The blue whale genome was published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, and the Etruscan shrew genome was published in the journal Scientific Data.
Category: Research Results
UC Irvine-led research team discovers role of key enzymes that drive cancer mutations
A research team led by the University of California, Irvine has discovered the key role that the APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B enzymes play in driving cancer mutations by modifying the DNA in tumor genomes, offering potential new targets for intervention strategies.
Digital reminders for flu vaccination improves turnout, but not clinical outcomes in older adults
An analysis of the the NUDGE-FLU (Nationwide Utilization of Danish Government Electronic letter system for increasing inFLUenza vaccine uptake) trial found that using digital reminders, or “electronic nudges,” improved influenza vaccine rates among older adults, but did not improve clinical outcomes.
A New Study Shows How Neurochemicals Affect fMRI Readings
A landmark study, led by Yen-Yu Ian Shih, PhD, at the UNC School of Medicine, shows how neurochemicals can influence blood vessels. The new findings may alter how researchers interpret results from functional magnetic resonance imaging.
Teasing Strange Matter from Ordinary
Like protons and neutrons, Lambda particles consist of three quarks bound together by gluons. But unlike protons and neutrons, which contain a mixture of up and down quarks, Lambdas also contain a strange quark.
Study Estimates Nearly 70 Percent of Children Under Six in Chicago May Be Exposed to Lead-Contaminated Tap Water
A new analysis led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health estimates that 68 percent of Chicago children under age six live in households with tap water containing detectable levels of lead.
Newly identified yeast could prevent fungal infections by outcompeting rivals, study suggests
Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel have identified a yeast that could be used to prevent invasive candidiasis, a major cause of death in hospitalized and immunocompromised patients. The study, to be published March 18 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM), shows that the novel yeast lives harmlessly in the intestines of mice and humans and can displace the yeast responsible for candidiasis, Candida albicans.
Case Western Reserve University researchers report rise in global fungal drug-resistant infections
A global wave of infections caused by fungi growing drug-resistant has the medical community issuing precautions on how to protect yourself.
Managing Kids’ Seasonal Allergies Is Nothing to Sneeze at — Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Experts Available for Interviews
Spring will soon be in bloom, bringing runny and stuffy noses, sneezes and itchy, watery eyes.
Middle-aged Americans lonelier than European counterparts
Middle-aged adults in the U.S. tend to report significantly higher levels of loneliness than their European counterparts, possibly due in part to weaker family ties and greater income inequality, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Breakthrough Discovery: Stem Cell “Messages” Fast-Track Healing of Diabetic Wounds
A study has unveiled that exosomes, extracted from adipose mesenchymal stem cells (ADSC-Exos), markedly speed up the healing process of skin wounds in diabetic mice. This discovery tackles the pressing global health issue of diabetic wounds, notorious for precipitating grave complications and impairments.
Unlocking Clearer Views of Our Water Worlds: A Landsat Legacy
A study highlights the significant advancements in water environment analysis facilitated by the Landsat missions. This research, for the first time, offers a comprehensive global assessment of cloud-free observations (NCOs) from Landsat, underscoring its pivotal role in environmental and hydrological studies.
Revolutionizing Carbon Neutrality: Machine Learning Paves the Way for Advanced CO2 Reduction Catalysts
A perspective highlights the transformative impact of machine learning (ML) on enhancing carbon dioxide reduction reactions (CO2RR), steering us closer to carbon neutrality.
Breathe, don’t vent: Turning down the heat is key to managing anger
Venting about a source of anger might feel good in the moment, but it’s not effective at reducing the rage, new research suggests.
Broadband Will Bring High-Speed Internet Connectivity to the National Radio Quiet Zone
Pocahontas County, West Virginia residents are set to experience a transformative shift in their internet connectivity, as the state of West Virginia announces substantial developments in the broadband infrastructure.
Artificial mucus identifies link to tumor formation
Mucus is critical to human health. To explore how, researchers synthesized its major component, sugar-coated proteins called mucins, and discovered that changing the mucins of healthy cells to be more cancer-like made cells act more cancer-like. They will present their results at ACS Spring 2024.
New composite decking could reduce global warming effects of building materials
Building materials are major contributors to global carbon dioxide emissions. So scientists have designed a composite decking material that stores more carbon dioxide than is required to manufacture it, providing the first “carbon-negative” option. They will present their results at ACS Spring 2024.
Mimicking exercise with a pill
Could a pill replicate the benefits of exercise? Researchers have identified new compounds that seem to mimic some benefits of exercise in rodent cells. This discovery could help treat those with muscle wasting and other conditions. The scientists will present their results at ACS Spring 2024.
Study Supports Use of a Continuous Nerve Block for Patients Receiving ACL Repair Surgery
A study out of Stanford University has found that use of a femoral catheter in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructive surgery is associated with better results.
Study Finds Popular Drugs Used for Diabetes and Weight-Loss Doesn’t Increase Aspiration or Pneumonia in Surgery Patients
A study has found no association between prescription glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist medications and increased risk of aspiration or pneumonia in surgery patients.
Shoulder Surgery Patients Who Receive Continuous Nerve Blocks Have Less Postoperative Pain
A study has found that patients undergoing shoulder surgery who receive continuous nerve blocks experience less pain following surgery compared to those who receive single-shot nerve blocks and continuous analgesia.
Developing bifunctional catalyst performance enhancement technology that will dramatically lower the cost of hydrogen production
Dr. Hyung-Suk Oh and Dr. Woong-Hee Lee of the Clean Energy Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), in collaboration with POSTECH and Yonsei University, have developed a methodology to improve the reversibility and durability of electrodes using bifunctional platinum-nickel alloy catalysts with an octahedral structure that exhibits both oxygen reduction and generation reactions.
Better kombucha brewing through chemistry
These chemists are investigating ways to reliably minimize alcohol and tailor taste profiles during the kombucha fermentation process to help home and commercial producers optimize their funky brews. They will present their results at ACS Spring 2024.
The many flavors of edible ants
Ants are commonly eaten in some parts of the world, roasted and eaten whole or ground and used to add flavor and texture to dishes. Each species has its own unique flavor, and researchers now report the aroma profiles of four species of edible ants. They will present their results at ACS Spring 2024.
Animal hair structure changes from summer to winter to fend off freezing weather
Some animals can withstand frigid weather, thanks to the insulating properties of the hollow hairs that make up their coats. Little was known about the hairs, but researchers have now discovered that their inner structure changes with the seasons. They will present their results at ACS Spring 2024.
Mount Sinai Experts to Present New Research at 71th Annual Meeting of the Society for Reproductive Investigation
Researchers available for interview about their new studies and other women’s health topics
Tropical Plants Beat Drought by Interacting with Specific Microbes
Researchers from the University of Arizona and the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy user facility, discovered that that plants can maintain specific microbe partnerships during times of drought, revealing a new level of resilience.
Some lymphomas become resistant to treatment. Gene discovery may offer path to overcome it.
Patients with some types of lymphoma that become resistant to standard treatments may benefit from a therapy that University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers are evaluating after they discovered a key process that fuels the blood cancers’ resistance to current drugs.
Searching for the Decay of Nature’s Rarest Isotope: Tantalum-180m
The tantalum isotope, Ta-180m, is found naturally in a long-lived excited state. However, the radioactive decay of this excited state in Ta-180m has never been observed.
Sylvester Researchers, Collaborators Call for Greater Investment in Bereavement Care
Bereaved persons are at greater risk for many adverse outcomes, including mental health challenges, health care neglect, cancer, heart disease, suicide, and death.
CHOP Researchers Discover Key Metabolic Process Responsible for Rapid Immune Responses
Researchers identified a key metabolite in cells that helps direct immune responses and explains at a single cell level why immune cells that most efficiently recognize pathogens, vaccines, or diseased cells grow and divide faster than other cells.
Mutations do not predict the severity of current variants of SARS-CoV-2
New research from UNC Charlotte’s Center for Computational Intelligence to Predict Health and Environmental Risks has found that the two most prevalent strains of the virus that cause COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 variants BA.2.86 and JN.1, are not significantly better than their predecessor Omicron at evading immune responses and causing infections despite having a high number of mutations compared to previous variants.
Fatty food before surgery may impair memory in old, young adults
Eating fatty food in the days leading up to surgery may prompt a heightened inflammatory response in the brain that interferes for weeks with memory-related cognitive function in older adults – and, new research in animals suggests, even in young adults.
CFRC Releases Groundbreaking Research on Subsidized Guardianship in Illinois
The Children and Family Research Center (CFRC) has conducted pioneering research aimed at securing permanent homes for children in foster care through subsidized guardianship.
Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Women Smoke More, Are Less Likely to Quit
People who identify as lesbian, gay and bisexual – particularly women – respond more positively to tobacco marketing, are more inclined to smoke cigarettes daily and may have a more difficult time quitting, according to two studies by a Rutgers Health researcher.
We Now Know Why Killer T Cells Lose Energy Inside of Solid Tumors
Researchers at the UNC School of Medicine have found that a metabolic enzyme called Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase causes T cells to store fat when they are in solid tumors, rather than burning fat for energy.
New Research in March: Colorectal Cancer, Kidney Health, OR Supply Costs, and More
The March issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) features new research on topics ranging from colorectal cancer and social vulnerability to operating room supply costs, the rise in school shootings since 1970, and the impact of permitless open carry laws on suicide rates, among others.
Unlocking the Climate Secrets of North China with Ancient Tree Rings
A recent study published in the Journal of Geographical Sciences in December 2023 reveals a novel method for reconstructing historical warm season temperatures in North China. Utilizing the blue intensity (BI) of tree rings of Picea meyeri, researchers have developed a 281-year chronology, offering unprecedented insights into the region’s climatic past.
Study of Fatal and Nonfatal Shootings by Police Reveals Racial Disparities, Dispatch Risks
A new study from researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions and Vanderbilt University found that an average of 1,769 people were injured annually in police shootings from 2015 to 2020, 55 percent of them or 979 people, fatally.
Revealing Nature’s Secrets from Space: Satellite Data Unlocks Drought’s Impact on Southwest China’s Carbon Cycle
A new study reveals a significant increase in aboveground carbon (AGC) in Southwest China from 2013 to 2021, defying the adverse effects of extreme droughts. This achievement underscores the region’s pivotal role as a carbon sink, attributed to extensive ecological projects and innovative remote sensing techniques.
China’s Urban Jungles: How City Parks are Winning the Battle Against Concrete
Recent studies highlight a significant transformation in China’s urban landscape, where the greening of city cores is compensating for vegetation loss in expanding urban areas.
Sun’s Secrets Unveiled: AI Unlocks New Solar Energy Horizons in China
Researchers have developed an innovative machine learning method to estimate solar radiation components in China without the need for local ground truth data. This breakthrough addresses the scarcity of radiation component data and opens new avenues for the solar energy industry.
A Breakthrough in Tiny Tool Tuning: Making Microscopic Measurements More Accurate
A study introduces a novel method for calibrating the spring constant of FluidFM micropipette cantilevers, crucial for the accurate measurement of forces in microfluidic environments.
NEW STUDY REVEALS COVID-19 MAY HAVE ORIGINATED IN A LAB
Research from the journal Risk Analysis, examined the likelihood of COVID-19 coming from an unnatural origin (i.e. from a laboratory.)
Mapping Water Wonders: A Groundbreaking Leap in Hydrology with NDWFI
In a significant advancement for hydrological monitoring and water resource management, researchers have developed the Normalized Difference Water Fraction Index (NDWFI), leveraging Landsat imagery and Spectral Mixture Analysis (SMA) within the Google Earth Engine platform. This innovation is pivotal for accurately tracking dynamic and subtle water bodies, crucial for enhancing water security and resilience against extreme hydrological events.
A Green Revolution: How Our Forests are Changing and What It Means for the Planet
A recent study reveals significant shifts in the composition of global forests and their carbon stocks from 2001 to 2020.
New study reveals breakthrough in understanding brain stimulation therapies
For the first time, researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities showed that non-invasive brain stimulation can change a specific brain mechanism that is directly related to human behavior.
Arctic nightlife: seabird colony bursts with sound at night
Acoustic recordings of a colony of little auks reveal their nocturnal activities and offer valuable monitoring means for avian biology in the Arctic.
UChicago Medicine helps bring first-of-its-kind drug for metabolic liver disease to the clinic
Resmetirom (Rezdiffra) is the first drug approved for treating MASH, an advanced form of fatty liver disease. UChicago Medicine experts contributed to a recent clinical trial and will begin incorporating the drug into liver disease treatment regimens for eligible patients.
twist on theatre sports could counteract a stutter
Mock ‘Ninja knife throwing’, ‘Gibberish’, or the fast and furious ‘Zap’ – they’re all favourite theatre games designed to break ice and boost confidence. But add speech therapy to theatre sports and you get a brand-new experience that’s hoping to deliver positive changes for people with a stutter.