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Medical school scientist creates therapy to kill hypervirulent bacteria

02/05/2024
Researchers are on a mission to kill drug-resistant bacteria, and a new study has identified a therapy that can penetrate the slime that such infections use to protect themselves from antibiotics.Researchers have shown that an antimicrobial peptide from cows has potential for treating incurable infections from the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae. The bacteria, commonly found in the intestines, is usually harmless. It becomes a health hazard when it enters other parts of the body and can cause pneumonia, urinary tract and wound infections. Those at highest risk include seniors and patients with other health problems such as diabetes, cancer, kidney failure and liver disease.

Microneedles and suction cup for blood diagnostics, modeled on leeches

02/05/2024
A new device for taking blood samples uses microneedles and a suction cup instead of a large needle. People with a phobia of needles stand to benefit. More blood can be obtained than with the classic finger prick, making diagnostic measurements more reliable. Because the device can be produced at low cost, it is also suitable for developing countries.

Webb telescope probably didn't find life on an exoplanet -- yet

02/05/2024
Recent reports of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope finding signs of life on a distant planet understandably sparked excitement. A new study challenges this finding, but also outlines how the telescope might verify the presence of the life-produced gas.

Therapy to kill hypervirulent bacteria developed

02/05/2024
A study has identified a therapy that can penetrate the slime that such infections use to protect themselves from antibiotics. Scientists showed that an antimicrobial peptide from cows has potential for treating incurable infections from the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae. The bacteria, commonly found in the intestines, is usually harmless. It becomes a health hazard when it enters other parts of the body and can cause pneumonia, urinary tract and wound infections. Those at highest risk include seniors and patients with other health problems such as diabetes, cancer, kidney failure and liver disease.

75,000-year-old female Neanderthal from cave where species buried their dead

02/05/2024
A new documentary has recreated the face of a 75,000-year-old female Neanderthal whose flattened skull was discovered and rebuilt from hundreds of bone fragments by a team of archaeologists and conservators.

Archaea can be picky parasites

02/05/2024
A parasite that not only feeds of its host, but also makes the host change its own metabolism and thus biology. Microbiologists have shown this for the very first time in a specific group of parasitic microbes, so-called DPANN archea. Their study shows that these archaea are very 'picky eaters', which might drive their hosts to change the menu.

EPA underestimates methane emissions from landfills, urban areas

02/05/2024
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is underestimating methane emissions from landfills, urban areas and U.S. states, according to a new study. The researchers combined 2019 satellite observations with an atmospheric transport model to generate a high-resolution map of methane emissions, which was then compared to EPA estimates from the same year. The researchers found: Methane emissions from landfills are 51% higher compared to EPA estimates Methane emissions from 95 urban areas are 39% higher than EPA estimates Methane emissions from the 10 states with the highest methane emissions are 27% higher than EPA estimates.

Feathers, cognition and global consumerism in colonial Amazonia

02/05/2024
Amazonia is the home of the largest variety of birds in the world. In such a unique environment, craft cultures have flourished by translating the beauty and creativity of environmental materials like feathers into stunning pieces of art. A new article examines artisanal featherwork within the context of early modern colonialism and globalization.

The big quantum chill: Scientists modify common lab refrigerator to cool faster with less energy

02/05/2024
Scientists have dramatically reduced the time and energy required to chill materials to temperatures near absolute zero. Their prototype refrigerator could prove a boon for the burgeoning quantum industry, which widely uses ultracold materials.

Research breakthrough on birth defect affecting brain size

02/05/2024
A team has identified a molecular cellular mechanism that is linked to microencephaly, a condition in which a baby's head is much smaller than expected.

Identifying risks of human flea infestations in plague-endemic areas of Madagascar

02/05/2024
Researchers uncover why some homes in rural Madagascar where bubonic plague is endemic are infested with fleas. Based on their findings, they recommend ways to reduce the flea populations and their impact on human health.

Science has an AI problem: This group says they can fix it

02/05/2024
A team of 19 prominent researchers has published guidelines for the responsible use of machine learning in science. They say it could avert a crisis that's smoldering in every field.

Physicists build new device that is foundation for quantum computing

02/05/2024
Scientists have adapted a device called a microwave circulator for use in quantum computers, allowing them for the first time to precisely tune the exact degree of nonreciprocity between a qubit, the fundamental unit of quantum computing, and a microwave-resonant cavity. The ability to precisely tune the degree of nonreciprocity is an important tool to have in quantum information processing. In doing so, the team derived a general and widely applicable theory that simplifies and expands upon older understandings of nonreciprocity so that future work on similar topics can take advantage of the team's model, even when using different components and platforms.

Researchers unlock potential of 2D magnetic devices for future computing

02/05/2024
A research team has created an innovative method to control tiny magnetic states within ultrathin, two-dimensional van der Waals magnets -- a process akin to how flipping a light switch controls a bulb.

Key functions of therapeutically promising jumbo viruses

02/05/2024
Viruses known as 'jumbo' phages are seen as a potential tool against deadly bacterial infections. But scientists must first decipher the extraordinary makeup of these mysterious viruses. Researchers have now uncovered a key piece of jumbo phage development that helps them counter bacteria.

Time-restricted eating and high-intensity exercise might work together to improve health

02/05/2024
Combining time-restricted eating with high-intensity functional training may improve body composition and cardiometabolic parameters more than either alone, according to new research.

Mystery behind huge opening in Antarctic sea ice solved

02/05/2024
Researchers have discovered the missing piece of the puzzle behind a rare opening in the sea ice around Antarctica, which was nearly twice the size of Wales and occurred during the winters of 2016 and 2017. A study reveals a key process that had eluded scientists as to how the opening, called a polynya, was able to form and persist for several weeks.

Brain imaging study reveals connections critical to human consciousness

02/05/2024
A new study involved high-resolution scans that enabled the researchers to visualize brain connections at submillimeter spatial resolution. Together, these pathways form a 'default ascending arousal network' that sustains wakefulness in the resting, conscious human brain.

Sleep resets brain connections -- but only for first few hours

01/05/2024
During sleep, the brain weakens the new connections between neurons that had been forged while awake -- but only during the first half of a night's sleep, according to a new study.

Roadmap to close the carbon cycle

01/05/2024
Reaching net-zero carbon emissions goals requires finding transformative paths to manage carbon in difficult-to-electrify economic sectors.

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