New research from Georgia Tech finds that elephants dilate their nostrils in order to create more space in their trunks, allowing them to store up to nine liters of water. They can also suck up three liters per second — a speed 50 times faster than a human sneeze. The findings could inspire different ways to building robots that manipulate air to move or hold things.
Category: Research Results
Study of Wild Geladas Reveals Mid-Size Group Living is Best for Survival and Fitness
A research team that includes Anthropology researchers from Stony Brook University has used 14 years of demographic data on multiple groups of wild geladas to determine that mid-size group living is best for fitness, essentially optimizing survival and reproduction.
Study Provides New Insights on COVID-19 Risk in Patients Receiving Dialysis
• Among individuals with kidney failure who received dialysis at clinics several times each week, COVID-19 risks were higher in patients who were older, had diabetes, lived in local communities with higher COVID-19 rates, and received dialysis at clinics that served a larger number of patients.
• Risks were lower in patients who received dialysis in clinics with a higher number of available side rooms and that had mask policies for asymptomatic patients.
Signs of COVID-19 Mortality May be Easily Measured at Home
Two easily measurable signs of health are distinctly predictive of higher mortality among patients hospitalized with COVID-19, according to a study examining the cases of inpatients with COVID-19 at Rush University Medical Center and University of Washington Medicine hospitals.
New evidence may change timeline for when people first arrived in North America
An unexpected discovery by an Iowa State University researcher suggests that the first humans may have arrived in North America more than 30,000 years ago – nearly 20,000 years earlier than originally thought.
Research Shows Plunge in Childhood Vaccination Rates in Texas During Pandemic
A team of researchers from universities in California and Texas has found immunization rates for children in Texas for a wide range of diseases, including polio and measles, have dropped steeply during the COVID-19 pandemic.
UCI-led study sheds light on mysterious genotype-phenotype associations
A new study analyzing the association between an individual’s genetics (genotype) and their observable characteristics resulting from the interaction of genetics and the environment (phenotype), contributes new knowledge to the understanding of human complex traits and diseases.
COVID-19 Simulation Shows Importance of Continued Safety Efforts During Vaccine Distribution
Research published by JAMA Network Open shows how non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) like mask wearing and physical distancing can help prevent spikes in COVID-19 cases as populations continue to get vaccinated.
AI赋能的心电图研究发现数字年龄与生物学年龄之间的差异会显著影响健康和长寿
一项新研究发现,人工智能(AI)赋能的心电图(EKG)所预测的年龄与生物学年龄之间的差异,可以为健康和长寿提供可衡量性的见解
New Neuronal Code Found in Bats Navigating Extra-Large Spaces, Weizmann Institute Scientists Report
To date, place cells have been studied in mammals in small spaces. How do we navigate large ones? Prof. Nachum Ulanovsky and team studied bats navigating a 200-m-long tunnel – and discovered a novel neuronal code for spatial perception. The work showed that place cells behave completely differently when navigating very large spaces.
Medical AI models rely on ‘shortcuts’ that could lead to misdiagnosis of COVID-19 and other diseases, UW researchers find
University of Washington researchers discovered that AI models ignored clinically significant indicators on X-rays and relied instead on characteristics such as text markers or patient positioning that were specific to each dataset to predict whether someone had COVID-19.
Diet Plays Critical Role in NASH Progressing to Liver Cancer in Mouse Model
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine found in a mouse model that when fed a Western diet rich in calories, fat and cholesterol, the mice progressively became obese, diabetic and developed NASH, which progressed to HCC, chronic kidney and cardiovascular disease.
Head injury and concussion in toddlers: early detection of symptoms is vital
Concussions can have serious consequences for toddlers. A Canadian research team has developed a tool to detect them in children who do not yet speak or have a limited vocabulary.
Foster care, homelessness are higher education hurdles
A college education is estimated to add $1 million to a person’s lifetime earning potential, but for some students the path to earning one is riddled with obstacles. That journey is even more difficult for students who have been in the foster care system or experienced homelessness, according to a new study from the University of Georgia.
CHOP Researchers Develop Proof-of-Concept Treatment that Elevates Both Adult and Fetal Hemoglobin
Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have developed a proof-of-concept treatment for blood disorders like sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia that could raise hemoglobin levels by activating production of both fetal and adult hemoglobin. Using a viral vector engineered to reactivate fetal hemoglobin production, suppress mutant hemoglobin, and supply functional adult hemoglobin, the researchers developed an approach that could produce more hemoglobin through a single vector. The results were published in Haematologica.
New device helps restore penile length and sexual function after prostate cancer surgery
A new type of penile traction therapy (PTT) device can increase penile length and preserve erectile function in men who have undergone prostate cancer surgery (prostatectomy), reports a clinical trial in The Journal of Urology®, Official Journal of the American Urological Association (AUA). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.
Moffitt Cancer Center Experts to Present New Clinical Research Data
Moffitt Cancer Center, a national leader in cancer care and research and the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center based in Florida, is presenting new data from dozens of clinical research studies at this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, the world’s largest clinical cancer research meeting. Moffitt investigators will lead 25 abstract presentations, five education sessions, two cancer-based panels and two clinical science symposia. The virtual meeting is June 4-8.
Post-Surgical Pain Relief Without Opioids
Clinician researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have shown that patients don’t necessarily need opioids for pain relief following robotic prostatectomies. In a study published in the Journal of Robotic Surgery, the team found that strategic use of local anesthetic and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) plus acetaminophen can effectively control post-surgical pain without narcotics.
A ‘jolt’ for ocean carbon sequestration
Global oceans absorb about 25% of the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned. Electricity-eating bacteria known as photoferrotrophs could provide a boost to this essential process, according to new research from Washington University in St. Louis.Scientists led by Arpita Bose, assistant professor of biology in Arts & Sciences, found that bacteria found in brackish sediments can “eat” electricity and, in the process, absorb and lock away climate-warming carbon dioxide.
Identifying Potential Treatment for Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Researchers at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) recently discovered a phage display-based approach to halt tumor growth that could be used to treat triple-negative breast cancer – considered the most aggressive type of breast cancer. The findings were published online in the scientific journal eLife.
Browning Could Make Lakes Less Productive, Affecting Food Webs and Fish
As more dissolved organic matter enters lakes across the northeast United States, darkening the lakes in a phenomena called “browning,” research published today in Limnology and Oceanography Letters shows that these waters may be growing less productive and able to sustain less life.
Rush Researchers Develop New Measure of Brain Health
A new measure of brain health developed by researchers at Rush University Medical Center may offer a novel approach to identifying individuals at risk of memory and thinking problems, according to research results published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association on June 1.
Fast-track Extubation Protocol Reduces Ventilation Time
High rates of variability in extubation times among cardiac surgery patients in Duke University Hospital’s cardiothoracic intensive care unit led to a new fast-track extubation protocol and redesigned care processes. As a result, more patients were extubated within six hours after being admitted to the ICU after surgery.
“Electronic Nose” Accurately Sniffs Out Hard-to-Detect Cancers
An odor-based test that sniffs out vapors emanating from blood samples was able to distinguish between benign and pancreatic and ovarian cancer cells with up to 95 percent accuracy.
NUS researchers develop novel technique to automate production of pharmaceutical compounds
Giving a new spin to conventional chemical synthesis, a team of researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has developed a way to automate the production of small molecules suitable for pharmaceutical use. The method can potentially be used for molecules that are typically produced via manual processes, thereby reducing the manpower required.
Light-shrinking material lets ordinary microscope see in super resolution
UC San Diego engineers developed a technology that turns a conventional light microscope into what’s called a super-resolution microscope. It improves the microscope’s resolution (from 200 nm to 40 nm) so that it can be used to directly observe finer structures and details in living cells.
Study suggests tai chi can mirror healthy benefits of conventional exercise
A new study shows that tai chi mirrors the beneficial effects of conventional exercise by reducing waist circumference in middle-aged and older adults with central obesity.
A Technique for Regulating Emotion May be Effective in Disrupting Compulsive Cocaine Addiction, a Mount Sinai Study Has Found
An emotion regulation strategy known as cognitive reappraisal helped reduce the typically heightened and habitual attention to drug-related cues and contexts in cocaine-addicted individuals, a study by Mount Sinai researchers has found.
Genetic mutation linked to childhood ALS
Scientists have identified a novel form of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, that affects children, according to an international collaborative study, “Childhood Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Caused by Excess Sphingolipid Synthesis,” published May 30, 2021, in Nature Medicine. This is the first example of a mutation that perturbs a specific metabolic pathway as causative for ALS.
Estudo de ECGs que utiliza IA revela que a diferença entre a idade em anos e a idade biológica afeta significativamente a saúde e a longevidade
Você pode ser mais velho ou mais jovem do que pensa. Um novo estudo descobriu que as diferenças entre a idade de uma pessoa em anos e sua idade biológica, conforme previsto por um eletrocardiograma (ECG), habilitado para inteligência artificial (IA) podem fornecer percepções mensuráveis sobre saúde e longevidade.
Estudio de electrocardiogramas mediados por inteligencia artificial descubre que diferencia entre edad numérica y edad biológica afecta considerablemente la salud y la longevidad
Usted puede ser mayor o menor de lo que pensaba. Un nuevo estudio descubrió que las diferencias entre los años cumplidos por una persona y la edad biológica pronosticada por un electrocardiograma (ECG) mediado por inteligencia artificial puede aportar una perspectiva medible de la edad y la longevidad.
Depressive Symptoms Linked to Rapid Kidney Function Decline
• Among individuals with healthy kidneys, those with more frequent depressive symptoms were more likely to show signs of rapid kidney function decline over a median follow-up of 4 years.
NAU scientists: Bacterium causing deadly rabbit fever remains virulent for months in cold water
The study, led by biologist David Wagner, provides a plausible explanation for how Francisella tularensis can overwinter in the environment outside of a host.
Older Adults with Cerebral Palsy Need More, Receive Less Physical Therapy for Painful Conditions
Older adults with cerebral palsy are more likely to experience debilitating pains of musculoskeletal conditions, but researchers found they receive significantly less physical therapy for those ailments. The lead author says the results, while staggering, support their hypothesis that people with CP receive inequitable health care.
Researchers Create New CRISPR Tools to Help Contain Mosquito Disease Transmission
Scientists have developed a toolkit that helps pave the way to a gene drive designed to stop Culex mosquitoes from spreading disease. Culex mosquitoes spread devastating afflictions stemming from West Nile virus, Japanese encephalitis virus and the pathogen causing avian malaria.
New tool activates deep brain neurons by combining ultrasound, genetics
A team at Washington University in St. Louis has developed a new brain stimulation technique using focused ultrasound that is able to turn specific types of neurons in the brain on and off and precisely control motor activity without surgical device implantation.
Same Difference: Two Halves of The Hippocampus Have Different Gene Activity
DALLAS – May 28, 2021 – A study of gene activity in the brain’s hippocampus, led by UT Southwestern researchers, has identified marked differences between the region’s anterior and posterior portions. The findings, published today in Neuron, could shed light on a variety of brain disorders that involve the hippocampus and may eventually help lead to new, targeted treatments.
COVID-19 kept our parks busy, but not everyone ventured outside
Public use of parks and reserves increased only slightly during last year’s COVID-19 national lockdown despite gyms and sports facilities shutting down, a University of Queensland study found.
Pioneering single-dose radiotherapy for breast cancer treatment
A breast cancer therapy that requires just one shot of radiotherapy is as effective as traditional radiotherapy, and avoids potential damage to nearby organs, according to a paper by UCL experts.
Researchers Discover Drug that Blocks Multiple SARS-CoV-2 Variants in Mice
A small molecule STING agonist was highly protective against the virus that causes COVID-19 and likely other coronaviruses
Dark Energy Survey releases most precise look at the universe’s evolution
The Dark Energy Survey collaboration has created the largest ever maps of the distribution and shapes of galaxies, tracing both ordinary and dark matter in the universe out to a distance of over 7 billion light years. The results are based on the first three years of data from the survey.
Japan’s hands-off formula in disciplining schoolchildren works. Is it worth a try elsewhere?
A study examining Japanese schools’ hands-off approach when children fight showed it could create opportunities for autonomy and encourage ownership of solutions, suggesting a new strategy in handling kids squabbles in other countries.
Providing more low-value care doesn’t lead to higher patient experience ratings
Many healthcare providers and policy makers fear that increased pressure to please patients — and ensure high satisfaction ratings as a result — could lead to overuse of low-value care that doesn’t provide any clinical benefit while unnecessarily ratcheting up medical bills. But new research from the University of Chicago and Harvard Medical School may alleviate some of those concerns.
Waking just one hour earlier cuts depression risk by double digits
Waking up just one hour earlier could reduce a person’s risk of major depression by 23%, suggests a sweeping new genetic study published May 26 in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.
Cholesterol-carrying protein found to help suppress immune response in pancreatic tumor microenvironment
The protein ApoE has known roles in cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s — new research implicates it in pancreatic cancer.
‘Good’ Bacteria Show Promise for Clinical Treatment of Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis
A new study published in Nature Communications demonstrates that a consortium of bacteria designed to complement missing or underrepresented functions in the imbalanced microbiome of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, prevented and treated chronic immune-mediated colitis in humanized mouse models.
Horror films as a reimagined space for healing
A new article examines how the depiction of a “final girl’s” struggle after survival in a horror film – how she has been vilified and dismissed, but ultimately proven right – might offer trauma survivors the chance to see a bit of themselves on the big screen.
DNA-based material with tunable properties
While DNA is often idealised as the molecule of life, it is also a highly sophisticated polymer that can be used for next-generation materials. Beyond the fact that it can store information, further fascinating aspects of DNA are its geometric and topological properties, such as knotting and super-coiling. Indeed, very much like a twisted telephone cord, DNA is often found coiled up inside bacteria and other cells and even knotted in viruses.
Video platforms normalise exotic pets
Researchers at the University of Adelaide are concerned video sharing platforms such as YouTube could be contributing to the normalisation of exotic pets and encouraging the exotic pet trade.
Pollen-sized technology protects bees from deadly insecticides
A Cornell University-developed technology provides beekeepers, consumers and farmers with an antidote for deadly pesticides, which kill wild bees and cause beekeepers to lose around a third of their hives every year on average.