Whether we're staring at our phones, the page of a book, or the person across the table, the objects of our focus never stand in isolation; there are always other objects or people in our field of vision. How that visual 'clutter' affects visual processing in the brain, however, is not well understood. In a study, researchers show that this clutter alters how information flows in the brain, as does the precise location of that clutter within the wider field of vision. The findings help clarify the neural basis of perception and offer a deeper understanding of the visual cortex in the brain.
Read more …'Visual clutter' alters information flow in the brain
Cutting off cancer cells' access to fat may help a specific type of cancer treatment work more effectively, reports a new study. The findings lay the groundwork for developing tailored dietary strategies to help anti-cancer medications better kill malignant cells.
Read more …Starving cancer cells of fat may improve cancer treatment
Having happy intimate partners might not only lift our moods, but it also helps us manage stress, especially as we age, according to new research. When comparing individuals' self-reported emotional states and relationship satisfaction with their levels of cortisol, researchers observed that older couples have lower levels of the stress hormone when their partners feel positive emotions. This effect was even stronger for people who reported higher satisfaction in their relationships.
Read more …New study finds partner's happiness linked to lower stress hormone levels in older couples
Researchers describe the full molecular structure of the phage DEV. DEV infects and lyses Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria, an opportunistic pathogen in cystic fibrosis and other diseases. DEV is part of an experimental phage cocktail developed to eradicate P. aeruginosa infection in pre-clinical studies. Bacterial viruses, known as phages, are the most abundant biological entities on the planet and are increasingly used as biomedicines to eradicate antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria.
Read more …Structural biology analysis of a Pseudomonas bacterial virus reveals a genome ejection motor