Eurekalert

Over the past 35 years, there have been large shifts in the distributions of many dragonfly species in Germany. Those of standing water habitats have declined, probably due to loss of habitat. Running-water species and warm-adapted species have benefited from improved water quality and warmer temperatures. This was found by a team of researchers led by the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv). The study highlights the importance of citizen science and natural history societies for long-term data collection.

Researchers from The University of Tokyo Institute of Industrial Science have revealed that a newly developed forecasting system can accurately predict flood locations 32 hours in advance. Extreme rainfall events are occurring increasingly frequently; such accurate and timely flood warnings will help to minimize their impact by providing time for measures to protect people and property.

According to a recent Finnish study, higher levels of moderate and vigorous physical activity can curb arterial stiffening already in childhood. However, sedentary time or aerobic fitness were not linked to arterial health.

Biologists from the Plant Physiology Laboratory at the University of Guam and neuroscientists from the Experimental Medicine Program at The University of British Columbia have published an update on the reputed environmental toxins that have been suspected of being involved in mammal neurodegeneration.

COVID-19 has changed the world in unimaginable ways. Some have even been positive, with new vaccines developed in record time.

Researchers from Kanazawa University have found that gasdermin D, a protein known to be involved in cell death, is crucial for maturation and release of interleukin-1α, an important inflammatory mediator. When the inflammasome is activated, caspase-1 cleaves gasdermin D into two parts: one of these parts travels to the membrane, where it forms a pore that allows calcium influx and activation of calpains, promoting interleukin-1α activation and exit from cells.

One way of tackling the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is to prevent the underlying adverse changes in the brain. A team of researchers from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) has recently published a study in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, dedicated to neuroprotection against these toxic changes. They used tiny free-living soil worms -- called Caenorhabditis elegans -- and the often-ornamental butterfly pea plant for their exploration.

For the most accurate accounting of a product's environmental impact, scientists look at the product's entire life cycle, from cradle to grave. It's a grand calculation known as a life cycle assessment (LCA), and greenhouse gas emissions are a key component.For corn ethanol, most greenhouse gas emissions can be mapped to the fuel's production, transportation, and combustion, but a large portion of the greenhouse gas calculation can be traced right back to the farm.

A decade-long study of distal radius fracture revealed that personalized medicine catering to a patient's individual needs and environment, not age or X-rays, should guide treatment options. This federally funded study is the most intense, collaborative effort to answer a 200-year puzzle about how to treat the most common forearm fracture in older adults.

A hydrogel that forms a barrier to keep heart tissue from adhering to surrounding tissue after surgery was developed and successfully tested in rodents by a team of University of California San Diego researchers. The team of engineers, scientists and physicians also conducted a pilot study on porcine hearts, with promising results. They describe their work in the June 18, 2021 issue of Nature Communications.

A staged alert system, designed by scientists and public health officials to guide local policies, helped one city prevent hospital surges and long lockdowns, according to new research published in the journal Nature Communications.

WRAIR scientists and partners developed an mRNA vaccine that protects against malaria in animal models. Malaria remains a large public health and economic burden worldwide as well as a danger to deployed Service Members. This vaccine uses mRNA accompanied by a lipid nanoparticle to prompt cells to code for circumsporozoite protein, which then triggers an immune response against malaria. The vaccine achieved high levels of protection in mice, encouraging further development for the novel platform.

The combination of sea level rise, tides, storm surge and waves has increased the overtopping of natural and artificial coastal protection by nearly 50% in the last two decades. This revelation comes from an international study coordinated by IRD, involving international partners . The study was published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature Communications on June 18th 2021.

Researchers have established an approach to identify the orientation of molecules and chemical bonds in crystalline organic-inorganic hybrid thin films deposited on substrates using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and polarized infrared light with a 3D-printed attenuated total reflectance (ATR) unit. This inexpensive method with laboratory-grade equipment quickly reaches the crystal-structure model of even extremely thin films of less than 10 nm.

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). Depression occurs in approximately one-third of stroke survivors and is linked with greater disability and mortality rates. Individuals with post-stroke depression frequently also report anxiety, stress, and poor sleep.

So far, quantum computers have been one-of-a-kind devices that fill entire laboratories. Now, physicists at the University of Innsbruck have built a prototype of an ion trap quantum computer that can be used in industry. It fits into two 19-inch server racks like those found in data centers throughout the world. The compact, self-sustained device demonstrates how this technology will soon be more accessible.

The health network experts implemented the medically necessary time sensitive (MeNTS) surgical scoring system developed by the University of Chicago to triage the case load across the health system, the largest in New Jersey. The results are published now in The American Journal of Surgery, and the lead author is a medical student at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.

For "deep" products, properly managing customers' onboarding experience and using the right channel and right product promotional strategy can enhance long-term customer loyalty and increase sales and profitability.

A recent study by the open access publisher Frontiers shows the first evidence that the individual hair-like structures that form spiders' adhesive feet are far more diverse than expected. By looking at a sample set of these hairs, researchers have found that they have varied shapes as well as attachment properties. Understanding how spiders climb a wide range of surfaces may help scientists design new and better adhesives.

An incredibly light new material that can reduce aircraft engine noise and improve passenger comfort has been developed at the University of Bath.The graphene oxide-polyvinyl alcohol aerogel weighs just 2.1kg per cubic metre, making it the lightest sound insulation ever manufactured.