Eurekalert

The main driver of Alzheimer's disease is excessive inflammation in the brain that is triggered by cells called astrocytes and microglia in response to high levels of amyloid beta deposits and tau tangles. New research reveals that a subset of astrocytes releases a molecule called interleukin-3 that instructs microglia to adopt a protective response and clear away amyloid beta deposits and tau tangles. Interleukin-3 may hold promise as a new therapeutic intervention in Alzheimer's disease.

Bacteria's role in gut health has received attention in recent years. But new research publishing in Nature shows that fungi--another microorganism that lives within us--may be equally important in health and disease. Fungi thrive in the healthy gut, but when interactions with the immune system are off-balance, they cause intestinal damage that may contribute to gastrointestinal disease. Additional investigation demonstrate that vaccines could be developed as therapeutics to improve gut health.

Scientists at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois have developed a hydrogel integrated with zirconium-based robust metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that rapidly degrades organophosphate-based nerve agents used in chemical warfare. Unlike existing powdered MOF adsorbents, this hydrogel composite does not require added water and may be easily scaled up for use in protective masks or clothing. The work appears July 14 in the journal Chem Catalysis.

Antibiotic exposure early in life could alter human brain development in areas responsible for cognitive and emotional functions, according to a Rutgers researcher.

Researchers have found evidence for an anomalous phase of matter that was predicted to exist in the 1960s. Harnessing its properties could pave the way to new technologies able to share information without energy losses. These results are reported in the journal Science Advances.

Scientific substantiation to date indicates that indoor use of Pulze heated tobacco device is unlikely to present an indoor air quality issue or risk to bystanders, especially compared to existing background levels of toxicants, indoor air quality standards and pollutants in urban areas.

Perfecting the dimensions of chemical separation membranes is a step toward a sustainable chemical industry.

A new study finds forensics researchers use terms related to ancestry and race in inconsistent ways, and calls for the discipline to adopt a new approach to better account for both the fluidity of populations and how historical events have shaped our skeletal characteristics.

When there is a gas leak in a large building or at an industrial site, human firefighters currently need to go in with gas sensing instruments. Finding the gas leak may take considerable time, while they are risking their lives. Researchers from TU Delft (the Netherlands), University of Barcelona, and Harvard University have now developed the first swarm of tiny - and hence very safe - drones that can autonomously detect and localize gas sources in cluttered indoor environments.

Army-funded research identified a new chemistry approach that could remove micropollutants from the environment.

Online learning engagement can be increased by nearly one-third by simply prompting students to share course ideas rather than personal details in the form of icebreakers and social introductions, said Unnati Narang, a professor of business administration at the Gies College of Business and co-author of the research.

Pressure sensors are important tools for accurate sensing of applied forces. However, they can mostly sense forces along only a single direction. In a new study, scientists from South Korea take things to the next level with a multi-directional pressure sensor fabricated using 3D-printed conductive polymer composites and paired with a temperature sensor for resistance calibration. The low cost of such 3D-printed sensors could enable large-scale production of robotic grippers and tactile sensors.

A new method for seeing through ice sheets using radio signals from the sun could enable cheap, low-power and widespread monitoring of ice sheet evolution and contribution to sea-level rise.

A consortium of modern slavery experts, led by the University of Nottingham, have assisted the Greek government to tackle a humanitarian crisis unfolding in the strawberry fields of southern Greece.

A phase II study led by researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found that treatment with atezolizumab and bevacizumab was well-tolerated and resulted in a 40% objective response rate in patients with advanced malignant peritoneal mesothelioma, a rare cancer in the lining of the abdomen

A new psychology study from researchers at the University of Bath focuses on the relationship between autism and green behaviours.

Kamil Gareev, Associate Professor at ETU "LETI," justified the prospects of using magnetotactic bacteria to treat malignant tumors.

A new study co-authored by the UBC Sauder School of Business has found that when senior managers mistreat workers, middle managers often attempt to quietly smooth things over.

The discovery sheds new light on the thousand-year mystery of the supernova from A.D. 1054 that was seen by ancient astronomers, before eventually becoming the Crab Nebula, that we know today.

The characteristics of plants of the same species can have different genetic causes depending on their origin. This is shown by a recent study at the University of Würzburg.