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The structure of a biomolecule can reveal much about its functioning and interaction with the surrounding environment. In a new study by SISSA experimental data were combined with computer simulations of molecular dynamics to examine the conformation of an RNA fragment involved in protein synthesis and its dependence on the salts present in the solution. The research has led to a new method for high-resolution definition of the structures of biomolecules in their physiological environments.

The human gut microbiome is a complex community of trillions of microbes that are constantly interacting with each other and our bodies. It supports our wellbeing, immune system and mental health -- but how is it sustained?

As reported in Advanced Photonics, researchers from Tongji University in China recently demonstrated an all-electric scheme able to flexibly control the propagation direction of near-field light.

UOC experts have studied the operation of the main food home delivery platforms, such as Just Eat, Glovo and Deliveroo, which work in the city of Barcelona, to analyze the profitability of these business models and estimate the number of orders needed to achieve this profitability.

Physicists have long suspected that dielectric materials may significantly disrupt ion-trap quantum computers. Now, researchers led by Tracy Northup have developed a new method to quantify this source of error for the first time. For the future operation of quantum computers with very many quantum bits, such noise sources need to be eliminated already during the design process if possible.

The studies by Dr. Yoshifumi Shimada and associates at Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University in Japan provide a cost and time effective and reliable method to inform the clinicians if the CRC patient they are managing can benefit from ICI therapy, without implicating the use of gene panel.

Announcing a new article publication for BIO Integration journal. In this article the authors Yuhao Chen, Yue Li, Meng Du, Jinsui Yu, Fei Gao, Zhen Yuan and Zhiyi Chen from The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China, University of South China, Hunan, China and University of Macau, China discuss ultrasound neuromodulation: integrating medicine and engineering for neurological disease treatment.

Universal school lunch programs make students healthier, and increase their lifetime income by 3%, according to a unique study from Lund University in Sweden published in The Review of Economic Studies.

While best known as the code for genetic information, DNA is also a nutrient for specialized microbes. An international team of researchers led by Kenneth Wasmund and Alexander Loy from the University of Vienna has discovered several bacteria in sediment samples from the Atlantic Ocean that use DNA as a food source. One bacterium newly named by the team in fact is a true expert in degrading DNA. The study is now published in Nature Microbiology.

A novel fish solids treatment system inspired by wastewater and sewage plant systems has been shown to be an effective treatment in aquaculture systems to boost nutrients available for hydroponic plant cultivation in a manner similarly efficient to commercial fertilizers. Researchers demonstrated that the system developed could improve nutrient remineralization while removing excess nitrogen and carbon from the system, creating a healthier environment for fish. The study was published by the open access publisher Frontiers.

New treatment combination for hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an additional affordable option for millions still waiting for access to lifesaving treatments in middle-income countries. Combination is safe and effective, including for hard-to-treat cases and people with HCV and HIV. New drug ravidasvir is the first HCV drug to be developed through South-South collaboration and with support from non-profit organizations.

Carbon footprint declarations are used in construction to ease product selection for low carbon building, but these standards don't yet exist for green elements like soil, bushes and plants. A new study led by Aalto University is the first to map out how green infrastructure can be a resource for cities on the path to carbon neutrality.

New research has revealed defects in a popular perovskite light absorber that impede solar cell performance. This discovery could lead to improved solar cell technology and provide another step towards reducing the use of fossil fuels for energy.

A University of Tsukuba study examined a massive national claims dataset in search of regional and socioeconomic inequalities in the use of dental care services in Japan. This examination of millions of pieces of data found periodontal care and outreach services showed the widest regional inequalities. People in areas with lower education and income were more likely to seek treatment after dental diseases progress. More clinics and higher education and incomes correlated with earlier treatment.

Researchers from Niigata University, Japan along with their collaborators from Yamagata University have developed a novel and highly efficient nickel sulphide nanowires/carbon nitride based anode for electrocatalytic water splitting applications. The nickel sulphide based anode material has aided in drastically reducing the overpotential of the oxygen evolution reaction. This study holds immense potential to enhance the generation of hydrogen fuel which is pursued as a promising alternative to the depleting carbon based fuels.

By analyzing MRI scans of the foxes, Hecht and her colleagues showed that both the foxes bred to be tame and those bred for aggression have larger brains and more grey matter than the brain of the control group (the foxes not bred for any particular behavior). These findings run in contrast to studies on other animals that have shown domesticated species have smaller brains with less grey matter, than their wild forebears.

Farmed foxes selectively bred for tameness and aggressiveness exhibit similar changes to their brain anatomy, according to research recently published in JNeurosci. Both lineages also have larger brains than conventional farm-bred foxes, complicating leading theories on domestication.

Fearsome and powerful, hurricanes can wreak massive destruction when they hit land. But while most hurricanes then weaken, others can strengthen again into extratropical cyclones and caused further damage inland. Now, researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University have used simulations to uncover the presence of a cold core inside decaying hurricanes - an unexpected discovery that could help forecasters predict the level of extreme weather that communities farther inland may face.

A team of neuroscientists are calling for greater support of neuroscience research in Africa to combat 'brain drain' following a long-term analysis of research outputs in the continent.

High running capacity is associated with health and longevity. However, whether high genetic running capacity promotes more efficient metabolism with aging is not known. A new study reveals that adipose tissue may have a key role in healthy aging.