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Researchers use transoceanic fiber link for geophysical sensing
In a new study in Optica, The Optical Society's journal for high impact research, researchers show that the fiber optic cables that carry data across the world's oceans can also be used to sense geophysical events and monitor ocean and seafloor conditions.
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Latest tests on 6G return surprising results
Researchers have long believed that as we move up into 6G frequency, the ways in which a signal can reach a receiver will be greatly limited. New research shows that this is not always accurate..Making 6G technology a reality is an important step towards realizing a whole host of new applications including haptic internet, mobile edge computing, and holographic communications. All three of these areas have the potential to change the face of communications, health, transportation, education, and more.
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Bacteria hijack latent phage of competitor
Bacteriophages are still a relatively unknown component of the human microbiome. However, they can play a powerful role in the life cycles of bacteria. Biochemist Thomas Böttcher from the University of Vienna and Ph.D. student Magdalena Jancheva were able to show for the first time how Pseudomonas bacteria use a self-produced signal molecule to selectively manipulate phages in a competing bacterial strain to defeat their enemy.
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ACS Nano: CNIC scientists describe a possible disease-causing mechanism in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
A team led by Dr. Jorge Alegre-Cebollada has shown, for the first time, an association between hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and mechanical alterations to a component of the contractile machinery of the heart
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Decoded genome of little-known disease offers hope for citrus
Scientists are hoping the RNA of an obscure infection can one day be used like a Trojan horse to deliver life-saving treatments to citrus trees.
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'Bad fat' suppresses killer T cells from attacking cancer
Salk researchers have identified how tumors cause immune cells to lose their ability to fight cancer, by producing harmful fats the energy-hungry immune cells ingest, impairing their functionality. The understanding opens new avenues for novel immunotherapies for cancer.
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Sealed, signed and delivered
A team of archaeologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) made a rare discovery when they unearthed a small clay seal impression dating back some 7,000 years. The impression, with two different geometric stamps imprinted on it, was discovered in Tel Tsaf, a prehistoric village located in Israel's Beit She'an Valley up north.
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Trapping DNA damage
The delicate strands that carry life's genetic code take a beating as they jumble about in the course of their work. If left untreated, errors accumulate, with fatal consequences for the organism. This is where two key proteins come to the rescue: PARP acts as a marker for a trouble spot, allowing XRCC1 to zoom in and begin a repair.
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Study of harvey flooding aids in quantifying climate change
Researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Fathom Bristol used a hydraulic model to consider the degree to which human-caused climate change may have affected flooding in Houston in 2017 during Hurricane Harvey. Resources at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center were used to quantify the increase in Houston flood area and depth and to host a portal where other scientists and the public can access and explore the resulting data.
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The survivability of animal species depends on the number of offspring
The researchers found incompatibilities between mammals and amphibians in the relation between body size and extinction risk.The researchers found that the females of smaller amphibians, such as rain frogs (Eleutherodactylus), produce a smaller number of offspring per clutch.
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Ion and lipid transporters specialize for their niche
Cell viability require that a variety of functions at the cell membrane are maintained properly. P-type ATPases translocate substrates across the membrane, and they have evolved into different types taking care of specific substrates within a diverse range. Now, key structural aspects have been described on how two different types of P-type ATPases -- a Ca2+ transporting Ca2+-ATPase and a lipid transporting P4-ATPase - have adapted to different substrates and physical environments.
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A new mechanism behind continuous stem cell activity in plants
An inter-university research group has succeeded in constructing the gene expression network behind the vascular development process in plants. They achieved this by performing bioinformatics analysis using the 'VISUAL' tissue culture platform, which generates vascular stem cells from leaf cells. In this network, they also discovered a new BES/BZR transcription factor, BEH3, and illuminated its role in vascular cell maintenance.
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Clearer and refocused SEM images
POSTECH and Korea Institute of Materials Science joint research team develops an AI-based technique that improves the quality of SEM images that requires no human oversight.
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Lunar sample tells ancient story with help of Curtin's world-class facilities
Curtin University researchers have helped uncover the four billion year old story of a lunar sample brought from the Moon to Earth, by the manned Apollo 17 mission more than 50 years ago.
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Nicotinamide can 'immunize' plants to protect from fungal disease
A team led by Kanazawa University, Japan, discovered that applying the vitamin nicotinamide (NIM) to plants prevents development of fungal disease. Pre-treatment with NIM activates the plant immune response and increases amounts of antimicrobial compounds that suppress the growth of the fungus. The results could lead to novel approaches to tackling crop diseases, potentially replacing toxic fungicide sprays with new, safer ways to stimulate the plant's own defense systems.
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When physics meets financial networks
Financial institutions are linked together in a global web of interactions whose structure can be analyzed quantitatively by means of network theory. Today, 15 years after the 2007-2008 financial crisis, the role of networks for monitoring financial stability is widely recognized. Both policymakers and researchers agree that systemic risk has to be studied and managed by adopting a network perspective.
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IPBES/IPCC: Tackling the biodiversity and climate crises together, and their combined social impacts
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) launch a peer-reviewed report based on a 4-day virtual workshop on addressing the biodiversity and climate crises together involving 50 jointly-selected international experts.
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Prostate cancer linked to obesity
Abdominal obesity appears to be associated with a greater risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer. This link was demonstrated in a study led by Professor Marie-Élise Parent of Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) and published in the journal Cancer Causes & Control.
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Climate protection: Deep decarbonization by 2050 currently not plausible
The study represents the first systematic attempt to investigate whether a climate future with net-zero carbon emissions is not only possible but also plausible. They conclude that the efforts need to be far more ambitious. The results imply that global surface warming of less than 1.7° Celsius by 2100 is not plausible, but nor is a rise of more than 4.9 degrees.
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Beyond Remission: From Alcohol Dependence to Optimal Mental Health
New research published online in the journal Substance Use & Misuse is good news for those struggling with alcohol dependence: the possibility of ending this dependency gets easier with age. Moreover, more than half of individuals who have been dependent on alcohol are free of any addictions or mental illness, and nearly 40% are in excellent mental health.
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