Scientists

Covid patients' blood shows who is likely to become severely ill: Study

Researchers have identified specific proteins in the blood plasma of people infected with COVID-19 that may help predict which patients may need to be placed on ventilators to breathe and which are most likely to die of the virus. The researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in the US studied blood plasma samples from 332 COVID-19 patients. "Identifying harmful proteins may be helpful as we confront not only variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, but also as new viruses emerge in the future," said study principal investigator Carlos Cruchaga. "We may be able to draw blood from an individual with a COVID infection, check the levels of these key proteins and quickly determine risk for serious outcomes. We then could use that information to determine the best course of treatment," Cruchaga said. The team studied plasma samples from COVID-19 patients admitted to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, US and compared them to plasma samples from 150 people who had not b

Antibody that blocks Omicron, other Covid variants identified by scientists

A group of scientists in the US has identified an antibody that appears to block infection by all dominant variants of the virus that causes Covid-19, including Omicron

upGrad closes Rs 300 cr internal funding round from existing investors

Major investors in the rights include co-founder Ronnie Screwvala (Rs 212 cr) and Singapore-based Temasek (Rs 81 cr)

New Covid-origins study hints at spillover from animal: Scientists

Besides raccoon dogs, the international team of scientists also found DNA of bamboo rats, palm civets, Malayan porcupine and Amur hedgehog

Researchers show new ways of tracking spread of infectious diseases

In previous work, Luis M. Rocha's group at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia (IGC) found a way to simplify networks by extracting their backbones

Robotic thumb, arm, wings on humans could soon be a reality: Scientists

Advancements in human augmentation are likely to give humans a robotic thumb, arm or arms, wings, or tentacles in the coming decades, according to scientists

Indian plate moving 5 cm yearly, raising possibility of earthquakes: NGRI

Weather scientist warned that the Indian tectonic plate is moving about 5 cm every year, leading to accumulation of stress along the Himalayas and increasing the possibility of major seismic events

Fault's healing behaviour can provide window into zone's seismicity: Study

Observing the healing behaviour of a fault could provide a window into the seismicity of the fault zone, according to scientists. A fault that is slow to heal is more likely to move harmlessly, while one that heals quickly is more likely to stick until it breaks in a large, damaging earthquake, they said in a study. The scientists at The University of Texas at Austin, US, have discovered that a frictional phenomenon could be key to understanding when and how violently faults move, according to the study. That is because the phenomenon, which explains why it takes more effort to shove a heavy box from a standstill than it does to keep it moving, governs how quickly the fault surfaces bond together, or heal, after an earthquake, the study said. An everyday quirk of physics could be an important missing piece in scientists' efforts to predict the world's most powerful earthquakes, the study published in the journal Science said. That alone will not allow scientists to predict when th

IIT Delhi researcher develop next-gen vaccine using body's own immune cells

It was found that this antigen was more effective than free antigens in producing antibodies against the Covid-19 virus

Union MoS launches capacity building programme for senior scientists

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh on Thursday launched a 'Capacity Building Programme for Senior Scientists in Effective Leadership and Creativity' at the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) here. The initiative is being organised in collaboration with the Capacity Building Commission (CBC), ASCI said. The programme aims to impart creative thinking skills to participating scientists, enabling them to develop competencies necessary for effective leadership, it said. This, in turn, will enable scientific establishments to operate more effectively in today's competitive environment, the college stated. Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman CBC; ASCI Chairman and former Union Home Secretary K Padmanabhaiah and several other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

Scientists in Japan use new device to detect brain tumor via urine test

Scientists have used a new device to identify a key membrane protein in urine that indicates whether the patient has a brain tumour. According to their study, the protein used to detect brain cancer could avoid the need for invasive tests, and increase the likelihood of tumours being detected early enough for surgery. This research from Nagoya University, Japan, could also have potential implications for detecting other types of cancer, the study said. The research was published in the journal ACS Nano. Although early detection of many types of cancer has contributed to the recent increases in cancer survival rates, the survival rate for brain tumours has remained almost unchanged for over 20 years. This is partly due to their late detection. Physicians often discover brain tumours only after the onset of neurological symptoms, such as loss of movement or speech, by which time the tumour has reached a considerable size. Detecting the tumour when it is still small, and starting ..

Scientists working to increase shelf life of millets-based products

After putting Indian millets on the global stage, scientists are working on ways to increase the shelf life of products made from the coarse grains without compromising on the nutritional value. Scientists at Mysuru-based CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI) are also working on validating the numerous health benefits attributed to millets as they make a comeback as superfoods. Millets have an active enzyme called lipase that reduces the shelf-life of millet-based products by giving off-odours and rancidity, Sridevi Annapurna Singh, Director, CSIR-CFTRI told PTI here. She said scientists at CFTRI are now working on methods and processes to inactivate the lipase enzyme in millets, which could enhance their shelf life. Some food processors remove the outer layers of millet that takes away the fibre and minerals of the coarse grains. But, it should not become devoid of vitamins and minerals and be left with only starch and a little bit of protein. We are wor

Renowned scientist, former CSIR director A D Damodaran dies at 87

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the death and said the country has lost a scientist known for his expertise in nuclear science

New metabolite that can detect liver cancer by urine test discovered

A metabolite, that has never been found in mammals before, and may allow urine tests to detect a type of liver cancer, has been discovered by scientists

BF.7 coronavirus variant not worrisome for India: Scientist Rakesh Mishra

Allaying fears about BF.7 variant of coronavirus, a prominent scientist on Friday said it is a sub-variant of Omicron strain and that India need not worry too much about its severity on the population. Speaking to PTI, Rakesh Mishra, Director, Tata Institute for Genetics and Society (TIGS), Bangalore, however cautioned that wearing face masks and avoiding unnecessary crowds is always advisable. The former director of CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology further said China has been witnessing an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases as the neighbouring country has not passed through different waves of the infection that India had faced. "This is a sub-variant of Omicron. Main features will be like Omicron except some small changes, there is no big difference. Most of us have gone through the Omicron wave. So, we don't have to worry about it. Essentially, it is the same virus," he said. China is experiencing a surge in infections due to its "zero-Covid policy", under which

Study finds how long Covid causes smell loss for months, even years

Scientists have uncovered details about the reason behind loss of smell continuing as part of long Covid symptoms, according to a new study. The reason some people fail to recover their sense of smell after COVID-19 is linked to an ongoing immune assault on olfactory nerve cells and an associated decline in the number of those cells, a team of scientists from Duke University, US, report. Olfactory nerve cells are associated with our ability to distinguish scents and smells. The findings, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, provide an important insight into a vexing problem that has plagued millions who have not fully recovered their sense of smell after COVID-19, the study said. While focusing on the loss smell, the findings also shed light on the possible underlying causes of other long COVID-19 symptoms - including generalized fatigue, shortness of breath, and brain fog - that might be triggered by similar biological mechanisms. "One of the first symptoms th

Many marine species may go extinct before being discovered: Scientists

More than 90 per cent of marine species are undescribed and many may go extinct due to human activity before they are discovered

UN summit: Scientists warn nations not to repeat past mistakes on nature

Scientists around the world are warning governments who will be gathering in Montreal this week for the United Nations biodiversity summit to not repeat past mistakes and are urging officials to avoid trade-offs between people and conservation needs in a report Monday. The study published in the One Earth Journal found that even though there has been an increase in investment in conservation over the last three decades governments have not succeeded in bending the curve on biodiversity decline. The conference known as COP15, which begins Tuesday, hopes to set the goals for the world for the next decade to help conserve the planet's biodiversity and stem the loss of nature. So far the world has failed to meet goals set at previous meetings. The scientists proposed six areas for action for delegates working toward what's known as the global biodiversity framework. They include greater involvement of local communities and addressing both direct causes of nature decline such as the ...

Global space cooperation integral part of Indian space programme: Offficial

Global space cooperation is an integral part of India's space programme, a top Indian space scientist has said and supported the idea of nations coming together to replicate the International Space Station for another outpost in space. In this entire journey of the Indian space programme, global space cooperation has always been an integral part, Krunal Joshi who is currently a counsellor, Space (ISRO) at the Embassy of India told a recent ASCEND Conference. Participating in two-panel discussions at the prestigious ASCEND conference, hosted by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) in Las Vegas from October 24 to October 26, Joshi told the space scientific community that India has launched more than 350 satellites from 33 countries. In the 1960s, India dedicated Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station to the UN and a variety of research and launch experiments were done from here. India today has more than 230 agreements with over 55 countries and five ...

Scientists discover new evidence for possibility of liquid water on Mars

An international team of researchers has found new evidence for the possible existence of liquid water beneath the south polar ice cap of Mars. The results, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, provide the first independent line of evidence, using data other than radar, that there is liquid water beneath Mars' south pole. The researchers, led by the University of Cambridge with involvement from the University of Sheffield, used spacecraft laser-altimeter measurements of the shape of the upper surface of the ice cap to identify subtle patterns in its height. They then showed that these patterns match computer model predictions for how a body of water beneath the ice cap would affect the surface. Their results are in agreement with earlier ice-penetrating radar measurements that were originally interpreted to show a potential area of liquid water beneath the ice. There has been debate over the liquid water interpretation from the radar data alone, with some studies suggesting