Eurekalert


The premier online source for science news since 1996. A service of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Updated: 3 years 8 months ago
Recovering DNA from challenging forensic evidence in forensic genomics
Duct tape and items retrieved from the water are common pieces of evidence in forensic cases. A new study evaluates the recovery of DNA from folded duct tape that has been submerged in ocean water for up to 2 weeks.
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Medical debt in US
What The Study Did: Credit reports were analyzed to estimate the amount of medical debt in collections nationally and by geographic region and income group and its association with Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act.
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Gene expression mechanism may have immunity, cancer implications
Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is an RNA processing mechanism that regulates gene expression by generating different ends on RNA transcripts of the same gene. Wistar scientists describe an important function of APA in allowing certain mRNAs to reach specific sites of protein synthesis that can determine the destination of mRNAs within the cell.
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Climate change threatens food security of many countries dependent on fish
Analyses by an international team from the UK and Canada and led by scientists from Lancaster University reveal that climate change is the most pervasive threat to the supply of essential micronutrients from marine fish catches, and threatens the supply of vital micronutrients from fisheries in 40 per cent of countries.
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Bleak cyborg future from brain-computer interfaces if we're not careful
The most promising method to achieve real-world BCI applications is through electroencephalography, a method of monitoring the brain's electrical activity. EEG-based BCIs will require a number of technological advances prior to widespread use, but more importantly, they will raise a variety of social, ethical, and legal concerns. Researchers conducted a review of modern commercial brain-computer interface devices and discuss the primary technological limitations and humanitarian concerns of these devices in APL Bioengineering.
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Data identifies turbine wake clustering, improves wind farm productivity via yaw control
In the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, researchers describe a real-time method for potentially helping turbine farms realize additional power from the clustering of their turbines. Their method requires no new sensors to identify which turbines at any given time could increase power production if yaw control is applied, and validation studies showed an increase of 1%-3% in overall power gain.
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Babies at risk for diabetes may have microbiota restored
Newborns at risk for Type 1 diabetes because they were given antibiotics may have their gut microorganisms restored with a maternal fecal transplant, according to a Rutgers study.
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New method for uninterrupted monitoring of solid-state milling reactions
Researchers from the Croatian Ruđer Boković Institute (RBI) described a new, easy-to-use method for uninterrupted monitoring of mechanochemical reactions. These reactions are conducted in closed milling devices, so in order to monitor the reaction one has to open the reaction vessel, thus interfering with the process. The new method uses Raman spectroscopy to get deeper insight into solid-state milling reactions, without the usual interruption of the chemical reaction process.
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Millions of dollars saved when scheduled travel providers adapt to on-demand scheduling
Uber and Lyft are popular on-demand ways to travel, but does that mean trains and buses are a thing of the past? Travelers prefer different modes of transportation at different times. So how can all these modes co-exist and do so successfully? New research in the INFORMS Journal Transportation Science has created a model and an algorithm to redistribute transit resources based on commuter preferences resulting in millions in savings.
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A machine learning breakthrough: using satellite images to improve human lives
New machine learning technology, developed by a multi-disciplinary team based at University of California, Berkeley, has devised a machine learning system to tap the problem-solving potential of satellite imaging. The low-cost, easy-to-use technology could bring satellite image access and analytical power to researchers and governments worldwide.
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Strong signals
University of Tsukuba scientists employed a mathematical model to simulate the differentiation of epithelial cells based on signaling molecules from the liver's portal vein. This work may lead to new tools to better understand the very complicated signaling pathways involved in cell differentiation.
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Removal of barred owls slows decline of iconic spotted owls in Pacific Northwest, study finds
A 17-year study in Oregon, Washington and California found that removal of invasive barred owls arrested the population decline of the northern spotted owl, a native species threatened by invading barred owls and the loss of old-forest habitats.
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Farm consolidation has negative effect on wild pollinators
In a recent article in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, a group of researchers analysed how farmland consolidation influences wild pollinator communities. They discovered that consolidation, while trying to optimise the productivity and output of the land, reduces the diversity of pollinators by 30%.
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No IgA leads to intestinal inflammation in mice
Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) have found that immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency leads to disruption of the ileal gut microbiota and increased inflammation in the ileum in mice. This suggests that IgA plays an important role in mucosal homeostasis by regulating the intestinal microbiota and protecting against mucosal inflammation, especially in the ileum
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Tree-ring records reveal Asian monsoon variability
Chinese researchers along with international colleagues recently reported a 6,700-year-long, precisely dated and well-calibrated tree-ring stable isotope chronology from the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau.
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Synthesis of new red phosphors with a smart material as a host material
Toyohashi University of Technology used a material with a unique periodical structure as a host material to synthesize new Mn4+-activated phosphors that exhibit red light emissions at 685 nm when excited at 493 nm. Because the valence of the Mn ions in the material changes from Mn4+ to Mn3+ according to the sintering temperature, composition, and crystal structure, there is a difference in the photoluminescence intensity of the phosphors.
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The origin of bifurcated current sheets explained
POSTECH-PAL research team expects a wide range of applications in space and fusion plasma research with the new finding.
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Untrained beer drinkers can taste different barley genotypes
When it comes to craft beer, the flavor doesn't have to be all in the hops. As a panel of amateur beer tasters at Washington State University recently demonstrated, malted barley, the number one ingredient in beer besides water, can have a range of desirable flavors too.
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Revealing the secrets of cell competition
Cellular competition is a crucial quality control process that ensures that the development of an organism relies on healthy cells. Researchers revealed the secrets underlying cell competition and what features can pre-determine whether a cell will survive or not. Defects in energy production are critical in making cells vulnerable to elimination. The study was led by researchers from Helmholtz Zentrum München and Imperial College London.
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Study identifies MET amplification as driver for some non-small cell lung cancers
A study led by CU Cancer Center member D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, has helped define MET amplification as an actionable driver for some non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC).
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