Earth
DURHAM, N.C. -- A team of Peruvian and American scientists have uncovered the 18-million-year-old remains of the smallest fossil monkey ever found.
A fossilized tooth found in Peru's Amazon jungle has been identified as belonging to a new species of tiny monkey no heavier than a hamster.
The specimen is important because it helps bridge a 15-million-year gap in the fossil record for New World monkeys, says a team led by Duke University and the National University of Piura in Peru.
Neuroblastoma accounts for 15% of total childhood cancer deaths. The survival rate of high-risk neuroblastoma patients is 50%.
For the first time, Australian researchers from Children's Cancer Institute have discovered that a gene called JMJD6 plays an important role in the most aggressive form of the disease. The research is published today in the journal, Nature Communications.
The discovery opens up a new way to treat neuroblastoma, using drugs that target this gene.
Researchers at King's College London have used single cell RNA sequencing to identify a type of cell that may be able to regenerate liver tissue, treating liver failure without the need for transplants.
A new way of concentrating radiotherapy dose in tumours, while minimising damage to healthy cells, has been proposed in research led by scientists at the University of Strathclyde.
The study proposes that focusing high-energy particle beams on a small spot deep inside the body could potentially enable clinicians to target cancerous tumours precisely, while reducing the dose to surrounding tissue.
A major greenhouse gas, CO2 produced from burning fossil fuels is still mostly released into the atmosphere, adding to the burden of global warming. One way to cut down on it is through a carbon capture: a chemical technique that removes CO2 out of emissions ("postcombustion"), preventing it from entering the atmosphere. The captured CO2 can then be either recycled or stored away in in gas or liquid form, a process known as sequestration.
Researchers at University of Utah Health have identified a specific class of bacteria from the gut that prevents mice from becoming obese, suggesting these same microbes may similarly control weight in people. The beneficial bacteria, called Clostridia, are part of the microbiome -- collectively trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that inhabit the intestine.
Specialized immune cells protect against obesity by regulating the diverse communities of intestinal bacteria in mice, according to a new study, which shows how changes in gut microbiota can influence the development of metabolic disorders. The results suggest the potential for new microbiome-based therapies for obesity and other metabolic diseases. Obesity, a common metabolic syndrome affecting the health of nearly two billion people worldwide, has been linked to a variety of factors including genetics, diet, behavior and most recently, the host's microbiome.
Underwater melting of tidewater glaciers is occurring much faster than previously thought, according to a new study by researchers at Rutgers and the University of Oregon.
The findings, which could lead to improved forecasting of climate-driven sea level rise, are based on a new method developed by the researchers that for the first time directly measures the submarine melting of tidewater glaciers.
The study appears in the July 26 issue of the journal Science.
What defines a "good life" in your 30s?
The exact answer probably depends on the person, but most people could agree on some general themes: good physical and mental health, solid relationships, and a steady job or good education. Being financially responsible and involvement in your community or civic life also help make life better.
Oxytocin is widely referred to as the love hormone and plays an important role in the regulation of social and maternal behavior. In recent years, the oxytocin system in the brain has received tremendous attention as key to new treatments for many mental health disorders, such as anxiety, autism spectrum disorders and postpartum depression. New research led by a biologist and his students at LSU have discovered a group of cells that are activated by oxytocin in one area of female mouse brains that are not present in the same area in male mouse brains.
New research from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering could be key to our understanding of how the aging process works. The findings potentially pave the way for better cancer treatments and revolutionary new drugs that could vastly improve human health in the twilight years.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Researchers at the University of Louisville have developed an easily reproducible system that enables them to keep slices of human hearts alive for a longer period of time, allowing more extensive testing of new drugs and gene therapies.
WOODS HOLE, Mass. -- Animals have an intimate and important connection with the microbial populations (microbiomes) that live inside their bodies. This holds for the behaviorally sophisticated cuttlefish, whose microbiome, it turns out, contains only two different kinds of bacteria.
WASHINGTON -- A research team, led by investigators from Georgetown University Medical Center and Fudan University in China, have devised a very promising non-invasive and individualized technique for detecting and treating bladder cancer.
The method uses a "liquid biopsy" - a urine specimen - instead of the invasive tumor sampling needed today, and a method developed and patented by Georgetown to culture cancer cells that can reveal the molecular underpinnings of each patient's unique bladder cancer.
WASHINGTON -- Insect infestation is becoming an increasingly costly problem to the forestry industry, especially in areas experiencing increased droughts and hot spells related to climate change. A new terahertz imaging technique could help slow the spread of these infestations by detecting insect damage inside wood before it becomes visible on the outside.