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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 1, 2021 at 9:39am

Endangered purple Cauliflower Coral pushed closer to brink of extinction

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 1, 2021 at 8:52am

Phonon catalysis could lead to a new field

Batteries and fuel cells often rely on a process known as ion diffusion to function. In ion diffusion, ionized atoms move through solid materials, similar to the process of water being absorbed by rice when cooked. Just like cooking rice, ion diffusion is incredibly temperature-dependent and requires high temperatures to happen fast.

This temperature dependence can be limiting, as the materials used in some systems like fuel cells need to withstand high temperatures sometimes in excess of 1,000 degrees Celsius. In a new study, a team of researchers at MIT and the University of Muenster in Germany showed a new effect, where ion diffusion is enhanced while the material remains cold, by only exciting a select number of vibrations known as phonons. This new approach—which the team refers to as "phonon catalysis"—could lead to an entirely new field of research. Their work was published in Cell Reports Physical Science.

In the study, the research team used a computational model to determine which vibrations actually caused ions to move during ion diffusion. Rather than increasing the temperature of the entire material, they increased the temperature of just those specific vibrations in a process they refer to as targeted phonon excitation.

 Kiarash Gordiz et al, Enhancement of ion diffusion by targeted phonon excitation, Cell Reports Physical Science (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100431

https://phys.org/news/2021-05-phonon-catalysis-field.html?utm_sourc...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 1, 2021 at 8:50am

New 'Swiss Army knife' cleans up water pollution

Phosphate pollution in rivers, lakes and other waterways has reached dangerous levels, causing algae blooms that starve fish and aquatic plants of oxygen. And farmers worldwide are coming to terms with a dwindling reserve of phosphate fertilizers that feed half the world's food supply.

A team of researchers has developed a way to repeatedly remove and reuse phosphate from polluted waters. The researchers liken the development to a "Swiss Army knife" for pollution remediation as they tailor their membrane to absorb and later release other pollutants.

Phosphorus underpins both the world's food system and all life on earth. Every living organism on the planet requires it: phosphorous is in cell membranes, the scaffolding of DNA and in our skeleton. Though other key elements like oxygen and nitrogen can be found in the atmosphere, phosphorous has no analog. The small fraction of usable phosphorous comes from the Earth's crust, which takes thousands or even millions of years to weather away. And our mines are running out.

Given the shortage of this non-renewable natural resource, it is sadly ironic that many of our lakes are suffering from a process known as eutrophication, which occurs when too many nutrients enter a natural water source. As phosphate and other minerals build up, aquatic vegetation and algae become too dense, depleting oxygen from water and ultimately killing aquatic life.

Ecologists and engineers traditionally have developed tactics to address the mounting environmental and public health concerns around phosphate by eliminating phosphate from water sources. Only recently has the emphasis shifted away from removing to recovering phosphate.

Stephanie M. Ribet el al., "Phosphate Elimination and Recovery Lightweight (PEARL) membrane: A sustainable environmental remediation approach," PNAS (2021). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.2102583118

https://phys.org/news/2021-05-swiss-army-knife-pollution.html?utm_s...

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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 1, 2021 at 8:43am

Duetting songbirds 'mute' the musical mind of their partner to stay in sync

A new study of duetting songbirds from Ecuador, the plain-tail wren (Pheugopedius euophrys), has offered another tune explaining the mysterious connection between successful performing duos.

It's a link of their minds, and it happens, in fact, as each singer mutes the brain of the other as they coordinate their duets.

In a study published May 31 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team of researchers studying brain activity of singing male and female plain-tailed wrens has discovered that the species synchronizes their frenetically paced duets, surprisingly, by inhibiting the song-making regions of their partner's brain as they exchange phrases.

Researchers say that the auditory feedback exchanged between wrens during their opera-like duets momentarily inhibits motor circuits used for singing in the listening partner, which helps link the pair's brains and coordinate turn-taking for a seemingly telepathic performance. The study also offers fresh insight into how humans and other cooperative animals use sensory cues to act in concert with one another.

Melissa J. Coleman el al., "Neurophysiological coordination of duet singing," PNAS (2021). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.2018188118

https://phys.org/news/2021-05-duetting-songbirds-mute-musical-mind....

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 31, 2021 at 11:30am

Taking photos can impair your memory of events

 It is a common practice to photograph events that we most want to remember, such as birthdays, graduations and vacations. But taking photos can actually impair your memory of the experience, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York. Binghamton University graduate student Rebecca Lurie and Professor of Psychology Deanne L. Westerman sought to understand if taking a photo of an event or an experience impairs or improves memory. Previous research on this topic has used naturalistic settings, asking participants to photograph their trip to an art museum. The results of these studies were inconsistent, with some studies showing memory impairments and others showing improvements for photographed art. To gain better control of the experience, the researchers conducted five experiments involving a total of 525 University students in a controlled laboratory setting.

The participants saw a set of artwork and were instructed to take a photo of some pieces using a camera on a tablet and to only look at the other pieces. Later, the researchers tested the participants’ memory of all of the artwork.

In all five experiments, photographed art was remembered more poorly than art that was merely viewed. This memory impairment for photographed art was found on tests given after 20 minutes and tests given after two days. The results also showed impaired memory for the visual details of the artwork as well as the overall theme, or gist, of the piece. 

The researchers note an important caveat in that they did not allow participants to review their photos, and so their findings only apply to a situation in which you take a photograph and never look at it again

https://researchnews.cc/news/6988/Taking-photos-can-impair-your-mem...

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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 31, 2021 at 11:19am

Milky Way no freak accident, astronomers say

The first detailed cross-section of a galaxy broadly similar to the Milky Way, published, reveals that our galaxy evolved gradually, instead of being the result of a violent mash-up. The finding throws the origin story of our home into doubt. The galaxy, dubbed UGC 10738, turns out to have distinct ,thick, and thin discs similar to those of the Milky Way. This suggests, contrary to previous theories, that such structures are not the result of a rare long-ago collision with a smaller galaxy. They appear to be the product of more peaceful change. And that is a game-changer. It means that our spiral galaxy home isn't the product of a freak accident. Instead, it is typical. 

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Beer byproduct mixed with manure proves an excellent pesticide The use of many chemical fumigants in agriculture have been demonstrated to be harmful to human health and the environment and therefore banned from use. -- It's crystal clear: Crushed glass could save our sand Crushed wine bottles and other recycled glass could replace sand in vital tunneling supports, cutting construction costs and improving the sustainability of sand mining. -- Infection with human papillomavirus linked to higher risk of preter... Women carrying human papillomavirus (HPV) run an elevated risk of preterm birth, a University of Gothenburg study shows. A connection can thus be seen between the virus itself and the risk for preterm birth that previously has been observed in pregnant women who have undergone treatment for abnormal cell changes due to HPV.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 30, 2021 at 11:54am

Fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria has a glowing new weapon

In the perpetual arms races between bacteria and human-made antibiotics, there is a new tool to give human medicine the edge, in part by revealing bacterial weaknesses and potentially by leading to more targeted or new treatments for bacterial infections.

A research team has developed chemical probes to help identify an enzyme, produced by some types of E. coli and pneumococcal bacteria, known to break down several common types of antibiotics, making these bacteria dangerously resistant to treatment.

In response to antibiotic treatment, bacteria have evolved various mechanisms to resist that treatment, and one of those is to make enzymes that basically chew up the antibiotics before they can do their job. The type of tool researchers now developed gives us critical information that could keep us one step ahead of deadly bacteria.

I n a paper published online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the researchers zeroed in on the threat posed by the bacterial enzyme called New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM). They set out to create a molecule that glows when it comes into contact with the NDM enzyme. When these chemical probes are added to a test tube, they bind to the enzyme and glow. Such a tool could be used to alert doctors to what kind of bacterial threat is affecting their patients and tell them which antibiotics to use.

NDM breaks down antibiotics in the penicillin, cephalosporin and carbapenem classes, which are some of the safest and most effective treatments for bacterial infections. Other classes of antibiotics exist, but they may carry more side effects, have more drug interactions and may be less available in some parts of the world.

In addition to indicating the presence of the NDM enzyme, the florescent chemical probe developed  may help find a different way to combat these resistant bacteria. One treatment option that doctors use with resistant bacteria is to combine common antibiotics and an inhibitor. Although there is no known clinically effective inhibitor for NDM-producing bacteria, this probe could help find one.

Once the probe has bound to the enzyme and begun to glow, if an effective inhibitor is introduced, it will knock the probe loose and the glow would stop. This allows scientists to test a high volume of potential drugs very quickly.

1. Radhika Mehta, Dann D. Rivera, David J. Reilley, Dominique Tan, Pei W. Thomas, Abigail Hinojosa, Alesha C. Stewart, Zishuo Cheng, Caitlyn A. Thomas, Michael W. Crowder, Anastassia N. Alexandrova, Walter Fast, Emily L. Que. Visualizing the Dynamic Metalation State of New Delhi Metallo-β-lactamase-1 in Bacteria Using a Reversible Fluorescent Probe. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2021; DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c00290

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 29, 2021 at 11:30am

References

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   Cabanac, G. & Labbé, C. J. Assoc. Inf. Sci. Technol. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.24495 (2021).

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   Labbé, C. & Labbé, D. Scientometrics 94, 379–396 (2013)

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https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01436-7?utm_source=Natur...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 29, 2021 at 11:29am

Hundreds of gibberish papers still lurk in the scientific literature

The nonsensical computer-generated articles, spotted years after the problem was first seen, could lead to a wave of retractions.

Nonsensical research papers generated by a computer program are still popping up in the scientific literature many years after the problem was first seen, a study has revealed¹. Some publishers have told Nature they will take down the papers, which could result in more than 200 retractions.

The issue began in 2005, when three PhD students created paper-generating software called SCIgen for “maximum amusement”, and to show that some conferences would accept meaningless papers. The program cobbles together words to generate research articles with random titles, text and charts, easily spotted as gibberish by a human reader. It is free to download, and anyone can use it.

By 2012, computer scientist Cyril Labbé had found 85 fake SCIgen papers in conferences published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE); he went on to find more than 120 fake SCIgen papers published by the IEEE and by Springer². It was unclear who had generated the papers or why. The articles were subsequently retracted — or sometimes deleted — and Labbé released a website allowing anyone to upload a manuscript and check whether it seems to be a SCIgen invention. Springer also sponsored a PhD project to help spot SCIgen papers, which resulted in free software called SciDetect. 

References above: 

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 29, 2021 at 8:54am

Researchers show how air pollution may contribute to loss of smell

The loss of smell, a condition known as anosmia, can severely impact a person's quality of life, making it extremely difficult to taste foods, detect airborne hazards in the environment and carry out other functions dependent on the sense. Those with anosmia may experience weight concerns, decreased social interaction, depression and general anxiety. In some cases, loss of smell has been linked to death in older adults. Now researchers have studied one of the known causes of anosmia—long-term exposure to air pollution—to better understand how it can rob someone of the ability to smell and taste.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PM2.5 (the PM stands for "particulate matter") is the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Depending on location, PM2.5 can consist of many materials, including dust, dirt, soot, smoke, organic compounds and metals. It has been linked to cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, decline in cognitive thinking ability, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and premature death. Previous research has associated PM2.5 as a likely culprit in loss of smell.

The researchers found long-term airborne exposure to PM2.5 increases the risk of losing one's smell by nearly twice (a 1.6- to 1.7-fold increase). They think this may occur because the location of the olfactory nerve—which contains the sensory nerve fibers relating to the sense of smell—places it directly in the path of inhaled PM2.5 materials.

Based on this result, the researchers  that long-term exposure to high levels of PM2.5 represents a common risk factor for the loss of sense of smell, especially in vulnerable populations such as older people—but also one that is potentially modifiable if sources of PM2.5 components can be better controlled.

Zhenyu Zhang et al, Exposure to Particulate Matter Air Pollution and Anosmia, JAMA Network Open (2021). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.11606

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-05-air-pollution-contribute-los...

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