- newCan we learn to think further ahead?
Chess grandmasters are often held up as the epitome of thinking far ahead. But can others, with a modest amount of practice, learn to think further ahead? In addressing this question, a team of cognitive scientists has created a computational model that reveals our ability to plan for future events. The work enhances our understanding of the factors that affect decision-making and shows how we can boost our planning skills through practice.
- 23 hours ago 1 Jun 23, 12:31am -
- newFurther link identified between autoimmunity and schizophrenia
Links have been reported between schizophrenia and proteins produced by the immune system that can act against one's own body, known as autoantibodies. Researchers have now identified autoantibodies that target a 'synaptic adhesion protein' in a subset of patients with schizophrenia. When injected into mice, the autoantibodies caused many schizophrenia-related changes.
- 23 hours ago 1 Jun 23, 12:31am -
- newTracking early signs of Alzheimer's pathology in a mouse model
About two-thirds of the risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is thought to arise from genetic influences, but about a third could be influenced by environment and lifestyle, opening the door for behavioral interventions that could delay or prevent pathophysiological changes that occur with AD. Now a new study in a mouse model of AD examines the effects of environmental enrichment on AD symptom progression and pathology.
- 23 hours ago 1 Jun 23, 12:30am -
- newCrossing the ring: New method enables C-H activation across saturated carbocycles
Chemists add another powerful tool to their 'molecular editing' toolkit for crafting pharmaceuticals and other valuable compounds.
- 23 hours ago 1 Jun 23, 12:30am -
- newCutting breakfast carbs can benefit people with Type 2 diabetes
Researchers suggest a simple tweak to the first meal of the day might help people living with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) better control their blood sugar levels. Switching from a traditional western-style low-fat breakfast, like oatmeal, toast and fruit, to a low-carb meal higher in protein and fat, like eggs with bacon or cheese, can help people with T2D better manage their blood sugar for most of the day.
- 23 hours ago 1 Jun 23, 12:24am -
- How the flu virus hacks our cells
Influenza epidemics, caused by influenza A or B viruses, result in acute respiratory infection. They kill half a million people worldwide every year. These viruses can also wreak havoc on animals, as in the case of avian flu. A team has now identified how the influenza A virus manages to penetrate cells to infect them. By attaching itself to a receptor on the cell surface, it hijacks the iron transport mechanism to start its infection cycle. By blocking the receptor involved, the researchers wer…
- 1 day ago 31 May 23, 7:50pm -
- Color-changing material shows when medications get too warm
Some foods and medicines, such as many COVID-19 vaccines, must be kept cold. As a step toward a robust, stable technique that could indicate when these products exceed safe limits, researchers report a class of brilliantly colored microcrystals in materials that become colorless over a wide range of temperatures and response times. As a proof of concept, the team packaged the color-changing materials into a vial lid and QR code.
- 1 day ago 31 May 23, 7:49pm -
- Eat right, live longer: Could a moderate protein diet be the coveted elixir of youth?
Consuming nutritious food can improve metabolic health and delay aging. But what are the appropriate quantities of dietary macronutrients that can help achieve this? To answer this, researchers fed isocaloric diets with varying amounts of protein to young and middle-aged male mice. They found that the mice were metabolically healthier when fed moderate-protein diets. These findings could provide valuable insights into developing nutritional interventions and improving metabolic health in people.
- 1 day ago 31 May 23, 7:49pm -
- Fairy tales offer accessible ways to communicate energy research in the social sciences to help tackle climate change
A team of researchers has been developing accessible and creative means of communicating sustainability research from the social sciences for policymakers and the wider public. Using fairy tale characters -- mermaids, vampires, and witches -- as metaphors, the team has sought to communicate typically complicated arguments in evocative and engaging terms.
- 1 day ago 31 May 23, 7:45pm -
- Genetic change increased bird flu severity during U.S. spread
Scientists found the virus strains that arrived in 2021 soon acquired genes from viruses in wild birds in North America. The resulting reassortant viruses have spread across the continent and caused more severe disease.
- 2 days ago 31 May 23, 6:00am -
- Flexible nanoelectrodes can provide fine-grained brain stimulation
Engineers have developed ultraflexible implantable nanoelectrodes that can administer long-term, fine-grained brain stimulation.
- 2 days ago 31 May 23, 3:13am -
- Researchers use 'natural' system to identify proteins most useful for developing an effective HIV vaccine
Scientists have spent years trying to develop an effective HIV vaccine, but none have proven successful. Based on findings from a recently published study, a research team may have put science one step closer to that goal.
- 2 days ago 31 May 23, 3:13am -
- World leading health experts say aviation industry must act on cabin fumes as they launch new medical guidance
A group of world leading health and scientific experts are calling on the aviation industry to take action to protect passengers and aircrew from dangerous cabin fumes which they say have led to a new emerging disease. Led by former pilot and aviation health researcher, the specialists have released the first medical protocol of its kind to help treat those effected by contamination of the aircraft cabin breathing air supply and collect data on contamination events.
- 2 days ago 31 May 23, 3:13am -
- Using AI to create better, more potent medicines
While it can take years for the pharmaceutical industry to create medicines capable of treating or curing human disease, a new study suggests that using generative artificial intelligence could vastly accelerate the drug-development process.
- 2 days ago 31 May 23, 3:13am -
- Scientists unveil RNA-guided mechanisms driving cell fate
The early stages of embryonic development contain many of life's mysteries. Unlocking these mysteries can help us better understand early development and birth defects, and help develop new regenerative medicine treatments. Researchers have now characterized a critical time in mammalian embryonic development using powerful and innovative imaging techniques.
- 2 days ago 30 May 23, 10:24pm -