Thursday 9 May 2019

How to generate a brain of correct size and composition

To build the neocortex, a brain area involved in higher cognitive functions, stem cells produce billions of neurons of various types. In a Science study, neuroscientists from Switzerland, Belgium, and the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) have now shown that, over time, the neocortical stem cells go through various maturation states, each of them leading to a distinct neuron type. Production of the correct neuron type is bound to a specific protein complex.

* This article was originally published here

New brain tumor imaging technique uses protein found in scorpion venom

A novel imaging technique that uses a synthesized form of scorpion venom to light up brain tumors has shown promise in a clinical trial. The imaging system enables neurosurgeons to better see malignant growths that often are difficult to fully eliminate.

* This article was originally published here

Egg yolk precursor protein regulates mosquitoes' attraction to humans

Feeding mosquitoes sugar makes them less attracted to humans, a response that is regulated by the protein vitellogenin, according to a study publishing May 9 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Jessica Dittmer, Paolo Gabrieli and colleagues at the Università degli Studi di Pavia in Italy.

* This article was originally published here

Milk expression within eight hours associated with lactation success for VLBW infants in NICU

A study led by physician researchers at Boston Medical Center has shown that first milk expression within eight hours of giving birth is associated with the highest probability of mothers of very low-birth-weight infants being able to provide milk throughout hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit. The study results, published in Obstetrics and Gynecology, help better inform perinatal providers and new mothers how to prioritize the many aspects of perinatal care after delivery of a very low-birth-weight infant.

* This article was originally published here

How sea level rise affects birds in coastal forests

When saltwater inundates coastal forests as sea levels rise, it kills salt-sensitive trees, leaving "ghost forests" of bare snags behind. A new study from North Carolina State University explores how changes in vegetation affect coastal bird species.

* This article was originally published here

Plants and the art of microbial maintenance

It's been known for centuries that plants produce a diverse array of medically-valuable chemicals in their roots.

* This article was originally published here

Clean fuel cells could be cheap enough to replace gas engines in vehicles

Advancements in zero-emission fuel cells could make the technology cheap enough to replace traditional gasoline engines in vehicles, according to researchers at the University of Waterloo.

* This article was originally published here

Dyson driving towards all-terrain electric car

James Dyson, famed for his vacuum cleaners, hinted Thursday that his electric car would be more energy efficient than rivals—and with "very large wheels" for city and rough-terrain driving.

* This article was originally published here

Deep sea carbon reservoirs once superheated the Earth—could it happen again?

As concern grows over human-induced climate change, many scientists are looking back through Earth's history to events that can shed light on changes occurring today. Analyzing how the planet's climate system has changed in the past improves our understanding of how it may behave in the future.

* This article was originally published here

The Medical Minute: Hold the added sugar

The sugar in fruit is different from the sugar in a doughnut, according to Kara Shifler Bowers, a registered dietitian and project manager at Penn State PRO Wellness.

* This article was originally published here

Researchers make transformational AI seem 'unremarkable'

Physicians making life-and-death decisions about organ transplants, cancer treatments or heart surgeries typically don't give much thought to how artificial intelligence might help them. And that's how researchers at Carnegie Mellon University say clinical AI tools should be designed—so doctors don't need to think about them.

* This article was originally published here

Minimally invasive procedure shows promise in combatting obesity

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), a relatively new, minimally invasive weight-loss procedure, resulted in significant total body weight loss in the first long-term study to follow patients' progress over five years, according to research presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2019. Researchers hope these results will help solve a serious "treatment gap" for more than 100 million Americans with obesity who are unwilling or ineligible for traditional bariatric surgery.

* This article was originally published here

Cities can follow Stanford's energy makeover to cut emissions of carbon dioxide affordably, new study finds

Over the past several years, Stanford transformed its energy infrastructure by electrifying its heating system, replacing its gas-fired power plant with grid power, creating a unique system to recover heat, building massive tanks to store hot and cold water, and building a solar power plant. The Stanford Energy System Innovations project cut the campus's total greenhouse gas emissions 68 percent and is lowering the system's operating costs by $425 million over 35 years.

* This article was originally published here

Two-thirds of world's longest rivers throttled by mankind: study

Almost two in three of Earth's longest rivers have been severed by dams, reservoirs or other manmade constructions, severely damaging some of the most important ecosystems on the planet, researchers said Wednesday.

* This article was originally published here

Source credibility is key to derailing fake news

Fake news is a threat to American democratic institutions and false information can have far-reaching effects. A new study provides a roadmap for dealing with fake news.

* This article was originally published here