Detecting these T cells may lead to diagnostics to better detect heart disease--and disease severity--through a blood sample. The knowledge also brings researchers closer to developing a vaccine that dampens this dangerous immune cell activity to prevent atherosclerosis.
PFAS chemicals do not last forever
Once dubbed 'forever chemicals,' per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, might be in the market for a new nickname. Adding iodide to a water treatment reactor that uses ultraviolet (UV) light and sulfite destroys up to 90% of carbon-fluorine atoms in PFAS forever chemicals in just a few hours, reports a...
Deciphering the biosynthetic gene cluster for potent freshwater toxin
Scientists discover the enzymes responsible for the production of one of the most toxic and fast-acting neurotoxins associated with freshwater harmful algal blooms in lakes and ponds. The discovery revealed that guanitoxin-producing cyanobacteria are more prevalent than originally known in the United States, opening the possibility for new molecular diagnostic...
Killer T vs. memory — DNA isn’t destiny for T cells
Scientists have uncovered how one type of T cell creates two genetically identical, but functionally different, daughter cells.
Earth’s core: Unexpected flow behavior in liquid metals
Some metals are in liquid form, the prime example being mercury. But there are also enormous quantities of liquid metal in the Earth's core, where temperatures are so high that part of the iron is molten and undergoes complex flows. A team has now simulated a similar process in the...
Satellites and drones can help save pollinators
Satellites and drones can provide key information to protect pollinators. A new study examines new ways of using these technologies to track the availability of flowers, and says this could be combined with behavioral studies to see the world through the eyes of insects.
‘Traffic calming’ boosts breeding on coral reefs
Coral reef fish breed more successfully if motorboat noise is reduced, new research shows.
Snake trade in Indonesia is not sustainable enough — but it could be
A substantial part of the trade in blood pythons in Indonesia is illegal and underreported, a new study has found. The study found no convincing evidence that the harvest of blood pythons in the area is sustainable. Even though the harvest and trade of the species are regulated by a...
New breathable gas sensors may improve monitoring of health, environment
Newly developed flexible, porous and highly sensitive nitrogen dioxide sensors that can be applied to skin and clothing have potential applications in health care, environmental health monitoring and military use, according to researchers.
Dietary cholesterol worsens inflammation, sickness in mice with influenza
New research suggests high levels of dietary cholesterol make mice sicker when infected with influenza. This study links cholesterol in the diet with exacerbation of a viral infection.