Science X Newsletter Fri, Mar 31

Dear help people,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for March 31, 2023:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

An antibody-based drug triggers rare inflammatory eye problems in macular degeneration patients

The modulation of a single-molecule electron source using light

Ants took over the world by following flowering plants out of prehistoric forests, says study

Sustainable space exploration will harness microbes

Moths are more efficient pollinators than bees, shows new research

A new way to assess the propensity of rivers to generate extreme floods

A cancer-wide analysis finds cancer-wide targets for tumor reduction

Mechanisms of ultra-fast gigahertz burst femtosecond laser ablation

Researchers discover birds with neurotoxin-laden feathers in New Guinea

AI algorithm unblurs the cosmos

Scientists observe flattest explosion ever seen in space

Academic institutions receive lower financial returns from biotechnology licenses than commercial firms

Microrobot capable of forming neural networks and sectioning hippocampal tissues in vitro

Researchers report that patients with rare type of astrocytoma, a neuron tumor, have worse prognosis than expected

Development of biosensor for real-time detection of the G-protein molecular switch

Nanotechnology news

	Successful visualization of two-dimensional electron gas in high-frequency/power devices The group led by Professor Naoya Shibata of the University of Tokyo, in collaboration with Sony Group Corporation, succeeded in directly observing a two-dimensional electron gas that accumulated at the semiconductor interface.
	New type of friction discovered in ligand-protein systems An interdisciplinary research team of the Institutes of Physical Chemistry and Physics of the University of Freiburg and the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics in Frankfurt-am-Main has discovered a new, direction-dependent friction in proteins called anisotropic friction.
	New study offers clues into how cancer spreads to the brain When cancer spreads to the brain, treatment options fall off. Most of the drugs designed to target metastases do not cross the blood-brain barrier or are ineffective at treating brain metastases.
	Researchers synthesize graphene using intense light DGIST Professor Yoonkyu Lee's research team used intense light on the surface of a copper wire to synthesize graphene, thereby increasing the production rate and lowering the production cost of the high-quality transparent-flexible electrode materials and consequently enabling its mass production. The results were published in the February 23 issue of Nano Energy.

Physics news

	The modulation of a single-molecule electron source using light Researchers at University of Tokyo, JTS PRESTO, Ludwig Maximilians Universität and Kindai University recently demonstrated the modulation of an electron source by applying laser light to a single fullerene molecule. Their study, featured in Physical Review Letters, could pave the way for the development of better performing computers and microscopic imaging devices.
	Mechanisms of ultra-fast gigahertz burst femtosecond laser ablation Gigahertz femtosecond lasers are suited to enhance and regulate laser machining quality to engineer the physicochemical properties of materials. Materials scientists seek to understand the laser-material interactions by gigahertz femtosecond lasers, although the method is complex due to the associated ablation dynamics.
	Imaging technique reveals electronic charges with single-atom resolution Materials typically conduct electricity or insulate against it—so experimental and theoretical physicists have been captivated by a compound called samarium hexaboride (SmB6) that appears to do both. Numerous studies over the course of 50 years have revealed that SmB6 acts like an insulator as well as an electricity-conducting metal.
	Connecting distant silicon qubits for scaling up quantum computers In a demonstration that promises to help scale up quantum computers based on tiny dots of silicon, RIKEN physicists have succeeded in connecting two qubits—the basic unit for quantum information—that are physically distant from one another.
	Scientists measure laser-heated plasma using Doppler weather forecasting technique Scientists have used a common weather forecasting technique for insights into how powerful lasers turn hunks of solid material into soups of electrically charged particles known as plasmas.
	Mathematical model provides bolt of understanding for lightning-produced X-rays In the early 2000s, scientists observed lightning discharge producing X-rays comprising high energy photons—the same type used for medical imaging. Researchers could recreate this phenomenon in the lab, but they could not fully explain how and why lightning produced X-rays. Now, two decades later, a Penn State-led team has discovered a new physical mechanism explaining naturally occurring X-rays associated with lightning activity in the Earth's atmosphere.
	Seeing is more than believing: Exploring 'de Sitter space' to explain gravity in the expanding early universe Having more tools helps; having the right tools is better. Utilizing multiple dimensions may simplify difficult problems—not only in science fiction but also in physics—and tie together conflicting theories.
	Researchers elucidate the complexity of flames A research team, led by Professor Yuji Nakamura of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Toyohashi University of Technology, discovered that the flickering of flames can be freely controlled by moving two flames closer together or further apart. Until now, it had been known that interference between flames separated by a certain distance causes the flames to flicker during in-phase or anti-phase. However, it was not possible to stably express the state of "stopping the flickering of flames" that should occur under critical conditions where the phase changes.
	Metasurfaces designed by a bidirectional deep neural network for generating quantitative field distributions Benefiting from superior capability in manipulating wavefront of electromagnetic waves, metasurfaces have provided a flexible platform for designing ultracompact and high-performance devices with unusual functionalities. Despite various advances in this field, the unique functionalities achieved by metasurfaces have come at the cost of the structural complexity, resulting in a time-consuming parameter sweep for the conventional metasurface design.
	Bringing angular momentum to holograms and metasurfaces Holography, invented by Gabor, provides an approach for recording and reconstructing the complete information (i.e. intensity and phase) of the light from an object. Since its invention, holographic-related technologies have been widely applied in numerous areas, such as optical display, imaging, data storage, encryption and metrology.
	DUNE collaboration ready to ramp up mass production for first detector module Preparations for the construction of the first detector module of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment are rapidly progressing. Members of the international DUNE collaboration have begun the final tests of detector components that will be shipped to South Dakota. There they will become part of a one-of-a-kind experiment designed to study some of the most elusive particles in the universe: neutrinos.
	DUNE collaboration tests new technology for second detector module In recent months, the neutrino research facility at the European laboratory CERN has been bustling with activity. Scientists, engineers and technicians from around the world have gathered there to assemble a large prototype of a new particle detector to study the neutrino, one of the most mysterious types of particles in the universe.
	Extraction of topological invariants from band structure in the synthetic frequency dimension Over last few decades, study of topological phases of matter in solid-state electron systems has been extended to other research fields, including synthetic dimensions, and motivates extensive research on topological materials in many systems. Synthetic dimensions in photonics constructed by coupling internal degrees of freedom of light has manifested as a powerful platform for creating synthetic lattices with artificial connectivities.

Earth news

	A new way to assess the propensity of rivers to generate extreme floods A quartet of hydrologists and geoscientists with the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, has developed a new way to assess the propensity of rivers to generate extreme floods.
	At the end of the dry season: Carbon dioxide pulses over Australia End-of-dry-season CO2 pulses recur each year in the atmosphere above the Australian continent, a discovery made by an international research team led by environmental physicist Prof. Dr. André Butz of Heidelberg University.
	Background warming and soil moisture feedback will enhance impact of heat domes, says study In 2021, North America experienced one of the deadliest heatwaves in history. The heatwave was caused by a high-pressure system called a "heat dome" which traps hot air like a cap. To what extent the heat dome has contributed to the heatwave and whether the heat dome will continue to affect such harsh heatwaves are of great concern to both the public and the scientific community.
	The coming flood: Meet the flood watchers Floods in California rarely attract the sort of attention that earthquakes, wildfires or even shark attacks do. Perhaps it has something to do with the severity of an unprecedented, yearslong drought that is far from over. This winter's deluge—particularly in the northern and central regions—was a jolting reminder that rainfall remains a deadly, destructive force to be reckoned with, though it has been many decades since the Golden State experienced truly catastrophic flooding.
	Does carbon capture and storage hype delay emissions cuts? Here's what research shows Is carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) an important tool for slowing climate change, or merely a way to justify the continued extraction and burning of fossil fuels? I'm a social scientist who studies the politics of environmental technology and I have given this question a lot of thought.
	Austria glaciers retreat 'more than ever': measurement Austrian glaciers last year retreated "more than ever", the country's Alpine Club said Friday, as climate change threatens glaciers around the globe.
	What caused the record-low Antarctic sea ice in austral summer 2022? Antarctic sea ice is an important component of the climate system, and may act as an early indicator of climate change. Under global warming, significant changes in Antarctic sea ice have been observed. Specifically, it experienced a slow increase during 1979–2014, but a rapid decline thereafter.
	Study quantifies $562M in financial risk from Hurricane Florence When Hurricane Florence made landfall on North Carolina's coast in 2018, it brought record rainfall causing catastrophic flooding and damages to communities across the eastern portion of the state.
	Dominican border wall threatens environment, mangroves The anti-migrant wall being built in the northwest of the Dominican Republic crisscrosses a thick mangrove forest and threatens the ecosystem by depriving it of water, environmental groups warn.
	Thai firefighters battle forest blaze Hundreds of Thai firefighters and soldiers battled a forest blaze less than 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Bangkok on Friday as the kingdom grapples with air pollution that has made nearly 2 million people ill this year.

Astronomy and Space news

	Sustainable space exploration will harness microbes Global warming, pollution and diminishing resources are generating great urgency among scientists seeking solutions by expanding frontiers of exploration and developing new technologies.
	AI algorithm unblurs the cosmos The cosmos would look a lot better if Earth's atmosphere wasn't photo bombing it all the time.
	Scientists observe flattest explosion ever seen in space An explosion the size of our solar system has baffled scientists, as part of its shape—similar to that of an extremely flat disk—challenges everything we know about explosions in space.
	Earth's anisotropic inner core structure driven by dipole geomagnetic field, reveals study A geomagnetic field is generated in Earth's interior and extends into outer space to protect Earth from cosmic radiation and the charged particles of solar wind. The magnetic field is generated by the convection of charged molten iron fluids in Earth's outer core.
	Researchers explore effects of fully relativistic condition on electron cyclotron maser emission Radio emission, carrying a wealth of information, is critical for understanding the physical process of various outbursts. The electron cyclotron maser emission (ECME) plays an important role as a coherent radiation mechanism in explaining radio emission phenomena from celestial bodies.
	Researchers predict a large population of ultra-diffuse local galaxies Using the most accurate and detailed cosmological simulations available, an international team has made an exciting prediction that may shed new light on our understanding of the universe: a large population of faint galaxies in our cosmic neighborhood await discovery.
	'Cold stream' of molecular gas outside a galaxy observed, confirming theories of star formation An international team of space scientists has observed a "cold stream" of molecular gas outside of a galaxy, confirming theories of star formation within galaxies. In their study, published in the journal Science, the group used the array of radio telescopes at the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) to focus on the stream and learn more about its nature. Caitlin Casey, an astronomer at the University of Texas, has published a Perspective piece on the work done by the team in the same journal issue.
	How space storms miscue train signals In July 1982, train signals in Sweden misfired and erroneously turned red. The culprit, believe it or not, was a space storm that started 150 million kilometers (93 million miles) away.
	NOAA's GOES-U satellite completes pre-launch acoustics tests GOES-U, the fourth and final satellite in NOAA's GOES-R Series, recently completed acoustics testing as part of a rigorous testing program to ensure it can withstand the harsh conditions of launch and orbiting in space 22,236 miles above Earth.
	NASA-enabled AI predictions may give time to prepare for solar storms Like a tornado siren for life-threatening storms in America's heartland, a new computer model that combines artificial intelligence (AI) and NASA satellite data could sound the alarm for dangerous space weather.
	Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit slashing 85% of its workforce Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit is letting go of almost its entire work force with the satellite launch company finding it difficult to secure funding three months after a failed mission.

Technology news

	Ammonia as an efficient hydrogen carrier and green steel enabler When it comes to sustainability and green steel, everybody talks about hydrogen. But current means of storing and transporting hydrogen require high pressures and low temperatures, which are both energetically and economically costly. Ammonia is known to be a good hydrogen carrier. Yan Ma and colleagues show that ammonia can not only be used to carry hydrogen but also for the direct reduction of iron, which makes ammonia a viable candidate to overcome the shortcomings of hydrogen.
	A novel ultramicro supercapacitor with ultrahigh charge storage capability Researchers at the Department of Instrumentation and Applied Physics (IAP), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), have designed a novel ultramicro supercapacitor, a tiny device capable of storing an enormous amount of electric charge. It is also much smaller and more compact than existing supercapacitors and can potentially be used in many devices ranging from streetlights to consumer electronics, electric cars and medical devices.
	Forgive or forget: What happens when robots lie? Imagine a scenario. A young child asks a chatbot or a voice assistant if Santa Claus is real. How should the AI respond, given that some families would prefer a lie over the truth?
	Researchers synthesize a highly graphitized carbon support to improve the lifespan of hydrogen fuel cells The research team led by Professor Jong-Sung Yu of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at DGIST has developed a low-temperature method to synthesize a highly graphitized carbon support that will greatly improve the lifespan of hydrogen fuel cells. They expect that the results of this study will increase the possibility of commercialization for use in fuel cells for vehicles, batteries for water electrolysis and drones. The work is published in the journal Applied Catalysis B: Environmental.
	Sustainable thermal energy batteries from fully bio‐based transparent wood A building material that combines coconuts, lemons and modified wood could one day be enough to heat and cool your home. The three renewable sources provide the key components of a wood composite thermal battery, which was developed by researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.
	Technology for the investigation of early stage explosive development and fireball expansion The characterization of blast events, and how they impact on structures, is critical for the development of infrastructure. It provides information to engineers that allows them to protect such infrastructure from events such as explosions.
	Italy temporarily blocks ChatGPT over privacy concerns Italy is temporarily blocking the artificial intelligence software ChatGPT in the wake of a data breach as it investigates a possible violation of stringent European Union data protection rules, the government's privacy watchdog said Friday.
	3D printing promises to transform architecture forever—and create forms that blow today's buildings out of the water In architecture, new materials rarely emerge.
	Has GPT-4 really passed the startling threshold of human-level artificial intelligence? Well, it depends Recent public interest in tools like ChatGPT has raised an old question in the artificial intelligence community: is artificial general intelligence (in this case, AI that performs at human level) achievable?
	AI will soon become impossible for humans to comprehend—the story of neural networks tells us why In 1956, during a year-long trip to London and in his early 20s, the mathematician and theoretical biologist Jack D. Cowan visited Wilfred Taylor and his strange new "learning machine". On his arrival he was baffled by the "huge bank of apparatus" that confronted him. Cowan could only stand by and watch "the machine doing its thing." The thing it appeared to be doing was performing an "associative memory scheme"—it seemed to be able to learn how to find connections and retrieve data.
	Click away the bias: New system to make AI training easier and more accurate In the past few years, "AI" has become a major buzzword in technology. The prospect of a computer being able to do tasks which only a human could perform is a captivating thought.
	Sounding out a new way to measure gas flow Researchers at NIST have developed a new—and sound—way to accurately measure the rate at which gas flows in and out of a vessel. The technique, which uses acoustic waves to determine the average temperature of the gas and microwaves to ascertain the volume of the vessel, can measure gas flows and leaks from large containers particularly well.
	Examining what it's going to take to get real scalability for chip-based decision-making The case for building Scalable Neuromorphic Networks is this: like humans, smarter chips have a larger, tighter neural network. Indeed, neural networks are the current state-of-the-art for machine learning. This isn't robotics, where a non-sentient arm follows explicit instructions. Instead, machine learning uses algorithms and statistical models to analyze and then draw inferences from patterns in data.
	Japan unveils export control plans for chip equipment Japan on Friday unveiled planned export controls on 23 items used to make semiconductors, following US pressure for countries to restrict China's access to the technology.
	Big E3 videogame expo in US is canceled Sponsors of E3, a long-running videogame trade show, pulled the plug on its 2023 gathering, announcing on the event's website Thursday they will "reevaluate" the future of the expo.
	China's JD to spin-off two units, list in Hong Kong E-commerce giant JD.com will spin off its industrial and property units and take both of them public, the company said, in the latest reorganization of a major Chinese tech firm.
	Huawei profit sinks in 2022 amid sanctions, but sales higher Huawei on Friday reported a nearly 70% decline in profit last year amid sanctions and pandemic challenges, but its enterprise sales rose as the Chinese technology giant sought to pivot into digital industries and reduce its vulnerabilities to U.S. sanctions.
	Musk's Twitter antics keep some advertisers away, curbing sales In the weeks after Elon Musk acquired Twitter Inc., hundreds of advertisers paused spending on the platform, wary of the changes the mercurial billionaire might bring to the social media platform. Months later, many still haven't returned, despite efforts by Twitter's sales team to woo them back with steep discounts and new safety tools.
	US expands access to EV subsidies in proposed rules US officials proposed Friday guidelines that widen access to electric vehicle subsidies, bringing relief to countries like Japan and potentially the EU amid their fears of being excluded from Washington's spending bonanza.
	How a little-known agency holds power over TikTok's future Under pressure from the U.S. government, TikTok is now facing the music with the possibility of a nationwide ban if it defies a government order to sell to an American company—unless the popular social media app can convince a high-powered panel that its data security restructuring plan sufficiently guards against national security concerns.
	Verizon wins FAA technology deal worth up to $2.4 billion The Federal Aviation Administration has awarded Verizon Communications a contract potentially worth $2.4 billion to upgrade the agency's technology systems.
	A knowledge-inherited learning for intelligent metasurface design and assembly The interaction of machine learning and optics/photonics is transforming the way we design new photonic structures, unearth latent physical laws, and develop intelligent photonic devices. Despite certain achievements, a major impediment persistently exists; datasets and networks are only disposable.

Chemistry news

	A tighter core stabilizes SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in new emergent variants Just as a tight core is a component of good physical fitness for humans, helping to stabilize our bodies, mutations that tightened the core of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in new variants may have increased the virus's fitness.
	Speeding up drug discovery with diffusion generative models With the release of platforms like DALL-E 2 and Midjourney, diffusion generative models have achieved mainstream popularity, owing to their ability to generate a series of absurd, breathtaking, and often meme-worthy images from text prompts like "teddy bears working on new AI research on the moon in the 1980s."
	Video: European Union's ban on tattoo ink: breaking down the chemistry A ban by the European Union on a number of pigments used in tattoo inks has sparked a conversation around their composition and safety.
	Study: Visible light induces bacteria to produce superoxide for manganese oxidation Manganese oxides are natural reactive minerals and widely spread in aquatic and terrestrial environments, affecting the fate of metals (such as As3+ and Cd2+) and organic pollutants (such as phenols and diclofenac) through adsorption and oxidation in sewage treatment. Usually, the manganese (III/IV) oxides in the environment are thought to be formed by the oxidation of dissolved Mn(II) through abiotic or biotic processes.

Biology news

	Ants took over the world by following flowering plants out of prehistoric forests, says study Ants are pretty much everywhere. There are more than 14,000 different species, spread over every continent except Antarctica, and researchers have estimated that there are more than four quadrillion individual ants on Earth—that's 4,000,000,000,000,000. But exactly how ants evolved to take over the world is still a mystery.
	Moths are more efficient pollinators than bees, shows new research Moths are more efficient pollinators at night than day-flying pollinators such as bees, finds new research from the University of Sussex, published March 29 in PLOS ONE.
	Researchers discover birds with neurotoxin-laden feathers in New Guinea An expedition into the jungle of New Guinea has resulted in the discovery of two new species of poisonous birds by researchers from the University of Copenhagen. Genetic changes in these bird species have allowed them to carry a powerful neurotoxin.
	Academic institutions receive lower financial returns from biotechnology licenses than commercial firms The financial terms of biotechnology licenses from academic institutions are significantly less favorable than those of comparable licenses between commercial firms according to a new study from Bentley University's Center for Integration of Science and Industry. The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, shows that the royalties and payments to academic institutions are significantly lower than those to commercial firms for similar licenses and products at the same stages of development.
	Development of biosensor for real-time detection of the G-protein molecular switch A research team led by Professor Byung-Chang Suh has investigated the real-time effect of the G-protein cycle, which acts as a switch in the body, on the structural changes in G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Their study is published in the journal Nature Communications.
	Making rare cell types visible: Researchers are developing a new method The human body contains more than 30 trillion cells. Until recently, the sheer number of cells in the organism meant that approaches to understanding human diseases and developmental processes based on the analysis of single cells were a futuristic vision. The development of new sequencing methods is currently revolutionizing our understanding of cellular heterogeneity. These technologies can detect rare or even new cell types by extracting and sequencing the genetic information from the cells based on ribonucleic acid chains.
	Scallop eyes as inspiration for new microscope objectives Neuroscientists at the University of Zurich have developed innovative objectives for light microscopy by using mirrors to produce images. Their design finds correspondence in mirror telescopes used in astronomy on the one hand and the eyes of scallops on the other. The new objectives enable high-resolution imaging of tissues and organs in a much wider variety of immersion media than with conventional microscope lenses.
	What the complicated social lives of wasps can teach us about the evolution of animal societies It's spring in England. The daffodils are in full bloom. A queen yellowjacket (Vespula) wasp emerges from your loft, dopey with hibernation and hungry for nectar. She starts to build a paper nest in which to raise a family. It will be a large family. But for now, she works alone.
	Researchers uncover the first steps driving antibiotic resistance Antibiotic resistance is a global health threat. In 2019 alone, an estimated 1.3 million deaths were attributed to antibiotic resistant bacterial infections worldwide. Looking to contribute a solution to this growing problem, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have been studying the process that drives antibiotic resistance at the molecular level.
	Engineered E. coli delivers therapeutic nanobodies to the gut Humans are colonized with thousands of bacterial strains. Researchers are now focused on genetically modifying such bacteria to enhance their intrinsic therapeutic properties.
	Pictures inside a cell: Researchers develop new tool to provide greater insight into biological processes A groundbreaking technique developed by researchers affiliated with the USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience presents a new way of gathering and organizing highly detailed information about organic tissues in record time.
	Researchers suggest metal labeling strategy for single-cell multiplexing with mass cytometry Researchers from the Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology (SIBET) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have recently proposed a novel metal labeling strategy to increase the sensitivity of mass cytometry (MC) and expand the number of MC detection channels.
	Research finds that cKMT1 methylates FNR and regulates energy transfer in cyanobacteria Cyanobacteria are a diverse group of prokaryotes and the only prokaryotes capable of oxygenic photosynthesis. They exist in a variety of environments and play crucial roles in the global carbon and nitrogen cycles. Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (Synechocystis) has been used extensively as a model cyanobacterium for studies concerned with photosynthesis and environmental adaptation.
	Study finds degree of asexual reproduction in liverwort plants is hormonally controlled Asexual, or vegetative, reproduction in plants is controlled by environmental conditions, but the molecular signaling pathways that control this process are poorly understood. Recent research suggests that the KAI2-ligand (KL) hormone is responsible for initiating and terminating the production of gemmae, or genetically identical plantlets, on liverwort plants based on the presence or absence of specific environmental factors.
	Smarter farming in the developing world via the Internet of Things The Internet of Things (IoT) can be described as a loose network of physical devices that might be embedded with sensors, software, and connectivity. While a holistic view would see the IoT as being all the devices in the world with internet connectivity, it is often the case that these portable or remote devices are accessible within clusters or around hubs with specialist access and applications. Nevertheless, devices in the IoT can collect and exchange data with other devices or systems over the internet.
	Opinion: What tracking mountain lions taught me about adaptability When I was sixteen, I trekked for miles up untraversed trails in Sonoma County, California, in search of mountain lion dens and sites where cougars eat their prey. (Mountain lions, pumas, panthers, and cougars are all names used for this same species.) As an intern for the Living with Lions project, I studied how humans and top predators can coexist in shared areas.
	A horse died on the set of 'The Rings of Power': How to ensure the welfare of horses used in entertainment The recent death of a horse on the set of Amazon's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is the latest incident raising questions about how humans use horses for entertainment and sport.
	Can cities make room for woodpeckers? Researchers are deploying the latest mapping techniques to identify the most important suburban habitat for North America's largest woodpecker.
	Making more sustainable decisions based on data Ecosystems deliver many benefits to humans, such as providing water, fruits and vegetables, as well as recreation opportunities. An international research team conducted a pilot study in Eritrea in order to demonstrate that the mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services (MAES) is key to inform sustainable policy and decision-making at national and sub-national levels.
	How exceptional weather conditions are turning European forests brown Increasing summer heat and drought are affecting European forests—some years, trees brown prematurely and some even start to die back. Researchers from ETH Zurich and the WSL are showing how exceptional weather conditions over several years are turning forests brown.
	A new model predicts the flexibility of DNA movement at the molecular scale In both physics and chemistry, the mesoscopic scale refers to the length scale on which the properties of a material or phenomenon can be studied, without entering into a discussion about the behavior of individual atoms. In a mesoscopic model, atomic scales are merged with the continuous scale, so they are quite difficult to develop.
	Hope for salamanders? Study recalibrates climate change effects For tiny salamanders squirming skin-to-soil, big-picture weather patterns may seem as far away as outer space. But for decades, scientists have mostly relied on free-air temperature data at large spatial scales to predict future salamander distributions under climate change. The outlook was dire for the mini ecosystem engineers, suggesting near elimination of habitat in crucial areas.
	Harnessing nature to promote planetary sustainability As Earth's population grows, the demands of modern lifestyles place mounting strain on the global environment. Proposed solutions to preserve and promote planetary sustainability can sometimes prove more harmful than helpful. However, technologies that harness natural processes could be more successful.
	FDA approves drug for cats with allergic skin disease Cats constantly licking and chewing because of a skin condition called feline allergic dermatitis may benefit from a new generic treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Medicine and Health news

	An antibody-based drug triggers rare inflammatory eye problems in macular degeneration patients A drug approved in 2019 for macular degeneration apparently caused rare retinal side effects because of its interactions with the human immune system, two new studies have concluded.
	A cancer-wide analysis finds cancer-wide targets for tumor reduction Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, have discovered a potential new target for cancer immunotherapy in transposable elements (TEs), short segments of DNA that can move around the genome.
	Microrobot capable of forming neural networks and sectioning hippocampal tissues in vitro The research team led by Professor Hongsoo Choi from DGIST in the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering has developed a microrobot capable of forming neural networks and sectioning hippocampal tissues in an in vitro environment in an ex vivo state.
	Researchers report that patients with rare type of astrocytoma, a neuron tumor, have worse prognosis than expected A team of researchers from the Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine has reported that patients with a rare form of brain and spinal cord cancer, localized isocitrate dehydrogenase wild-type (IDHwt) histologically diffuse astrocytoma, have a poor prognosis similar to the most malignant types of brain and spinal cord tumors. Their findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, point to the need for strong postoperative care for patients with this type of tumor.
	Different types of bladder cancer cells share common genetic ancestry Why are some bladder cancers resistant to a type of immunotherapy called immune checkpoint inhibitors? Penn State College of Medicine researchers have found that the genetic and pathologic diversity of cells within the tumor may be part of the challenge.
	Could mind games help treat teen depression? Brain imaging study shows promise In the midst of a devastating mental health crisis affecting thousands of American teens, Northeastern University psychology professor Susan Whitfield-Gabrieli says a non-invasive remedy for depression and anxiety offers hope.
	New hope for patients after vedolizumab found effective to treat chronic pouchitis A new study led by Oxford researchers has found vedolizumab can induce remission in patients who have chronic pouchitis after surgery for ulcerative colitis.
	Researchers design a microfluidics physics-based device to predict cancer therapy response One of the great challenges in the fight against cancer is to design new technologies for a personalized treatment for each patient. Depending on the molecular characteristics—DNA mutations for instance—of each tumor, precision medicine aims to make it easier for cancer patients, both adult and pediatric, to receive a personalized treatment that is appropriate to their pathology. But is it possible to know whether or not a patient can benefit from a treatment before starting therapy?
	Base editing of SMN2 gene restores production of SMN protein, curing spinal muscular atrophy in mice A team of medical researchers affiliated with a host of institutions in the U.S. has used base editing to restore the natural production of the SMN protein in mice, effectively curing spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in the rodents. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their base editing approach and its performance in restoring natural SMN production in mice afflicted with SMA.
	Alzheimer's: New study supports amyloid hypothesis but suggests alternative treatment An analysis of human brain cells provides new evidence in support of the "amyloid hypothesis," the prevailing idea that Alzheimer's is caused by the accumulation of beta-amyloid proteins in the brain.
	Study examines how social rank affects response to stress Can an individual's social status have an impact on their level of stress? Researchers at Tulane University put that question to the test and believe that social rank, particularly in females, does indeed affect the stress response.
	Researchers develop new, patient-friendly hydrogel platform for administering lifesaving biologics Biologics, a class of therapeutics derived from living organisms, offer enormous advantages to patients battling challenging diseases and disorders. Treatments based on biologics can boost the immune system to stem attacks from infections or target specific pathways to block the formation of tumors.
	Researchers create model to assess post-tonsillectomy bleed rates Researchers led by a team at UT Southwestern Medical Center have created a statistical model to identify standards for typical, high, or low rates of bleeding after pediatric tonsillectomies. The findings, published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, could help doctors and hospitals improve outcomes for the third-most common pediatric surgery in the U.S.
	First single molecule microscopic visualization of the full-length human BRCA2 protein binding to DNA Using a self-built inverted microscope complete with laser optical tweezers to capture DNA, Yale Cancer Center and University of California Davis researchers for the first time created a visualization of the full-length human BRCA2 protein at the single molecule level.
	Study finds centenarians possess unique immunity that helps them achieve exceptional longevity There are approximately 30 trillion cells in a human body and our health is predicated on them properly interacting with and supporting each other, with the immune system playing a particularly pivotal role. One of the defining characteristics of aging is a decline in the proper functioning of our immune system. Centenarians, a rare population of individuals who reach 100 years or more, experience delays in aging-related diseases and mortality which suggests their immune systems remain functional into extreme old age.
	A healthy microbiome may prevent deadly infections in critically ill people A University of Calgary study indicates a healthy microbiome may prevent deadly infections in critically ill people. The study looked at the interaction between the human gut and the immune system. Findings showed that the gut microbiota and systemic immunity work together as a dynamic "metasystem," in which problems with gut microbes and immune system dysfunction are associated with significantly increased rates of hospital-acquired infections.
	Astrocytes: The 'stars' in the brain may be information regulators Long thought of as "brain glue," the star-shaped cells called astrocytes—members of a family of cells found in the central nervous system called glial that help regulate blood flow, synaptic activity, keep neurons healthy, and play an important role in breathing. Despite this growing appreciation for astrocytes, much remains unknown about the role these cells play in helping neurons and the brain process information.
	Harsh discipline increases risk of children developing lasting mental health problems, shows study Parents who frequently exercise harsh discipline with young children are putting them at significantly greater risk of developing lasting mental health problems, new evidence shows.
	Researchers develop new model for quickly evaluating potential cervical cancer drugs Researchers at Oregon State University have created a means of speeding up and improving the evaluation process for drugs used to combat cervical cancer.
	Study finds excess harm from overprescribed antibiotics for patients results in widespread side effects When patients request or demand an antibiotic, even when it is unlikely to help, a physician might be tempted to give in and write a prescription, especially if they're working in a busy setting like an urgent care or emergency department.
	Girl infected with Mycobacterium marinum after iguana bite A three-year-old girl contracted an unusual Mycobacterium marinum infection that developed following an iguana bite while she was on holiday in Costa Rica. The doctors who treated her will report on the case at this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Copenhagen, Denmark (15–18 April).
	Researchers develop technology to treat Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease The research team led by Professor Minseok Kim from the Department of New Biology at DGIST (President Yang Kuk) has developed a technology that can treat Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, an incurable hereditary disease, with electric stimulation instead of drug therapy. This technology has considerable potential for the development of an electronic medicine with minimal side effects in the future.
	New review reveals the critical role of progranulin in cancer A recent review paper published in the journal Cancers highlights the important role of the growth factor progranulin in the initiation and progression of cancer.
	Development of an artificial kidney for early detection of drug toxicity The kidney plays a vital role in maintaining homeostasis within the body by eliminating toxic and superfluous substances in the bloodstream, including waste generated during metabolic processes, through urine. Nevertheless, toxicity can also be induced in the kidney from certain medications. Recently, a research team from POSTECH has engineered an artificial kidney that allows for the early detection of adverse drug reactions.
	Treating brain 'hotspots' and networks to address autism, aggression and more What if doctors could break down conditions like autism into their key symptoms, map these symptoms to "hotspots" in the brain, and then treat those areas directly with brain stimulation? If it bears out, such an approach could turn the care of neurologic and developmental disorders on its head, focusing on symptoms that are shared across multiple conditions.
	The portable 3D bioprinter joining the fight against cancer Researchers have developed a 3D bioprinter for cancer research that can be folded into a carry-on pack, transported, and easily reassembled for printing inside a biosafety cabinet. The technology can perform rapid and reproducible manufacture of complex tumoroids—3D cell cultures which resemble tumor tissues—to test potential immunotherapy treatments.
	Padded helmet cover shows little protection for football players As a former football player at Aptos High School in California and Princeton University, David Camarillo, Ph.D., an associate professor of bioengineering, experienced migraines from the head-banging the sport is known for.
	High-salt diet associated with hardened arteries even in people with normal blood pressure Eating excessive salt is linked with clogged arteries of the heart and neck, which is known to be linked with raised risks of heart attack and stroke. That's the finding of a study published today in European Heart Journal Open. An editorial by Maciej Banach and Stanisław Surma referencing the study was published in the same journal.
	Canadian adolescents missed vital vaccines during COVID-19 school closures, according to study The percentage of Alberta students who received vital routine immunizations dropped dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the public health system must now take extra measures to catch up, according to a public health expert behind newly published research in the journal Vaccine.
	Study: India has a long way to reach zero catastrophic costs goal for TB patients A recent study led by Dr. Susmita Chatterjee from The George Institute of Global Health, India, has shed light on the long-term economic impact of TB on patients, even a year after the end of treatment. The study has also shown that India still has a long way to go to reach the goal of zero catastrophic costs for all patient groups, as stated in the END TB Strategy. As an outcome of the understanding, the scientists have recommended a few strategic solutions to reduce the catastrophic impacts of TB in India.
	Gay, lesbian, bisexual preteens spend 4 more hours on screens daily, finds study A new national study finds that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) preteens ages 10–14 reported 10.4 hours of daily recreational screen time, which was nearly four hours more than their straight peers.
	Hospitals with the most vulnerable maternity patients understaffed with nurses, finds study Hospitals serving more patients at risk for complications during childbirth are less likely to have enough nurses to care for patients during labor, delivery, and recovery, according to a new study published in the journal Nursing Outlook.
	Study finds high rates of burnout across health care professions Burnout is associated with adverse outcomes including medical errors and lower quality of care. While many studies have focused on physician or nurse burnout, the COVID-19 pandemic increased stress across the health care workforce, including support staff and health care teams who have a crucial role in patient care.
	Black women continue to receive poorer care for endometriosis, say researchers Endometriosis is a common chronic inflammatory condition that affects an estimated one in ten people assigned female at birth. The condition causes tissue similar to the lining of the uterus to grow elsewhere—including on the ovaries, intestines, bladder and bowels. Symptoms can affect the whole body, but often include severe pelvic pain, painful periods, pain during sex, infertility and fatigue.
	Happy songs: These are the musical elements that make us feel good Music has a unique power to affect the way people feel and many people use music to enhance or change their mood, channel emotions and for psychological support.
	UK report: Lessons on crisis preparation learned from COVID-19 A new Blavatnik School report examines how the UK's crisis systems fared in the first half of 2020.
	Screen time has effect on presentation, treatment of nocturnal enuresis Screen time has an effect on the presentation and treatment of primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (PMNE), according to a study published online Feb. 17 in BMC Urology.
	More than half of adults agree with protective actions to prevent hearing loss More than half of U.S. adults agree with one or more protective actions to prevent hearing loss from amplified music at venues and events, according to research published in the March 31 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
	Talking to your kids about school shootings: Experts offer guidance Children should feel safe at school, but learning of a mass shooting—like this week's tragedy at Covenant School in Nashville—can threaten their sense of security.
	Caregiving for someone with dementia There is little doubt that caregiving for someone with dementia can be demanding and challenging, and that knowing how best to care for both the patient and yourself can be hard to figure out.
	Incidence of type 1, type 2 diabetes increasing in people younger than 20 The incidence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes is increasing among children and young people aged 0 to 19 years, according to a study published in the April issue of The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
	Oral azithromycin equivalent to six weeks doxycycline for meibomian gland dysfunction Three weeks of oral azithromycin seems to be equivalent to six weeks of doxycycline for treatment of severe meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), according to a study published online March 23 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
	ADHD med prescriptions spiked early in pandemic Prescriptions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new government report shows.
	Does an increased non-attendance fee motivate patients to attend health care appointments? Joar Røkke Fystro, Ph.D.-student at the University of Oslo, mapped out arguments for and against the non-attendance fee in public documents.
	Judge's decision would make some no-cost cancer screenings a thing of the past A federal judge on Thursday overturned a portion of the Affordable Care Act that makes preventive services, such as some cancer screenings, free to enrollees, a decision that could affect health insurance policyholders nationwide.
	Unconscious biases continue to hold back women in medicine, but research suggests a remedy If you work at a company, university or large organization, you've probably sat through a required training session meant to fight gender and racial discrimination in the workplace. Employers increasingly invest in efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion—commonly referred to as DEI policies. Yet research shows these efforts often fail to address the implicit biases that often lead to discrimination.
	Childhood diarrhea has genetic links, study finds Susceptibility to diarrhea, a major cause of infant deaths in low- and middle-income countries, has genetic links which could hold the key to new treatments, research suggests.
	Status epilepticus: New inflammatory markers to improve patient care A rare and nevertheless formidable event in the landscape of epilepsies, new-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) is a form of prolonged seizure in which the neurons of the epileptic focus endure a continuous discharge of neurotransmitters.
	MRI innovation reveals cells' energy activity in organs and tissues To survive, every cell in the body puts enormous energy into sustaining the right balance of water and essential electrolytes. Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have developed a way to use magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, scanning to map this activity in fine detail in the human brain and other organs.
	Pushing clocks back in Australia does not increase road traffic accidents, argues study This Sunday marks the end of 'Daylight Saving Time' (DST) in eastern Australia as states revert to 'Standard Time' (ST) losing one hour of light at the end of the day.
	Study reveals new insights into body salt handling A new study led by Marshall University researchers focuses on a novel mechanism of the body's regulation of salt balance.
	Study: ChatGPT has potential to help cirrhosis, liver cancer patients A new study by Cedars-Sinai investigators describes how ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, may help improve health outcomes for patients with cirrhosis and liver cancer by providing easy-to-understand information about basic knowledge, lifestyle and treatments for these conditions.
	Wildfire proximity associated with asthma cases in rural Alaska Alaska is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, and Penn State researchers are examining the resulting impacts, such as wildfires, and how they are linked to health conditions like asthma. In a new study, they found that wildfires are associated with asthma prevalence, and the association is strongest within 25 miles of fires.
	Risk of sudden cardiac arrest rises sharply in Ventura county In a study among residents of Ventura County, California, rates of sudden cardiac arrest rose sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic.
	Long-term results indicate that pathologic complete response is prognostic of outcomes for soft tissue sarcoma patients Combined long-term survival results from nonrandomized phase II trial NRG Oncology RTOG 0630 and the ancillary analysis of the combined NRG-RTOG 0630/9514 trials indicate that pathologic complete response (pCR) is associated with improved survival outcomes for patients with localized soft tissue sarcoma (STS) who receive preoperative chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy.
	What can you eat to avoid kidney stones? March is National Kidney Month, a time to raise awareness about your kidney health and generate support for those affected by conditions, including kidney stones, kidney infections and kidney disease.
	Risk for melanoma reduced for individuals with atopy Atopy is associated with a reduction in the risk for melanoma, according to a study published online Feb. 28 in Melanoma Research.
	Tanzania on high alert after Marburg outbreak Tanzania has heightened disease surveillance and prevention measures to contain its first-ever outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD), which is highly infectious and potentially fatal.
Mozambique battling worst cholera outbreak in years: WHO Mozambique is going through its worst cholera outbreak in more than a decade in the wake of Cyclone Freddy, the World Health Organization said Friday.

Other Sciences news

	Yak milk consumption among Mongol Empire elites For the first time, researchers have pinpointed a date when elite Mongol Empire people were drinking yak milk, according to a study co-led by a University of Michigan researcher.
	Study: Latinx students reported higher depression and anxiety symptoms than other students during the pandemic Latinx children in the US experienced higher rates of depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study shows, as experts state the "pressing need" to examine the long-term impact.
Mexican experts say mummy exhibit may pose health risks Mexican government experts said Thursday they are concerned that a traveling display of mummies from the 1800s may pose a health risk to the public.
	Partisanship and blame in the early days of COVID-19 On Jan. 20, 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the first American, laboratory-confirmed case of what would eventually be called COVID-19. Two days later, the World Health Organization (WHO) decided against declaring spread of the novel coronavirus to be a public health emergency of international concern. Instead, they would continue monitoring and reconsider in 10 days.
	Researchers find less victim blaming in campus sexual assaults, but say solutions are still needed Women who have experienced sexual violence at fraternity parties have often been blamed for what happened to them. But new research on an elite college campus suggests that it's becoming less common to fault the victim.
	Study takes stock of pandemic food policy in New York The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted food systems across the United States, prompting governments to design policies both to mitigate short-term disruptions and improve food systems long-term, making them more equitable and resilient. Policy changes, particularly in New York, were implemented so quickly and were so drastic that tracking and assessing them is daunting.
	Why some people lose their accents but others don't, according to linguistic expert The way a person speaks is an intrinsic part of their identity. It's tribal, marking a speaker as being from one social group or another. Accents are a sign of belonging as much as something that separates communities.
	Could a reinterpreted Marxism have solutions to our unprecedented environmental crisis? In 2021, Kohei Saito's "Capital in the Anthropocene" became a publishing sensation in Japan, eventually selling more than half a million copies.
	Clout-lighting: Pranking your partner for likes is a surefire way to get dumped this April Fools' Day What would you do to get more likes or shares on your favorite social media platform this April Fools' Day?
	Remote working: How a surge in digital nomads is pricing out local communities around the world For eight years I have studied digital nomadism, the millennial trend for working remotely from anywhere around the world. I am often asked if it is driving gentrification.
	Intervention with educational robotics for the development of early childhood lexical relationships Technological evolution poses challenges in all sectors, which is why, in the case of the educational community, it is not surprising that more and more studies are interested in the integration of STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) for the acquisition of skills in the classroom. Precisely, one of the most critical challenges in the education sector is the integration of educational robotics.
	A 'power boost' for customers is key to enhancing engagement and well-being, suggests study Customers who feel powerless in their relationship with a company are likely to disengage from the company and experience negative effects on their overall well-being, suggests new research from the University of Surrey.
	Opinion: Why a serious climate strategy is almost impossible in the UK's current political system The UK government reportedly chose Aberdeen, its carbonization capital, as the original location to relaunch its de-carbonization strategy. The strategy, now published, has been strongly criticized by environmentalists. Part of the plan to transition the country away from oil and gas is to allow highly subsidized, mostly foreign-owned companies to extract more oil and gas from these islands and sell it overseas to the highest bidder, thereby improving the UK's national energy security. This is barely a week after climate scientists gave their starkest, final warning to keep fossil fuels in the ground or risk catastrophic, civilization-threatening levels of global overheating.
	In Turkey, women are feeling the worst aftershocks of the earthquake, which could lead to dwindling trust in government When natural disasters strike, women and girls tend to experience disproportionate challenges and heightened risks.
	As the US pushes to make daylight saving permanent, should Australia move in the same direction? Sunday will mark the end of the Daylight Saving Time (DST) in eastern Australia, but there are many who would like to see it last longer or permanently.
	Researchers: Indigenous knowledge offers solutions, but its use must be based on meaningful collaboration As global environmental challenges grow, people and societies are increasingly looking to Indigenous knowledge for solutions.
	Amid spiraling violence, criminologist studies new approaches to gun crime While studying street gangs as part of his Ph.D. in Chicago in the late '90s, an interview with a non-gang teen helped change Rod Brunson's thinking about what his research could accomplish.

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