For The Better

Protein-splitting enzymes play an important role in many physiological processes. Such proteases are generally present in an inactive state, only becoming activated under certain conditions. Some are linked to diseases like infections or cancer, making…

A type of cell that plays a crucial role in tissue repair after a heart attack may also inadvertently be why cutting-edge cell therapies cause an increased risk of rhythm disorders, according to a new study. Researchers hope the findings could open up …

Researchers developed machine-learning models to predict visual acuity in patients with high myopia. A cohort study of 967 patients was used to evaluate the models. The results show that a regression model accurately predicts visual acuity at 3 and 5 y…

Substance use disorder may be linked to more deaths from infective endocarditis among people ages 25-44, finds a new study.

A protein that helps generate the force needed for single cells to move works differently in cells moving in groups, a new study shows.

Apple watches have some advantages over traditional ways of diagnosing cardiac arrythmias in children but need more validation, finds a new study.

Even in the precipitation-heavy Pacific Northwest, more frequent heatwaves are threatening a key source of water supply. A Washington State University study that intended to look at snow melting under a single, extreme event, the 2021 ‘heat dome,’ inst…

Do epigenetic changes cause type 2 diabetes, or do the changes occur only after a person has become ill? A new study provides increased support for the idea that epigenetic changes can cause type 2 diabetes.

The transition to a society without fossil fuels means that the need for batteries is increasing at a rapid pace. At the same time, the increase will mean a shortage of the metals lithium and cobalt, which are key components in the most common battery …

Individuals infected with COVID-19 are also at an increased risk of suffering from heart rhythm disturbances, such as atrial fibrillation, according to a new study.

Strong precipitation may cause natural disasters, such as floodings or landslides. Global climate models are required to forecast the frequency of these extreme events, which is expected to change as a result of climate change. Researchers have now dev…

Plants emit odors for a variety of reasons, such as to communicate with each other, to deter herbivores or to respond to changing environmental conditions. An interdisciplinary team of researchers carried out a study to investigate how biodiversity inf…

One-letter difference in our DNA determines whether BCG vaccine provides good protection against tuberculosis or not. Researchers have elucidated how that one letter difference affects the activation and deactivation of the immune system. The discovery…

What would be the most effective use of a certain plot of land in terms of the climate crisis: planting a forest, which is a natural means of absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, or erecting fields of solar panels, which reduce the emission of…

Oceans cover most of Earth’s surface and support a staggering number of lifeforms, but they’re also home to a dilute population of uranium ions. And — if we can get these particular ions out of the water — they could be a sustainable fuel source to g…

A study may shed light on tooth enamel development disruption by revealing a new children’s autoimmune disorder that hinders proper tooth enamel development. The disorder is common in people with a rare genetic syndrome and in children with celiac dise…

Hard-to-detect colorectal pre-cancerous lesions known as serrated polyps, and the aggressive tumors that develop from them, depend heavily on the ramped-up production of cholesterol, according to a preclinical study. The finding points to the possibili…

Accurately counting manatee aggregations within a region is crucial yet challenging. Harnessing the power of AI, researchers are using a deep learning-based crowd counting approach to automatically count the number of manatees in a designated region, u…

A new study finds that precipitation levels during nesting season are not related to reproductive success for wild turkeys, which runs counter to the conventional wisdom regarding the role that rainfall plays in wild turkey nesting success. The finding…

In research conducted on mice a team discovered brain mechanisms that go awry as a result of exposure to trauma in infancy and showed that these changes may be reversible if treated early.