#study

#study

Scientists Can Now Make Tissue Samples and Body Parts TransparentAll it needs is some good tissue cleaning.Experts from Scripps Research developed a new cleaning method that allows large biological samples to turn transparent. As to the importance of having that kind of opacity for samples, it turns out that this would make it easier for scientists to visualize and study biological processes occurring across multiple organ systems. According to the study’s senior author, Li Ye, PhD, the method is a “simple and universal tissue-clearing technique for studies of large body parts or even entire animals.” The new method uses a combination of organic solvents and water-based detergents, which can be used in an ordinary lab. For protecting the molecules within the tissue during the cleaning processes, water-based hydrogels will be used. “In many cases, you can just put the whole thing in a jar and keep it in a shaker on your benchtop until it’s done,” said co-first author Victoria Nudell. “This makes it practical and scalable enough for routine use.”Image credit: Ye et.al #tissue #research #study #biology #science #cleaning #solvents

Researchers Identified the Most Boring Person in the WorldUh, is this a compliment? I mean, congratulations, I guess?Research from the University of Essex has determined the most boring person in the world. The team behind this study looked at more than 500 people to determine the jobs, characteristics, and hobbies that are perceived as boring. The blandest jobs were data analysis, accounting, cleaning, and banking. In addition, the dullest hobbies were seen to be religion, watching TV, bird watching, and smoking.Aside from the stereotypical discoveries, the study determined that the most boring person in the world is a religious data entry worker, who likes watching TV, and lives in a town. According to Dr. Wijnand Van Tilburg, the lead researcher of the study, the topic was chosen to explore the stigma of boredom and the stereotypes that are associated with it. “These papers show how persuasive perceptions of boredom are and what an impact this can have on people.” In addition, Tilburg shared that the research was done to show how these stereotypes can affect preconceptions. “Perceptions can change but people may not take time to speak to those with ‘boring’ jobs and hobbies, instead choosing to avoid them. They don’t get a chance to prove people wrong and break these negative stereotypes,” he explained. Image credit: Javier Cañada#boredom #research #study #UniversityofEssex

Neuroscientists Identify Neurons in the Brain that Light Up When We Hear Human Singing But Not Other Types of MusicScientists, following the same vein of research in specific areas of the brain that work during different tasks, have successfully identified the part of the human brain that lights up when we hear singing. It is important to note that this area only responds when the combination of voice and music is heard. The area, found in the auditory cortex, does not respond to regular speech or instrumental music.Neuroscientists from MIT followed up a 2015 study that they worked on. The researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to identify a population of neurons in the brain’s auditory cortex that responds specifically to music. This new study used a different method to determine brain activity through recordings of electrical activity taken at the surface of the brain to obtain more information. According to Sam Norman-Haignere, the lead author of the study, the recordings gave them a higher resolution where they were able to pick the neurons apart.Image credit: Josh Rocklage#neuroscience #brain #neurons #research #study #science

Scientists Found That The Black Death Wasn't as Deadly as Originally ThoughtA new study has looked at the effect of the Black Death, one of the most devastating pandemics that hit the world. The plague, which lasted between 1346 and 1353, was believed to reach nearly every corner of Europe and is estimated to have killed 30%-50% of the population.A new study, however, is focused on correcting these initial beliefs. The study is aiming to correct the imbalance of information concerning the coverage of the plague. Instead, it is attempting to discover ways for fully working out the real extent of the Black Death’s mortality. Researchers are relying on pollen analysis because they can be counted in each sediment sample they had. In addition, counting and analyzing these grains can reconstruct the landscape and changes over time. While at first glance, learning about the agricultural landscape isn't related to the plague, it implies the human behavior exhibited during the pandemic. If Europe’s population did dwindle to the believed amount, a near-collapse of the medieval cultivated landscape should have happened. After analyzing pollen data and testing different scenarios region by region, the researchers found out that the Black Death did not equally devastate every European region. In addition, they pointed out that the plague did not just spread through rats and their fleas. Local conditions, such as economic activity and population density would have influenced the spread of the disease. Therefore, differences in local conditions yielded different transmission rates.Image credits: Gilles Li Muisis, Annales, Bibliothèque Royal de Belgique, MS 13076-77, f. 24v.; Izdebski et al., Nature Ecology & Evolution 2022#plague #BlackDeath #pandemic #research #study #polleanalysis

Eating Vegetables Actually Does Not Protect Against Cardiovascular DiseaseAnd that’s another reason to not eat vegetables– or at least a good excuse for anyone looking to push back against someone wanting to make you munch some veggies when you’re not in the mood!A UK Biobank study on 400,000 people discovered little to no evidence that supports the claim that vegetables affect the risk of cardiovascular disease. Researchers from the Nuffield Department of Population Health at the University of Oxford, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the University of Bristol studied and concluded that any small apparent positive effect can be explained by other factors and not just because of consuming cooked or uncooked vegetables.UK Biobank’s large-scale prospective study employed its large sample size, long-term follow-up, and detailed information on social and lifestyle factors to determine whether or not vegetable intake has an effect on the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases. “Our large study did not find evidence for a protective effect of vegetable intake on the occurrence of CVD. Instead, our analyses show that the seemingly protective effect of vegetable intake against CVD risk is very likely to be accounted for by bias from residual confounding factors, related to differences in socioeconomic situation and lifestyle,” Dr. Qi Feng, the study’s lead author further explained. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat vegetables, though! Image credit: Adli Wahid#vegetables #Nutrition #CVD #cardiovasculardiseases #UK #Biobank #study #research