Brain
Capable school graduates sometimes choose low-ranking universities which do not match their abilities. According to the findings of HSE University researchers, up to one-quarter of school graduates in Moscow enrol in low-quality universities despite scoring highly on their USE (Unified State Exam, the final school exam and a standard university admission mechanism in Russia). This academic mismatch limits their life opportunities and often stems from unequal starting conditions in the family and at school.
After a severe drought gripped the Prairie Pothole Region of the U.S. and Canada in the 1980s, populations of almost all dabbling duck species that breed there have recovered. But not northern pintails. Now, a new study by a team of researchers suggests why -- they have been caught in an ecological trap.
The Prairie Pothole region straddles the U.S.-Canada border and sprawls from central Iowa in the south to Alberta in the north, covering a large swath of Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Manitoba and Saskatchewan in between.
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- Early exposure to anesthetics may make adolescents more susceptible to developing alcohol use disorder (AUD), according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.
David Werner, associate professor of psychology, and Linda Spear, distinguished professor of psychology, led a team of Binghamton University researchers in examining whether exposure to anesthetics during adolescence could affect a person's response to alcohol in adulthood, especially the development of AUD.
The effect of nitric acid on aerosol particles in the atmosphere may offer an explanation for the smog seen engulfing cities on frosty days. Under laboratory conditions, researchers at CERN in Switzerland observed the formation of atmospheric aerosols and discovered new information on the link between nitrogen oxides, originating in traffic and the energy industry, and the climate and air quality. These findings were published in the Nature and Science Advances journals.
Subduction of hydrous materials imposes great influence on the structure, dynamics, and evolution of our planet. However, it is largely unclear how subducting slabs chemically interact with the middle mantle. Recently, an oxygen-excess phase (Mg,Fe)2O3+δ was discovered under conditions similar to the Earth's middle mantle (~1000-2000 km) by a team of scientists from the Center of High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR) and Stanford University.
The nanostructure of the heterogeneous Ziegler-Natta catalyst was clarified on the basis of cutting-edge analytical techniques.
Scientists from Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) and University of Torino (UNITO) have cooperatively clarified the nanostructure of the heterogeneous Ziegler-Natta catalyst by means of combined synchrotron X-ray analytical techniques, vibrational spectrocopies, and molecular simulations.
For several years, scientists at TU Dresden and Fraunhofer IWS have been developing functionalised surfaces by means of laser-based manufacturing processes. Now, they have created a periodic surface structure that is not only water and ice repellent, but also remove dirt particles solely by rolling water drops. In this context, they particularly focussed on the material aluminium. "This material is used in many industrial branches - either in the automotive sector, aircraft construction or the food industry.
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- University at Buffalo chemists have shown that self-assembling molecular traps can be used to capture PFAS -- dangerous pollutants that have contaminated drinking water supplies around the world.
Retinal damage due to diabetes is now considered the most common cause of blindness in working-age adults. In low- and middle-income countries, an eye examination via smartphone could help to detect changes at an early stage. This is shown by a new study carried out by scientists from the University of Bonn together with colleagues from Sankara Eye Hospital Bangalore (India). The results are published in the journal Ophthalmology.
PHILADELPHIA - The normal functioning of our hearts is maintained by our body's control center - the brain - via an intricate network of nerves. When this communication is disrupted, it results in heart disease, including heart attacks, sudden cardiac death and problems in blood supply. As an added layer of safety, the heart has its own 'little brain', called the intracardiac nervous system (ICN) to monitor and correct any local disturbances in communication. The ICN is essential in supporting heart health and can even protect cardiac muscle during a heart attack.
Plant products ingested by pregnant women through their diet are broken down by the intestinal microbiota into chemical substances, some of which can cross the placental barrier and reach the fetus. These foreign substances can harm the unborn child, even if they are of "natural origin". Researchers at the Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR) at the University of Bern and Inselspital, University Hospital Bern, therefore warn against underestimating the effects of such substances.
ITHACA, N.Y. - Cornell researchers have sequenced and analyzed the genome of a single-celled alga that belongs to the closest lineage to terrestrial plants and provides many clues to how aquatic plants first colonized land.
The report, "The Penium margaritaceum Genome: Hallmarks of the Origins of Land Plants," was published May 21 in the journal Cell.
A group of Skoltech scientists, in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Southampton (UK), developed a fully optical approach to control the couplings between polariton condensates in optical lattices. This study is an important step towards the practical application of optical polariton condensate lattices as a platform for simulating condensed matter phases.
As dentists and their teams across America get back to their regular schedules after a sharp COVID-19-related reduction, a new study shows a key opportunity to reduce the use of opioid painkillers by their patients.
The analysis of four years' worth of data from two million patients show that those who had dental procedures on a Friday or a day before a holiday were much more likely to fill a prescription for an opioid than other patients.
Highlight
In an analysis of blood and urine samples from 46,748 US adults, elevated levels of 7 environmental chemicals were associated with markers of kidney disease.
Washington, DC (May 21, 2020) -- Researchers have found links between various chemicals in the environment and a higher risk of kidney disease. The findings appear in an upcoming issue of CJASN.