Culture
Simple and readily available saline solution can reliably transport COVID-19 samples to testing labs
Philadelphia, May 27, 2020 - In a new peer-reviewed study appearing in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, published by Elsevier, investigators report that a simple salt solution commonly found in hospitals and clinical laboratories, phosphate buffered saline (PBS), can be used as a medium to reliably transport coronavirus-contaminated specimens to the testing laboratory for periods of up to 18 hours, which is often needed
New Haven, Conn. -- A new, Yale-led study shows that some supermassive black holes actually thrive under pressure.
It has been known for some time that when distant galaxies --and the supermassive black holes within their cores -- aggregate into clusters, these clusters create a volatile, highly pressurized environment. Individual galaxies falling into clusters are often deformed during the process and begin to resemble cosmic jellyfish.
A mouse model of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reproduces features observed in human patients, researchers report May 26 in the journal Cell Host & Microbe. Using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology, the researchers generated mice that produce human angiotensin-converting enzyme II (hACE2)--the receptor that SARS-CoV-2 binds to and uses to enter human cells.
AMES, Iowa - A recently published study led by Iowa State University scientists applied a fresh perspective to vast amounts of data on rice plants to find better ways to predict plant performance and new insights about how plants adapt to different environments.
Charlottesville, Va. - Electrical and computer engineers at the University of Virginia and University of Texas-Austin have developed an avalanche photodiode that achieved record performance and has the potential to transform next generation night-vision imaging and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) receivers. For LiDAR, the team's low-noise, two-micrometer avalanche photodiode enables higher-power operation that is eye-safe.
A new study by researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) found that New England's historic lobster fishery may turn a higher profit by operating with less gear in the water and a shorter season. The findings could provide a path forward for the lobster fishing industry, which is under pressure to move away from traditional pot fishing that uses long vertical lines of rope known to entangle and kill endangered North Atlantic right whales and other protected species. The study was published this week in the journal Marine Policy.
A promising molecular pair has offered hope that could lead to the development of a new treatment to slow down Parkinson's disease, a study by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and Harvard University has found.
More than 50 percent of all eventual cerebral palsy (CP) cases spend time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, making early CP evaluation a crucial element of any hospital's high-risk follow-up program. The earlier children are diagnosed, the better their chances of early access to evidence-based interventions targeted specifically for CP. Unfortunately, U.S. hospitals average an age of about 2 years at diagnosis, compared to the target of 12 months of age or younger.
An article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) analyzes the strengths and limitations of digital contact tracing for people infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to help governments decide if and how they might adopt this technology.
In a perspective piece published today in the journal Science, UC San Diego experts describe in detail the growing evidence that SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, can be spread by asymptomatic people via aerosols -- a reality that deeply underscores the ongoing importance of regular widespread testing, wearing masks and physical distancing to reduce the spread of the virus.
HIGHLIGHTS
Loss of smell (anosmia) and changes in taste (dysgeusia) were strongly associated with SARS-CoV-2, according to a Canadian study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
ITHACA, N.Y. - A recent survey found that online shoppers return 70% of the clothing they order, more than any other category of purchase. This has an indirect but real impact on the environment.
May 27, 2020 - Previous studies have reported improved quality of life and mental health in transgender women undergoing facial feminization surgery (FFS) surgery to provide a more feminine facial appearance. But there is still limited evidence on these and other benefits of facial gender confirmation surgery.
Oak Brook, IL - The June issue of SLAS Discovery features a special collection of research reviews and perspectives curated by the journal's Editorial Board.
In this issue, Guest Editor Veli-Pekka Jaakola, Ph.D., (Confo Therapeutics, Belgium) highlights a series of articles focused on new screening tools and assays that find new chemical matter for medically relevant membrane protein targets. In addition, an overview of a new and emerging protein-lipid reconstitution methodology utilizing styrene maleic acid (SMA) polymers is featured.
Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have mapped for the first time the vast network of proteins that interact with proinsulin, the protein the body normally processes into insulin. The study, published in Diabetes, also revealed one protein--called PRDX4--that may be essential for proinsulin folding and insulin production.