Earth
In the first genetic analysis of schizophrenia in an ancestral African population, the South African Xhosa, researchers report that individuals with schizophrenia are more likely to carry rare damaging genetic mutations than those who are well. The work informs the understanding of schizophrenia for all human populations. Critically, this study was not undertaken because the Xhosa have an unusually high prevalence of schizophrenia, but rather, because ancestral African populations - which rarely have been the focus of genetics research - harbor the most human genetic diversity.
LA JOLLA--(January 30, 2020) Researchers at the Salk Institute have discovered a unique pattern of DNA damage that arises in brain cells derived from individuals with a macrocephalic form of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The observation, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, helps explain what might go awry in the brain during cell division and development to cause the disorder.
LA JOLLA--(January 30, 2020) Salk scientists have discovered how a powerful class of HIV drugs binds to a key piece of HIV machinery. By solving, for the first time, three-dimensional structures of this complex while different drugs were attached, the researchers showed what makes the therapy so potent. The work, which appeared in Science on January 30, 2020, provides insights that could help design or improve new treatments for HIV.
The climate change record could reveal future climate changes. Scientists gather information about the past environment from proxies such as deep-sea sediments and Antarctic ice cores. These samples are scarce in number because of the limited sampling locations and the high financial and temporal costs. Therefore, paleoenvironmental data have been obtained for a restricted number of places and periods.
Talk of deep-rooted division in society following the fall-out of the Brexit referendum in the UK may be overblown, according to a new study. Contrary to popular belief, 'Leavers' and 'Remainers' agree on much more than they disagree on, say researchers from the universities of Bath and Essex.
The study led by Dr Paul Hanel and Dr Lukas Wolf shows that 90% of the time the two groups agree on important topics including poverty, climate change, housing, life satisfaction and the importance of communities.
Amsterdam, NL, January 30, 2020 - A new study shows for the first time that low and high exercise intensities differentially influence brain function.
The mechanism behind how HIV can develop resistance to a widely-prescribed group of drugs has been uncovered by new research from the Crick and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, with the findings opening the door to the development of more effective treatments.
Biodiversity loss is the biggest environmental problem we face today, according to a UN report that came out last year. One of the main reasons is that large forest areas are disappearing due to human impact.
A lack of connected forests can prevent trees from multiplying efficiently. The more fragmented the forest becomes, the greater the problem for the trees.
New research from a team of Florida State University scientists shows that rapid weather variability as a result of climate change could increase the risk of a flu epidemic in some highly populated regions in the late 21st century.
The research was published today in the journal Environmental Research Letters.
A study inspired by street performers making gigantic soap bubbles led to a discovery in fluid mechanics: Mixing different molecular sizes of polymers within a solution increases the ability of a thin film to stretch without breaking.
The journal Physical Review Fluids published the results of the study by physicists at Emory University. The findings could potentially lead to improving processes such as the flow of oils through industrial pipes and the clearance of polluting foams in streams and rivers.
Vascular dementia is caused by a defect on blood flow arrival to the brain, which consequently generates neuronal damage. Since now, its diagnosis has been quite complicated because only neuroimaging methods, such as a scanner, and the appearance of symptoms were available. The lack of more precise and specific methods creates confusion with other neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's. A study, developed between Medical Center of Göttingen University (UMG) and Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), has described a new biomarker for this disease, lipocalin 2 protein.
Going on a journey alone. Sitting in a plane for hours at a height of twelve kilometres above the Atlantic Ocean. With turbulence and all the inconveniences that are part of a long-haul flight. This is the situation Michaela B. is afraid of. If only a friend would be with her on the trip! Then she would certainly feel better.
BOZEMAN - A Montana State University biotechnology researcher was part of an international team that recently discovered an internal mechanism which may protect human cells from oxidative damage. The discovery could lead to strides in understanding many problems associated with aging and some chronic illnesses.
DURHAM, N.C. -- A modified form of poliovirus, pioneered at Duke Cancer Institute as a therapy for glioblastoma brain tumors, appears in laboratory studies to also have applicability for pediatric brain tumors when used as part of a cancer vaccine.
In preclinical studies using mice and human cancer cells, an injection of the modified poliovirus vector instigated an immune response that homed in on mutated cancer cells that predominate in diffuse midline glioma (DMG) tumors. The cancer strikes children and is universally deadly.
In response to the youth vaping crisis, experts at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) developed CATCH My Breath, a program to prevent electronic cigarette use among fifth - 12th grade students. Research published in Public Health Reports reveals the program significantly reduces the likelihood of e-cigarette use among students who complete the curriculum.