Connecting Research and Experts with Journalists

• share
• favorite_border

A recent study published by Dr. Jordan Verplank, Assistant Professor in the Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Genetics at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), and a team of scientists from USU, State University of Buffalo (New York), and Cyclerion Therapeutics, has identified a promising approach for treating hereditary peripheral neuropathies, specifically Charcot Marie Tooth disease types 1A (CMT1A) and 1B (CMT1B). By focusing on increasing levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) – a signaling molecule involved in various biological processes – the study has shown potential improvements in myelination, nerve conduction, and motor coordination in mouse models affected by these conditions. The findings were published in Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences on October 14, 2024.

• share
• favorite_border

During its annual meeting, The National Academy of Medicine elected two George Washington University faculty members to its new class. ...

• share
• favorite_border

The Women's National Basketball Players Association announced its opting out of its collective bargaining agreement with the WNBA. ...

• share
• favorite_border

Pitch for effective protection for respiratory viruses

• share
• favorite_border

A pioneering study has completed the first gap-free genome assembly of Scutellaria baicalensis, a medicinal plant known for its potent therapeutic properties. The research decodes the genetic basis of anthocyanin production, which gives the plant its signature blue-purple flowers, as well as key flavonoid compounds. This breakthrough opens the door to enhancing the plant’s medicinal applications and developing ornamental varieties with striking blue hues.

• share
• favorite_border

Changing precipitation patterns in the Neotropics, one of Earth’s most biodiverse regions, could threaten two-thirds of the area’s bird species by the year 2100 if climate change goes unchecked, according to new research led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and George Mason University. This would represent a dramatic loss, as the region is home to 30% of all bird species globally.

• share
• favorite_border

A difficult-to-describe nanoscale object called the magnetic skyrmion might one day yield new microelectronic devices that can do much more—for example, massive data storage—all while consuming much less power. But researchers need a more detailed understanding of skyrmions if they are ever to be used reliably in computational devices, including quantum computers. Berkeley Lab scientists led a project to make 3D X-ray images of skyrmions that can characterize or measure the orientations of spins inside the whole object.

• share
• favorite_border

Disc golf is a sport growing in popularity, but there hasn’t been much research into the best techniques – until now. Researchers and disc golf enthusiasts have determined the best thumb position on a disc to maximize angular and translational speeds.

• share
• favorite_border

Chemists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a new theoretical framework for more accurately predicting the behavior of catalysts. The study reveals how conditions such as temperature and pressure can change a catalyst’s structure, efficiency, and even the products it makes — and can potentially be used to control reaction outcomes.