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Science | The Guardian
Western Australia Covid lockdown: new case confirmed as hotel quarantine failures condemned
 
Australian Medical Association president Dr Omar Khorshid says state governments are not doing enough to protect those in quarantine from coronavirus Continued leaks from hotel quarantine are “a frustration to all Australians” and state governments are not doing enough to prevent it, the president of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Omar Khorshid, has said, while the Western Australian prem
8h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
Simple foot test detects heart rhythm disorder in patients with diabetes
 
Atrial fibrillation can be detected during annual foot assessments in patients with diabetes, according to research presented today at EHRA 2021, an online scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1"In our study, one in six patients with diabetes had previously undiagnosed atrial fibrillation," said study author Dr. Ilias Kanellos of the European University of Cyprus, Nicosi
4h

LATEST

Futurism
SpaceX’s Spacecraft Just Had a Near Miss With an Unidentified Object
 
Earlier today, SpaceX and NASA successfully launched four astronauts into orbit on board a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The launch went by without a hitch — but the crew of four did just experience a scare while en route to the International Space Station. “The NASA/SpaceX team was informed of the possible conjunction by US Space Command,” NASA spokesperson Kelly Humphries told Futurism. “The o
15h
Futurism
Bitcoin Crashes, Wiping Over $200 Billion Off Crypto Market
 
Bitcoin Drop The value of Bitcoin, along with several other digital currencies, plummeted on Friday, following US president Joe Biden’s announcement of a significant capital gains tax hike, CNBC reports . The value of the digital currency fell to just below $50,000, its lowest since early March. According to CoinMarketCap, the drop represented the wiping out of $200 billion in market value — a st
16h
Science | The Guardian
UK scientists find evidence of human-to-cat Covid transmission
Two Human Cat Covid UK
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Researchers in Glasgow find two cases where cats were infected by owners with coronavirus symptoms Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Two cases of human-to-cat transmission of Covid-19 have been identified by researchers. Scientists from the University of Glasgow found the cases of Sars-CoV-2 transmission as part of a screening programme of the feline population in the
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The Atlantic
Low-Skill Workers Aren’t a Problem to Be Fixed
 
Recently, I was mesmerized by a prep cook. At a strip-mall Korean restaurant, I caught a glimpse of the kitchen and stood dumbfounded for a few minutes, watching a guy slicing garnishes, expending half the energy I would if I were doing the same at home and at twice the speed. The economy of his cooking was magnetic. He moved so little, but did so much. Being a prep cook is hard, low-wage, and es
23h
Phys.org
The effects of solar flares on Earth's magnetosphere
 
Planet Earth is surrounded by a system of magnetic fields known as the magnetosphere. This vast, comet-shaped system deflects charged particles coming from the sun, shielding our planet from harmful particle radiation and preventing solar wind (i.e., a stream of charged particles released from the sun's upper atmosphere) from eroding the atmosphere.
19h
Phys.org
Sixty-year-old question on DNA replication timing sequence answered
 
Over the last 60 years, scientists have been able to observe how and when genetic information was replicated, determining the existence a "replication timing program," a process that controls when and in what order segments of DNA replicate. However, scientists still cannot explain why such a specific timing sequence exists. In a study published today in Science, Dr. David Gilbert and his team hav
17h
Sciencemag
Great Malaria Vaccine News
 
Excellent news today: we have word of the most effective malaria vaccine yet discovered. A year-long trial in Burkina Faso has shown 77% efficacy, which is by far the record, and which opens the way to potentially relieving a nearly incalculable burden of disease and human suffering. This is a collaboration between the University of Oxford (Jenner Institute et al .), the KEMRI Wellcome Trust in K
18h
Phys.org
Scientists make further step towards understanding dark energy
 
The extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) collaboration has released its latest scientific results. These results include two studies on dark energy led by Prof. Zhao Gongbo and Prof. Wang Yuting, respectively, from National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC).
19h
Phys.org
Astronomers see first hint of the silhouette of a spaghettified star
 
For decades astronomers have been spotting bursts of electromagnetic radiation coming from black holes. They assumed those are the result of stars being torn apart, but they have never seen the silhouette of the actual material ligaments. Now a group of astronomers, including lead author Giacomo Cannizzaro and Peter Jonker from SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research/Radboud University, has
19h
The Atlantic
The Rise of Ron DeSantis
 
Updated at 6:35 p.m. ET on April 23, 2021. I first met Ron DeSantis at the Republican Jewish Coalition convention in Las Vegas in April 2016. DeSantis was then a second-term House member with an eye on Marco Rubio’s Senate seat. Rubio had pledged in 2014 that he would not seek reelection if he ran for president in 2016; he would later change his mind. DeSantis was likely anticipating Rubio’s reve
22h
Futurism
Covering the Planet in Forests Still Wouldn’t Stop Climate Change
 
Carbon Cycle Anyone who’s taken a science class has probably learned that burning things puts carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, while plants swap it out for oxygen. So it’s not surprising that so many plans and corporate pledges to help reduce the ravages of climate change involve planting more and more trees . That’s great, and reforestation in areas where tree cover has been removed will only
14h
The Atlantic
The King of AIDS Treatments Is Turning to COVID-19
 
At the LGBTQ senior community where John James lives in Philadelphia, residents keep busy with trips to the garden or—before the pandemic—screenings of Strangers on a Train in the rec room. James does not care for any of that right now. Each morning, he combs through medical-research databases and downloads every paper he can find on COVID-19 treatments, scribbling notes about the parts that stan
16h
Futurism
Search Party Discovers “Object” During Search for Lost Submarine
 
Countdown Time is running out in the search for a lost Indonesian navy submarine with 53 people on board. The navy lost contact with the vessel , the German-built KRI Nanggala-402, early Wednesday morning local time off the north coast of Bali. Officials fear the crew may soon run out of oxygen — if they’ve made it this far, supplies will reportedly only last until tomorrow. Magnetic Object But t
18h
Futurism
Elon Musk Says SpaceX Can Still Land Astronauts on Moon by 2024
 
Crunch Time SpaceX launched a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station on Friday morning, and CEO Elon Musk says he has even more ambitious plans for the future. The goal of NASA’s Artemis missions is to get human astronauts back to the surface of the Moon by 2024. It’s an ambitious deadline — one that even Steve Jurczyk, the acting NASA Administrator who took over when Trump le
12h
Science | The Guardian
A creature of mystery: New Zealand’s love-hate relationship with eels
 
Native species have been revered, feared, hunted and tamed. Now experts hope revulsion can give way to fascination For many years, the top-rated attraction in the Tasman district of New Zealand was a cafe famed for its rural setting, seafood chowder – and tame eels. For a few dollars you could buy a pottle of mince and a wooden stick to take down to the stream, where a blue-black mass was shining
13h
Futurism
Mark Zuckerberg Says He’s So Excited About New Project That He’s Forgetting to Eat
 
Forgetting to Eat Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is just like us. The billionaire is so excited about his work, he says, that he can hardly keep it together. “Do you ever get so excited about what you’re working on that you forget to eat meals?” the CEO wrote in a Thursday status update (remember those?) on his Facebook profile. “Keeps happening,” he added. “I think I’ve lost 10 pounds in the last
13h
Futurism
Study: Underwater Volcanoes Could Power the Entire US
 
Explosive Force Underwater volcanic eruptions release enormous amounts of energy, forming undersea rivers of lava and dispersing massive clouds of ash. Now, scientists have found a new way to calculate just how much energy is being released after each explosion by looking at how volcanic rock fragments known as “tephra” get launched across the sea for miles, Vice reports — enough energy, they say
16h
The Atlantic
2 Competing Impulses Will Drive Post-pandemic Social Life
 
A post-pandemic discussion question: You get home from work on a Friday night and change into sweatpants. It’s been an exhausting week. A text message comes in. Your good friend wants to know if you’d like to meet up last minute for a drink, which is something that’s safe to do again. You’d love to catch up, but you’re pretty tired. Do you go? This choose-your-own-adventure—or choose-your-own-lac
19h
Futurism
SpaceX Sends Four Astronauts Into Space On Reused Spacecraft
SpaceX NASA ISS C. Dragon
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Crew-2 SpaceX and NASA have launched yet another crew of astronauts to the International Space Station inside a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. The spacecraft, boosted by a Falcon 9 rocket, lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center at 5:49 am EDT. Despite this being the third time a Crew Dragon astronauts were carried into space on board a Crew Dragon, it was the first time Space
19h
MIT Technology Review
Could covid lead to a lifetime of autoimmune disease?
 
When Aaron Ring began testing blood samples collected from covid-19 patients who had come through Yale–New Haven Hospital last March and April, he expected to see a type of immune protein known as an autoantibody in at least some of them. These are antibodies that have gone rogue and started attacking the body’s own tissue; they’re known to show up after some severe infections. Researchers at New
23h
MIT Technology Review
Stop talking about AI ethics. It’s time to talk about power.
 
At the turn of the 20th century, a German horse took Europe by storm. Clever Hans, as he was known, could seemingly perform all sorts of tricks previously limited to humans. He could add and subtract numbers, tell time and read a calendar, even spell out words and sentences—all by stamping out the answer with a hoof. “A” was one tap; “B” was two; 2+3 was five. He was an international sensation—an
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Science | The Guardian
US lifts pause on Johnson & Johnson vaccine after advisers say benefits outweigh risk
CDC & Johnson
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The vaccine was temporarily halted while scientists investigated rare but dangerous blood clots US health officials have lifted an 11-day pause on Johnson & Johnson vaccinations following a recommendation by an expert panel. Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday the benefits of the single-dose Covid-19 shot outweigh a rare risk of blood clots. Panel members said i
12h
Futurism
Scientists Say They’ve Invented a “Highly Effective” Malaria Vaccine
Oxford Malaria Vaccine
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Scientists from the University of Oxford have developed a vaccine that they say gives “unprecedented” protection against malaria, a deadly mosquito-borne disease that killed more than 400,000 people worldwide last year. In a phase II clinical trial — currently under review by the prestigious medical journal The Lancet — the team found that the vaccine protected young children from the West Africa
17h
Phys.org
Environmental scientists: Up to 20% of global groundwater wells at risk of going dry
 
A pair of environmental scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara, has found that up to 20% of all the groundwater wells in the world are at risk of going dry in the near future. In their paper published in the journal Science, Scott Jasechko and Debra Perrone describe their analysis of groundwater well construction data from millions of wells around the world. James Famiglietti an
19h
Big Think
How Europe will beat China on batteries
 
China produces 80 percent of electric vehicle batteries. To achieve battery independence, Europe is ramping up production. And the U.S.? Action is needed, and quick. Tesla's Gigafactory near Berlin, still under construction in October last year. Credit: Michael Wolf , CC BY-SA 3.0 This is a map of the future — the future of battery cell production in Europe. If and when all projects on this map a
20h
Science | The Guardian
Fears Covid anxiety syndrome could stop people reintegrating
 
Exclusive: compulsive hygiene habits and fear of public places could remain for some after lockdown lifted, researchers say Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Scientists have expressed concern that residual anxiety over coronavirus may have led some people to develop compulsive hygiene habits that could prevent them from reintegrating into the outside world, even though
3h
Science | The Guardian
‘No data’ linking Covid vaccines to menstrual changes, US experts say
 
Some have reported changes amid vaccine rollout but experts say ‘one unusual period is no cause for alarm’ Experts are trying to assuage concerns and combat misinformation about how the Covid-19 vaccines may affect menstrual cycles and fertility, after anecdotal reports that some people experienced earlier, later , heavier or more painful periods following the jab. “So far, there’s no data linkin
14h
Futurism
Scientists Hook Neural Interface to Powered Exoskeleton
 
A team of scientists hooked up a robotic exoskeleton to a neural interface, allowing a patient who lost his foot and lower leg to control the powered system with his thoughts. By combining the robotic prosthesis with sensors that could pick up the signals sent down to the foot by the man’s brain, the system allowed for a far greater range of movement and more control than exoskeletons are typical
16h
Science | The Guardian
Children of Chernobyl parents have no higher number of DNA mutations
 
Study was one of the first to evaluate alterations in human mutation rates in response to manmade disaster For decades popular culture has portrayed babies born to the survivors of nuclear accidents as mutants with additional heads or at high risk of cancers. But now a study of children whose parents were exposed to radiation from the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 suggests they carry no more DNA mut
17h
Futurism
Watch an Astronaut Play Piano on the ISS as the Earth Drifts in the Background
 
Farewell ISS In a bittersweet video uploaded to YouTube, Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi took the time to say farewell to the International Space Station by playing a somber tune on a Yamaha electric keyboard, as the Earth drifts in the background. The video was uploaded on the same day SpaceX and NASA launched yet another crew of four astronauts. Noguchi will soon return back down to Earth on
19h
Phys.org
Using a new kind of electron microscopy to measure weak van der Waals interactions
 
A team of researchers from China, the Netherland and Saudi Arabia has used a new kind of electron microscopy to measure weak van der Waals interactions. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes creating what they describe as a molecular compass to measure weak van der Waals interactions using a new type of electron microscopy developed in the Netherlands.
19h
Phys.org
New biosensor designed to detect toxins and more
 
A device from Los Alamos National Laboratory researchers is not quite the Star Trek "tricorder" medical scanner, but it's a step in the right direction. The Portable EnGineered Analytic Sensor with aUtomated Sampling (PEGASUS) is a miniaturized waveguide-based optical sensor that can detect toxins, bacterial signatures, viral signatures, biothreats, white powders and more, from samples such as blo
21h
Phys.org
Mars-directed coronal mass ejection erupts from the sun
 
NASA's STEREO-A and ESA/NASA's SOHO spacecraft detected a coronal mass ejection, or CME, leaving the sun on April 17 at 12:36 p.m. EDT. This CME did not impact Earth but did move toward Mars, passing the planet in the late evening and early morning hours of April 21 and 22.
21h
The Atlantic
The Power of a Skeptical Captain America
 
This article contains spoilers through the entirety of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Avengers: Endgame . Superlative television should always know what it wants to be, and on that front, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has felt more like Marvel’s exercise in trying things out than a series with a fully realized sense of self. Sam Wilson (played by Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebas
11h
Futurism
Elon Musk Appears to Have Stolen This Guy’s Meme
 
Meme Theft On April 9, 2021, Elon Musk posted a meme on Twitter. In it, two muscular arms labeled “Pfizer Crew” and “Moderna Gang” dramatically clasp hands to form an alliance, labeled “Slutty Summer.” The meme, unlike our overly reductive description of it, is pretty funny. It was also apparently stolen. The novelist Miles Klee wrote this week in SFGate that he created and posted the image just
18h
Phys.org
Researchers realize high-efficiency frequency conversion on integrated photonic chip
 
A team led by Prof. GUO Guangcan and Prof. ZOU Changling from the University of Science and Technology of China of the Chinese Academy of Sciences realized efficient frequency conversion in microresonators via a degenerate sum-frequency process, and achieved cross-band frequency conversion and amplification of converted signal through observing the cascaded nonlinear optical effects inside the mic
18h
Science-Based Medicine
Deaths and Excess Deaths in Brazil
 
By misinterpreting excess mortality statistics, Nobel Laureate Michael Levitt minimizes the significance of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil (and also America). The post first appeared on Science-Based Medicine .
20h
The Atlantic
What’s Really Holding the Democrats Back
 
Joe Manchin, West Virginia’s Democratic senator, has put everyone on notice : Under no circumstances will he vote to eliminate the Senate filibuster. If the support of at least 10 Republicans is needed to pass legislation, progressives have little hope for their agenda. At least that’s what many seem to think. But eliminating the filibuster probably wouldn’t matter as much as they believe it woul
21h
Science | The Guardian
‘We’re the poo crew’: sleuths test for Covid by reading signs in sewage
 
Scientists in Exeter are identifying Covid through human faeces – this could be be expanded to monitor other diseases Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage They call themselves the “poo crew” – a team of health detectives who are tracking down and heading off Covid outbreaks by reading the signs in our sewage. And they are expanding. Earlier this month, the Environmental M
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The Atlantic
No One Is Saving Myanmar
 
Since Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup on February 1, an initial sense of shock has given way to vibrant protests, and most of the ire has been concentrated on the junta: Hundreds of thousands of people in towns and cities from the foothills of the Himalayas to the far southern border on the edges of the Andaman Sea have marched in defiance of an armed forces known for its durability and
4h
Phys.org
Perovskites under pressure: Hot electrons cool faster
 
In solar cells, about two third of the energy of sunlight is lost. Half of this loss is due to a process called 'hot carrier cooling' where high energy photons lose their excess energy in the form of heat before being converted to electricity. Scientists at AMOLF have found a way to manipulate the speed of this process in perovskites by applying pressure to the material. This paves the way for mak
16h
Phys.org
Synthetic gelatin-like material mimics lobster underbelly's stretch and strength
 
A lobster's underbelly is lined with a thin, translucent membrane that is both stretchy and surprisingly tough. This marine under-armor, as MIT engineers reported in 2019, is made from the toughest known hydrogel in nature, which also happens to be highly flexible. This combination of strength and stretch helps shield a lobster as it scrabbles across the seafloor, while also allowing it to flex ba
18h
Science | The Guardian
SpaceX launches third crew in less than a year with recycled rocket and capsule
 
Event marks first time SpaceX reused a capsule and rocket to launch astronauts for Nasa SpaceX launched four astronauts into orbit on Friday using a recycled rocket and capsule, the third crew flight in less than a year for Elon Musk’s rapidly expanding company. The astronauts from the US, Japan and France should reach the International Space Station early on Saturday morning, following a 23-hour
21h
Undark Magazine
Book Review: Lessons From the Rise and Fall of Ancient Cities
 
In “Four Lost Cities,” Annalee Newitz illuminates what we can glean from the growth and decline of early civilizations. From central Turkey to the Mississippi floodplains, each of these cities share a common point of failure: Prolonged periods of political instability coupled with environmental crisis.
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Phys.org
Asteroid that hit Botswana in 2018 likely came from Vesta
 
An international team of researchers searched for pieces of a small asteroid tracked in space and then observed to impact Botswana on June 2, 2018. Guided by SETI Institute meteor astronomer Peter Jenniskens, they found 23 meteorites deep inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and now have published their findings online in the journal Meteoritics and Planetary Science.
21h
Phys.org
New study predicts human exodus in Bangladesh due to sea-level rise
 
Rising sea levels and more powerful cyclonic storms, phenomena driven by the warming of oceans due to climate change, puts at immediate or potential risk an estimated 680 million people living in low-lying coastal zones (a number projected to reach more than one billion by 2050). In nations like Bangladesh these populations are already moving to escape sea-level rise.
20h
Phys.org
A superluminous supernova from a massive progenitor star
 
Stars greater than about eight solar-masses end their lives spectacularly as supernovae. These single-star supernovae are called core collapse supernovae because their dense cores, composed primarily of iron at this late stage of their lives, are no longer able to withstand the inward pressure of gravity and they collapse before exploding. Core collapse supernovae that display strong atomic hydrog
19h
Phys.org
How do you test a helicopter bound for Mars?
 
The Ingenuity helicopter may be the first vehicle ever to fly on Mars, but Mars was not the first place it has ever flown. Before packaging it up and blasting it to the Red Planet, engineers at JPL gave the helicopter a trial run in a special wind tunnel designed with help from researchers at Caltech.
19h
Science | The Guardian
Can our passion for pets help reset our relationship with nature?
 
As lockdown puppy sales soar and the cats of Instagram are liked by millions, endangered species are vanishing from the planet. Can pets teach us how to care about all animals? It was the carefree summer of 2019, and I was on a beach in San Francisco – surrounded by a thousand corgis. Sand is not the natural environment for dogs whose legs are only as long as ice lollies. But this was Corgi Con,
1h
Singularity Hub
A Helicopter Flew on Mars for the First Time. A Space Physicist Explains Why That’s Such a Big Deal
 
On Monday of this week, the Ingenuity helicopter—which landed on Mars with the Perseverance rover in February— took off from the Martian surface. More importantly, it hovered for about 30 seconds, 3 meters above the surface and came right back down again. It may not sound like a huge feat, but it is. Ingenuity’s flight is the first powered flight of an aircraft on another planet. It marks a miles
19h
The Atlantic
The Surreality of Documenting 2020
 
Photographs by Peter van Agtmael Image above: A scene from inside a funeral home in Queens, New York In the early months of 2020, the photographer Peter van Agtmael covered a gun-rights rally in Richmond, Virginia, and a Trump rally in Charlotte, North Carolina. Van Agtmael had been working as a photojournalist for 16 years, documenting the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and life across the United
21h
Science | The Guardian
Social mobility study to assess lockdown effect on teenagers in England
 
Academics will follow progress of 10,000 poorer students affected by the Covid-19 pandemic Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Disruption to the lives and careers of 16-year-olds following the Covid-19 pandemic is to be the subject of a government-funded study that tracks 10,000 children in England into adulthood. The research will establish whether pupils achieve lower
20h
The Atlantic
The Books Briefing: The New Literature of Burnout
 
The author Brontez Purnell’s short story “Early Retirement” focuses on Antonio, a struggling actor who is unfulfilled by his job. One night, Antonio drinks too much and blacks out in the middle of a performance, experiencing a “cool and complete dissociation onstage.” He is booted from the cast the next day. Purnell’s story illustrates a common experience of disillusionment in modern-day work cul
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ScienceDaily
Ankle exoskeleton enables faster walking
 
In lab tests, researchers found that an optimized ankle exoskeleton system increased participants' walking speed by about 40 percent compared with their regular speed. The researchers hope someday to help restore walking speed in older adults.
19h
Big Think
‘Mad honey’: The rare hallucinogen from the mountains of Nepal
 
Mad honey is produced by bees who feed on specific species of rhododendron plants, which grow in mountainous regions like those surrounding the Black Sea. People have used mad honey for centuries for recreational, medicinal, and military purposes. Low doses cause euphoria and lightheadedness, while high doses cause hallucinations and, in rare cases, death. Mad honey is still harvested and sold to
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Phys.org
U.S. asbestos sites made risky by some remediation strategies
 
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) largely remedies Superfund sites containing asbestos by capping them with soil to lock the buried toxin in place. But new research suggests that this may actually increase the likelihood of human exposure to the cancer-causing mineral.
19h
Phys.org
How plants and animals steal genes from other species to accelerate evolution
 
Little did biologist Gregor Mendel know that his experiments with sweet peas in a monastery garden in Brno, Czech Republic, would lay the foundations for our understanding of modern genetics and inheritance. His work in the 19th century helped scientists to establish that parents pass their genetic information onto their offspring, and in turn, they pass it on to theirs.
19h
Phys.org
The Red Sea is no longer a baby ocean
 
It is 2,250 kilometers long, but only 355 kilometers wide at its widest point—on a world map, the Red Sea hardly resembles an ocean. But this is deceptive. A new, albeit still narrow, ocean basin is actually forming between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Exactly how young it is and whether it can really be compared with other young oceans in Earth's history has been a matter of dispute in the g
19h
ScienceDaily
A breakthrough astrophysics code rapidly models stellar collisions
 
A new breakthrough astrophysics code, named Octo-Tiger, simulates the evolution of self-gravitating and rotating systems of arbitrary geometry using adaptive mesh refinement and a new method to parallelize the code to achieve superior speeds. This new code to model stellar collisions is more expeditious than the established code used for numerical simulations.
12h
ScienceDaily
Immune system, not COVID virus, may pose greatest risk to pregnant women
 
Scientists investigated whether the COVID-19 virus could be affecting placental tissue of infected expectant mothers. Their analysis found that while evidence of the virus in the placenta is rare, the placenta in infected mothers tended to exhibit a much higher level of immune system activity than those of non-infected pregnant women, they report.
21h
Undark Magazine
Covid-19 Ravages India in Unexpected New Wave
 
In our weekly news roundup: Researchers have suggested a range of possible causes for this new spike, including loosening public health standards, large political and religious gatherings, and the presence of more transmissible new variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
19h
Phys.org
Researchers uncover activation mechanism of a cell growth protein that can trigger cancer
 
There are many different types of cancer, but they all have one thing in common: errors in the signals that control normal cell behavior can cause uncontrolled cell growth and cell division, leading to a tumor. An enzyme called SHP2 plays a key role in this regard. SHP2 is a signaling molecule that in its activated state stimulates cell proliferation. In a normal healthy body, the rates of cell pr
19h
The Atlantic
The Atlantic Daily: Our Personal Relationships With Nature Are Changing
 
Every weekday evening, our editors guide you through the biggest stories of the day, help you discover new ideas, and surprise you with moments of delight. Subscribe to get this delivered to your inbox. “Outside, fires raged and seas rose and viruses attacked,” my colleague Megan Garber writes. “Inside, not knowing what else to do, I kept watering all the plants.” This Earth Day, Megan has a thou
19h
Phys.org
Simple entropies for complicated molecules
 
Chemists of the University of Bonn developed a computational tool for the analysis of conformational entropies of flexible molecules. Their method enables the thermodynamic investigation of complicated chemical systems by combination of modern quantum chemical and classical models. In a successful attempt of simplifications, important contributions to the entropy can be calculated with minimal use
21h
Phys.org
Bacteria and viruses infect our cells through sugars: Now researchers want to know how they do it
 
Most infectious bacteria and viruses bind to sugars on the surface of our cells. Now researchers from the University of Copenhagen have created a library of tens of thousands of natural cells containing all the sugars found on the surface of our cells. The library may help us understand the role played by sugars and their receptors in the immune system and the brain, the researchers behind the stu
19h
Phys.org
GPS tracking could help tigers and traffic coexist in Asia
 
More than 100,000 tigers ranged across Asia a century ago, from the Indian subcontinent to the Russian Far East. Today they are endangered, with only about 4,000 tigers left in the wild. The greatest threats they face are habitat loss and degradation, illegal hunting and declines in their prey.
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Phys.org
Not all gloom: World leaders tout success at climate summit
 
World leaders joined President Joe Biden at the virtual climate summit Friday to share their stories how nations can break free of climate-damaging fossil fuels—from Kenyans leapfrogging from kerosene lamps to geothermal power and Israeli start-ups scrambling to improve battery storage.
17h
ScienceDaily
How is a molecular machine assembled?
 
The conversion of light into chemical energy by plants and photosynthetic microorganisms is one of the most important processes in nature, removing climate-damaging CO2 from the atmosphere. Protein complexes, so-called photosystems, play the key role in this process. An international research team shed light for the first time on the structure and function of a transition state in the synthesis of
19h
forskning.se
Högutbildade mest förberedda på katastrof
 
Att förbereda sig inför en katastrof genom prepping och hamstring är vanligare bland personer med hög utbildning och högre inkomst. Det visar studier av människors beteende under coronapandemin. Under pandemin har olika strategier för att hantera en riskabel samhällssituation fått en ny aktualitet. Till en början syntes en kraftig ökning av hamstring, då människor fyllde på förråden med mat och h
23h
Nature Communications – current – nature.com science feeds
COVID-19 pathophysiology may be driven by an imbalance in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system
 
Nature Communications, Published online: 23 April 2021; doi:10.1038/s41467-021-22713-z The SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2 is involved in the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS). Over-activation of RAAS in swine results in a disease state similar to that of COVID-19 in human patients, suggesting that COVID-19 pathophysiology may be driven, at least in part, by an imbalance of this hormonal syste
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences current issue
Automated, multiparametric monitoring of respiratory biomarkers and vital signs in clinical and home settings for COVID-19 patients [Engineering]
 
Capabilities in continuous monitoring of key physiological parameters of disease have never been more important than in the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Soft, skin-mounted electronics that incorporate high-bandwidth, miniaturized motion sensors enable digital, wireless measurements of mechanoacoustic (MA) signatures of both core vital signs (heart rate, respiratory rate,…
14h
NeuroLogica Blog
A “Decisive Decade” for Climate Action
 
After four years of backsliding on tackling climate change, it is good to see the US once again taking it seriously and trying to lead the world on climate action. Good intensions are necessary, but insufficient, however. The Biden Administration pledges a 50-52% decrease in CO2 emissions from 2005 levels by 2030. That sounds ambitious, and it is, but it is also not enough. It helps clarify how b
21h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
60-year scientific mystery solved
 
Over the last 60 years, scientists have been able to observe how and when genetic information was replicated, determining the existence a "replication timing program", a process that controls when and in what order segments of DNA replicate. However, scientists still cannot explain why such a specific timing sequence exists. In a study published today in Science, Dr. David Gilbert and his team hav
18h
ScienceDaily
Quantum steering for more precise measurements
 
Quantum systems consisting of several particles can be used to measure magnetic or electric fields more precisely. A young physicist has now proposed a new scheme for such measurements that uses a particular kind of correlation between quantum particles.
8h
ScienceDaily
Salad or cheeseburger? Your co-workers shape your food choices
 
Employees' cafeteria purchases — both healthy and unhealthy foods — were influenced by their co-workers' food choices, found a large, two-year study of hospital employees. The study made innovative use of cash register data to gain insights into how individuals' social networks shape their health behavior. The research suggests we might structure future efforts aimed at improving population heal
13h
Phys.org
Recreating the earliest stages of life
 
In their effort to understand the very earliest stages of life and how they can go wrong, scientists are confronted with ethical issues surrounding the use of human embryos. The use of animal embryos is also subject to restrictions rooted in ethical considerations. To overcome these limitations, scientists have been trying to recreate early embryos using stem cells.
19h
Phys.org
Individual receptors caught in the act of coupling
 
A new imaging technique developed by scientists at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital captures movies of receptors on the surface of living cells in unprecedented detail and could pave the way to a trove of new drugs.
19h
ScienceDaily
Scientists glimpse signs of a puzzling state of matter in a superconductor
 
High-temperature superconductors are famous for conducting electricity with no loss, but no one knows how they do it. Now scientists have observed the signature of an exotic state of matter called 'pair density waves' in a cuprate superconductor and confirmed that it intertwines with another exotic state — a step toward understanding how these materials work.
19h
Phys.org
On a changing planet, NASA goes green
 
"NASA is a scientific leader, globally and nationally," said Denise Thaller, director of NASA's Environmental Management Division. "We embody that focus on the stewardship of the Earth, so we need to lead by example. We need to evaluate everything we do and make sure we're reducing our impacts on the Earth while we study the Earth."
21h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
Global experts define how to assess quality of care for patients with atrial fibrillation
 
The first internationally agreed quality indicators for the management and outcomes of adults with atrial fibrillation are presented today at EHRA 2021, an online scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). The document is published in EP Europace, a journal of the ESC. Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder, affecting more than 40 million people globally
1h
cognitive science
Distinction between behaviorism and cognitivism?
 
Behviorism: all behavior can be understood to be innate behaviors that are modified by conditioning. Congitivism: the way cognitive processes (processing sensory inputs, decision making, memory) effect behavior. I don't see how these are alternative or opposed with each other. The cognitive processes listed above underpin the stimulus-response interaction that behaviorists focus their attention o
7h
cognitive science
[Academic] Face-name memory experiment (Everyone welcome)
 
Hi! We are two students of cognitive science at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden conducting a study on face-name memory as part of our Bachelor’s thesis. The study aims to investigate people’s ability to learn the names of new people. The study takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. If possible, do not use Safari for the experiment (it sometimes produces an error in Safari). Link to experim
7h
Futurism
Give Kids A Love Of STEM With These $95 Introduction To Coding Courses
 
The future will involve a lot of coding . We’re networking everything, from our cars to nature itself, so the earlier we understand how code works, the better off we’ll be. Twin Science’s Introduction To Coding bundle, currently 34% off , has two kits that give kids educational toys to play with that make it fun to code. The kits are developed by Twin Science, with a goal of creating science educ
10h
Biochemistry Research News — ScienceDaily
Genetic effects of Chernobyl radiation
 
Researchers utilized genomic tools to investigate potential health effects of exposure to ionizing radiation, a known carcinogen, as a result of the 1986 Chernobyl accident. One study found no evidence that genetic changes associated with radiation exposure are passed to children, while the second study documented the genetic changes in the tumors of people who developed thyroid cancer after being
12h
ScienceDaily
Force transmission between cells orchestrates collective cellular motion
 
How do the billions of cells communicate in order to perform tasks? The cells exert force on their environment through movement – and in doing so, they communicate. They work as a group in order to infiltrate their environment, perform wound healing and the like. They sense the stiffness or softness of their surroundings and this helps them connect and organize their collective effort. But when th
12h
Big Think
Tarantulas: How 120-million-year-old creatures conquered the globe
 
Scary-looking tarantulas actually prefer to keep to themselves and stay in their burrows. Their sedentary nature makes a puzzle of their presence in so many places around the world. Researchers discover that this is because they've been around a very long time and rode drifting continental land masses to their contemporary positions. Whenever a movie script calls for the protagonist to be menaced
12h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
Simple robots, smart algorithms
 
Inspired by a theoretical model of particles moving around on a chessboard, new robot swarm research led by Georgia Tech shows that, as magnetic interactions increase, dispersed "dumb robots" can abruptly gather in large, compact clusters to accomplish complex tasks. Researchers report that these "BOBbots" (behaving, organizing, buzzing bots) are also capable of collectively clearing debris that i
12h
ScienceDaily
Researchers trace spinal neuron family tree
 
Spinal cord nerve cells branching through the body resemble trees with limbs fanning out in every direction. But this image can also be used to tell the story of how these neurons, their jobs becoming more specialized over time, arose through developmental and evolutionary history. Researchers have traced the development of spinal cord neurons using genetic signatures and revealed how different su
12h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
From toxic ions to single-atom copper
 
UH researchers offer conclusive research for understanding how bacteria found in copper mines convert toxic copper ions to stable single-atom copper. Their research demonstrates how copper-resistant bacterium from a copper mine in Brazil convert copper sulfate ions into zero-valent metallic copper.
13h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
How oxygen radicals protect against cancer
 
Oxygen radicals in the body are generally considered dangerous because they can trigger something called oxidative stress, which is associated with the development of many chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. In studies on mice, scientists at Goethe University Frankfurt have now discovered how oxygen radicals, conversely, can also reduce the risk of cancer and mitigate damag
13h
ScienceDaily
Researchers show how 'theory of mind' influences advertising skepticism
 
Product marketers should be clear in their messaging to avoid customer skepticism that makes them feel duped, according to new research. At issue in a new study was a social-cognitive construct called theory of mind, which considers how well people assess the mental states and apparent goals of others. Turns out, it affects a person's evaluation and willingness to buy a product.
13h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
Targeting drug-resistant breast cancer with estrogen
 
Researchers at Dartmouth's and Dartmouth-Hitchcock's Norris Cotton Cancer Center show better long-term control of drug-resistant breast cancer growth in mice by switching between estrogen and anti-estrogen therapies. An ongoing clinical trial will determine whether this cycling strategy is effective in human patients with advanced breast cancer. By studying molecular characteristics of cancer cell
13h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
Researchers develop a programme to find cipher vulnerabilities
 
Anastasia Malashina, a doctoral student at HSE University, has proposed a new method to assess vulnerabilities in encryption systems, which is based on a brute-force search of possible options of symbol deciphering. The algorithm was also implemented in a programme, which can be used to find vulnerabilities in ciphers. The results of the study were published in a paper 'Software development for th
13h
Futurism
These Stylish Sneakers Protect Your Feet Like Heavy Duty Work Boots
 
Everyone knows good shoes are important. The problem is we often have to choose between form and function. If you want to wear sneakers, which are comfortable and stylish, you have to sacrifice durability and safety. If you want to wear work boots, which offer the most protection, you have to endure bulky shoes that leave your feet sweaty and exhausted. But what if you didn’t have to choose? What
13h
ScienceDaily
Scientists provide new insights into the citric acid cycle
 
Researchers have new insights into the citric acid cycle: Certain bacteria can use this central metabolic pathway 'backwards', but to do so they must have very high concentrations of the enzyme citrate synthase and of carbon dioxide. This pathway may be a relic from the early development of life.
14h
ScienceDaily
Plant provenance influences pollinators
 
Insect decline poses challenges for the pollination of wild and cultivated plants. Landscape ecologists have now discovered that the diversity of insects that interact with plant communities is influenced not only by plant species but also by the geographical provenance of seeds.
14h
ScienceDaily
SMART breakthrough in materials discovery enables 'twistronics' for bulk systems
 
Researchers have discovered a new way to control light emission from materials. While recent discoveries focused on manipulation of atomically-thin 2D materials, the new breakthrough can be used to stack technologically-relevant 3D materials at a twist angle. The discovery can be significant for applications in medicine, environmental or information technologies.
14h
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences current issue
Nanobody cocktails potently neutralize SARS-CoV-2 D614G N501Y variant and protect mice [Microbiology]
 
Neutralizing antibodies are important for immunity against SARS-CoV-2 and as therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Here, we identified high-affinity nanobodies from alpacas immunized with coronavirus spike and receptor-binding domains (RBD) that disrupted RBD engagement with the human receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and potently neutralized SARS-CoV-2. Epitope.
14h
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences current issue
Energy landscapes of fast-folding proteins pushing the limits of atomic force microscope (AFM) pulling [Biophysics and Computational Biology]
 
Protein folding is a complex diffusive process on a high-dimensional energy surface (1, 2). Gaining detailed insight into the folding energy landscape is an experimental challenge. First, most measurements can observe only one coordinate and provide one-dimensional (1D) projections (Fig. 1A). Second, even though a single-molecule experiment can yield folding/unfolding…
14h
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences current issue
A tale of two receptors: Bmp heterodimers recruit two type I receptors but use the kinase activity of only one [Developmental Biology]
 
Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are members of the larger transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) family of cytokines that play diverse roles in embryonic development, adult tissue homeostasis, and human disease (1). BMPs are grouped into subfamilies based on sequence similarity, and can signal as either homodimers or heterodimers. It has…
14h
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences current issue
A nanobody toolbox targeting dimeric coiled-coil modules for functionalization of designed protein origami structures [Biochemistry]
 
Coiled-coil (CC) dimers are widely used in protein design because of their modularity and well-understood sequence–structure relationship. In CC protein origami design, a polypeptide chain is assembled from a defined sequence of CC building segments that determine the self-assembly of protein cages into polyhedral shapes, such as the tetrahedron, triangular…
14h
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences current issue
CD4+ T cells require Ikaros to inhibit their differentiation toward a pathogenic cell fate [Immunology and Inflammation]
 
The production of proinflammatory cytokines, particularly granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), by pathogenic CD4+ T cells is central for mediating tissue injury in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. However, the factors regulating the T cell pathogenic gene expression program remain unclear. Here, we investigated how the Ikaros transcription factor regulates the global…
14h
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences current issue
Evolutionary and functional analysis of an NRPS condensation domain integrates {beta}-lactam, -amino acid, and dehydroamino acid synthesis [Biochemistry]
 
Nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) are large, multidomain biosynthetic enzymes involved in the assembly-line–like synthesis of numerous peptide natural products. Among these are clinically useful antibiotics including three classes of β-lactams: the penicillins/cephalosporins, the monobactams, and the monocyclic nocardicins, as well as the vancomycin family of glycopeptides and the depsipept
14h
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences current issue
Ferroelectricity and multiferroicity in anti-Ruddlesden-Popper structures [Physics]
 
Combining ferroelectricity with other properties such as visible light absorption or long-range magnetic order requires the discovery of new families of ferroelectric materials. Here, through the analysis of a high-throughput database of phonon band structures, we identify a structural family of anti–Ruddlesden–Popper phases A4X2O (A=Ca, Sr, Ba, Eu, X=Sb, P,…
14h
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences current issue
Probing the binding specificities of human Siglecs by cell-based glycan arrays [Biochemistry]
 
Siglecs are a family of sialic acid–binding receptors expressed by cells of the immune system and a few other cell types capable of modulating immune cell functions upon recognition of sialoglycan ligands. While human Siglecs primarily bind to sialic acid residues on diverse types of glycoproteins and glycolipids that constitute…
14h
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences current issue
The MDAR (Materials Design Analysis Reporting) Framework for transparent reporting in the life sciences [Medical Sciences]
 
Transparency in reporting benefits scientific communication on many levels. While specific needs and expectations vary across fields, the effective interpretation and use of research findings relies on the availability of core information about research materials, study design, data, and experimental and analytical methods. For preclinical research, transparency in reporting is…
14h
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences current issue
Individual error correction drives responsive self-assembly of army ant scaffolds [Engineering]
 
An inherent strength of evolved collective systems is their ability to rapidly adapt to dynamic environmental conditions, offering resilience in the face of disruption. This is thought to arise when individual sensory inputs are filtered through local interactions, producing an adaptive response at the group level. To understand how simple…
14h
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences current issue
Ion mobility-mass spectrometry reveals the role of peripheral myelin protein dimers in peripheral neuropathy [Chemistry]
 
Peripheral myelin protein (PMP22) is an integral membrane protein that traffics inefficiently even in wild-type (WT) form, with only 20% of the WT protein reaching its final plasma membrane destination in myelinating Schwann cells. Misfolding of PMP22 has been identified as a key factor in multiple peripheral neuropathies, including Charcot-Marie-Tooth…
14h
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences current issue
A unique mode of keratinocyte death requires intracellular acidification [Developmental Biology]
 
The stratum corneum (SC), the outermost epidermal layer, consists of nonviable anuclear keratinocytes, called corneocytes, which function as a protective barrier. The exact modes of cell death executed by keratinocytes of the upper stratum granulosum (SG1 cells) remain largely unknown. Here, using intravital imaging combined with intracellular Ca2+- and pH-responsive…
14h
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences current issue
Production, composition, and mode of action of the painful defensive venom produced by a limacodid caterpillar, Doratifera vulnerans [Evolution]
 
Venoms have evolved independently several times in Lepidoptera. Limacodidae is a family with worldwide distribution, many of which are venomous in the larval stage, but the composition and mode of action of their venom is unknown. Here, we use imaging technologies, transcriptomics, proteomics, and functional assays to provide a holistic…
14h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
Violence-legitimizing verses in religious scriptures increase support for lethal violence
 
Extremist perpetrators of violence often quote verses from their religion's holy scriptures that authorize, or even prescribe, attacks on enemies of the faith. However, whether the religious motivation that extremist perpetrators of violence emphasize is causally related to their actions is often doubted. Now, WZB researchers Ruud Koopmans and Eylem Kanol can prove for the first time that verses i
15h
ScienceDaily
Cracking the code of the Dead Sea Scrolls
 
The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered some seventy years ago, are famous for containing the oldest manuscripts of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and many hitherto unknown ancient Jewish texts. But the individual people behind the scrolls have eluded scientists, because the scribes are anonymous. Now, by combining the sciences and the humanities, researchers have cracked the code, which enables them t
15h
ScienceDaily
Changing views on atherosclerosis
 
Atherosclerosis — hardening of the arteries — is now involved in the majority of deaths worldwide, and advances in our understanding of the biology of the disease are changing traditional views and opening up new avenues for treatment.
15h
Nature
Daily briefing: Malaria vaccine shows early signs of promise
 
Nature, Published online: 23 April 2021; doi:10.1038/d41586-021-01106-8 A malaria vaccine is effective in children in a small trial. Plus, the US pledges to dramatically slash greenhouse-gas emissions, and one of the world’s longest-running experiments.
15h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
A PLOS Medicine Collection on Plasmodium vivax–a neglected cause of malaria
 
Strenuous efforts to prevent in recent decades have brought great benefits, particularly against disease caused by Plasmodium falciparum in countries in Africa and the Americas. But malaria caused by its "stealthier and more resilient cousin", P. vivax, now needs to be confronted with high priority, say Lorenz von Seidlein and Nicholas White of the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit in
15h
Futurism
These Delicious Low Alcohol Apéritifs Offer More Hangouts and Less Hangovers
 
If 2020 caused you to drink a lot more than normal, you’re not alone. Last year the average American drank 14-percent more often , with women’s alcohol consumption increasing by 17-percent. And when the pandemic first hit in 2020, online alcohol sales increased by a whopping 339% . Now, after a year of hard-drinking, the sober-curious trend is becoming even more popular with people who are tired
15h
Science Advances current issue
A non-immunological role for {gamma}-interferon-inducible lysosomal thiol reductase (GILT) in osteoclastic bone resorption
 
The extracellular bone resorbing lacuna of the osteoclast shares many characteristics with the degradative lysosome of antigen-presenting cells. -Interferon–inducible lysosomal thiol reductase (GILT) enhances antigen processing within lysosomes through direct reduction of antigen disulfides and maintenance of cysteine protease activity. In this study, we found the osteoclastogenic cytokine RANKL
15h
Science Advances current issue
Spatially resolved cell polarity proteomics of a human epiblast model
 
Critical early steps in human embryonic development include polarization of the inner cell mass, followed by formation of an expanded lumen that will become the epiblast cavity. Recently described three-dimensional (3D) human pluripotent stem cell–derived cyst (hPSC-cyst) structures can replicate these processes. To gain mechanistic insights into the poorly understood machinery involved in epibla
15h
Science Advances current issue
Copper mining bacteria: Converting toxic copper ions into a stable single-atom copper
 
The chemical synthesis of monoatomic metallic copper is unfavorable and requires inert or reductive conditions and the use of toxic reagents. Here, we report the environmental extraction and conversion of CuSO 4 ions into single-atom zero-valent copper (Cu 0 ) by a copper-resistant bacterium isolated from a copper mine in Brazil. Furthermore, the biosynthetic mechanism of Cu 0 production is propo
15h
Science Advances current issue
Surprising simplicity in the modeling of dynamic granular intrusion
 
Granular intrusions, such as dynamic impact or wheel locomotion, are complex multiphase phenomena where the grains exhibit solid-like and fluid-like characteristics together with an ejected gas-like phase. Despite decades of modeling efforts, a unified description of the physics in such intrusions is as yet unknown. Here, we show that a continuum model based on the simple notions of frictional fl
15h
Science Advances current issue
A combined molecular dynamics and experimental study of two-step process enabling low-temperature formation of phase-pure {alpha}-FAPbI3
 
It is well established that the lack of understanding the crystallization process in a two-step sequential deposition has a direct impact on efficiency, stability, and reproducibility of perovskite solar cells. Here, we try to understand the solid-solid phase transition occurring during the two-step sequential deposition of methylammonium lead iodide and formamidinium lead iodide. Using metadynam
15h
Science Advances current issue
Programming active cohesive granular matter with mechanically induced phase changes
 
At the macroscale, controlling robotic swarms typically uses substantial memory, processing power, and coordination unavailable at the microscale, e.g., for colloidal robots, which could be useful for fighting disease, fabricating intelligent textiles, and designing nanocomputers. To develop principles that can leverage physical interactions and thus be used across scales, we take a two-pronged a
15h
Science Advances current issue
Belief propagation for networks with loops
 
Belief propagation is a widely used message passing method for the solution of probabilistic models on networks such as epidemic models, spin models, and Bayesian graphical models, but it suffers from the serious shortcoming that it works poorly in the common case of networks that contain short loops. Here, we provide a solution to this long-standing problem, deriving a belief propagation method
15h
Science Advances current issue
Immune cell shuttle for precise delivery of nanotherapeutics for heart disease and cancer
 
The delivery of therapeutics through the circulatory system is one of the least arduous and less invasive interventions; however, this approach is hampered by low vascular density or permeability. In this study, by exploiting the ability of monocytes to actively penetrate into diseased sites, we designed aptamer-based lipid nanovectors that actively bind onto the surface of monocytes and are rele
15h
Science Advances current issue
The structural plasticity of nucleic acid duplexes revealed by WAXS and MD
 
Double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and RNA (dsRNA) helices display an unusual structural diversity. Some structural variations are linked to sequence and may serve as signaling units for protein-binding partners. Therefore, elucidating the mechanisms and factors that modulate these variations is of fundamental importance. While the structural diversity of dsDNA has been extensively studied, similar stud
15h
Science Advances current issue
Multiple substrate recognition by yeast diadenosine and diphosphoinositol polyphosphate phosphohydrolase through phosphate clamping
 
The yeast diadenosine and diphosphoinositol polyphosphate phosphohydrolase DDP1 is a Nudix enzyme with pyrophosphatase activity on diphosphoinositides, dinucleotides, and polyphosphates. These substrates bind to diverse protein targets and participate in signaling and metabolism, being essential for energy and phosphate homeostasis, ATPase pump regulation, or protein phosphorylation. An exhaustiv
15h
Science Advances current issue
Endogenous variation in ventromedial prefrontal cortex state dynamics during naturalistic viewing reflects affective experience
 
How we process ongoing experiences is shaped by our personal history, current needs, and future goals. Consequently, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) activity involved in processing these subjective appraisals appears to be highly idiosyncratic across individuals. To elucidate the role of the vmPFC in processing our ongoing experiences, we developed a computational framework and analysis pi
15h
Science Advances current issue
Weaker bonding can give larger thermal conductance at highly mismatched interfaces
 
Thermal boundary conductance is typically positively correlated with interfacial adhesion at the interface. Here, we demonstrate a counterintuitive experimental result in which a weak van der Waals interface can give a higher thermal boundary conductance than a strong covalently bonded interface. This occurs in a system with highly mismatched vibrational frequencies (copper/diamond) modified by a
15h
Science Advances current issue
Disrupting tumor onset and growth via selective cell tagging (SeCT) therapy
 
This study presents the early framework of selective cell tagging (SeCT) therapy, which is the concept of preferentially labeling specific cells in vivo with chemical moieties that can elicit a therapeutic response. Using glycosylated artificial metalloenzyme (GArM)–based protein labeling, this study reports two separate functional strategies. In one approach, early tumor onset can be suppressed
15h
Science Advances current issue
Reconstitution of cargo-induced LC3 lipidation in mammalian selective autophagy
 
Selective autophagy of damaged mitochondria, protein aggregates, and other cargoes is essential for health. Cargo initiates phagophore biogenesis, which entails the conjugation of LC3 to phosphatidylethanolamine. Current models suggest that clustered ubiquitin chains on a cargo trigger a cascade from autophagic cargo receptors through the core complexes ULK1 and class III phosphatidylinositol 3-k
15h
Science Advances current issue
Hydraulic resistance induces cell phenotypic transition in confinement
 
Cells penetrating into confinement undergo mesenchymal-to-amoeboid transition. The topographical features of the microenvironment expose cells to different hydraulic resistance levels. How cells respond to hydraulic resistance is unknown. We show that the cell phenotype shifts from amoeboid to mesenchymal upon increasing resistance. By combining automated morphological tracking and wavelet analys
15h
Science Advances current issue
Neural embeddings of scholarly periodicals reveal complex disciplinary organizations
 
Understanding the structure of knowledge domains is one of the foundational challenges in the science of science. Here, we propose a neural embedding technique that leverages the information contained in the citation network to obtain continuous vector representations of scientific periodicals. We demonstrate that our periodical embeddings encode nuanced relationships between periodicals and the
15h
Science Advances current issue
Three-dimensional microscale hanging drop arrays with geometric control for drug screening and live tissue imaging
 
Existing three-dimensional (3D) culture techniques are limited by trade-offs between throughput, capacity for high-resolution imaging in living state, and geometric control. Here, we introduce a modular microscale hanging drop culture where simple design elements allow high replicates for drug screening, direct on-chip real-time or high-resolution confocal microscopy, and geometric control in 3D.
15h
Science Advances current issue
Imaging the emergence of bacterial turbulence: Phase diagram and transition kinetics
 
We experimentally study the emergence of collective bacterial swimming, a phenomenon often referred to as bacterial turbulence. A phase diagram of the flow of 3D Escherichia coli suspensions spanned by bacterial concentration, the swimming speed of bacteria, and the number fraction of active swimmers is systematically mapped, which shows quantitative agreement with kinetic theories and demonstrat
15h
Science Advances current issue
Comparative genomic analysis of sifakas (Propithecus) reveals selection for folivory and high heterozygosity despite endangered status
 
Sifakas (genus Propithecus ) are critically endangered, large-bodied diurnal lemurs that eat leaf-based diets and show corresponding anatomical and microbial adaptations to folivory. We report on the genome assembly of Coquerel’s sifaka ( P. coquereli ) and the resequenced genomes of Verreaux’s ( P. verreauxi ), the golden-crowned ( P. tattersalli ), and the diademed ( P. diadema ) sifakas. We fi
15h
Biochemistry Research News — ScienceDaily
Ultra-fast photo-exfoliation
 
Researchers discovered, while exploring the photomechanical properties of diarylethene, that under irradiation with UV light the crystal of the compound peels off into micrometer-sized crystals at a world's fastest speed of 260 microseconds. As the material returns to its former molecular structure when exposed to visible light, the exfoliation method positions itself as a candidate for photoactua
16h
Biology News – Evolution, Cell theory, Gene theory, Microbiology, Biotechnology
Climate change affects deep-sea corals and sponges differently
 
Corals and sponges are important foundations in ocean ecosystems providing structure and habitats that shelter a high number of species like fish, crabs and other creatures, particularly in the seamounts and canyons of the deep sea. Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have discovered that when it comes to climate change not all deep-sea corals and sponges are affected the same and some
16h
Futurity.org
Algorithm can tell if zebra finch tunes are love songs
 
A new algorithm reveals birdsong features that may be key for courtship. As reported in PLOS Computational Biology , researchers looked at how male zebra finches adapt their vocal signals for specific audiences. Though they may sing the same sequence of syllables during courtship interactions with females as when singing alone, they do so with subtle modifications. Humans can’t detect these diffe
16h
Phys.org
Citizen science data tracks battle of birds vs bacteria
 
House finches are locked in a deadly cycle of immunity and new strains of bacterial infection in battling an eye disease that halved their population when it first emerged 25 years ago, according to new research from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
16h
Phys.org
Engineering single-molecule fluorescence with asymmetric nano-antennas
 
NIR fluorescence has shown great potential in bioscience, but low quantum-yield has largely impeded research on most NIR fluorophores. Here, scientists in China use asymmetric plasmonic nano-antennas to drastically enhance an NIR dye's single-molecule fluorescence intensity. The asymmetry provides an additional tuning parameter that offers new possibilities to modulate near-field and far-field pro
17h
Science | The Guardian
A Sir George Cayley moment on Mars | Brief letters
 
Shell sponsorship | Sir George Cayley | Old friends reunited | Retrieving the Guardian | Obtaining the Guardian In Bob Ward’s point-missing riposte to George Monbiot’s criticism of the Science Museum’s acceptance of sponsorship from Shell, the words “Shell” and “sponsor” are notable by their absence ( Letters , 22 April). He doesn’t say if, as an adviser to the carbon capture exhibition, he thoug
17h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
Gauging groundwater
 
"Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water." It's a silly rhyme, but one that highlights a simple fact: Humans have long relied on wells — such as the one on the hill visited by Jack and Jill — for their primary drinking water supply.
18h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
Skeletal defects may be ameliorated after immobility in the womb
 
Researchers from Trinity College Dublin have discovered that some skeletal defects associated with a lack of movement in the womb during early development may still be ameliorated after such periods of immobility if movement resumes. The discovery was made using chicken embryos, which develop similarly to their human equivalents and which can be easily viewed as development takes place – raising h
18h
Nature
Daily briefing: Breathable oxygen has been made on Mars
 
Nature, Published online: 22 April 2021; doi:10.1038/d41586-021-01094-9 Perseverance rover synthesizes oxygen from carbon dioxide on Mars. Plus, the first COVID-19 vaccine trials in children and more than 20 million years of life have been lost to the pandemic.
18h
Futurity.org
Engineers investigate: Why isn’t childbirth easier?
 
A civil engineering approach reveals a series of evolutionary trade-offs that have created a near-perfect balance between supporting childbirth and keeping organs intact on a day-to-day basis. Human reproduction is unique because of the comparatively tight fit between the birth canal and baby’s head, and it is likely to stay that way because of these competing biological imperatives, say the rese
18h
Futurity.org
The right amount of e-cigarette nicotine may cut smoking
 
E-cigarettes that deliver a cigarette-like amount of nicotine are associated with reduced smoking and reduced exposure to a major cancer-causing chemical in tobacco, a new study shows. The findings, which hold true even with concurrent smoking, provide new and important information for smokers who may be trying to use e-cigarettes as a means to cut down on their smoking habit and lower their expo
18h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
Research shows pain relieving effects of CBD
 
In the first experimental pain study of CBD in humans, researchers led by Syracuse University's Martin De Vita and Stephen Maisto conclude that CBD pain relief is driven by both pharmacological action and psychological placebo effects. The research is published in the American Psychological Association's Journal of Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology.
18h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
Comprehensive NICU discharge planning essential for at-home readiness
 
Being a parent of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) infant does not come with its own playbook of instructions. Preparing to care for a medically needy infant requires the mastery of technical skills, knowledge, emotional comfort and confidence. After confirming that an infant is medically ready for discharge, the quality of NICU discharge training/teaching is the strongest predictor of discha
18h
Futurity.org
DNA-based cancer vaccine triggers immune attack on tumors
 
Researchers have shown that personalized cancer vaccines made using DNA can program the immune system to attack malignant tumors, including breast and pancreatic cancers. The researchers conducted the study in mice with breast cancer and one patient with late-stage pancreatic cancer. The COVID-19 vaccines—designed using bits of genetic information that prime our immune systems to recognize and fi
18h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
UNH research: Climate change affects deep-sea corals and sponges differently
 
Corals and sponges are important foundations in ocean ecosystems providing structure and habitats that shelter a high number of species like fish, crabs and other creatures, particularly in the seamounts and canyons of the deep sea. Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have discovered that when it comes to climate change not all deep-sea corals and sponges are affected the same and some
18h
Ingeniøren
Ugens debat: Hvad støjer mest – grådighed eller nærighed?
 
Efter Ingeniørens artikler om støj­ende varmepumper kræver en lokalpolitiker regler, der muliggør regulering af den samlede støj fra flere varmepumper. Læserne på ing.dk hæftede sig dog især ved, at meget støjsvage varmepumper findes – så det er i høj grad et spørgsmål om at betale.
19h
Phys.org
'Planar and curved' pyrrole-fused azacoronenes
 
Recent study on synthetic approaches toward polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as graphene with a well-defined structure have attracted much attention. A research group at Ehime University has been studying the synthesis and fundamental properties of pyrrole-fused azacoronene (HPHAC), a nitrogen-containing PAH. HPHACs are composed of electron-rich pyrroles, which are easily oxidized, and
19h
Phys.org
Quantifying the level of pollution in marinas
 
An interdisciplinary group of Spanish scientists, bringing together biologists and chemists from the Universities of Seville, Huelva, the Autonomous University of Madrid and the Institute of Marine Sciences of Andalusia of the CSIC in Cadiz, have just published the results of their pioneering research studying the management of marinas. The group of scientists, led by the US professor José Manuel
19h
Phys.org
Synthesis method expands material possibilities
 
Since the beginning of civilization, humans have exploited new materials to improve their lives, from the prehistoric Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age to the modern Silicon Age. With each period came technological breakthroughs that transformed the way we live. Consider the 1961 invention of the silicon chip, which paved the way for the digital revolution. Without this tiny electronic component
19h
Futurity.org
5 factors behind the Derek Chauvin guilty verdicts
 
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted April 20 on three charges in the death of George Floyd. Collectively, people across the country breathed a sigh of relief because far too often, the story has been police killing people of color with impunity, says Daniel Harawa . “I think it’s important to remember the extraordinary circumstances that led to the guilty verdict in this
19h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
Arena Pharmaceuticals presents clinician and patient reported outcomes data from phase 2b ADVISE trial evaluating etrasimod in adult atopic dermatitis during a late-breaking session at American Academy of Dermatology VMX
 
Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARNA) today announced data at a late-breaking session at the American Academy of Dermatology VMX Experience. Etrasimod, a novel investigational drug candidate to treat moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD), demonstrated statistical significance in both clinician and patient reported outcomes in the ADVISE Phase 2b clinical trial.
19h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
Muscle gene linked to type 2 diabetes
 
People with type 2 diabetes tend to have poorer muscle function than others. Now a research team at Lund University in Sweden has discovered that in type 2 diabetes, a specific gene is of great importance for the ability of muscle stem cells to create new mature muscle cells. The findings are published in Nature Communications.
19h
Phys.org
VR visualization supports research on molecular networks
 
Networks offer a powerful way to visualize and analyze complex systems. However, depending on the size and complexity of the network, many visualizations are limited. Protein interactions in the human body constitute such a complex system that can hardly be visualized. Jörg Menche, Adjunct Principal Investigator at the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
19h
ScienceDaily
Unlocking Australia's biodiversity, one dataset at a time
 
The Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) – Australia's national biodiversity database – uses cutting-edge digital tools to let people share, access and analyze data about local plants, animals and fungi, as well as environmental data like rainfall and temperature.
19h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
First description of a new octopus species without using a scalpel
 
An biologist from the University of Bonn brought a new octopus species to light from depths of more than 4,000 meters in the North Pacific Ocean. Researchers in Bonn have now published the species description and named the animal "Emperor dumbo" (Grimpoteuthis imperator). Just as unusual as the organism is the researchers' approach: in order to describe the new species, they did not dissect the ra
19h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
Newly discovered immune cell function vital to healing
 
Cardiovascular disease, the most common cause of death, is the result of oxygen deprivation as blood perfusion to affected tissue is prevented. To halt the development of the disease and to promote healing, re-establishment of blood flow is crucial. Researchers at Uppsala University have now discovered that one of the most common immune cells in the human body, macrophages, play an important role
19h
EurekAlert! – Breaking News
Toward new solar cells with active learning
 
Scientists from the Theory Department of the Fritz-Haber Institute in Berlin and Technical University of Munich use machine learning to discover suitable molecular materials. To deal with the myriad of possibilities for candidate molecules, the machine decides for itself which data it needs.
19h
Phys.org
The uncertainty of climate change is hurting us
 
Tarik Benmarhnia didn't plan on ending up here, in an office overlooking the pier at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography. As a young student in France, he started out studying environmental engineering, with an interest in soil decontamination. During his schooling, he developed an interest in environmental justice. That eventually drove him to pursue a Ph.D. in epidemiology.
19h
Phys.org
Navigating beneath the Arctic ice
 
There is a lot of activity beneath the vast, lonely expanses of ice and snow in the Arctic. Climate change has dramatically altered the layer of ice that covers much of the Arctic Ocean. Areas of water that used to be covered by a solid ice pack are now covered by thin layers only 3 feet deep. Beneath the ice, a warm layer of water, part of the Beaufort Lens, has changed the makeup of the aquatic
19h
Phys.org
How do plants protect themselves against too much sunlight?
 
That a switching protein plays a role in protecting a plant from too much sunlight was already known, but how exactly was not yet understood. The research group of Anjali Pandit has now discovered that this protein changes shape when there is too much sunlight. The results have been published in Nature Communications.
19h
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