Science & Technology
Drugs for enlarged prostate may also protect against dementia with Lewy bodies
Certain drugs commonly used to treat enlarged prostate may also decrease the risk for dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), according to a new study. The researchers think that a specific side effect of the drugs targets a biological flaw shared by DLB and …
Study finds one copy of protective genetic variant helps stave off early-onset Alzheimer’s disease
New research finds one copy of a protective genetic variant, APOE3 Christchurch, delayed onset of Alzheimer’s disease for 27 members of a ~6,000-person family in Colombia at high risk for early-onset Alzheimer’s in their 40s due to carrying the ‘Paisa’…
Combination targeted treatment produces lasting remissions in people with resistant aggressive B-cell lymphoma
Researchers have developed a non-chemotherapy treatment regimen that is achieving full remissions for some people with aggressive B-cell lymphoma that has come back or is no longer responding to standard treatments. The five-drug combination targets mu…
Titan’s lakes may be shaped by waves
Geologists studied Titan’s shorelines and showed through simulations that coastlines of the moon’s methane- and ethane-filled seas have likely been shaped by waves. Until now, scientists have found indirect and conflicting signs of wave activity, based…
New NOvA results add to mystery of neutrinos
The international collaboration presented their first results with new data in four years, featuring a new low-energy sample of electron neutrinos and a dataset doubled in size.
At least one in four US residential yards exceed new EPA lead soil level guideline
Roughly one in four U.S. households have soil exceeding the new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s lead screening levels of 200 parts per million (ppm), halved from the previous level of 400 ppm, a new study found. For households with exposure from…
Jupiter’s great red spot is not the same one Cassini observed in 1600s
Jupiter’s iconic Great Red Spot has persisted for at least 190 years and is likely a different spot from the one observed by the astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini in 1665, a new study reports. The Great Red Spot we see today likely formed because of…
Rigorous new study debunks misconceptions about anemia, education
In low- and middle-income countries, anemia reduction efforts are often touted as a way to improve educational outcomes and reduce poverty. A new study evaluates the relationship between anemia and school attendance in India, debunking earlier research…
Sound stimulation with precise timings can help understand brain wave functions
Using sound to stimulate certain brain waves has the potential to help those with dementia or cognitive decline sleep better, reveals a new study. Sleep disturbances are a common feature in dementia and may affect up to half of people living with the c…
Wooden surfaces may have natural antiviral properties
Viruses, including the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, can get passed from person to person via contaminated surfaces. But can some surfaces reduce the risk of this type of transmission without the help of household disinfectants? Wood has natural an…
Non-native plants and animals expanding ranges 100 times faster than native species
An international team of scientists has recently found that non-native species are expanding their ranges many orders of magnitude faster than native ones, in large part due to inadvertent human help. Even seemingly sedentary non-native plants are movi…
Treatment for autoimmune disorder acts on balance of immune cell types
Autoimmune diseases cannot currently be cured, only treated, and this is also true for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, which affects the central nervous system. A study of how the treatment acts on the immune system shows that it shifts the bal…
Shining light on mental health in space science community
The severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms in the planetary science community is greater than in the general U.S. population, according to a new study.
Impacts of space travel on astronauts’ eye health
Gravitational changes experienced by astronauts during space travel can cause fluids within the body to shift. This can cause changes to the cardiovascular system, including vessels in and around the eyes. These fluid shifts may be related to a phenome…
‘Time cells’ in the brain are critical for complex learning, study shows
They’re more than a simple clock, and understanding these cells’ activity could ultimately aid in early detection of neurodegenerative diseases.
Women who experience depression during pregnancy or after birth have higher risk of cardiovascular disease
Women diagnosed with perinatal depression are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease in the following 20 years compared to women who have given birth without experiencing perinatal depression. The study is the first of its kind to look at cardio…
A new tuberculosis vaccine candidate recombinant protein with additional post-translational modifications occurring in Mycobacterium tuberculosis cells
Tuberculosis is a serious health threat, and the efficacy of the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis diminishes in adulthood, making booster vaccines a realistic option. Mycobacterial DNA-binding protein 1 (MDP1), a protein found in Mycobacterium tubercul…
Unlocking heart health: Advancing noninvasive monitoring in chimpanzees
Measuring the heart rate of great apes in captivity is essential for both health management and animal studies. However, existing most methods are either invasive or inaccurate. Now, researchers have investigated the potential of using millimeter-wave …
Blessing in disguise: Mycoviruses enhance fungicide effectiveness against plant pathogens
Researchers discovered that mycoviruses, or oomycete viruses, can increase the sensitivity of plant pathogenic oomycete to fungicides like metalaxyl. Their findings suggest greater potential for mycoviruses in biocontrol and contributing to sustainable…