Restoring forests 1 tree at a time, to help repair climate

Destruction of the forests can be swift. Regrowth is much, much slower.

New 3-D-printed lattice designs defy conventional wisdom on metamaterials

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers have designed a new class of 3-D-printed lattice structures that combine lightweight and high stiffness, despite breaking a rule previously thought to be required to exhibit such properties. One of the new structures additionally displays perfectly uniform response to forces in all directions.

New combination therapy offers bowel cancer patients extra treatment option

Based on scientific findings of the Netherlands Cancer Institute, a new combination treatment has been developed for patients with metastatic bowel cancer and a mutation in the BRAF gene. After a clinical trial in over 600 participants, those treated with this smart combination therapy survived longer than those who received standard treatment. The study is published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Toward safer, more effective cancer radiation therapy using X-rays and nanoparticles

An element called gadolinium delivered into cancer cells releases killer electrons when hit by specially tuned X-rays. The approach, published in the journal Scientific Reports, could pave the way towards a new cancer radiation therapy.

Statins could increase or decrease osteoporosis risk—the dosage makes the difference

A study by the Medical University of Vienna and the Complexity Science Hub Vienna shows for the first time a connection between the dosage of cholesterol-lowering drugs—statins—and the diagnosis of osteoporosis.

Lipid produced by organism helps control blood sugar

Researchers based in Brazil, the United States and Germany have discovered that 12-HEPE, a lipid produced in response to cold by brown adipose tissue in the human body, helps reduce blood sugar. The results of their experiments with mice pave the way for new treatments for diabetes.

Study shows how urban agriculture can push the sustainability of Phoenix

A community garden occupies a diminutive dirt lot in Phoenix. Rows of raised garden beds offer up basil, watermelons and corn, making this patch of land an agricultural oasis in a desert city of 1.5 million people. In fact, this little garden is contributing in various ways to the city's environmental sustainability goals set by the city council in 2016. The goals consider matters such as transportation, water stewardship, air quality and food.

How a tension sensor plays integral role in aligned chromosome partitioning

A Waseda University-led research uncovered the molecular mechanism of how a particular cancer-causing oncogene could trigger an onset of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

A new concept could make more environmentally friendly batteries possible

A new concept for an aluminum battery has twice the energy density as previous versions, is made of abundant materials, and could lead to reduced production costs and environmental impact. The idea has potential for large-scale applications, including storage of solar and wind energy. Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, and the National Institute of Chemistry, Slovenia, are behind the idea.

How to dismantle a nuclear bomb: Team successfully tests new method for verification of weapons reduction

How do weapons inspectors verify that a nuclear bomb has been dismantled? An unsettling answer is: They don't, for the most part. When countries sign arms reduction pacts, they do not typically grant inspectors complete access to their nuclear technologies, for fear of giving away military secrets.

'Good' cholesterol counters atherosclerosis in mice with diabetes

Increasing levels of a simplified version of "good" cholesterol reversed disease in the blood vessels of mice with diabetes, a new study finds.

Better understanding sensory perception could help people with autism and dyslexia

Deciphering how the brain processes sight and hearing could have implications for how we understand and treat conditions such as dyslexia, autism and schizophrenia.

Basic research to world-changing applications can take 6 months – or 50 years

All technology and innovation have a science base but to get there requires patience, as the journey from curiosity-driven basic research to a world-changing technology can take six months or 50 years, a panel of Nobel and Kavli prize laureates has said.

Mesothelioma trial suggests immunotherapy as an alternative to chemotherapy

Patients with mesothelioma may gain similar benefit from immunotherapy as chemotherapy, and good responders may provide important clues to novel treatment for the thousands of new cases each year. Data from the PROMISE-meso trial presented at the ESMO Congress 2019 highlight the need to understand the biological mechanisms whereby mesothelioma, which is incurable, adapts to immunotherapy in some patients but not in others, resulting in variations in treatment response.

Type 2 diabetes remission possible with 'achievable' weight loss, say researchers

People who achieve weight loss of 10% or more in the first five years following diagnosis with type 2 diabetes have the greatest chance of seeing their disease go into remission, according to a study led by the University of Cambridge.

Blood test can replace invasive biopsy for more patients with lung cancer

A growing number of patients with advanced lung cancer could soon be offered a blood test to help to decide the best treatment for them instead of having to get a tumour sample for analysis. New data from the BFAST trial presented at the ESMO Congress 2019 have shown that the test can be used successfully to identify complex DNA mutations in the cells of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) suitable for the latest targeted medicines. The technique detects tiny pieces of tumour DNA that are shed from cancer cells into the blood.

Heart, kidney disease risk factors for adverse effects from gout medication

Heart disease is an independent risk factor for severe adverse skin reactions in patients taking allopurinol, found a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Novel strategy using microRNA biomarkers can distinguish melanomas from nevi

Melanoma is the least common but one of the most deadly skin cancers. It accounts for only about one percent of all cases globally, but the majority of skin cancer deaths. Accurate, timely and reliable diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma remains a significant challenge in dermatopathology. Investigators report in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, published by Elsevier, on a novel strategy for using microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers to detect melanoma cells in skin tumors even when the tumor contains predominantly benign cells.

Sleeping pills reduce suicidal thoughts in patients with severe insomnia

Insomnia is a driver of suicide, and particularly people with severe insomnia may safely benefit from taking a sedative to help address their sleep problems as it reduces their suicidal thoughts, investigators report.

Poorly reported placebos could lead to mistaken estimates of benefits and harms

Researchers at the University of Oxford have found that placebo controls are almost never described according to standard reporting guidelines.

'Smart shirt' can accurately measure breathing and could be used to monitor lung disease

A smart shirt that measures lung function by sensing movements in the chest and abdomen has proved to be accurate when compared to traditional testing equipment, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.

Survey of truck drivers finds many suffer from sleep-related breathing disorders

A survey of 905 Italian truck drivers has shown that approximately half suffer from at least one sleep-related breathing problem that potentially can cause drivers to fall asleep at the wheel.

Nintedanib slows progression for broad range of scarring lung diseases

Nintedanib, a medication approved for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, slows the decline in lung function among patients with a broad range of scarring lung diseases. The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggest that many more people may benefit from nintedanib than are currently approved for treatment. They also suggest that the dozens of different forms of fibrosing interstitial lung disease may share similar scarring mechanisms in spite of different causes and patterns.

Japan lists Fukushima radiation levels on S. Korea embassy site

Japan's embassy in South Korea has begun posting the daily radiation levels of Fukushima and Seoul after new questions about the lingering effects of the 2011 nuclear disaster.