Researchers at Rice University have uncovered a critical link between rising temperatures and declines in a species’ population, shedding new light on how global warming threatens natural ecosystems. The study, published in Ecology and led by Volker Rudolf, revealed that rising temperatures exacerbate competition within populations, ultimately leading to population crashes at higher temperatures. It offers one of the first clear experimental confirmations that rising temperatures alter the forces that control population dynamics in nature. “Our research provides an essential missing piece in…
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have discovered that what was previously thought to be a unique seaweed species of bladderwrack for the Baltic Sea is in fact a giant clone of common bladderwrack, perhaps the world’s largest clone overall. The discovery has implications for predicting the future of seaweed in a changing ocean. In the brakish waters of the Baltic Sea, bladderwrack is the dominant seaweed species as it is one of the few seaweed species that can tolerate…
Cardiovascular diseases remain a leading cause of death worldwide, with platelet hyperactivity and subsequent thrombosis playing a pivotal role in these conditions. While intermittent fasting has long been recognized for its metabolic benefits, including improvements in metabolic diseases, weight loss, and even lifespan extension, its effect on platelet activation and thrombosis formation remains less understood. A recent study by Professor Junbo Ge team at Fudan University unveiled a novel mechanism by which intermittent fasting can significantly reduce the risk of…
They include polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, heavy or irregular periods Having one or more common gynaecological disorders, such as endometriosis or heavy or irregular periods, may be linked to a heightened risk of heart disease and conditions that affect blood flow to the brain (cerebrovascular disease), finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence published online in the journal Heart. Although the quality of the studies included in the analysis was variable, the researchers nevertheless conclude that clinicians and the…
University’s $59 million research spending in 2024 boosted local, state and national economies while supporting student development University of Texas at Arlington research projects contributed $59 million to the national economy in 2024—an increase of 39% from 2023, according to a new report from the Institute for Research on Innovation and Science (IRIS). UTA has invested heavily in research infrastructure, purchasing cutting-edge scientific equipment and technology, such as North Texas’ most advanced gene sequencer and a super-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging machine for the Clinical…
A groundbreaking study led by a team of researchers at the University of Kentucky has revealed a surprising biochemical connection between plant immune responses and human neurological health. A groundbreaking study led by a team of researchers at the University of Kentucky’s Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment has revealed a surprising biochemical connection between plant immune responses and human neurological health. Researchers have discovered that the metabolic pathways regulating vitamin B6 homeostasis — critical in certain forms of…
EPFL scientists have developed a geometric deep learning method that can create a coherent picture of neuronal population activity during cognitive and motor tasks across experimental subjects and conditions In the parable of the blind men and the elephant, several blind men each describe a different part of an elephant they are touching – a sharp tusk, a flexible trunk, or a broad leg – and disagree about the animal’s true nature. The story illustrates the problem of understanding an…
The findings, demonstrated in mouse models and isolated human brain tissue, could expand treatment options for neurological and psychiatric diseases Scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have developed a lipid nanoparticle system capable of delivering messenger RNA (mRNA) to the brain via intravenous injection, a challenge that has long been limited by the protective nature of the blood-brain barrier. The findings, in mouse models and isolated human brain tissue, were published in the February 17 online…
Researchers at Brown University and Cincinnati Children’s found that suppressing opsin 3 in the brain of mice makes them eat less, raising new questions about the mechanisms involved in regulating human metabolism. Scientists discovered years ago that the hypothalamus — which helps to manage body temperature, hunger, sex drive, sleep and more — includes neurons that express the protein opsin 3 (OPN3). Far less clear, however, was what this light-sensing protein does so deep inside the brain. A study published in PNAS…
Big leap for regenerative medicine to treat ageing but intact skeletal muscle Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have developed a way to treat ageing-related muscular atrophy using regenerative medicine. Conventional methods to implant myoblasts, precursors to muscle fiber, required prior scarring for the new cells to graft properly. By adding extracellular matrix (ECM) fluid into the implant, the team successfully grafted myoblasts onto healthy muscle in mice. Their technique opens the way for using implantation to treat…
UFZ researchers detect microscopic plastic particles on alpine glaciers with the help of mountaineers Nanoplastics – plastic particles smaller than 1 µm – are widely dispersed because of their low weight. A research team coordinated by the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) has now published an article in Scientific Reports that shows the extent to which glaciers at an altitude of more than 3,000 m in the Alps are polluted by nanoplastics. The researchers relied on citizen science to…
Called PAC-MANN, the test developed at OHSU could help save lives A new blood test could help doctors detect pancreatic cancer earlier, potentially improving survival rates for one of the deadliest cancers. Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have developed a test called PAC-MANN, the abbreviation for “protease activity-based assay using a magnetic nanosensor,” which uses a small blood sample to detect changes in protease activity — a key indicator of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, or PDAC, the most common…
Researchers find a master epigenetic switch that activates silenced genes to compensate for their missing counterparts in a rare genetic disease called Prader-Willi syndrome Biomedical engineers at Duke University have demonstrated a promising new approach that could be used to treat a rare and complex class of genetic diseases caused by defects in a relatively large region of the genome. By identifying and activating a master epigenetic switch using CRISPR, the researchers showed they can turn on many naturally suppressed…
Endometriosis, a prevalent gynecological condition, is characterized by the growth of endometrial-like tissues outside the uterus, leading to severe pain and infertility in affected women. The pathogenesis of endometriosis remains elusive, and effective treatments are limited, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of its molecular mechanisms. A pivotal role of P21-activated kinase 5 (PAK5) in endometriosis progression has been uncovered, revealing that PAK5-mediated phosphorylation of pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) is critical for anaerobic glycolysis in endometriotic cells. This discovery…
Accumulation of fat molecules is detrimental to the cell. Researchers from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), have made a breakthrough in understanding how our cells manage to stay healthy by recycling important fat molecules. Their study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), reveals how a protein called Spinster homolog 1 (Spns1) helps transport fats out of cell compartments known as lysosomes. Led by Associate Professor Nguyen…
ISTA scientists uncover how the brain unblurs vision during movement Why do our mental images stay sharp even when we are moving fast? A team of neuroscientists led by Professor Maximilian Jösch at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) has identified a mechanism that corrects visual distortions caused by movement in animals. The study, conducted in mice, identifies a core function that can be generalized across the vertebrate visual system, including primates such as humans. The findings are…
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