Study shows warming Arctic temperatures contributing to North American heat waves

New research, conducted in part at Texas State University, suggests that warming temperatures in the Arctic may be contributing to a rise in North American heat waves.The study highlights a statistical relationship between Arctic sea ice and extreme weather events in the United States. The research suggests that during warmer years in the Arctic when sea ice is low, heat waves are more frequent to the south across much of the eastern half of the U.S. due to North Atlantic ocean-atmosphere interactions involving jet stream currents in the Northern Hemisphere. The evidence suggests these factors allow specific weather patterns, including heat waves, to persist for longer periods than the historical norm.

Quantum computers to clarify the connection between the quantum and classical worlds

Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists have developed a new quantum computing algorithm that offers a clearer understanding of the quantum-to-classical transition, which could help model systems on the cusp of quantum and classical worlds, such as biological proteins, and also resolve questions about how quantum mechanics applies to large-scale objects.

‘Kangaroo Care’ Reduces Pain from Needle Pricks in Preterm Infants Across Hospital Admission

For preterm infants in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU), skin-to-skin contact with the mother – sometimes called “kangaroo care” – reduces pain from repeated painful procedures, reports a study in PAIN®, the official publication of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

UNH Research Finds Shale Natural Gas Development Impacting Recreationists

Researchers at the University of New Hampshire took a closer look at shale natural gas energy development (SGD) and how it is affecting the experiences of outdoor recreationists, like hikers and campers. They found a significant number of recreationists encountered SGD-related activities and a smaller number even changed their outdoor behaviors or experiences as a result of encountering SGD.

Volunteers and Deep Computer Learning Help Expand Red Tide Warning Systems

A new study published in the peer-review journal PLoS ONE shows that citizen science volunteers using a relatively low-cost tool can help increase the size and accuracy of a red tide monitoring network to better protect public health from the impacts of toxic algae in the Gulf of Mexico.

Parents’ Mental Illness Increases Suicide Risk in Adults with Tinnitus, Hyperacusis

A study is the first to examine the relationship between parental mental illness like anxiety and depression in childhood and the risk of suicide and self-harm in adults who suffer from tinnitus, noise or ringing in the ears, and hyperacusis, extreme sensitivity to noise. Results show that among patients seeking help for these debilitating hearing disorders, poor mental health in their parents was associated with suicide and self-harm risk across the life span in addition to their own current depression level.

Physicists Make Graphene Discovery that Could Help Develop Superconductors

When two mesh screens are overlaid, beautiful patterns appear when one screen is offset. These “moiré patterns” have long intrigued artists, scientists and mathematicians and have found applications in printing, fashion and banknotes. Now, a Rutgers-led team has paved the way to solving one of the most enduring mysteries in materials physics by discovering a moiré pattern in graphene, where electrons organize themselves into stripes, like soldiers in formation.

Ketamine Isn’t an Opioid and Treats Depression in a Unique Way

Ketamine has gotten a bad rap as an opioid when there’s plenty of evidence suggesting it isn’t one, Johns Hopkins experts say. They believe this reputation may hamper patients from getting necessary treatment for the kinds of depression that don’t respond to typical antidepressants. In a new paper, the researchers clarify the mechanism behind ketamine’s mechanism of action in hopes of restoring the therapy’s standing among health care professionals and the public.