Social science
22 Nov 2021
Does wealth always lead to a good education? New study in Frontiers in Education proposes new model for predicting student success globally
Health
19 Nov 2021
By Dr Emma K Grigg, University of California, Davis Dr Emma K Grigg, University of California, Davis. Image: Sherri Rieck We may not realize it, but many household appliances are causing our pets significant stress, according to a new study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science. Now, one of its authors, Dr Emma K Grigg of University of California, Davis, writes about another less-discussed issue: how little effort is being put into better understanding our pets. Grigg is a certified applied animal behaviorist and a staff research associate and lecturer at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. She is also a lecturer in canine behavior at Bergin University of Canine Studies in northern California and has authored a number of scientific publications on canine, feline, and marine mammal behavior. Her first book, The Science Behind a Happy Dog, was published in June 2017. As an animal behavior researcher who specializes in dogs and cats, I have been trained to carefully observe and interpret their body language to better understand and predict their behavior, to study the ways in which they interact with their worlds, and to continually consider the impacts of human activities on their wellbeing. My […]
Humanities
15 Nov 2021
Research in Frontiers in Psychology reveals potential new way to fight radicalization in ‘true believers’
Neuroscience
08 Nov 2021
By Mischa Dijkstra, Frontiers science writer Image credit: By Stefan_Sutka / Shutterstock.com Mice who inhale CO2 within hours after forming a new fearful memory show more distress when subsequently prompted to retrieve the memory. This memory-strengthening effect of CO2 requires a functional ASIC1A gene in the mouse brain. The effect is time-dependent, unique to CO2, and specific to only certain types of memories, such as fearful sound cues or environmental contexts. Memories of a different type, such as remembering familiar objects, are weakened rather than strengthened by CO2. The inhalation of carbon dioxide (CO2) by mice a few hours after they formed a new fearful memory makes that memory stronger, so that the mice show more distress when they are prompted to ‘retrieve’ (ie, recall) it. That is the conclusion of a recent in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience by neuroscientists from the University of Iowa, US. The authors also show that the memory-strengthening effect of CO2 only occurs when the gene acid-sensing ion channel-1a (ASIC1A) is functional in the mouse brain. If the human version of the ASIC1A gene proves to have a similar role in the formation of fearful memories, interventions targeting this molecular pathway could one day be a […]
Neuroscience
05 Nov 2021
Image: Corona Borealis Studio/Shutterstock.com Have you ever asked yourself what is it in our brains that actually helps us navigate in the world? Helping us answer that question, Prof May-Britt Moser won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2014 for the discovery of cells that constitute a positioning system in the brain. When you think about navigation, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Is it the well-known GPS system in your cellphone? An underwater journey of a submarine to its destination? Or perhaps a team assignment in the scouts, to find your way back to the camp at night? Would you be surprised to know that our brains have a built-in navigation system responsible for representing our location in the environment and for orienting us so that we can successfully get from one place to another? This mental representation of the environment is often called a cognitive map and was the focus on a Nobel prize-winning paper published by Prof May-Britt Moser. ► Read and download (pdf) of original article While navigation in the environment appears seamless and automatic, the brain’s navigation system is actually quite complex, composed of several brain regions and various cells types. […]
Health
28 Oct 2021
By Colm Gorey, Science Communications Manager 3D rendered medically accurate illustration of a cancer cell (not representative of what’s seen using singlecellVR). Image: SciePro/Shutterstock A team of scientists has developed a free, open-access VR program that allows anyone to interact with single-cell datasets using a headset costing less than $10. Previous tools used to view single-cell data visualizations in VR have been limited to the most expensive hardware, costing upwards of $2,500. The team’s findings have been published in Frontiers in Genetics. While often thought of as being limited to expensive hardware for dedicated gamers, virtual reality (VR) has become a lot more affordable in recent years with entry-level hardware – such as Google Cardboard – costing less than $10. With this headset, anyone with a smartphone can place their device into the headset and view VR content through its large screen. With the barrier to entry now greatly reduced, scientists and engineers are trying to figure out ways of bringing VR to the masses and, potentially, using it to unlock breakthrough discoveries. One such team of researchers from some of the US’s top medical centers and institutions has now published a paper in Frontiers in Genetics documenting a VR […]
Health
25 Oct 2021
By Conn Hastings, Science writer A person’s leg wrapped in bandage (not the smart bandage from this research). Image: Nutnaree Saingwongwattana/Shutterstock.com Maintaining optimal moisture levels could be key in allowing chronic wounds to heal. However, clinicians currently have no way to check moisture levels without removing a bandage, potentially disrupting the healing process. A new study presents a smart bandage that can measure and wirelessly transmit wound moisture data in real time. The technology could be a useful tool in treating chronic wounds. How can doctors make sure a dressed wound is healing without taking off the bandage? This is a conundrum, because removing a bandage can disrupt the healing process. Technology presented in a new study in open-access journal Frontiers in Physics could help. This new ‘smart bandage’ contains a sensor that can very sensitively measure wound moisture levels and then transmit the data to a nearby smartphone, without requiring doctors to remove the bandage. In the future, by changing the geometry and materials in the bandage, the researchers may be able to fine tune it to suit different types of wounds. The technology could help doctors to monitor wounds more easily and successfully. Chronic wounds can be a […]
Life sciences
22 Oct 2021
When and why did human brains decrease in size 3,000 years ago? New study in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution may have found clues within ants
Humanities
15 Oct 2021
By Dr Karina Judd and Dr Merryn McKinnon, Australian National University Image: ReeldealHD on Offset/Shutterstock.com Dr Karina Judd is a doctoral researcher in science communication at the Australian National University. She is interested in the science-society interface with her current work focusing on inclusion, diversity and equity strategies in STEM workplaces. Dr Merryn McKinnon is a senior lecturer in science communication at the Australian National University. Her work explores the relationships between science, media, and publics; and the influence of equity, inclusion and intersectionality in STEM, especially STEM communication. Together, they have published a paper in Frontiers in Communications about how diversity and inclusion within science communication research and practice is created and implemented. Within the last five years, within Australia at least, there has been an increased focus on equity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. As two women in STEM ourselves, this was something we felt we should contribute to. But the contributions we have ended up making were not those we originally intended. Merryn started out in marine science and then moved into various science communication roles. Throughout her studies, classes and lecturers were usually a fairly even mix of genders and once in the […]
Health
14 Oct 2021
Many undocumented health problems discovered among those exposed to bushfire smoke, finds new study in Frontiers in Public Health
Psychiatry
13 Oct 2021
By Prof Joanne Nicholson, the Institute for Behavioral Health at The Heller School, Brandeis University, Massachusetts Prof Joanne Nicholson. Image: Brandeis University Researchers working in the area of parental mental illness and substance use disorders face a number of challenges conducting rigorous research and implementing change effectively. Now, the highly experienced Prof Joanne Nicholson of the Institute for Behavioral Health at The Heller School, Brandeis University, Massachusetts, reveals that despite the urgency, the opportunities for scaling out and sustaining prevention and intervention innovation for these families are largely unrealized. I have the good fortune of being the lead editor for the initial Frontiers Research Topic on Parents with Mental and/or Substance Use Disorders and Their Children. With more than 118,000 total views, it seems the topic is of interest to many readers. We know that mental health and/or substance use disorders convey challenges to adults as well as to their children and family members. The risks and impact associated with parental mental illness are undeniable and the opportunities for prevention and intervention abound but are largely untapped. Clearly, intervention development and testing and, ultimately, sustainment, are important issues to be addressed in the field. Of the 26 papers published in […]
Life sciences
12 Oct 2021
By Mischa Dijkstra, Frontiers science writer ‘Blob’ of Lumbriculus variegatus blackworms. The half-circle to the right is the edge of a petri dish. Image credit: Harry Tuazon Lumbriculus variegatus blackworms can aggregate into ‘blobs’ capable of collective movement. Researchers observed blackworms to model the behavior of individual worms, as well as the formation and movement of blobs. They showed that effective collective movement can only emerge when there is a balance between ‘clinginess’ and independent movement. These results may serve as a model to study other systems with emergent properties, such as nets of biopolymers. Blackworms (Lumbriculus variegatus) are distant relatives of rainworms, measuring up to 10 cm long. They live in shallow marshes, ponds, and swamps in Europe and North America, where they feed on microorganisms and debris. To protect themselves from drought, blackworms can aggregate as entangled, shape-shifting ‘blobs’ composed of a few to hundreds of individuals. Just like swarms of bees, rafts of fire ants, or flocks of starlings, blackworm blobs can show ‘intelligent’ collective movement. Now, scientists show that effective collective movement can only emerge in blackworm blobs when conditions are just right – in particular, when there is a balance between the activity and ‘clinginess’ […]
Health
11 Oct 2021
By Mischa Dijkstra, Frontiers science writer Image credit: Richard L. Bowman / Shutterstock.com A new study is the first to compare breast milk between mothers from the older order Mennonite community who live on traditional farms versus urban women. Communities such as old order Mennonites are known to have a low prevalence of atopic diseases associated with allergies, presumably due to environmental and lifestyle factors. The results show that breast milk from Mennonite mothers is richer in neutral or beneficial bacteria, certain cytokines and fatty acids, and IgA antibodies important for defense against bacteria. Their milk may give babies a better protection against allergens in infancy and later in life. Atopic diseases, which include eczema, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and food allergy, are caused by an innate or acquired allergy to airborne particles, such as pollen, dust, mold, or animal dander, or to foodstuffs like peanut, milk, soy, shellfish, or wheat. Until the early 20th century, allergy was thought to be a rare disease. But since in the 1920s to 1930s and especially since the second half of the 20th century, the prevalence of allergies has exploded in Western societies. For example, the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology estimates […]
Health
01 Oct 2021
Image: BlurryMe/Shutterstock.com In honor of the international day of Older Persons (October 1st) we spoke to the first onboarded Specialty Chief Editor of Frontiers in Aging, Dr. Morten Scheibye-Knudsen, and the most recently joining Specialty Chief Editor Dr. Richard Siow. Given Frontiers in Aging’s 1st Year anniversary we look forward to the future of the field of aging research, and its goals. Dr. Morten Scheibye-Knudsen is the Specialty Chief Editor of the Interventions in Aging section, within Frontiers in Aging, and Associate Professor of DNA damage and interventions in aging, at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. With the mission “to discover interventions leading to healthier, happier and more productive lives“, the Scheibye-Knudsen Lab is working on understanding the impact of DNA damage on a cellular and organismal level. This can then lead to the development of interventions to improve, not only our lifespan but importantly our health-span, towards a future of healthy aging. Dr. Richard Siow is the Specialty Chief Editor of the newly launched Nutrition in Aging and Healthy Longevity section within Frontiers in Aging, and the Director of Aging Research at King’s (ARK), King’s College London, United Kingdom. Dr. Siow graduated in Nutrition and his research over the past 20 years has focused on cardiovascular aging and better understanding the role of diet and nutrigenomics on molecular pathways in aging and healthy longevity. The mission of ARK is to increase knowledge of aging mechanisms in collaboration with international academic and industry partners, allowing a multi-disciplinary understanding to be built around the many aspects of human aging and healthy physical, mental and financial longevity, ranging from cellular mechanisms […]
Health
30 Sep 2021
By Conn Hastings, science writer A town in the Ecuadorian Andes mountains. Image: ireneuke/Shutterstock.com Researchers in Ecuador are the first to investigate the risk of stroke-related death and hospitalization in people living at four different altitude ranges. They found that those living at higher altitudes have a reduced risk of death or hospitalization because of a stroke, and tend to experience strokes at a greater age. This protective effect was greatest between 2,500 and 3,500 meters. Could living at high altitudes affect your chance of suffering a stroke? This intriguing question is at the heart of a new study in open-access journal Frontiers in Physiology. The study is the first to examine the incidence of stroke-related hospitalization and death in people living at four different elevations in Ecuador, and includes data gathered over 17 years on more than 100,000 stroke patients. Strikingly, the study finds that people living at higher altitudes have a lower risk of stroke and stroke-related death, and that this protective effect is strongest at between 2,000 and 3,500 meters. ► Read original article► Download original article (pdf) Having the right altitude Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. A stroke typically occurs because of a […]
Get the latest research updates, subscribe to our newsletter