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Researchers use combined approach to estimate the timing of first SARS-CoV-2 case

Researchers who simulated early stages of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Wuhan, China, conclude that the virus was likely circulating earlier than has been described, possibly even in mid-October 2019.

19 Mar 2021

Malfunctioning blood-brain barrier is linked to benign forgetfulness of aging

Have you forgotten where you laid your keys? Ever wondered where you had parked your car? Or having trouble remembering the name of the new neighbor? Unfortunately, these things seem to get worse as one gets older.

19 Mar 2021

Study shows fragile countries had lower COVID-19 incidence, fatality rates

During a pandemic like COVID-19, vulnerable countries are traditionally the focus of global attention and concern. However, new research suggests that we need to rebuild our understanding.

19 Mar 2021

New discovery may prove vital to future research on medical cannabis

Medical cannabis is a subject of much debate. There is still a lot we do not know about cannabis, but researchers from the Department of Neuroscience at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences have made a new discovery that may prove vital to future research into and treatment with medical cannabis.

19 Mar 2021

New technology reveals neural origins of attention in babies

Anyone who has watched an infant's eyes follow a dangling trinket dancing in front of them knows that babies are capable of paying attention with laser focus.

19 Mar 2021

Study: Dopamine neurons respond to reward-predicting cues

Animals must make predictions about future rewards when making decisions during daily life. Specific reward-related patterns of neuronal activity are known to underlie such decisions.

19 Mar 2021

Chemical cocktail shows promise for producing muscle stem cells

A UCLA-led research team has identified a chemical cocktail that enables the production of large numbers of muscle stem cells, which can self-renew and give rise to all types of skeletal muscle cells.

19 Mar 2021

Specific neurons release dopamine to regulate pain differently in male and female mice

Males and females, generally speaking, experience and respond to pain differently, but scientists have yet to understand all the brain circuits involved in these differences.

19 Mar 2021

Study: Transcendental meditation can significantly reduce severity of PTSD symptoms

Veterans with PTSD who practiced the Transcendental Meditation technique showed significant reductions in PTSD symptom severity, according to a new study published today in Journal of Traumatic Stress.

19 Mar 2021

Study shows how ACE2 mutations influence SARS-CoV-2 spike binding in humans and animals

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison aimed to better understand how SARS-CoV-2 interacts with various mammalian angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors. This way, they can identify the factors that influence intra- and cross-species virus transmission.

18 Mar 2021

Engineering immunogens to focus immune response to SARS-CoV-2

Researchers have designed constructs by adding more glycans and adding the receptor-binding motif from related sarbecoviruses to focus the immune response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) receptor-binding motif. Such immunogens could potentially also neutralize other variants and coronaviruses.

18 Mar 2021

Identifying druggable targets on an essential SARS-CoV-2 protein

In a research paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv by Newman et al. (March 15th, 2021) the structure and role of one such protein: NSP13, is investigated, with two appealingly druggable targets being identified, possibly opening a new route towards a novel SARS-CoV-2 antiviral agent.

18 Mar 2021

Fighting SARS-CoV-2 with materials science

In a recent editorial in the journal Emergent Materials, Dr. Huseyin C. Yalcin from Qatar University Biomedical Research Center and Dr. Ajeet Kaushik from Florida Polytechnic University announce several important developments in their timely special issue entitled “Materials Science in the Battle against COVID-19”.

18 Mar 2021

UK SARS-CoV-2 variant 40% more transmissible than previous strains

Researchers in Japan have estimated that the B.1.1.7 strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that recently emerged in England is 40% more transmissible than strains previously circulating in the country.

18 Mar 2021

UNH study: More than 50% of at-risk children are not receiving behavioral health services

Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have found that more than 50% of children in high-risk populations in the United States are not receiving behavioral health services that could improve their developmental outcomes when it comes to mental and physical health problems.

18 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination should be carefully targeted towards certain groups, say researchers

Researchers in the UK have provided important insights into the impact that vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – may have on infection rates, disease prevalence and immune escape by the virus.

18 Mar 2021

Study examines the impact of transition to online learning on students with disabilities

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic changed the higher education experience for students across the United States, with more than 90 percent of institutions reporting a shift in education delivery with the arrival of COVID-19.

18 Mar 2021

Study explores how CAR T immunotherapy could be used to treat solid tumors

A study recently published in the journal Science looked into how CAR T immunotherapy could be used to treat solid tumors in addition to leukemias. The programming of CAR T cells opens avenues for applying cell therapies to, for example, breast cancer or ovarian cancer in the future.

18 Mar 2021

Habitual gamblers use already proven strategies to maximize rewards

In their pursuit of maximum reward, people suffering from gambling disorder rely less on exploring new but potentially better strategies, and more on proven courses of action that have already led to success in the past.

18 Mar 2021

Drinking electrolytes instead of water can help prevent muscle cramps

If you reach for water when a muscle cramp strikes, you might want to think again. New research from Edith Cowan University has revealed drinking electrolytes instead of pure water can help prevent muscle cramps.

18 Mar 2021