Researchers have discovered a direct link between the protein aggregation in nerve cells that is typical for neurodegenerative diseases, and the regulation of gene expression in Huntington's disease. The results pave the way for the development of new treatment strategies for diseases that involve impairment of the basic mechanism by which the body's cells can break down and recycle their own component parts. This process, called autophagy, is disrupted in for example Huntington's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Researchers have investigated heat transport in a model system comprising nanometer-thin metallic and magnetic layers. Similar systems are candidates for future high-efficiency data storage devices that can be locally heated and rewritten by laser pulses (Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording). Measurements taken with extremely short X-ray pulses have shown that the heat is distributed a hundred times slower than expected.

Most animals have a keen sense of smell, which assists them in everyday tasks. Now, a new study sheds light on exactly how animals follow smells.

IVF experts disagree about whether transferring a fresh or frozen embryo to a patient's womb offers the best opportunity for healthy babies. According to a study of almost 83,000 IVF patients there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The best technique may vary, depending on how many eggs the patient produces.

In the largest known brain imaging study, scientists evaluated 62,454 brain SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) scans of more than 30,000 individuals from 9 months old to 105 years of age to investigate factors that accelerate brain aging.

An algorithm-based system that identifies telltale linguistic cues in fake news stories could provide news aggregator and social media sites like Google News with a new weapon in the fight against misinformation.

Scientists using an innovative quantum simulation technique have made one of the first observations of a mobility edge in a low-dimensional system. Scientists were able to combine a disordered virtual material — in this case a pair of coupled 1D chains — with artificial magnetic fields to explore this phenomenon.

The Southern California coast harbors some of the world's highest concentrations of an algal toxin perilous to wildlife and people. The most thoroughgoing assessment of the problem shows it's getting worse due to humanmade and natural conditions.

Ceramic materials are used in nuclear, chemical and electrical power generation industries because of their ability to withstand extreme environments. However, at high temperatures, ceramics are susceptible to thermal-shock fractures caused by rapid temperature-changing events, such as cold water droplet contact with hot surfaces. In a novel interdisciplinary approach, engineers report the use of a cheap, simple, water-repelling coating to prevent thermal shock in ceramics.

Innovations on the microscale depend on understanding the behavior of electricity on the smallest of length scales. Scientists have a good grasp of 'electrical breakdown,' when electricity jumps across large gaps and creates plasma; however, researchers have had little insight into the behavior of electricity as it jumps across very small gaps until now. A team reports research that shines light on electrical breakdown for the smallest gap distances ever studied: five to 10 microns.