction. In one, she will study extended reality to assess attention levels in people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD); in the other, she will look at how human-robot interaction could help visually impaired persons perform job duties remotely from home using telerobotic technologies. The NSF awarded ...

Embargoed: Not for Release Until 2:00 pm U.S. Eastern Time Thursday, 10 October 2024   October 10, 2024   AMHERST, Mass. – They say that hindsight is 20/20, and though the theory of ecological speciation — which holds that new species emerge in response to ecological changes — seems to hold in retrospect, it has been difficult to demonstrate experimentally, until now. In research recently published in Science, biologists from the University of Massachusetts Amherst have identified a key connection between ecology and speciation in Darwin’s finches, famous residents of the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Prior work on these birds ...

An organic catalyst offers chemists precise control over a vital step in activating hydrocarbons. Researchers at Hokkaido University in Japan have made a significant breakthrough in organic chemistry by developing a novel method to activate alkanes, which are compounds that play a crucial role in the chemical industry. The new technique, published in Science, makes it easier to convert these building blocks into valuable compounds, offering advances in the production of medicines and cutting-edge materials. Alkanes are a primary component of fossil fuels and are also vital building blocks in the production ...