New findings on ambient UVB radiation, vitamin D, and protection against severe COVID-19
New research from Trinity College Dublin and University of Edinburgh has examined the association between vitamin D and COVID-19, and found that ambient ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation (which is key for vitamin D production in the skin) at an individual’s place of residence in the weeks before COVID-19 infection, was strongly protective against severe disease […]
New technology designed to genetically control disease-spreading mosquitoes: CRISPR-based system developed to safely restrain mosquito vectors via sterilization
Leveraging advancements in CRISPR-based genetic engineering, researchers at the University of California San Diego have created a new system that restrains populations of mosquitoes that infect millions each year with debilitating diseases. The new precision-guided sterile insect technique, or pgSIT, alters genes linked to male fertility — creating sterile offspring — and female flight in […]
Insect protein has great potential to reduce the carbon footprint of European consumers
Researchers at the University of Helsinki and LUT University, Finland, have analysed the extent to which insect protein could help to reduce global warming associated with food consumption in Europe. They have especially focused on insect protein use and soybean-protein use in the production of broilers. The results support previous research suggesting that insect protein […]
Actuator discovery outperforms existing technology: Researchers use organic semiconductor nanotubes to create new electrochemical actuator
University of Houston researchers are reporting a breakthrough in the field of materials science and engineering with the development of an electrochemical actuator that uses specialized organic semiconductor nanotubes (OSNTs). Currently in the early stages of development, the actuator will become a key part of research contributing to the future of robotic, bioelectronic and biomedical […]
Novel mechanism links genetic defect in IBD patients to gut leakiness: Study in mice and human tissue is the first to show how a disease mutation weakens barrier properties of epithelial cells lining the gut
A team of researchers led by a biomedical scientist at the University of California, Riverside, has identified a novel mechanism by which loss-of-function mutations in the gene PTPN2, found in many patients with inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, affect how intestinal epithelial cells maintain a barrier. The intestinal epithelium, a single layer of cells, plays […]
Researchers use artificial intelligence to predict which COVID-19 patients will need a ventilator to breathe
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have developed an online tool to help medical staff quickly determine which COVID-19 patients will need help breathing with a ventilator. The tool, developed through analysis of CT scans from nearly 900 COVID-19 patients diagnosed in 2020, was able to predict ventilator need with 84% accuracy. “That could be […]
Study confirms virus variants reduce protection against COVID-19: Researchers say findings suggest need to double down on vaccinations, public health measures
A new laboratory study from Oregon Health & Science University finds that blood serum drawn from people previously vaccinated or naturally infected show “significantly reduced” defense against two widely circulating variants of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The study published today in the journal Nature Communications. Researchers said that their findings emphasize the importance of vaccinations […]
Men and women of Roman Herculaneum had different diets, new research shows
Researchers — led by the University of York’s BioArCh team — developed a new approach to analyse amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, from 17 adult skeletons found in the aftermath of the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. By measuring the isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in the bone amino acids, the researchers […]
Janus graphene opens doors to sustainable sodium-ion batteries
In the search for sustainable energy storage, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, present a new concept to fabricate high-performance electrode materials for sodium batteries. It is based on a novel type of graphene to store one of the world’s most common and cheap metal ions — sodium. The results show that the capacity […]
Large genetic analysis identifies numerous gene variants linked with differences in food intake
A team of researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH), and other institutions have identified more than two dozen genetic regions that may affect individuals’ food intake. The investigators hope that the discovery, which is described in Nature Human Behaviour, will point to new treatment strategies to curb the […]