mRNA vaccine yields full protection against malaria in mice

Scientists from the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and Naval Medical Research Center partnered with researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Acuitas Therapeutics to develop a novel vaccine based on mRNA technology that protects against malaria in animal models, publishing their findings in npj Vaccines.

Half of Germans have first jab but variant fuels fears

One in two Germans have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, health authorities said Friday, warning against complacency as the Delta variant is expected to become the dominant strain.

Moscow COVID cases soar to record high

New coronavirus infections hit a pandemic high in Moscow on Monday, tripling in just weeks and forcing Russia's capital to close its Euro fan zone and extend other curbs.

Canada: Pfizer, Moderna preferred 2nd dose after AstraZeneca

Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization said Thursday people who got the AstraZeneca vaccine as their first dose should get Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna for their second shot.

Jordan battles to save rare tiny Dead Sea carp

Jordan is racing against time to save a tiny rare fish from extinction as falling water levels partly triggered by global warming threaten to dry up its last habitat.

Bank, airline web outage 'not caused' by cyberattack

A major online outage that hit bank and airline websites on both sides of the Pacific was not caused by a cyberattack, the tech provider responsible said Friday.

Ford says outlook for its 2nd quarter is improving

Ford's second-quarter outlook is improving, with large numbers of customers making reservations for four of its new vehicles.

Las Vegas weighs tying growth to conservation amid drought

Record-breaking heat and historic drought in the U.S. West are doing little to discourage cities from planning to welcome millions of new residents in the decades ahead.

Incidents of serious parasitic disease on the rise in Alberta, Canada

A rare parasitic infection imported from Europe continues to take root in Alberta, Canada. The province is now the North American hotspot for human alveolar echinococcosis (AE), which takes the form of a growth in the liver, causing serious and potentially deadly health complications.

Tai chi shows promise for relief of depression and anxiety in stroke survivors

A small feasibility study has suggested that tai chi has the potential to reduce depression, anxiety and stress plus improve sleep in people who have had a stroke. The research is presented today at EuroHeartCare—ACNAP Congress 2021, an online scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

There's a good reason online retailers are investing in physical stores

Researchers from Colorado State University, Amazon, and Dartmouth College published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that examines the role of physical stores for selling "deep" products.

Altered microstructure improves organic-based, solid state lithium EV battery

Only 2% of vehicles are electrified to date, but that is projected to reach 30% in 2030. A key toward improving the commercialization of electric vehicles (EVs) is to heighten their gravimetric energy density—measured in watt hours per kilogram—using safer, easily recyclable materials that are abundant. Lithium-metal in anodes are considered the "holy grail" for improving energy density in EV batteries compared to incumbent options like graphite at 240 Wh/kg in the race to reach more competitive energy density at 500 Wh/kg.

Anti-science, partisan tweets could flag an outbreak

In the realm of social media, anti-science views about COVID-19 align so closely with political ideology—especially among conservatives—that its predictability offers a strategy to help protect public health, a new USC study shows.

Meringue-like material could make aircraft as quiet as a hairdryer

An incredibly light new material that can reduce aircraft engine noise and improve passenger comfort has been developed at the University of Bath.

Surprising spider hair discovery may inspire stronger adhesives

Just how do spiders walk straight up—and even upside-down across—so many different types of surfaces? Answering this question could open up new opportunities for creating powerful, yet reversible, bioinspired adhesives. Scientists have been working to better understand spider feet for the past several decades. Now, a new study in Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering is the first to show that the characteristics of the hair-like structures that form the adhesive feet of one species—the wandering spider Cupiennius salei—are more variable than previously thought.

Managed retreat: A must in the war against climate change

University of Delaware disaster researcher A.R. Siders said it's time to put all the options on the table when it comes to discussing climate change adaptation.

New study finds SARS-CoV-2 can infect testes

Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch have observed that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can infect the testes of infected hamsters. The findings, published in the journal Microorganisms, could help explain symptoms some men with COVID-19 have reported and have important implications for men's health.

FDA advisory panelist outlines issues with aducanumab's approval for Alzheimer's disease

Despite near unanimous objection from its advisory panel, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted aducanumab approval to treat Alzheimer's disease on June 7, 2021. In a commentary published in Annals of Internal Medicine, a member and former Chair of the advisory panel and an aducanumab site investigator explain why this unprecedented "accelerated approval" is problematic for clinical research and patient care.

Vaccination, previous infection, protect against SARS-CoV-2 gamma variant in animal model

In early January 2021, travelers returning to Tokyo, Japan, from Amazonas, Brazil, were screened for COVID-19 at the airport. A few days later, the National Institute of Infectious Disease of Japan announced that the travelers had returned with a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Tug-of-war receptors for sour taste in fruit flies sheds light on human taste biology

Sour taste does not have the nearly universal appeal that sweet taste does. Slightly sour foods or drinks such as yogurt and lemon juice are yummy to many, but such highly sour foods as spoiled milk are yucky, even dangerous. Like humans, many other animals, including insects, prefer slightly acidic over very acidic foods.

For the first time, researchers visualize metabolic process at the single-cell level

Understanding cellular metabolism—how a cell uses energy—could be key to treating a wide array of diseases, including vascular diseases and cancer.

Doctors, student help establish way to prioritize surgeries during COVID-19

During two months at the height of the first wave of COVID-19, Hackensack Meridian Health experts helped find the best way to triage and prioritize necessary surgeries across the health network. Their work allowed the system to keep up with crucial care—and it may help point the way forward in case of future emergencies.

Depression in dads of preemies deserves more attention

While postpartum depression in new mothers is well recognized and known to increase if the newborn requires intensive care, depression in new fathers has not received much attention. A large study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that both parents with a baby in the NICU are at risk, with depression symptoms identified in 33 percent of mothers and 17 percent of fathers. Strikingly, the probability of reporting depression symptoms declined significantly for mothers but not for fathers after the baby came home.