Feed aggregator

Analysis of data from a lightning mapper and a small, hand-held radiation detector has unexpectedly shed light on what a gamma-ray burst from lightning might look like - by observing neutrons generated from soil by very large cosmic-ray showers.

Seasonally occurring fields of aufeis (icing) constitute an important resource for the water supply of the local population in the Upper Indus Basin. Geographers of Heidelberg University have now examined the spreading of aufeis and, for the first time, created a full inventory of these more than 3,700 aufeis fields. They are important for these high mountain areas between South and Central Asia, particularly with respect to hydrology and climatology.

University of Minnesota Medical School researchers say "tumor-secreted exosomes" help some cancer cells to evade immune response of current FDA-approved treatment options.

New research from the University of Kansas just published in the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine is shedding light on the biopsychosocial process that can lead to poor grades, withdrawal from classes and even students who drop out.

Matching the capability of different tree species with the types of contaminants present in soil and water is critical in phytoremediation. A USDA Forest Service and University of Missouri research team has developed a new contaminant prioritization tool that has the potential to increase the effectiveness of phytoremediation in landfill clean-up.

Nearly half of the fecal samples from wild chimpanzees in Gombe National Park contain bacteria that is resistant to a major class of antibiotics commonly used by people in the vicinity of the park.

Certain chemicals can activate the innate defense mechanisms of plants, and researchers at the Tokyo University of Science are working on ways to use such chemicals as alternatives to harmful agricultural pesticides. These researchers have found that a compound derived from menthol can boost the expression of defense-related genes in soybeans, corn, peas, and other crop species. This finding may pave the way to green agricultural technologies that shield crops from pests while minimizing damage to the environment.

Every day, the sun ejects large amounts of a hot particle soup known as plasma toward Earth where it can disrupt telecommunications satellites and damage electrical grids. Now, scientists have made a discovery that could lead to better predictions of this space weather and help safeguard sensitive infrastructure.

Researchers have successfully created the first three-dimensional (3D) organoid models of the pancreas from human stem cells. This first-of-its-kind organoid model includes both the acinar and ductal structures that play a critical role in the majority of pancreatic cancers.

An analysis of the prospective Fuwai PCI Registry, confirms long-term dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is an optimal treatment option for acute coronary syndrome patients (ACS) following a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The study shows long-term DAPT reduces ischemic events without increasing bleeding or other complications as compared to short-term DAPT treatments. The study was presented today as late-breaking clinical research at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography &Interventions (SCAI) 2021 Scientific Sessions.

Two new studies, presented today as late-breaking clinical science at SCAI 2021 Scientific Sessions, provide new treatment insights for cardiogenic shock (CS) patients. A study of the SCAI cardiogenic shock stages consensus document confirms the accuracy of the shock classification. In addition, an analysis of the National Cardiogenic Shock Initiative demonstrates use of a shock protocol emphasizing early use of mechanical circulatory support may lead to improved survival for patients with CS.

The latest, comprehensive data from The North American COVID-19 Myocardial Infarction (NACMI) Registry was presented today as late-breaking clinical research at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 2021 Scientific Sessions. Results reveal in these series of STEMI activations during the COVID era, patients who tested positive for COVID-19 were less likely to receive diagnostic angiograms. Those with COVID-19 positive status had higher in-hospital mortality.

New Army-funded synthetic biology research manipulated micro-compartments in cells, potentially enabling bio-manufacturing advances for medicine, protective equipment and engineering applications.

Researchers at CAMERA are investigating VR technology to help improve balance and prevent falls.

The development of these materials may now be easier, and cheaper, thanks to the use of 3D printing: the researchers in the MP4MNT (Materials and Processing for Micro and Nanotechnologies) team of the Department of Applied Science and Technology of the Politecnico di Torino, coordinated by Professor Fabrizio Pirri, have demonstrated, for the first time, the possibility of manufacturing hydrogels with complex architectures capable of self-healing following a laceration, thanks to 3D printing activated by light.

Processed diets, which are low in fiber, may initially reduce the incidence of foodborne infectious diseases such as E. coli infections, but might also increase the incidence of diseases characterized by low-grade chronic infection and inflammation such as diabetes, according to researchers in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University.

Tiny molecules called nanobodies, which can be designed to mimic antibody structures and functions, may be the key to blocking a tick-borne bacterial infection that remains out of reach of almost all antibiotics, new research suggests.

How acidic is a surface? Up until now, only average values could be determined. But in order to understand the chemical behavior of a surface, it is important to know how individual atoms in the surface might react. A new microscopy technique developed in Vienna can now answer this question.

Researchers have discovered an explanation for why cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs)--clusters of dilated blood vessels in the brain--can suddenly grow to cause seizures or stroke. Specifically, they found that a specific, acquired mutation in a cancer-causing gene (PIK3CA) could exacerbate existing CCMs in the brain. Furthermore, repurposing an already existing anticancer drug showed promise in mouse models of CCMs in improving brain-vascular health and preventing bleeding into the brain tissue.

Oxytocin and arginine vasopressin are two hormones in the endocrine system that can act as neurotransmitters and regulate -in vertebrates and invertebrates- a wide range of biological functions, such as bonding formation, breastfeeding, birth or arterial pressure. Biochemists in the pregenomic era, named these genes differently in different species, due to small protein coding differences.