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A study by the ICTA-UAB and the University of Porto analyses the effects of exposure to green spaces during the first months of the COVID19 pandemic in Spain and Portugal.

Using neural networks, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have developed a new method to search the human genome for beneficial mutations from Neanderthals and other archaic humans. These humans are known to have interbred with modern humans, but the overall fate of the genetic material inherited from them is still largely unknown. Among others, the researchers found previously unreported mutations involved in core pathways in metabolism, blood-related diseases and immunity.

3D models of bone formation provide a tool for tissue engineering, biomedical research and drug testing.

Recently, a team led by Prof. JIANG Yuqiang from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, collaborating with researchers from the National University of Singapore, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, and Shanxi University, achieved ultra-fast orbital rotation rate of nanoparticles at subdiffraction scale.

Preclinical research finds that glioblastoma stem cells can be targeted by NK cells, but they are able to evade immune attack by releasing TFG-β. Deleting the TFG-β receptor in NK cells renders them resistant to this and restores their anti-tumor activity.

Seiichi Shirai (1905-1983) was an influential architect whose work has affected the designs of significant architects of the 20th century. Associate Professor Kosuke Hato of the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Shinshu University has studied the work of Shirai and examined why the architect worked extensively on calligraphy. Hato's strategy is to clarify the relationship between the architect and his activity of calligraphy through Shirai's Theory of Tradition.

Outside the breeding season many parrots live in dynamic social systems in which individuals travel and forage. These flocks are characterised by frequent changes in composition and their dynamic nature entails a unique set of challenges, such as potential increased aggression and competition for resources. Therefore, the ability to selectively choose the right flock members may be essential to maximise individual fitness. In a new study, researchers from the University of Copenhagen and Aarhus University is shedding light over social interactions in parrots.

Scientists have developed a new method that improves dispensing of viscoelastic fluids - a vital process for circuit board production, 3D printing and other industrial applications. The scientists found that twisting these liquid bridges breaks them in a quicker and cleaner way than the conventional method of stretching them.

In a study published in Nature Communications, a research team led by CHEN Tao from University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered the unique defect properties of low-dimensional materials particularly Sb2S3 through building the bridge between the deep-level defects of Sb2S3 and anion/cation ratio.

Bacteria from an Indian landfill could help eliminate contaminated chemicals. The focus is on pesticides such as lindane or brominated flame retardants, which accumulate in nature and in food chains. Researchers at Empa and Eawag used these bacteria to generate enzymes that can break down these dangerous chemicals.

Russian scientists have developed a simple and easily reproducible cell labeling system that allows tracking the behavior and movement of individual cells when solving problems that require maximum accuracy.

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have observed the absorption of a single electron by a levitated droplet with such a magnification that it is visible with the naked eye and can even be measured with a normal millimeter scaled ruler.

Scientists find the impact of anthropogenic forcing on drought risk over Southeast Asia has already exceeded internal climate variability in the late 20th and they call for actions to reduce anthropogenic aerosol loading and greenhouses gases emissions.

A new species of nematode (roundworm), named Cryptaphelenchus abietis, was isolated from bark beetles from a dead log collected in Nagano, Japan. The females of this newly described species can be identified based on the size of the post-uterine sac and the conical tail with an elongate posterior part. The males have seven genital papillae and a narrow bursal flap-like extension. The culturability of this species means it may be useful in further nematode research.

Researchers at the Cluster of Excellence CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies develop technology to introduce genes into single cells in a targeted manner.

Researchers from the Hospital del Mar and Pompeu Fabra University have confirmed that messenger RNA vaccines pre-prepared in syringes for their administration can be transported by road for up to three hours. The researchers have conducted stress tests on syringes pre-prepared for administering the Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, and have found that the vector these vaccines use, the messenger RNA, maintains its integrity despite being subjected to movement.

The most accurate distance measurement yet of ultra-diffuse galaxy (UDG) NGC1052-DF2 (DF2) confirms beyond any shadow of a doubt that it is lacking in dark matter. The newly measured distance of 22.1 +/-1.2 megaparsecs was published in Astrophysical Journal Letters on June 9, 2021, are based on 40 orbits of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, with imaging by the Advanced Camera for Surveys and a "tip of the red giant branch" (TRGB) analysis.

Professor DENG Tao from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and his collaborators from China and the U.S.A. recently reported a new species Paraceratherium linxiaense sp. nov., which offers important clues to the dispersal of giant rhinos across Asia.

Research published today in the journal Cell is the first to establish how a specific gut bacterium, activated Bifidobacterium infantis EVC001 (B. infantis), influences immune system development in infants, and could thereby reduce the risk of allergic and autoimmune conditions later in life.

Many diseases caused by a dysregulated immune system, such as allergies, asthma and autoimmunity, can be traced back to events in the first few months after birth. To date, the mechanisms behind the development of the immune system have not been fully understood. Now, researchers at Karolinska Institutet show a connection between breast milk, beneficial gut bacteria and the development of the immune system. The study is published in Cell.