Neat News - Neat things do happen

In new research it has been found that tomato juice has antimicrobial properties against Salmonella Typhi (which can cause typhoid fever) and other bacteria (such as uropathogenic Escherichia coli).

related: #tomato_juice #antimicrobial

New research confirms what has been said for a long time, namely, that a walk in nature improves our attention and that overused parts of the brain are restored.

related: #nature #walk #brain #attention

For weeks and also on the International Holocaust Remembrance Day last weekend, hundreds of thousands of protesters demonstrated against the so-called Alternative for Germany, AfD, a far right party in Germany, after plans for the expulsion of millions of persons from Germany by right wing extremists were disclosed.

related: #far_right #demonstration

A technique called Redox Flow Desalination (RFD) uses electrochemical methods to turn seawater into drinking water. Currently, the salt removal rate has been increased by 20 percent while lowering the energy needed. RFD may develop into a carbon-neutral way to desalinate water.

related: #desalination

A major obstacle for many people to buy an electric car rather than a traditional one is the typically long time it takes to recharge the battery. Now a lithium battery has been developed that can be stably recharged of an extended cycle of charging and discharging in just five minutes. It makes use of an indium anode. However, one problem is that indium is heavy and would better be replaced by some other material.

related: #indium #battery #fast_charge #electric_car

Studying the remains of 24 individuals from burial sites in Peru scientists find that these early humans (living in the Andes between 6500 and 9000 years ago) had a diet that is 80 percent plant based and 20 percent meat based so that they should be called gatherer-hunters rather than hunter-gatherers.

related: #diet #early_humans #plant_based

In a study with more than 200 heterosexual couples in Germany it was found that the partners of self-compassionate persons benefit from the ability of their partner to react compassionately to their own inadequacies by improving the happiness of both. More research is needed to broaden the findings.

related: #self_care #happy

Scientists have managed to create a tiny knot consisting of only 54 atoms. It is a so-called trefoil knot and the smallest known to date.

related: #knot #trefoil #nano

In tests with baboons a new way to give insulin for diabetes patients orally has been proved promising. First tests on humans could happen in 2025. The new approach is based on nano-technology which allows the insulin to be targeted to the liver. If all goes well, this could in three years time relieve some 75 million diabetes patients from having a daily injection.

related: #insulin #oral #nano

Every year some 600,000 people die of malaria in Africa with most victims being under the age of five. After successful tests now a free mass vaccination campaign will start in Cameroon offering the vaccination to all infants up to an age of six months. The vaccination is to be effective in at least 36 percent of cases, and it is expected to considerably reduce child mortality in Cameroon. In combination with mosquito nets and malaria tablets the protection can be as high as 90 percent.

related: #malaria #vaccination #Cameroon

Alcohol abuse can lead to a fatty liver and in advanced form to a cirrhosis, in which parts of the liver are scarred. Research finds that the liver has a great possibility to recover from alcohol abuse once alcohol is given up. It can fully recover from a fatty liver, but not fully from a cirrhosis.

related: #alcohol #liver #recovery

Detecting or monitoring cancer by blood tests has been improved because a new technique allows to recover up to 60 times the circulating tumour DNA in a blood sample as before.

related: #blood_test #cancer

A meta-study with more than 5000 people over 60 years old found that taking multivitamin supplements (vs placebos) is good for memory and against cognitive decline.

related: #multivitamin #cognition #memory

2.5 hours of moderate aerobic exercise per week such running, swimming, cycling, and walking is known to reduce health risks such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancer. New research finds now that a mixture of half aerobic and half resistance training (such as weight lifting) has the same effect on the cardiovascular health as just aerobic training for overweight persons, but not resistance training on its own.

related: #exercise #aerobic #resistance #cardiovascular

Carbon-based metal-free magnets have been developed that may be used in so-called soft robots for medical devices and implants as well as novel gel-based drug delivery methods, which can be guided with magnetism to the body part where they are needed.

related: #magnet #metal_free

In order to build quantum computers a number of qubits, the quantum equivalent of bits, must be combined in a coherent, entangled form. This is difficult for a bigger number of qubits and typically requires very low temperatures. Now for the first time it has been achieved for four qubits at room temperature.

related: #quantum_computing #room_temperature

How did life start on the Earth some 3.5 billion years ago? Scientists found now that certain fatty acids, that is, certain long organic molecules, form in an environment as may have been on the Earth back then in hot springs with hydrogen, bicarbonate, and iron-rich magnetite.

related: #life #origin #fatty_acid

Clothes typically are made of mixed fibres, in particular, they contain typically elastane for better fitting. This, however, makes them difficult to recycle. For instance, only six percent of clothes thrown away in Denmark are recycled. Now a technique has been developed to break up elastane molecules and separate the material from the rest using alcohol and potassium hydroxide.

related: #recycling #clothes #elastane #potassium_hydroxide

It was assumed that blue light from mobile phones at night disrupts the circadian circle, because it leads to a melatonin suppression, and thereby disrupts sleep. However, new research finds no conclusive evidence that it is particularly the blue light that is responsible for sleep disruptions, but rather that the main effect stems to a large degree from flickering light.

related: #blue #light #sleep

Intermittent fasting or calorie restriction seems to have positive effects on our health and our lifespan. Little is known why this may be the case. New research with fruit flies and human cells linked it now to a gene called OXR1 that seems to slow down the ageing of the brain. It has been found that the gene is also important in keeping age-related neurodegenerative diseases at bay.

related: #diet #lifespan

An ancient city has been discovered in the Amazon in Peru (first evidence was found in the 1970s). After many years of research, archaeologists assume now that the city was built some 2500 years ago and was inhabited for a 1000 years by at least tens of thousands of people.

related: #Amazon #ancient_city

In China solar and wind power generation are fast expanding. For this reason there is some justified hope that China, which is the biggest CO₂ emitter, will manage to reduce CO₂ emissions much faster than planned and much faster than most other countries. The percentage of electricity generated from coal may go down from 20 percent now to 15 percent by 2030.

related: #CO2 #China #solar #wind

In experiments with mice and the study of genetic mutations of the human TMTC4 gene, scientists have gained a better understanding on why some people do not grow important hair cells in the inner ear and go deaf over time as a consequence. This may lead in the long run to the development of a drug that can protect these hair cells.

related: #deafness #gene

A new class of antibiotics has been developed that are effective against some highly dangerous bacteria, against which other antibiotics are resistant. One of these bacteria is called crab (carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii) and can kill up to 60 percent of those infected.

related: #antibiotics #resistance

Some people keep negative information about themselves from partners, friends, colleagues, or co-workers secret for fear that they would have to face harsh consequences. New research finds that such fears are overstated and normally others react more kindly than expected.

related: #secret #negative_information

In a phase II clinical trial a new mRNA (messenger RNA) treatment of advanced skin cancer proved very effective, cutting the risk of death by half.

related: #skin_cancer #mRNA

Research has found that adding spent coffee grounds to concrete can make it 30 percent stronger. It can replace 15 percent of the sand and bring the spent ground coffee to good use which would otherwise decompose and generate methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

related: #coffee #concrete

New heat resistant ceramics are currently developed that can withstand very high temperatures of thousands of degree Celsius. A method has been found for rapidly discovering such materials.

related: #ceramics #heat_resistant

A new study looking at 500,000 medical cases finds that some viruses increase the risks of developing diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Avoiding infections such as encephalitis and pneumonia can reduce the risk of developing the nerve related diseases above.

related: #virus #Alzheimer

In a study with more than 300,000 people it has been studied what risk factors there are for getting dementia before the age of 65. Some risk factors are a low socioeconomic status, alcohol abuse, social isolation, vitamin D deficiency, hearing impairment, stroke, diabetes, heart disease, and depression.

related: #young_onset #dementia

A new study finds that 5 measures can give you a longer life: 1. Have a mainly plant-based diet. 2. Have a healthy weight. 3. Exercise sufficiently and get fit. 4. Do not smoke. 5. Foster social contacts.

related: #longevity