Rene Izquierdo is a teacher, performer and researcher. He has saved some bygone music of his Cuban homeland from being lost to history.’
Author: sarah Jonas

Two ORNL researchers receive presidential early career award
Two researchers from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory–David Cullen and Kate Page–have received a 2019 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, or PECASE.

When legislatures can and can’t check executive powers
The largest analysis of gubernatorial executive orders to date reveals important nuances that explain how and when legislatures are able to constrain executive power.

Whole-tree Harvesting Could Boost Biomass Production
Making the shift to renewable energy sources requires biomass, too.

Midwives and nurse-midwives may underestimate the dangers of prenatal alcohol use
Alcohol use during pregnancy can have harmful consequences on the fetus including restricted growth, facial anomalies, and neurobehavioral problems. No amount of alcohol use during pregnancy has been proven safe. Yet a recent survey of midwives and nurses who provide prenatal care showed that 44% think one drink per occasion is acceptable while pregnant, and 38% think it is safe to drink alcohol during at least one trimester of pregnancy.
Researchers Identify Specific Genetic Vulnerabilities to PTSD among U.S. Veterans
A genome-wide association study of more than 165,000 U.S. veterans confirms a genetic vulnerability to post-traumatic stress disorder, specifically noting abnormalities in stress hormone response and/or functioning of specific brain regions.
The momentum myth: Staggering primaries didn’t affect outcome of 2016 nominating contests
During the 2016 primary season, voters didn’t shift their preferences based on who was winning, according to a massive analysis of more than 325,000 tracking poll results.
Mayo Clinic, Boston Scientific launch effort to accelerate new medical technology that addresses unmet medical needs
Mayo Clinic and Boston Scientific Corp. have launched a new venture to accelerate the development of medical technology and new minimally invasive treatments for many health conditions that impede quality and longevity of life.

Imaging of exotic quantum particles as building blocks for quantum computing
Researchers have imaged an exotic quantum particle — called a Majorana fermion — that can be used as a building block for future qubits and eventually the realization of quantum computers.
Eagleton Institute of Politics Experts Available To Discuss the Democratic Presidential Primary Debates
New Brunswick, N.J. — Experts at Rutgers University’s Eagleton Institute of Politics are available for commentary and analysis on the July 30 and 31 Democratic presidential primary debates. Ashley Koning, assistant research professor at Eagleton and director of the Eagleton…
‘Mommy bloggers’ study reveals factors that drive success in social influencer marketing
New research from the University of Notre Dame provides a framework of strategies to help managers yield larger returns on engagement.
Moving forward with #tobacco21 legislation will have a big impact on reducing youth #tobacco use: ATS #Tobacco Action Committee
Hasmeena Kathuria, MD, is an associate professor in pulmonary medicine at Boston University Medical School, and the director of the Tobacco treatment Center at Boston Medical Center. She is the vice chair for the ATS Tobacco Action Committee. Michelle Eakin, PhD, is…

A shock to behold: Earthbound scientists complement space missions by reproducing the dynamics behind astronomical shocks
Article describes first laboratory measurement of the precursors to high-energy astronomical shocks.

Lung Transplant Surgeon Christine Lau, MD, Selected as Next Chair of Department of Surgery at University of Maryland School of Medicine
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean, E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, today announced that Christine Lau, MD, MBA, the George Minor Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Virginia (UVA), will become the next Chair of the Department of Surgery at UMSOM, and the Chief of Surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC).

Dr. Sanjay Agarwal, @UCSDHealth fertility expert: multidisciplinary approach = better outcomes for #endometriosis
Endometriosis is a complex, chronic disease that impacts the quality of life, and in some cases fertility, of patients. Sanjay Agarwal, MD, director of fertility services at UC San Diego Health, is available to talk about new treatment options for…
MSU receives $2.5M for less commonly taught languages
Michigan State University was awarded a four-year, $2.5 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support further development in the research and teaching of less commonly taught languages, with an emphasis on Indigenous languages. This is the second Mellon grant received by the LCTL Partnership
Study considers sensory impacts of global climate change
Studies of how global change is impacting marine organisms have long focused on physiological effects–for example an oyster’s decreased ability to build or maintain a strong shell in an ocean that is becoming more acidic due to excess levels of carbon dioxide.

UMD studies green infrastructure to manage more intense stormwater with climate change
UMD researchers are connecting climate change to urban and suburban stormwater management, with the ultimate goal of increasing resiliency to major storm events. With models not only predicting more rain, but an increased frequency of particularly intense and destructive storms

Employees’ proactive behaviors can be risky business, psychologists find
Organizations often expect their employees to show initiative through proactive behavior, and at the same time, expect them to work well with their co-workers to achieve goals. But proactive approaches may not always be welcome by other team members, according to new psychological research.

Dr. Y. Shirley Meng available to discuss materials science playing a critical role in energy and sustainability production, conversion and storage, and the challenges today to meet higher performance and cost demands.
Dr. Y. Shirley Meng, recently named as the new Editor-in-Chief of MRS Energy & Sustainability journal, received her PhD in advanced materials for micro- and nanosystems from the Singapore-Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Alliance in 2005, after which she worked…
Travelling towards a quantum internet at light speed
A research team lead by Osaka University demonstrated how information encoded in the circular polarization of a laser beam can be translated into the spin state of an electron in a quantum dot, each being a quantum bit and a quantum computer candidate.

National database will enhance public safety during wildfires
A national address database with geographical coordinates, known as address point data, can help emergency managers warn and evacuate residents during a wildfire.
How can you reliably spot a fake smile? Ask a computer
Real and fake smiles can be tricky to tell apart, but researchers at the University of Bradford have now developed computer software that can spot false facial expressions.

Engineers use heat-free tech for flexible electronics; print metal traces on flowers, gelatin
Researchers led by Iowa State’s Martin Thuo are using liquid-metal particles to print electronic lines and traces on rose petals, leaves, paper, gelatin — on all kinds of materials. The technology creates flexible electronics that could have many applications such as monitoring crops or collecting biological data.

MS Affects Children Too: Rutgers Health Treats Patients at the Only Pediatric MS Program in the State
It’s estimated that more than 8,000 American children are currently fighting MS. The most common presentations of the disease include visual impairment, transverse myelitis, arm-leg weakness, sensory disturbances, inflammation of the spinal cord, or balance problems. And like most diseases, early intervention offers the greatest hope of mitigating patients’ symptoms.
Pediatric neurologist Vikram Bhise, MD, at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, has dedicated his career to treating MS and other central demyelinating diseases.
The only dedicated pediatric MS program in the state, Rutgers Health works to provide cutting-edge therapies, patient and family education, and access to clinical trials.
Discovery enables clear identification of diseased beta cells in type 2 diabetes
BOSTON – (July 29, 2019) – Researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, have unlocked the key to clearly identifying diseased beta cells in type 2 diabetes. This discovery has both research and therapeutic implications.Studies of diabetes rely on the ability of researchers to sort diseased cells from healthy cells.

Increasing value of ivory poses major threat to elephant populations
The global price of ivory increased tenfold since its 1989 trade ban by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), new research has found. The University of Bristol Veterinary School study

Freezing cells made safer thanks to new polymer made at University of Warwick
Cell freezing (cryopreservation) – which is essential in cell transfusions as well as basic biomedical research – can be dramatically improved using a new polymeric cryoprotectant, discovered at the University of Warwick, which reduces the amount of ‘anti-freeze’ needed to protect cells.

Mesa Biotech to Launch Molecular, Sample-to-Answer RSV Test at the 2019 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting
Mesa Biotech Inc., a privately-held, molecular diagnostic company that has developed an affordable, sample-to-answer, CLIA-waived PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing platform designed specifically for point-of-care (POC) infectious disease diagnosis, today announced the launch of its respiratory syncytial virus test (RSV). Mesa will demonstrate its expanded, novel Accula™ Test System at the 71st American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo. The Accula System’s RSV and Flu A/Flu B molecular tests will be on exhibit in Booth 3902. Sekisui Diagnostics distributes both products in the US under the Silaris™ brand.

Sandia Labs manufacturing spinoff steps into national market
For 25 years, ESTT has promoted the creation of innovative small businesses by allowing staff to leave the labs with a guaranteed job waiting if they return within two years. Spinoff tech companies such as AMPS create high-paying jobs that help stimulate local economies.

Sandia Labs manufacturing spinoff steps into national market
For 25 years, ESTT has promoted the creation of innovative small businesses by allowing staff to leave the labs with a guaranteed job waiting if they return within two years. Spinoff tech companies such as AMPS create high-paying jobs that help stimulate local economies.

Transforming Advanced Nanoscience Data into Interactive Art
A scientist, an artist, and a computer music professor combined 3-D printing, sound, and virtual reality to represent nanoscience data.
UCI, JPL glaciologists unveil most precise map ever of Antarctic ice velocity
Constructed from a quarter century’s worth of satellite data, a new map of Antarctic ice velocity by glaciologists from the University of California, Irvine and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is the most precise ever created. Published today in a paper in the American Geophysical Union journal Geophysical Research Letters, the map is 10 times more accurate than previous renditions, covering more than 80 percent of the continent.
The Congress of Neurological Surgeons Approves $1 Million Gift to the CNS Foundation
The Executive Committee of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) voted unanimously during its winter Executive Committee meeting to approve a $1 million gift to the Congress of Neurological Surgeons Foundation (CNS Foundation). The CNS Foundation’s mission is to improve worldwide patient health by supporting innovative programs that allow neurosurgeons to collaborate globally as researchers, learners, educators and caregivers.

Four in 10 Chicago Parents Live in a Community with Limited Grocery Access, Linked to More Challenges in Healthy Eating for Kids
Four in 10 parents live in a Chicago community area with limited grocery access, and they report more challenges to healthy eating for their children, such as time for sit-down family meals, cost of healthy foods, and convenience of fast food, according to results of a new survey released by Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH).

Epilepsy is a threat to public health, says international report
Worldwide, more than 50 million people are living with epilepsy. As many as 37 million are not receiving treatment, though it can cost as little as US$5 a year and eliminates seizures about two-thirds of the time. These findings and many others are published in “Epilepsy: A public health imperative”, a report produced by ILAE, the World Health Organization and the International Bureau for Epilepsy.

Optometrist can talk about keeping eyes and contact lenses safe during summer
For your summer pool days, Andrew D. Pucker, O.D., Ph.D., FAAO, optometrist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, can talk eye safety, including: the best eye protection for being in water using contact lenses safely in water and heat…

First Patient Receives Surgery in UNC-Led International Pivotal Trial for Repair of Thoracoabdominal and Pararenal Aortic Aneurysms
The pivotal trial to determine the safety and effectiveness of a modular device designed to be the first completely off-the-shelf endovascular solution for aortic aneurysms involving the visceral branch vessels is successfully underway with its first surgery at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, NC.

Epilepsy is a threat to public health, says international report
Worldwide, more than 50 million people are living with epilepsy. As many as 37 million are not receiving treatment, though it can cost as little as US$5 a year and eliminates seizures about two-thirds of the time. These findings and many others are published in “Epilepsy: A public health imperative”, a report produced by ILAE, the World Health Organization and the International Bureau for Epilepsy.
“Flesh-Eating Bacteria” Move into New Waters: How to Stay Safe
A Rutgers infectious disease expert discusses how to stay healthy as the bacteria that causes necrotizing soft tissue infections move into new, more northern waters
Preoperative Opioid Score Doesn’t Predict Patient Outcomes After Spinal Surgery
An opioid use score based on state prescription databases does not predict complications or other adverse outcomes in patients undergoing spinal surgery, reports a study in the journal Spine. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

Study finds worrisome birth-control knowledge gap
A new study has uncovered concerning gaps in knowledge about birth control effectiveness. The research, conducted in the Vietnam capital of Hanoi, included four forms of contraception: IUDs, birth control pills, male condoms and withdrawal.

Researchers Discover New Combination Therapy to Treat Drug-Resistant Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have developed a new combination treatment regimen that enhances the immune system’s ability to kill leukemias that do not respond to standard treatments. The regimen includes a therapeutic antibody designed to draw natural killer immune cells to cancer cells.

Olin College Named to Top College Value Lists
in College of Engineering has been designated a top 10 national “Best Buy” college by Fiske Guide to Colleges. The list covers 20 private and public colleges and universities nationwide that are noted for their academic offerings and affordable cost. Olin is one of only two New England colleges named in the list.
Anesthesia Health Care Groups Join American Academy of Pediatrics in Endorsement of Guidelines for Deep Sedation and Anesthesia During Dental Procedures
In a joint statement, ASA, SPA, ASDA, and SPS join the AAP in endorsing guidelines that recommend that at least two people with specific training and credentials should be present with a pediatric patient undergoing deep sedation or general anesthesia for dental treatment in a dental facility or hospital.

Keck Medical Center of USC Named to U.S. News & World Report 2019-20 Best Hospitals Honor Roll
Keck Medical Center of USC Named to U.S. News & World Report 2019-20 Best Hospitals Honor Roll among top 20 hospitals nationwide
Preoperative Opioid Score Doesn’t Predict Patient Outcomes After Spinal Surgery
An opioid use score based on state prescription databases does not predict complications or other adverse outcomes in patients undergoing spinal surgery, reports a study in the journal Spine. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.
Media Invited to Livestream Expert Panel on At-Home DNA Kits and Consumer Genetic Testing
A special session at the 71st AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo will shed much-needed light on the nuances of direct-to-consumer genetic testing.
Did you know donating umbilical cord blood could save a child’s life?
July is National Cord Blood Awareness Month, and many parents are not aware of the option they have to donate it and the benefits that public donation can bring.

Randox RX series gains NGSP Certification for Direct HbA1c
Randox Laboratories has this month announced its achievement in being awarded the Manufacturer Certification by the National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program (NGSP); for direct HbA1c testing on three of its clinical chemistry analysers; the RX modena, RX imola and RX daytona+.