Media Contact: John Dudley (814) 490-3290 (cell) jjdudley@usf.edu KEY TAKEAWAYS: A species of single-celled organisms called foraminifera (forams) is increasing in warm, alkaline waters of the eastern Mediterranean, building beaches with their calcium carbonate skeletons. In regions like Turke, forams are creating sandy shorelines where there used to be rocky terrain, benefiting tourism. Forams thrive in warm waters with high CO2, suggesting they might continue growing as climate change accelerates. This species of foram, once native to the Mediterranean, is returning as human activities make ...

In a world where organizing a simple meeting can feel like herding cats, new research from Case Western Reserve University reveals just how challenging finding a suitable meeting time becomes as the number of participants grows. The study, published in the European Physical Journal B, dives into the mathematical complexities of this common task, offering new insights into why scheduling often feels so impossible. “If you like to think the worst about people, then this study might be for you,” quipped researcher Harsh Mathur, ...

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 9 A.M. ET ON SEPT. 13, 2024 TAMPA, Fla. (Sept. 10, 2024) – Employees often feel pressure to work while sick, leading to lost productivity, deviant behaviors such as theft and mistreatment of coworkers and intent to leave the organization, according to new research led by University of South Florida Assistant Professor of Psychology Claire Smith. The cost of such behavior, known as “presenteeism,” can be staggering – as much as $150 billion annually, according to Harvard Business Review. The findings will be ...

Paprika oleoresin (PO), extracted from chili peppers, is renowned for its vibrant color and beneficial health properties, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, its lipophilic nature and sensitivity to factors like oxygen, heat, and light restrict its use in water-based foods. While previous approaches, including emulsions and liposomes, have aimed to improve PO’s stability, the results have been limited. These persistent challenges underscore the need for new stabilization methods for PO. The study (DOI: 10.26599/FSAP.2024.9240064), led by scientists from Chengdu University and Huazhong Agricultural ...

Atlanta, Georgia - In the wake of mounting evidence for the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering approving psilocybin, the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms,” for treating depression in the near future. As this watershed moment approaches, a critical question arises: Just how many people might stand to benefit from this promising but still unproven therapy? Shedding light on this high-stakes inquiry, a first-of-its-kind peer-reviewed study led by researchers at Emory University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and ...

Scientists use atomic clocks to measure ‘second,’ the smallest standard unit of time, with great precision. These clocks use natural oscillations of electrons in atoms, similar to how pendulums work in old grandfather clocks. The quest for an even more precise timekeeper led to the discovery of nuclear clocks, which use the transitions of atomic nuclei instead of electrons to keep time. A rising contender for the development of ultra-precise nuclear optical clocks is the nuclear first-excited state of 229Th isotope. Its long half-life of 103 seconds and low excitation energy of a few electron ...

In a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), researchers analysed how erratic weather events, increasingly intensified by global warming, affect global production and consumption across different income groups. The results confirm previous studies that the poorest people worldwide bear the greatest economic risks from climate change. Surprisingly, the risk for the wealthy is growing the fastest. Economies in transition like Brazil or China are also highly vulnerable to severe impacts and negative trade ...

News about biofuels sometimes mentions used cooking oil as a feedstock, but if these substances contain animal fat, they can solidify in colder temperatures. This happens because, chemically, the fatty acids of these and many other saturated fats have long carbon chains with single bonds. Enter the euglena. An Osaka Metropolitan University team has found a way to have one species of this microalgae produce wax esters with shorter carbon chains than usual. Using CRISPR/Cas9 to edit the genome of Euglena gracilis, Dr. Masami Nakazawa and her team at the Graduate School of Agriculture’s ...

A team led by Dr. Hyeon-Gyun Im and Dr. Dong Jun Kang from the Insulation Materials Research Center of Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI), in collaboration with Dr. Jung-keun Yoo from KIST and Professor Jong-soon Kim from Sungkyunkwan University, have developed a technology that enhances the performance of binders—often the 'unsung heroes' in the field of secondary batteries—while using environmentally friendly materials. This technology has been published in a prestigious international ...

CHICAGO (Sept 13, 2024)—Menopause is a natural life transition occurring when many women are at the “top of their game.” Unsupported menopause symptoms drive up employer healthcare costs and cause roughly $1.8 billion in missed workdays. To help employers retain these valued workers and build cultures of well-being, The Menopause Society launched Making Menopause Work™ based on new science-based Consensus Recommendations. The Recommendations are published online in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause ...

One of the most promising avenues for actively reducing CO2 levels in the atmosphere is recycling it into valuable chemicals via electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reactions. With a suitable electrocatalyst, this can be achieved under mild conditions and at a low energy cost. Many types of electrocatalysts are being actively investigated, but most suffer from either low electrocatalytic activity, poor selectivity, or low stability. Metal sulfides might hold the huge potential solution to this puzzle. By combining ionic and covalent characteristics, this unique family of materials offers good catalytic activity and energy efficiency. The ternary metal system is expected to be a better ...

Kumamoto University’s research team, led by Assistant Professor Kazuto Hatakeyama and Professor Shintaro Ida of Institute of Industrial Nanomaterials, has announced a groundbreaking development in hydrogen ion barrier films using graphene oxide (GO) that lacks internal pores. This innovative approach promises significant advancements in protective coatings for various applications.   In their study, the research team successfully synthesized and developed a thin film from a new form of graphene oxide that does not contain pores. Traditionally, ...

Since many kinds of wildlife have started living in urban environments, urban environments have been recognized as places of biodiversity conservation. What kind of factors facilitate or prohibit wildlife from living in urban environments? Understanding the population genetic structure of urban wildlife living would suggest the hint. In this study, we investigated the population genetic structure of Eurasian red squirrels living in urban to rural areas in Obihiro City, Hokkaido, Japan. As a result, we found that ...

Interim data from the Phase I dose escalation part of the mRNA cancer immunotherapy (mRNA-4359), show promise in patients with advanced solid cancers. The investigational mRNA cancer immunotherapy is targeted for patients with lung cancer, melanoma and other solid tumours. Nineteen patients with advanced stage cancers received between one and nine doses of the immunotherapy treatment. Scientists have found the immunotherapy created an immune response against cancer and was well tolerated, with adverse events ...

(Jackson, Wyoming – Embargoed until Thursday 12 September 2024 8:00 PM EDT) A highly accurate diagnostic blood test has been developed for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease that effects neurons in the brain and spinal cord.  ALS leads to gradual paralysis, ultimately resulting in the inability to walk, speak, or, in later stages, move. Currently, diagnosis is based on a thorough clinical examination, but it can take up to 12 months to provide a definitive diagnosis, by which time many patients have significantly ...

Without immediate action, humanity will potentially face further escalation in resistance in fungal disease, a renowned group of scientists from the across the world has warned. The commentary -  published in The Lancet this week - was coordinated by scientists at The University of Manchester, the Westerdijk Institute and the University of Amsterdam. According to the scientists most fungal pathogens identified by the World Health Organisation - accounting for around 3.8 million deaths a year - are either already resistant or rapidly acquiring resistance to antifungal drugs. The authors argue that the currently narrow focus on bacteria will not fully combat antimicrobial resistance ...

Review in The Lancet finds that one in five globally are at risk of contracting cardiovascular diseases, because they carry a genetic risk of high levels of a specific lipoprotein, which can be tested for and possibly treated. 20 % of the world population carries a genetic risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, and aortic valve stenosis: Increased levels of a lipid particle called lipoprotein(a). It is the most common genetic cause of cardiovascular diseases. “Lipoprotein(a) is the direct cause of cardiovascular diseases much like cigarettes cause ...

Huge gamma-ray burst collection 'rivals 250-year-old Messier catalogue' Royal Astronomical Society press release RAS PR 24/24 Embargoed until 00:01 BST on Friday 13 September 2024   Hundreds of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have been recorded as part of an enormous global effort so extensive it "rivals the catalogue of deep-sky objects created by Messier 250 years ago", astronomers say. GRBs are the most violent explosions in the Universe, releasing more energy than the Sun would in 10 billion years. They occur when either a massive star dies or two neutron stars merge. The explosions are so ...

 Sea otters are famed for their luscious pelts, but the fur almost led to their extinction. By 1938, only a tiny population of ~50 remained clinging to the central California coast. Since then, the mammals have battled back; however, the charismatic creatures are still at risk from crude oil spilled by offshore rigs. But no one knew how severely crude oil impacts the buoyancy of sea otter fur or how well it recovers after cleaning. And Kate Riordan from California Polytechnic State University San Luis ...

Semaglutide and tirzepatide treatment lead to significant weight loss and improve blood sugar control in individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) who are living with overweight or obesity, new research being presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Madrid, Spain (9-13 September) has found. The two relatively new drugs are approved to treat type 2 diabetes and for weight loss. In type 2 diabetes, they help the body produce more insulin when needed. ...

Despite high use of continuous glucose monitoring and insulin pump therapy, fear of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) remains a significant barrier to physical activity and exercise for adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D), according to new research to be presented at this year’s Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), Madrid (9-13 Sept). However, the findings suggest that if exercise and diabetes management are discussed in the clinic, this fear could be reduced. “Regular exercise can help individuals with diabetes to achieve their blood glucose goals, improve their ...

A series of case reports to be presented at this year’s Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), Madrid (9-13 Sept), describe how a technology giving insulin doses informed by an insulin pump algorithm helped three adults with type 1 diabetes better manage their blood sugars enabling them to lead more active lives, and even run marathons. The AID system contains an advanced hybrid closed loop algorithm that automates the delivery of both basal and correction bolus insulin every 5 minutes based on sensor glucose values. “It is great to see advances in ...

By John Lovett Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Muscadines may be the folksy American of the grape world, but they have many qualities like disease resistance and unique flavors that are desired in the more popular Vitis vinifera (bunch grapes) species. Likewise, Vitis vinifera — the species that most people eat as table grapes and drink in wine — has many characteristics desirable for muscadines, like thinner skin, a crispier texture and seedlessness. Successfully combining traits from these two species of grapes is a challenge due to differing numbers ...

Workplace communications platforms such as Slack and Microsoft Teams are sometimes accused of reducing productivity by distracting workers with constant messages and the need to respond to them. But new research by Wen Wen, associate professor of information, risk, and operations management (IROM) at Texas McCombs, shows that companies can use them to do the opposite: to motivate workers. How? By praising successful employees in all-staff channels that everyone can see — especially when they can’t see one another face-to-face. “One important challenge faced by many companies is how to motivate remote workers and keep them productive,” ...

UT Arlington biologists, working with underserved farmers in South Texas, have harvested their first crop of climate-smart soybeans. This harvest is part of a four-and-a-half-year, $5 million project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to test whether climate-smart agricultural practices can reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) responsible for climate change—including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide—while simultaneously increasing crop production. “We ...