New Curtin-led research has revealed Marri trees are critical to the survival of more than 80 species of native bee in Western Australia’s South West region, which is one of the world’s most biologically rich but threatened biodiversity hotspots.   Lead author Dr Kit Prendergast, Adjunct Research Fellow from the Curtin School of Molecular and Life Sciences, said the study identified the Marri (Corymbia calophylla), which is native to the South West and was named a ‘near threatened’ species in 2019, as a crucial supplier of food for native bees and supporter of the region’s ecosystem.   “The findings that these trees support at ...

Barcelona, Spain: Drugs designed to target HER2-postive breast cancer could also benefit some patients with bile duct cancer, according to results of a patient trial to be presented on Thursday at the 36th EORTC-NCI-AACR [1] Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in Barcelona, Spain. Bile duct cancer is rare, treatment options are limited, and the survival rates are low.   The trial also suggests that a wider group of breast cancer patients – those with HER2-mutated breast cancer – could be treated with these ...

Study focused on ‘Goldilocks Gene’ CHD2 that causes autism and epilepsy Deletion of long non-coding RNA CHASERR produces too much CHD2 protein in the cell, leaving patients wheelchair-bound, nonverbal and with intellectual delays Patient’s dad from study: ‘We intuitively understood this was a lot bigger than just Emma’ ‘It is mind-boggling that we only know what 1% of the human genome does’ CHICAGO --- When a gene produces too much protein, it can have devastating consequences on brain development and function. ...

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Millions of Americans use cannabis to treat a plethora of health conditions. They are rarely under a health care provider’s supervision and their access to quality information about the substances they are consuming and their potential risks is limited at best. A paper published today in the American Journal of Public Health, the official journal of the American Public Health Association, by University at Buffalo researchers calls attention to this concerning and potentially dangerous situation, which they say is a result of a policy environment historically driven by politics, not science. The paper explains why there needs to be a shift in cannabis ...

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4 P.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2024 MINNEAPOLIS – In middle-aged people, having risk factors like blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol that are not well-controlled combined with not following certain healthy habits including exercise, diet and sleep, are linked to a higher risk of stroke, dementia or depression later in life, according to a study published in the October 23, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. These results do not prove that not having healthy habits increases the risk of these conditions, ...

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4 P.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2024 MINNEAPOLIS – People in early middle age who have poor sleep quality, including having difficulty falling or staying asleep, have more signs of poor brain health in late middle age, according to a study published in the October 23, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study does not prove that poor sleep accelerates brain aging. It only shows an association between poor sleep quality and signs ...

Fossils from more than 600,000 years ago reveal how Southern Europe’s animal community shifted between warm and cold climate fluctuations, according to a study published October 23, 2024 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Beniamino Mecozzi from the Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy and colleagues. The Notarchirico site has long been valued as a source of information on the Early-Middle Pleistocene, with fossils stretching from around 695 thousand to 614 thousand years ago. The authors of the present study examined mammalian fossils at the site and how they might ...

Your ability to balance on one leg may be a reliable indicator of neuromuscular aging, with men and women showing significant declines over the decades ### Article URL:  https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0310764 Article Title: Age-related changes in gait, balance, and strength parameters: A cross-sectional study Author Countries: U.S., Taiwan Funding: AR-K25AG068368 RJP-Robert and Arlene Kogod Professorship in Geriatric Medicine KRK-W. Hall Wendel, Jr. Musculoskeletal Professorship The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. END ...

Most young adults in the UK consider non-consensual condom removal during sex to be wrong and a violation of consent, with almost 9 in 10 seeing it as a form of sexual assault, per survey of 18-25-year-olds ### Article URL:  https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0298561 Article Title: A UK survey of young people’s views on condom removal during sex Author Countries: U.K. Funding: The author(s) received no specific funding for this work. END ...

Under climate change scenarios, 30-44% more land in Ethiopia might become suitable for growing arabica coffee by 2080, although some cultivated areas might also become unsuitable, per modelling study ### Article URL:  https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0310945 Article Title: Analysis of current and future bioclimatic suitability for C. arabica production in Ethiopia Author Countries: Ethiopia Funding: The author(s) received no specific funding for this work. END ...

Cockroaches and maggots might be able to turn an invasive seaweed into a high quality compost, finds a new experimental study which provides hope for the environment and the circular economy ### Article URL:  https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0311483 Article Title: Invertebrate composting quality of the invasive alga Rugulopteryx okamurae, prospects for its bio-recycling, management and circular economy Author Countries: Spain Funding: All the financial support has been received by professor Jose Carlos García-Gómez and any funder have influence in the research. The details are: - JCGG (68/83 / 4081/0171) Organization of American ...

The opioid epidemic claims more 70,000 lives each year in the U.S., and lifesaving interventions are urgently needed. Although naloxone, sold as an over-the-counter nasal spray or injectable, saves lives by quickly restoring normal breathing during an overdose, administrating the medication requires a knowledgeable bystander ­– limiting its lifesaving potential. A team from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Northwestern University in Chicago has developed a device that may rescue people from overdose without bystander help. In animal studies, the researchers found that the implantable device detects an overdose, rapidly delivers naloxone ...

Almost nine in 10 young adults in the UK believe that removing a condom during sex without the other person’s permission is sexual assault, and around half support prison time as a penalty, finds a new study by UCL researchers. This is the first UK study to cover views on non-consensual condom removal. It is published in PLOS ONE and surveyed 1,729 people between the ages of 18 and 25, living in the UK. Young people were chosen as the focus of the study as, out of all demographics, they use condoms the most. The survey consisted of several examples of non-consensual condom removal, which ...

The transition from water to land is one of the most significant events in the history of life on Earth. Now, a team of roboticists, palaeontologists and biologists is using robots to study how the ancestors of modern land animals transitioned from swimming to walking, about 390 million years ago. Writing in the journal Science Robotics, the research team, led by the University of Cambridge, outline how ‘palaeo-inspired robotics’ could provide a valuable experimental approach to studying how the pectoral and pelvic fins of ancient fish evolved ...

Science laboratories across disciplines—chemistry, biochemistry and materials science—are on the verge of a sweeping transformation as robotic automation and AI lead to faster and more precise experiments that unlock breakthroughs in fields like health, energy and electronics, according to UNC-Chapel Hill researchers in the paper, “Transforming Science Labs into Automated Factories of Discovery,” published in Science Robotics, the most prestigious journal covering robotics research. “Today, the development of new molecules, materials and chemical systems requires ...

A team of paleontologists working near Rangely, Colorado, has uncovered a new (or, more accurately, very old) state resident—a fossil mammal about the size of a muskrat that may have scurried through swamps during the Age of Dinosaurs.  The researchers, led by the University of Colorado Boulder’s Jaelyn Eberle, published their findings Oct. 23 in the journal PLOS ONE. Eberle and her colleagues named their discovery, which they identified from a piece of jawbone and three molar teeth, Heleocola piceanus. The animal lived in Colorado roughly 70 to 75 million years ago—a time when a vast inland sea covered ...

Ghent, October 24, 2024 – During the COVID pandemic, many of us have received multiple mRNA vaccines. New work by researchers at the VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent University, and University Hospital Ghent, among others, has found that such repeated vaccinations lead to the presence of mucosal antibodies, for example, inside the nose. Their work appears in Science Translational Medicine. Protective booster shots Part of the global response strategy against the COVID pandemic involves the administration of booster shots, or ‘vaccine updates’ to ensure ...

HOUSTON ― As part of its ongoing commitment to patient comfort and healing, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center today announced a new focus on art to support the revitalization and expansion of its clinical facilities. This initiative will include the creation of a multisensory healing environment in both public spaces and patient care areas that are designed to prevent disease, promote health and foster well-being. This transformative project aims to enhance every aspect of the patient experience, reinforcing MD Anderson's dedication to comprehensive ...

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – There are 45.3 million African Americans living in the United States and they represent 13.6 percent of the U.S. population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But only 5.7 percent of physicians in the United States self-identify as Black, despite multiple efforts over many years to increase the number of Black doctors. A new study led by Jasmine Weiss, MD, MHS, FAAP, assistant professor of pediatrics in the UNC School of Medicine, describes the barriers to medical school admission that students at Historically Black Colleges and ...

Coral reefs rank among the most biodiverse habitats on Earth and are often referred to as the rainforests of the sea. Modern reef building corals evolved in the Triassic Period around 250 million years ago. They can live in symbiosis with tiny organisms, often algae, that can carry out photosynthesis. This photosymbiosis is particularly beneficial in nutrient-poor waters because it helps the corals to recycle scarce nutrients. Geological evidence reveals that corals already existed in the Devonian period, over 385 million ...

Almost a ubiquitous presence in landscapes across Southwest Virginia, the invasive autumn olive thrives. But it’s not supposed to be here. Autumn olive is known for its nitrogen-fixing ability, allowing it to thrive in poor soils and outcompete native plants. The shrub’s berries are edible, rich in antioxidants such as lycopene, and have a tart-sweet flavor. While its berries are beneficial for wildlife, the plant's aggressive spread disrupts local ecosystems, reducing biodiversity. With a one-year grant from the Powell River ...

Early detection is critical when it comes to curing diseases like cancer, but not everyone has easy access to screening tools. For problems in the genitourinary (GU) tract (which includes the kidneys, prostate, and bladder), health providers usually use a combination of screening tools, including blood tests, imaging, and physical examinations. Scientists are now working on an even simpler tool for screening illnesses before they become a problem – urine analysis. According to a new study from scientists at The University of Texas at Arlington, Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub, and Stanford University, ...

A Rutgers Health study has found that people who took multiple courses of penicillin antibiotics had a modestly lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease, a surprising finding that researchers say highlights the complex relationship between bacteria in the digestive tract and brain health. The study, published in Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, analyzed medical records from more than 93,000 people in the United Kingdom. Researchers found that those who received five or more courses of penicillin antibiotics in the five years before diagnosis had about a 15% lower risk of Parkinson's compared with those ...

Nightmares affect 30-40% of patients with narcolepsy, but are often overlooked Treatment can transform patients’ sleep and their daytime mood in a matter of weeks Study found overall reduction in nightmare severity and frequency in six patients CHICAGO --- A new Northwestern Medicine study has demonstrated a new way to treat narcolepsy-related nightmares. The scientists combined cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and lucid dreaming to help patients in a small clinical trial. “We had them imagine what they’d like to dream instead of their nightmare, almost like they’re writing a movie script,” said corresponding author ...

Mass General Brigham has been selected by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) as an awardee of the Sprint for Women’s Health to address critical unmet challenges in women’s health, champion transformative innovations, and tackle health conditions that uniquely or disproportionately affect women. Mass General Brigham will receive $3.29 million in funding over two years through the Sprint for Women’s Health spark track for early-stage research efforts. Understanding and improving sleep is especially important for women, who face a higher risk of neurodegenerative diseases ...