Neat News - Neat things do happen

New research finds that the spread of tuberculosis can be reduced by 89 percent by vaccination. This way it may be possible to eliminate the disease in cattle.

related: #tuberculosis #vaccination #cattle

Every type of job has aspects of boredom. Too much of it reduces productivity even on other tasks. New research finds that this can be prevented by alternating boring and meaningful tasks.

related: #boredom #productivity

A new cancer treatment for dogs, called Canine EGFR/HER2 Peptide Cancer Immunotherapeutic, increases the one year survival rate for certain cancers from 35 to 60 percent. There is hope that some of the benefits can be translated into human cancer treatments.

related: #cancer #dog #treatment

Broccoli contains a compound, called sulforaphane, that has significant health benefits such as blood sugar control. Broccoli develops more of the compound when it is damaged, for instance, when it is chopped into small pieces, but the amount is reduced when the broccoli is heated. Unless you want to eat the broccoli raw, scientists now found a way to get as much from it by first cutting it in small pieces, then waiting 90 minutes, and finally stir frying it.

related: #broccoli #sulforaphane

Wound healing is a very serious problem for hundreds of millions of people with diabetes. 30 percent of these will develop once in their lives foot ulcers, which are difficult to treat. Now a new method, the so-called plasma-activated hydrogel therapy (PAHT), has been developed which offers a very promising alternative to traditional antibiotics or silver-based dressings.

related: #diabetes #wound_healing #plasma #gel

Volunteers have planted one million sphagnum moss plants near the Dovestone Reservoir, near Oldham, England, in the last ten years. The moss has biodiversity and flood management benefits, and improves the water quality of the reservoir.

related: #moss #water_quality #bio_diversity

In Gloucestershire, England, a restaurant, called The Long Table, operates on the model of "pay-as-you-can", that is, customers pay as much as they think they want and can and not on fixed prices. Also people who cannot pay at all are welcome. They employ 22 part-time and full-time people and reuse some of the food that otherwise would be thrown away. Last year they had about 20000 customers.

related: #pay_as_you_can #restaurant

In Khavda, Gujarat, India, a large solar project has started to contribute more than 500 MW of electricity to the national grid. When up to full capacity in five years' time it will generate 30 GW and may be the largest renewable energy project supplying more than 16 million homes saving 58 million tonnes of CO₂ per year.

related: #solar #carbon

A new mapping of the world's coral reefs found that there are more than we previously assumed. They play an important role in the marine biodiversity.

related: #coral_reef #biodiversity

Some of the millions of tons of leftover coffee grounds can be used to absorb farming herbicides, as new research has found.

related: #coffee #ground #herbicide

While venting anger may feel good at the moment, new research shows that it is not really effective and that other techniques of dealing with anger such as deep breathing, mindfulness, meditation, yoga, or counting to ten is superior.

related: #anger_management

Scientists have recovered sunken boats in the Mediterranean near Rome which are about 7000 years old and show that seafarers back then had remarkable skills. For instance, a large collection of wooden tools to weave textiles was found.

related: #seafarer #tools #boat #Mediterranean

Artificial insulin production is complex and now scientists managed to genetically modify a cow embryo so that the cow after birth, growing up, and going into lactation produces milk with proteins from which insulin can be produced. A herd of such cows could produce enough insulin to satisfy the global needs.

related: #insulin #cow #production

A CAR T-cell therapy has been applied to a patient with the highly aggressive glioblastoma brain tumour and the patient seems to be in remission. A clinical study is needed in order to establish side effects and the success rate of the treatment.

related: #glioblastoma #therapy

In 2023 the greenhouse gas emissions in Germany were reduced by ten percent compared to 2022. This suggests that the plan to reduce the emissions by 65 percent until 2030 compared to 1990 is realistic.

related: #greenhouse_gas #Germany #reduction

Fear can make us more alert (and thereby potentially save our lives), but can also make us freeze. Now scientists found in mice that there is a switch in the brains that switches from the first to the second mode by brain chemistry and neural signalling. They also found a way to suppress the transition by an adeno-associated virus, if given early enough, but ineffective after the transition has happened. This finding may also explain why antidepressants are often ineffective in treating PTSD.

related: #fear #switch #suppression

A new study with over 60 year old people finds that those who follow to a high degree the so-called Mediterranean-Dash Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay diet (MIND) - recommending grains, vegetables, lentils, nuts, berries, and olive oil, for instance - significantly reduce their biological ageing and the likelihood to develop dementia.

related: #diet #MIND #dementia #ageing

Studying brainwaves, scientists found that dealing (such as grooming and playing) with dogs reduces stress and improves concentration.

related: #dog #stress #concentration

In the time between 2000 and 2022 child mortality (children dying up to an age of five years) dropped by 51 percent, a report by UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) finds. Measures such as vaccination, the provision of clean water, and the fight against malaria made this possible. More must be done to bring the numbers further down, peace being most important.

related: #child_mortality #UNICEF

It has been known that a component of broccoli has a positive effect against cancer. Now, new research is pointing to its effect against the formation of blood clots, which can lead to strokes and heart attacks.

related: #broccoli #heart #stroke #clot

Studying drawings that children did when solving simple arithmetic problems, scientists found that effective solutions strategies are associated with certain drawing types. The research could be important for a more effective teaching of mathematics.

related: #problem_solving #arithmetic #teaching #drawings

Studying guitarists' improvisations using brain imaging, scientists found two key factors for creativity and the effect of flow, the mental state of being fully immersed in an activity: First, extensive experience in the activity, and second, relinquishing conscious control.

related: #flow #creativity #experience #control

While sleep is only partially understood, new research with mice shows that during sleep the brain is cleansed in waves in synchronized neural activity using the glymphatic system. Disruptions to this process may play a role in certain brain diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease.

related: #sleep #brain #cleansing #health

Four children who acquired HIV before birth have been on antiretroviral therapy (ART) starting within 48 hours of their birth. After being free from detectable HIV the therapy was paused and they remained free of HIV for more than a year now.

related: #HIV #remission #ART

In 2023, wind has overtaken coal as the most important source for the generation of electricity in Germany. 31 percent, compared to 24 percent the year before, of the electricity was produced from wind, whereas the contribution of coal went down from 33 percent to 26 percent.

related: #wind #energy #coal #Germany

A way has been found to deal with a particular protein, called K-Ras G12D, that is responsible for for about half of all pancreatic cancers and also some other cancers. This may show a way to develop some therapy against pancreatic cancer.

related: #cancer #pancreas #therapy

New research suggests that taking the gut microbiota inulin and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) as supplements has a positive effect on the cognitive fitness of people over 60.

related: #cognition #fos #inulin

New research finds that cannabidiol (CBD), a nonintoxicating component of cannabis, is associated with tension and anxiety relief and has only limited negative side effects.

related: #anxiety #CBD #cannabis

In a project the city council of Austin, Texas, gave $1000 per month for one year to 135 low income families. A study found that the families used the money in a responsible way, mainly on housing.

related: #money #low_income #help

In experiments with mice but also human volunteers, scientists found that sound and light waves at 40 Hz reduce the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Now they established that the therapy can clear some of the amyloid proteins that are responsible for the damage to the brain cells.

related: #Alzheimer #sound_therapy #light_therapy

A new study finds that people living in cities have a better mental health situation if they live in areas with more green spaces.

related: #mental_health #city #green_space