MI weekly selection #290
Accepting asylum-seekers, migrants boosts nations’ economies
An influx of migrants and asylum-seekers is beneficial to a country’s economy within five years. Researchers based their findings on 30 years’ worth of data collected from 15 Western European countries.
Shallow hydrothermal vents discovered near Azores
Hydrothermal vents found off the Azores are not as deep or remote as other deep-sea vents and may be home to new species. “This is an extraordinary discovery since this hydrothermal field is shallower than all others known in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge,” said expedition co-leader Emanuel Goncalves.
Arctic Circle animals adapt to long daylight after summer solstice
Creatures that live above the Arctic Circle alter their resting behavior after the summer solstice to deal with the extreme daylight conditions. Semipalmated sandpiper pairs take turns sleeping in their nests, and reindeer sleep only when they have to digest food.
Study suggests involvement of herpesviruses in Alzheimer’s development
Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease had up to twofold higher levels of human herpesviruses 6A and 7 in their brains, compared with those without Alzheimer’s, with virus-host interactions having various overlaps with Alzheimer’s-related genes. The findings may help determine virus biomarkers in the brain that may boost Alzheimer’s diagnosis, said researcher Joel Dudley.
Nobel winners lead call for openness in animal research
Four Nobel laureates are among nearly 600 signatories to an open letter calling for research institutions to embrace openness and to proudly explain the important role animal research plays in advancing the health and well-being of humans and animals. “From the development of insulin and transplant surgery to modern day advances, including gene therapies and cancer treatments; animals — from mice to monkeys — continue to play a crucial role in both basic and applied research,” the letter reads.