New online research database set to boost battle against COVID-19

Researchers around the world can tap into a new inter-disciplinary online database of COVID-19 research—allowing them to search for new partners, resources and funding to boost the global battle against the virus.

Research demonstrates a molecular dance that keeps your heart beating

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

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.

Clinic reduces GA1 brain injury risk by 83% with therapies developed over 30 years

A new study summarizes over 30 years of clinical experience in the treatment and management of glutaric acidemia type 1 (GA1), a rare and potentially devastating metabolic disorder caused by variants in the GCDH gene. The study followed the clinical course of 168 individuals with GA1 who were born between 1973 and 2019 and originated from 26 states and 6 countries. Participants were divided into three cohorts based on timing of diagnosis and method of treatment. The study was a broad collaborative effort led by clinicians and researchers at the Clinic for Special Children (CSC) and will appear in Molecular Genetics and Metabolism. It establishes a safe and highly effective standard-of-care for the treatment of GA1, and should serve as a rich and valuable resource for dieticians, physicians, and GA1 families throughout the world for years to come.

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.

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.

Recovery from grief is a slow, difficult process for families of terrorism victims

Grief is a natural reaction to the death of a loved one, but in cases of tragic or unexpected loss, that sadness can stretch out, affecting day-to-day functioning and reducing quality of life. Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) is a condition characterized by intense longing for the deceased, and by severe and persistent emotional pain. People who lose close family or friends to terrorism are at a particularly high risk of developing PGD.

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.

Children's pain 'swept under the carpet for too long'

When 12-year-old Caitriona Roberts went to her doctor because she was experiencing pain and swelling in her ankle, no one knew quite what was up.

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.

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.

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.

Watching nature on TV can boost wellbeing, finds new study

Watching high quality nature programmes on TV can uplift people's moods, reduce negative emotions, and help alleviate the kind of boredom associated with being isolated indoors, according to a new study published today in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

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.

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.

3D metal printer expands possibilities for innovation

When the Zucker Institute for Applied Neurosciences at the Medical University of South Carolina needed to bring to life a neurosurgeon's idea for better instrumentation for sacroiliac surgery, there was one obvious partner to turn to: the MUSC College of Dental Medicine.