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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 19, 2020 at 5:38am

How turning back the clock in aging fat cells can be a remedy for lifestyle diseases

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-clock-aging-fat-cells-remedy.html?utm...

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New quantum paradox reveals contradiction between widely held beliefs

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-quantum-paradox-reveals-contradiction...

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Scientists slow and steer light with resonant nanoantennas

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-scientists-resonant-nanoantennas.html...

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Humid air can extend lifetime of virus-laden aerosol droplets

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-humid-air-lifetime-virus-laden-aeroso...

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In a first, astronomers spotted a space rock turning into a comet

The process won’t be complete until 2063

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/space-rock-comet-centaur-astron...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 19, 2020 at 5:31am

Exploding stars may have caused mass extinction on Earth, study shows

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-stars-mass-extinction-earth.html?utm_...

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Desire to be in a group leads to harsher judgment of others: study

The desire to be part of a group is what makes some of us more likely to discriminate against people outside our groups, even in non-political settings.

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-desire-group-harsher-judgment.html?ut...

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Unearthing evidence for the origins of plate tectonics

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-unearthing-evidence-plate-tectonics.h...

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Fake COVID-19 testing kits and lockdown puppy scams: how to protect yourself from fraud in a pandemic

https://theconversation.com/fake-covid-19-testing-kits-and-lockdown...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 18, 2020 at 6:57am

Red Sprites and Blue Jets Explained - New Discovery!

https://www.sciencealert.com/otherworldly-jellyfish-sprite-lightnin...
If you've ever looked up during a thunderstorm and glimpsed a red jellyfish sitting high in the sky, you weren't hallucinating.

These tentacle-like spurts of red lightning are called sprites. They're ultrafast bursts of electricity that crackle through the upper regions of the atmosphere – between 37 and 50 miles (60 and 80 kilometres) up in the sky – and move towards space, according to the European Space Agency.
The phenomenon is a rare sighting: It lasts just tenths of a second and can be hard to see from the ground since it's generally obscured by storm clouds.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 18, 2020 at 6:07am

https://theconversation.com/research-shows-coronavirus-thrives-in-d...

Research shows coronavirus thrives in dry air

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Here’s why we crave food even when we’re not hungry

https://theconversation.com/heres-why-we-crave-food-even-when-were-...

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This Twist on Schrödinger's Cat Paradox Has Major Implications for Quantum Theory

A laboratory demonstration of the classic “Wigner’s friend” thought experiment could overturn cherished assumptions about reality

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Every Single Seafood Sample Tested in This Microplastics Study Was Polluted

https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-don-t-even-have-to-try-that...

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https://nypost.com/2017/08/21/trendy-copper-water-bottles-can-make-...

Trendy copper water bottles can make you sick

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 18, 2020 at 6:00am

Survey finds science fiction one of many factors impacting views of AI technology

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-08-survey-science-fiction-factors-...

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How dangerous are burning electric cars?

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-08-dangerous-electric-cars.html?ut...

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**Research Culture: Changing how we evaluate research is difficult, but not impossible

https://elifesciences.org/articles/58654?utm_source=content_alert&a...

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** Coronavirus: the pandemic is changing our brains – here are the remedies

https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-the-pandemic-is-changing-ou...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 18, 2020 at 5:52am

Climate science related research reports:

Ocean microbes could interact with pollution to influence climate

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-ocean-microbes-interact-pollution-cli...

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Study finds that air pollution is a driver of residential electrici...

A study conducted by Associate Professor Alberto Salvo from the Department of Economics at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences revealed that households respond to ambient air pollution by increasing electricity consumption, which in turn increases the carbon emissions that are co-produced in supplying the electricity. The study, set in Singapore, revealed that better air quality will bring about climate co-benefits—in reducing electricity generation via lower household demand, and thus mitigating carbon emissions.

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Raising livestock: An answer to crop residue burning

Livestock can help South Asian countries address crop residue burning, which has health and environmental impacts.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 18, 2020 at 5:46am

Scientists develop new method to create super stable X-rays

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-scientists-method-super-stable-x-rays...

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Scientists use photons as threads to weave novel forms of matter

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-scientists-photons-threads.html?utm_s...

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Major quantum computational breakthrough is shaking up physics and maths

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-major-quantum-breakthrough-physics-ma...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 18, 2020 at 5:44am

Shock to bacteria activates nature's electrical grid

The ocean floor and the ground beneath our feet are riddled with tiny nanowires—1/100,000th the width of a human hair—created by billions of bacteria that can generate electric currents from organic waste. In new research published Aug. 17 in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, Yale researchers describe how this hidden power grid could be activated with a short jolt of electric field.

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-bacteria-nature-electrical-grid.html?...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 18, 2020 at 5:42am

Micro- and nanoplastics detectable in human tissues

Plastic pollution of land, water and air is a global problem. Even when plastic bags or water bottles break down to the point at which they are no longer an eyesore, tiny fragments can still contaminate the environment. Animals and humans can ingest the particles, with uncertain health consequences. Now, scientists report that they are among the first to examine micro- and nanoplastics in human organs and tissues.

There's evidence that plastic is making its way into our bodies, but very few studies have looked for it there. And at this point, we don't know whether this plastic is just a nuisance or whether it represents a human health hazard.

Scientists define microplastics as plastic fragments less than 5 mm, or about 0.2 inches, in diameter. Nanoplastics are even smaller, with diameters less than 0.001 mm. Research in wildlife and animal models has linked micro- and nanoplastic exposure to infertility, inflammation and cancer, but health outcomes in people are currently unknown. Previous studies have shown that plastics can pass through the human gastrointestinal tract, but Rolsky and Varun Kelkar, who is also presenting the research at the meeting, wondered if the tiny particles accumulate in human organs. 

To find out, the researchers collaborated with Diego Mastroeni, Ph.D., to obtain samples from a large repository of brain and body tissues that was established to study neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's. The 47 samples were taken from lungs, liver, spleen and kidneys—four organs likely to be exposed to, filter or collect microplastics. The team developed a procedure to extract plastics from the samples and analyze them by μ-Raman spectrometry. The researchers also created a computer program that converted information on plastic particle count into units of mass and surface area. They plan to share the tool online so that other researchers can report their results in a standardized manner. "This shared resource will help build a plastic exposure database so that we can compare exposures in organs and groups of people over time and geographic space," Halden says.

The method allows the researchers to detect dozens of types of plastic components within human tissues, including polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene (PE). When paired with a previously developed mass spectrometry assay, plastic contamination was detected in every sample. Bisphenol A (BPA), still used in many food containers despite health concerns, was found in all 47 human samples.

To the researchers' knowledge, their study is the first to examine micro- and nanoplastic occurrence in human organs from individuals with a known history of environmental exposure. "The tissue donors provided detailed information on their lifestyle, diet and occupational exposures," Halden says. "Because these donors have such well-defined histories, our study provides the first clues on potential micro- and nanoplastic exposure sources and routes."

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-micro-nanoplastics-human-tissues.html...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 18, 2020 at 5:35am

Discovery promising for millions at risk from antibiotic resistance

New hope for approximately 700,000 people who die each year from antibiotic resistant infections, with researchers discovering how bacteria share antibiotic-resistance genes.

Antibiotic resistant bacteria, in particular emerging 'superbugs', could lead to around 10 million deaths globally by 2050.

"The diminishing pool of effective antibiotics makes these infections a major threat to human helath, so it's critical we understand the exact mechanics of how antibiotic resistance spreads between different bacteria.

In this study, scientists examined plasmids—self-replicating DNA molecules—which are one of the major drivers for the rapid spread of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria. Many plasmids carry 10 to 15 antibiotic resistance-causing genes, and when they transfer from one bacterial cell to another, two important things happen.

Firstly, the plasmid is copied so that it is retained by both the donor and recipient cell, and secondly all antibiotic resistance genes are transferred together, meaning that resistance to multiple antibiotics can be transferred and acquired simultaneously.

The study used a powerful genetic screening system to identify all of the components required for the transfer of an important type of antibiotic resistance plasmid from one bacterial cell to another.

This investigation discovered genes encoding the 'syringe' component. 

That is the mechanism through which plasmid DNA is mobilized, as well as a novel controlling element essential for regulation of the transfer process."

The team also investigated the crystal structure of this controlling element, and revealed how it binds to DNA and activates transcription of other genes involved in the transfer.

This deeper understanding would open the door to solutions for this ever-growing health crisis.

Preventing the transfer of plasmids between bacteria has been a major challenge in reducing the spread of antibiotic resistance genes.

By looking at the molecular mechanics, we can start to develop effective solutions for stopping these genes in their tracks.

Source: Comprehensive analysis of IncC plasmid conjugation identifies a crucial role for the transcriptional regulator AcaB, Nature Microbiology (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41564-020-0775-0 , www.nature.com/articles/s41564-020-0775-0

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-discovery-millions-antibiotic-resista...

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