Protein that keeps immune system from freaking out could form basis for new therapeutics

The immune response to infections is a delicate balance. We need just enough action to clear away the offending bacteria or viruses, but not so much that our own bodies suffer collateral damage.

Research finds that blue-light glasses improve sleep and workday productivity

During the pandemic, the amount of screen time for many people working and learning from home as well as binge-watching TV has sharply increased. New research finds that wearing blue-light glasses just before sleeping can lead to a better night's sleep and contribute to a better day's work to follow.

Exosomal lncRNA PCAT-1 promotes Kras-associated chemoresistance

Oncotarget Volume 11, Issue 29 reported that Immunosuppressive chemoresistance is a major burden in lung cancer.

Scientists prove cell-cultured meat products can offer enhanced nutrition compared to conventionally produced meat

A group of researchers at Tufts University have genetically engineered cow muscle cells to produce plant nutrients not natively found in beef cells. Using the same carotenoid pathway exploited in golden rice, they coaxed bovine cells into producing beta carotene—a provitamin usually found in carrots and tomatoes.

Young adults face higher risk of severe disease from infections than school-age children

The first systematic review of how the severity of infectious diseases changes with age suggests that the human immune system might start to lose the ability to protect against infections earlier than previously thought, according to new research published in Scientific Data.

Facebook users spread Russian propaganda less often when they know source

Russian propaganda is hitting its mark on social media—generating strong partisan reactions that may help intensify political divisions—but Facebook users are less apt to press the "like" button on content when they learn that it is part of a foreign propaganda campaign, according to a new RAND Corporation report.

Research demonstrates a molecular dance that keeps your heart beating

It might look like a little game at the molecular scale.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-molecular-heart.html

To make mini-organs grow faster, give them a squeeze

The closer people are physically to one another, the higher the chance for exchange, of things like ideas, information, and even infection. Now researchers at MIT and Boston Children's Hospital have found that, even in the microscopic environment within a single cell, physical crowding increases the chance for interactions, in a way that can significantly alter a cell's health and development.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-mini-organs-faster.html

Trees and lawns beat the heat

In cities, humans replace the natural ground cover with roofs, pavement and other artificial materials that are impervious to water. These surfaces significantly change how the land absorbs and releases energy and cause the urban heat island effect, a phenomenon where developed areas get hotter than nearby rural areas. As climate change pushes many cities towards dangerous temperatures, planners are scrambling to mitigate excessive heat.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-trees-lawns.html

Robot swarms follow instructions to create art

What if you could instruct a swarm of robots to paint a picture? The concept may sound far-fetched, but a recent study in open-access journal Frontiers in Robotics and AI has shown that it is possible. The robots in question move about a canvas leaving color trails in their wake, and in a first for robot-created art, an artist can select areas of the canvas to be painted a certain color and the robot team will oblige in real time. The technique illustrates the potential of robotics in creating art, and could be an interesting tool for artists.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-robot-swarms-art.html

Popularity of COVID-19 conspiracies and links to vaccine 'hesitancy' revealed by international study

A new study of beliefs and attitudes toward COVID-19 in five different countries—UK, US, Ireland, Mexico and Spain—has identified how much traction some prominent conspiracy theories have within these populations.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-popularity-covid-conspiracies-links-vaccine.html

Finding its way to the top: How a cell surface receptor reaches its destination

Dr. Guangyu Wu is dissecting the molecular homing that enables a nascent protein to ultimately find its way to the surface of a cell as a mature receptor type that helps us taste, smell and even regulate our mood and immunity.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-cell-surface-receptor-destination.html

Only 7% of US school districts in poorer, ethnic minority populations to reopen this fall

US schools in poor districts with large non-white student populations are less likely to reopen fully this academic year, according to a major new study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of School Choice.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-school-districts-poorer-ethnic-minority.html

Machine learning model helps characterize compounds for drug discovery

Tandem mass spectrometry is a powerful analytical tool used to characterize complex mixtures in drug discovery and other fields.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-machine-characterize-compounds-drug-discovery.html

Scientists shed new light on viruses' role in coral bleaching

Scientists at Oregon State University have shown that viral infection is involved in coral bleaching—the breakdown of the symbiotic relationship between corals and the algae they rely on for energy.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-scientists-viruses-role-coral.html

The Great Barrier Reef has lost half its corals

A new study of the Great Barrier Reef shows populations of its small, medium and large corals have all declined in the past three decades.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-great-barrier-reef-lost-corals.html