From Italy and the World

Middle-aged adults with three or more unhealthy traits including slightly high waist circumference, blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose have heart attacks and strokes two years earlier than their peers, according to research presented at ESC Congress 2023.1 “Many people in their 40s and 50s have a bit of fat around…

“Eco-friendly” paper drinking straws contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals, a new study has concluded. In the first analysis of its kind in Europe, and only the second in the world, Belgian researchers tested 39 brands of straws for the group of synthetic chemicals known as poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances…

Replacing single use plastic cups with paper ones is problematic. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg show that a paper cup that ends up in nature can also cause damage as they also contain toxic chemicals. Reports of plastics pollution contaminating all parts of the Earth and in all living…

Patients living with one of the UK’s most common heart rhythm conditions are 50% less likely to die from a heart attack or stroke than they were at the start of the millennium, new research has found. Analysis of the health records of more than 70,000 patients newly diagnosed with…

While West Virginia University researchers see potential in educational settings for the newest official ChatGPT plugin, called Code Interpreter, they’ve found limitations for its use by scientists who work with biological data utilizing computational methods to prioritize targeted treatment for cancer and genetic disorders. “Code Interpreter is a good thing…

Research has brought clarity to the longstanding question of how starch granules form in the seeds of Triticeae crops — wheat, barley, and rye — unlocking diverse potential benefits for numerous industries and for human health. Starch in wheat, maize, rice and potatoes is a vital energy-giving part of our…

High levels of some minerals and metals in environmental water supplies may increase the risk of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) pulmonary infections in people with cystic fibrosis, according to a new study from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health. The study, appearing…

In certain trees, soils can form along branches and can support varied plant and animal life. However, what conditions these ‘canopy soils’ form in, and what kind of biodiversity they support, has been difficult to study. Now, researchers from Utah State University and Imperial College London have surveyed dozens of…

Surprisingly, it’s a harmless little African snake that consumes eggs whole like an amuse-bouche. Biologist Bruce Jayne at the University of Cincinnati discovered that this species, Dasypeltis gansi, can consume bigger prey relative to its own length and mass than even Burmese pythons, among the most massive snakes on Earth.…

Cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) develops when neurons begin to die, which can be caused by inappropriate immune responses and excessive inflammation in the brain triggered by amyloid beta deposits and tau tangles, two hallmarks of the disease. Also, immune cells outside of the brain, particularly T cells,…

CNN  —  Greek authorities have arrested dozens of people on arson-related charges as deadly wildfires – the largest ever recorded in the European Union – rage across the country. Wildfires in Mount Parnitha, north of the Greek capital Athens, are still out of control Friday, with more forest destroyed overnight.…

CNN  —  Poland’s domestic security agency is investigating whether an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease that killed seven people in the south of the country might be the result of intentional tampering with the water system, authorities said on Friday. The bacteria that causes the illness has been found in 113…

CNN  —  Signs are growing that Ukrainian forces have penetrated the first line of Russian defenses along part of the southern front lines in Zaporizhzhia region, and are expanding a wedge in the direction of the strategic town of Tokmak. The Ukrainian General Staff said Friday there had been further…

The US believes Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin was “likely” killed in a plane crash outside Moscow on Wednesday, Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said Thursday. “I’m not going to go into the specifics of how we gather information other than again, our initial assessment, based on a variety of factors, is…

CNN  —  The warnings were there. Speculation about Yevgeny Prigozhin’s eventual fate began soon after his march on Russia two months ago. The Wagner chief may have initially survived the aftermath of his failed insurrection, but many had expressed doubts over his future. That remains unclear on Thursday, a day…

Smoothies can be a tasty and convenient way to get the important fruits and vegetables you need for a healthy diet. But is a banana and blueberry smoothie the best combo? Researchers at the University of California, Davis, suggest that blending certain ingredients in smoothies can influence whether your body…

A new approach to quantum light emitters generates a stream of circularly polarized single photons, or particles of light, that may be useful for a range of quantum information and communication applications. A Los Alamos National Laboratory team stacked two different, atomically thin materials to realize this chiral quantum light…

Imagine you want to carry a large, heavy box up a flight of stairs. You might spread your fingers out and lift that box with both hands, then hold it on top of your forearms and balance it against your chest, using your whole body to manipulate the box. Humans…

Led by Director CHANG Sukbok, scientists from the Center for Catalytic Hydrocarbon Functionalizations within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) have made a significant advancement in the synthesis of β-lactam scaffolds, which are structural components frequently found in essential antibiotics such as penicillins and carbapenems. This breakthrough overcomes challenges in…

Short-lived proteins control gene expression in cells to carry out a number of vital tasks, from helping the brain form connections to helping the body mount an immune defense. These proteins are made in the nucleus and are quickly destroyed once they’ve done their job. Despite their importance, the process…

The majority of carbon offset schemes are significantly overestimating the levels of deforestation they are preventing, according to a study published today in Science. This means that many of the “carbon credits” bought by companies to balance out emissions are not tied to real-world forest preservation as claimed. An international…

Despite the rapid increase in severe flooding, a new paper by researchers from the U of A indicates recent floods and droughts in the Amazon River Basin may have not yet exceeded the range of natural hydroclimatic variability. Extreme floods and severe droughts on the Amazon River have occurred more…

A new analysis from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has identified the top factors accounting for yield variability in processing sweet corn (used for canned and frozen products), including one within the control of processors. “We used a very robust approach to account for…

Scientific exploration of the deep ocean has largely remained inaccessible to most people because of barriers to access due to infrastructure, training, and physical ability requirements for at-sea oceanographic research. Now, a new and innovative framework for oceanographic research provides a way for shore-based scientists, citizen scientists, and the general…