Baby reef fishes swim for gold

A new study has found baby coral reef fishes can outpace all other baby fishes in the ocean.

In a dish, a mouse, crafted from stem cells, begins to form

The tiny mouse embryo has a heart that beats. Its muscles, blood vessels, gut and nervous system are beginning to develop. But this embryo is unusual: It was made in a lab, out of mouse embryonic stem cells, and represents the most sophisticated in vitro (in a dish) model of a mammal ever so created.

Mountaintop glacier ice disappearing in tropics around the world

Mountaintop glacier ice in the tropics of all four hemispheres covers significantly less area—in one case as much as 93% less—than it did just 50 years ago, a new study has found.

Researchers find most nitrogen in Gulf of Mexico comes from coastal waters

Almost all of the nitrogen that fertilizes life in the open ocean of the Gulf of Mexico is carried into the gulf from shallower coastal areas, researchers from Florida State University found.

New insight into photosynthesis could help grow more resilient plants

A research team led by Washington State University has created a computer model to understand how plants store energy in the thylakoid membrane, a key structure to photosynthesis in plant leaves.

Hotter, more frequent droughts threaten California's iconic blue oak woodlands

2016 drought in California triggered widespread tree cover loss and die-offs of a variety of species in the region. A new study in the open access journal Frontiers in Climate is the first to show that California's iconic blue oak (Quercus douglasii) woodlands have also decreased by more than 1,200 km2. By another metric, which reflects the altered or deteriorating condition of the tree cover, the blue oak range has lost over 600 km2 in addition. These findings highlight the need to raise awareness about the vulnerability of these ecosystems and to adapt conservation strategies to increasing climate extremes.

Two studies explore link between inflammation and leukemia

Two recent collaborative publications by CU Cancer Center members provide insights into how chronic inflammation can serve as a key factor in the development of leukemia and other blood cancers.

Coronavac COVID-19 vaccine safe in children and adolescents and triggers antibodies

Two doses of CoronaVac are safe and provoke a strong antibody response among children and adolescents aged 3-17 years, according to a randomised controlled trial of 550 young people published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal.

GluN3A knockout mouse: Alternative model for Alzheimer's neurodegeneration

In recent debate over the FDA's approval of the Alzheimer's drug aducanumab, we've heard a lot about the "amyloid hypothesis." In that context, it's refreshing to learn about a model of Alzheimer's neurodegeneration that doesn't start with the pathogenic proteins amyloid or Tau.

Study: Hundreds of lives saved in Kansas counties that adopted mask mandates

Despite facing cultural and political pushback, the evidence remains clear: Face masks made a difference in Kansas.

Pulling wisdom teeth can improve long-term taste function

Patients who had their wisdom teeth extracted had improved tasting abilities decades after having the surgery, a new Penn Medicine study published in the journal Chemical Senses found. The findings challenge the notion that removal of wisdom teeth, known as third molars, only has the potential for negative effects on taste, and represent one of the first studies to analyze the long-term effects of extraction on taste.

Evidence against physically punishing kids is clear, researchers say

A conclusive narrative review has found physical punishment of children is not effective in preventing child behavior problems or promoting positive outcomes and instead predicts increases in behavior problems and other poor outcomes over time. The study by an international group of scientists including a researcher from The University of Texas at Austin was published today in The Lancet.

Key mutations in Alpha variant enable SARS-CoV-2 to overcome evolutionary weak points

One of the key mutations seen in the 'Alpha variant' of SARS-CoV-2—the deletion of two amino acids, H69/V70—enables the virus to overcome chinks in its armour as it evolves, say an international team of scientists.

Study highlights the importance of lived experience provided by prisoners

What is unique about the study is the combination of interviews with current and former people in prison, custodial professionals, and healthcare providers to identify and understand barriers in delivering high-quality healthcare and support to those in custody. In addition, researchers gathered data on the number, types and stages of cancers diagnosed in patients within prisons.

How we measure biodiversity can have profound impacts on land-use

The world's human population is expanding, which means even more agricultural land will be needed to provide food for this growing population. However, choosing which areas to convert is difficult and depends on agricultural and environmental priorities, which can vary widely.

Personal networks are associated with clean cooking fuel adoption in rural South India

A new, first-of-its-kind study led by researchers from Boston College has found that personal networks in India could play an important role in advancing the adoption of a cleaner cooking fuel, in this case liquefied petroleum gas, according to a report published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

How humans brought change to a tropical paradise

After centuries of human impact on the world's ecosystems, a new study from Flinders University details an example of how a common native bee species has flourished since the very first land clearances by humans on Fiji.

Young adult cancer survivors reluctant to get COVID vaccines

A new paper in JNCI Cancer Spectrum, published by Oxford University Press, indicates that many survivors of adolescent and young adult cancers hesitate to obtain COVID-19 vaccinations.

Researchers discover unique 'spider web' mechanism that traps, kills viruses

Immunologists at McMaster University have discovered a previously unknown mechanism which acts like a spider web, trapping and killing pathogens such as influenza or SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.

Video: How lead (maybe) caused the downfall of ancient Rome

Ancient Rome's emperors did some pretty bizarre stuff—bursting into uncontrollable fits of laughter, appointing a horse as a priest, dressing in animal skins and attacking people ... the list goes on.

How two California hospitals prevented the spread of a deadly fungal infection during the pandemic

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, infection preventionists at two Southern California hospitals took extreme measures to stop the spread of a deadly fungus that has emerged in the U.S. and around the world. The two will detail their proactive responses in oral presentations today at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology's (APIC's), 48th Annual Conference.

Case reports thrombocytopenia with thrombosis following COVID-19 mRNA vaccine

A single case reports thrombocytopenia with thrombosis syndrome (TTS) following the mRNA-1273 vaccine for COVID-19. Previously, it was hypothesized that adenoviral vector-based vaccines were the sole cause of TTS or vaccine-induced TTS (VITT). The case is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Study sheds light on persistent racial disparities in prostate cancer care in the United States

Black men most likely to benefit from advanced prostate cancer therapies are 11 percent less likely to get them than non-Black men. This happens despite apparent equal opportunities in obtaining health care services, a new study in American veterans shows.