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Astronomers discover 19 new pulsars by analyzing FAST archival data

Astronomers from Nanjing University in China have analyzed the archival data from the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST), searching for new pulsars. As a result, they detected 19 such objects that were missed by previous studies. The findings were presented January 5 on the pre-print server arXiv.

Pulsars are highly magnetized, rotating neutron stars emitting a beam of electromagnetic radiation. They are usually identified in the form of short bursts of radio emission; however, some of them are also observed via optical, X-ray and gamma-ray telescopes.

Spatial Reorganization of Chromatin Architecture Shapes the Expression Phenotype of Therapy‐Induced Senescent Cells

In the course of TIS, cells undergo a profound epigenomic reorganization that underlies the development of a senescence-associated phenotype and formation of an inflammatory microenvironment.

Memory Deficits in Cancer Patients With Serum NMDA Receptor Autoantibodies

Serum NMDAR autoantibodies are associated with isolated memory deficits in patients with cancer and might serve as a potential biomarker for cancer-related cognitive impairment.


ObjectivesNeuronal autoantibodies are linked to cognitive impairment in neurologic diseases and can be associated with tumors. In patients with cancer, IgA/IgM N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor (NMDAR) autoantibodies are most common, yet their clinical relevance is unclear. We assessed cognitive function in cancer patients with serum NMDAR autoantibodies and compared the results with matched controls.

Glucocorticoid injection shows little benefit for knee osteoarthritis, clinical trial finds

Researchers in China have found no statistically significant advantage for infrapatellar fat pad glucocorticoid injection over saline for 12-week knee pain change or effusion synovitis volume change in inflammatory knee osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis affects approximately 595 million people worldwide, with knee joints identified as the most commonly affected. Symptomatic knee osteoarthritis is linked to physical disability, reduced quality of life, and increased mortality in older adults, while curative drugs remain lacking amid a rising burden tied to aging and obesity.

Some knee osteoarthritis involves inflammation, and inflammation can involve two nearby tissues—the fat pad under the kneecap and the joint lining—that are structurally interconnected and serve as important sources of inflammation in knee osteoarthritis.

The best hydrogen for heavy-duty transport is locally produced and green, say researchers

If trucks ran on hydrogen instead of fossil fuels, carbon dioxide emissions from heavy-duty road transport could be significantly reduced. At the same time, a new study from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden shows that differences in how the gas is produced, distributed and used greatly affect its climate benefits.

Locally produced green hydrogen is the best option for the climate—with the additional benefit of enabling all countries to become self-sufficient in energy and fuel, even in times of crisis and war.

Heavy-duty road transport currently accounts for one fifth of global oil consumption and, in the EU, heavy-duty diesel trucks are the largest source of emissions of the transport-related greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. In the future, the need for road transport is expected to increase, and consequently also the sector’s demand for fossil fuels from oil.

Flu is rising rapidly, driven by a new variant. Here’s what to know

Flu is rising rapidly across the U.S., driven by a new variant of the virus—and cases are expected to keep growing with holiday travel.

That variant, known as “subclade K,” led to early outbreaks in the United Kingdom, Japan and Canada. In the U.S., flu typically begins its winter march in December. On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported high or very high levels of illness in more than half the states.

The CDC estimated there have been at least 7.5 million illnesses, 81,000 hospitalizations and 3,100 deaths from flu so far this season. That includes at least eight child deaths—and is based on data as of Dec. 20, before major holiday gatherings.

This Common Blood Pressure Drug Boosts Lifespan And Slows Aging in Animals

The hypertension drug rilmenidine has been found to slow aging in worms – an effect that, if it translates to humans, could one day help us live longer and stay healthier in old age.

Rilmenidine appears to mimic the effects of caloric restriction on a cellular level, and reducing available energy while maintaining nutrition has been shown to extend lifespans in several animal models.

Whether this translates to human biology, or is a potential risk to our health, is a topic of ongoing debate. Finding ways to achieve the same benefits without the costs of extreme calorie cutting could lead to new ways to improve health in old age.

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