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Nearly 1k mysterious strands revealed in Milky Way’s center
More than 35 years ago, a Northwestern astrophysicist discovered mysterious, giant filaments in the center of the Milky Way. Now, he uncovered 10 times more than previously known.
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‘Dancing molecules’ successfully repair severe spinal cord injuries
Researchers have developed an injectable therapy based on nanofibers that has enabled paralyzed mice with severe spinal cord injuries to regain the ability to walk.
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One sleepless night can rapidly reverse depression for several days in mice
In a new study, researchers induced mild, acute sleep deprivation in mice and then examined their behaviors and brain activity. Not only did dopamine release increase during the acute sleep loss period, synaptic plasticity also was enhanced — literally rewiring the brain to maintain the bubbly mood for the next few…
4
Artificial intelligence accelerates discovery of metallic glass
Machine learning algorithms pinpoint new materials 200 times faster than previously possible
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New studies offer insight into Lyme disease’s treatment, lingering symptoms
In two new studies led by bacteriologist Brandon L. Jutras, Northwestern scientists have identified an antibiotic that cures Lyme disease at a fraction of the dosage of the current “gold standard” treatment and discovered what may cause a treated infection to mimic chronic illness in patients.
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New Covid nasal spray outperforms current antibody treatments in mice
A new protein-based antiviral nasal spray is being advanced to Phase I human clinical trials to treat COVID-19. It works by blocking the spike protein's ability to infect cells.
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Memory decline after menopause linked to loss of estrogen production in brain
A largely overlooked space between cells in women’s brains may hold the key to understanding memory loss tied to estrogen decline after menopause, reports a new preclinical Northwestern Medicine study.
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Manganese is Lyme disease's double-edge sword
Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which relies on the antioxidant manganese to protect it from its host’s immune system. Both removing or adding too much manganese weakens the bacteria. Disrupting this balance could lead to new treatments for Lyme disease.<br />
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3-D printed ovaries produce healthy offspring in mice
Bioprosthetic ovaries produced mouse pups in otherwise infertile mice
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Unpaid social media moderators perform labor worth at least $3.4M/year on Reddit
The social networking platform Reddit relies on volunteer moderators to prevent the site from being overrun by problematic content—including hate speech—and ensure that it remains appealing for users. Though uncompensated, this labor is highly valuable to the company: According to a pair of new studies led by…
11
Sound waves enhance deep sleep and memory
Pink noise synced to brain waves deepens sleep and boosts memory in older adults
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Chemotherapy drug reaches brain tumors using novel ultrasound technology
Northwestern Medicine scientists report results of the first in-human clinical trial in which they used a novel, skull-implantable ultrasound device to open the blood-brain barrier and repeatedly permeate large, critical regions of the human brain to deliver chemotherapy that was injected intravenously.
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Inverted perovskite solar cell breaks 25% efficiency record
Northwestern University researchers have raised the standards again for perovskite solar cells with a new development that helped the emerging technology hit new records for efficiency.
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More green spaces linked to slower biological aging
More green spaces were associated with slower biological aging, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study. People who lived near more green spaces were biologically 2.5 years younger, on average, than those who live near less greenness.
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Schizophrenia study finds new biomarker, drug candidate in mice
A new Northwestern University study in humans and mice has discovered a novel biomarker of schizophrenia that could also serve as a new drug candidate to treat the cognitive symptoms of the disorder. Schizophrenia affects .5% of the world’s population, including about two million people in the U.S.