A recent study published in the journal Urology found that robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) is significantly more costly than traditional open surgery. The study, conducted at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), analyzed data from 473 consecutive patients treated between 2009 and 2010. Research...
Scientists have developed a synthetic surface that allows adult-derived stem cells to thrive and transform into multiple cell types, including bone cells. Transplanting these bone cells into mice resulted in four times more new bone growth compared to without the extra bone cells.
The British Association for Psychopharmacology has released updated guidelines for treating substance abuse and addiction, focusing on pharmacological management. The new guidelines provide a comprehensive review of evidence-based practices for practitioners to optimize clinical decisions.
Researchers discovered predictable relationships in leaf vein systems that can predict past climates using the fossil record. The study found larger leaves have major veins spaced further apart, regardless of other variations.
A multicenter trial found that a tiny implanted coil called the Lung Volume Reduction Coil (LVRC) significantly improves pulmonary function, exercise capacity, and quality of life in patients with severe heterogeneous emphysema. The treatment is considered safe and effective, particularly for those with severely hyperinflated lungs.
Tropical Storm Sanvu continues to intensify under NASA observation, with wind speeds reaching over 60 knots and heavy rainfall wrapping around its northeastern side. The storm's center is predicted to form an eye, energizing the core of the storm with powerful thunderstorms.
The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) detector is a trap set for dark-matter WIMPs, with a titanium bottle holding 350 kilograms of liquid xenon. The new LUX ZEPLIN project aims to increase sensitivity by orders of magnitude.
Research finds that caesarean section delivery may double the risk of subsequent childhood obesity, with higher levels of Firmicutes bacteria and lower Bacteroides bacteria in the guts of children born via c-section. This association is thought to influence energy extraction from diets, insulin resistance, inflammation, and fat deposits.
A new sensory organ discovered in the chin of rorqual whales enables efficient lunge feeding by coordinating jaw position and throat expansion. This finding sheds light on how hyper-expandable throat pleats and other morphological specializations facilitate successful feeding in these ocean giants.
Researchers at Princeton University report that a sharp drop in mantle melting 2.5 billion years ago coincided with the Great Oxygenation Event, allowing free oxygen molecules to proliferate. The study suggests that diminished mantle melting decreased the output of reactive gases into the atmosphere.
The study found that kidney stone prevalence nearly doubled from 8.8% in 2007-2010 to 17.6% in 1994, with obesity and diabetes being key risk factors. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and body weight can reduce the risk of kidney stones.
Researchers at the University of Innsbruck have developed an efficient and tunable interface for quantum networks, enabling high-speed transfer of quantum information between matter and light. The interface, which uses entanglement to connect a single ion with a photon, achieves efficiency rates over 99 percent.
Developing a new, two-step process could stabilize prices for the raw material essential for making malaria treatment drugs. The improved manufacturing method generates less waste and requires less artemisinin, potentially easing supply problems.
Researchers have shown that microglia in the brain target and remove unused connections between brain cells during normal development. The study highlights the newly found importance of the immune system in shaping brain wiring.
Stem cells, essential building blocks of life, gradually lose their ability to maintain tissues and organs as they age. Researchers at the Salk Institute found that the stem cell niche's biological events contribute to this decline, but also discovered a mechanism to reverse it by increasing expression of Imp.
Researchers have discovered a sensory organ at the tip of the whale's chin, lodged in the ligamentous tissue connecting its two jaws, which sends information to the brain to coordinate the complex mechanism of lunge-feeding. This discovery may help explain why rorqual whales are able to achieve such enormous sizes.
A new study explores the moral ideas behind tax aversion in America, finding that middle-class feelings of exploitation drive hostility towards taxation. Respondents associate income tax with a violation of the moral principle that hard work should be rewarded.
Researchers found that dual-occupation professionals change their moral judgments based on their expected role, often without realizing it. The study suggests that subtle cues and training can help employees make more informed ethical decisions.
Researchers suggest enhanced public funding, partnerships, and open-source consortia may improve biomarker discovery and development. The Supreme Court's move to free medical diagnosis from private ownership could enhance public health.
Researchers found that tobacco plants with defective jasmonate production are more susceptible to leafhopper infestation. Leafhoppers evaluate a plant's readiness for defense by probing its leaves and selecting those with functional jasmonate-based signaling.
A new study by the Commonwealth Fund found that 51% of Americans with individual market health insurance plans have 'tin' plans with poor coverage, which would not meet minimum standards. However, once the state-based exchanges launch in 2014, many will be able to purchase better plans with premium subsidies.
Prior ICS treatment before CAP diagnosis is associated with lower incidence and severity of parapneumonic effusion. Patients treated with ICS had a significantly lower risk of developing this complication, regardless of their baseline chronic respiratory condition.
Mayo Clinic researchers present studies on adjuvant hormonal therapy for prostate cancer patients, finding no negative impact on overall survival. They also release results of a study on safe intervals for PSA screening in young men.
A new study found that weight loss significantly improved both sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and metabolic dysregulation in obese children. After a six-month weight loss program, mean BMI was reduced to 29.2 kg/m2, leading to improvements in ASAT, ALAT, HDL-cholesterol levels.
Scientists develop a technique to measure internal cell temperatures without altering cellular metabolism, opening doors for studying metastasis and differentiating healthy from cancerous cells. The 'fluorescence polarisation anisotropy' method uses green fluorescent proteins to provide non-invasive temperature readings.
The NSF grant will support ensemble climate simulations and data sharing to improve environmental and storm modeling. This project aims to enhance the performance of NOAA's SLOSH model for predicting storm surge generated by hurricanes and tropical storms.
Research published in PLOS ONE found that warmer, drier conditions associated with El Niño led to higher mortality rates for leatherback turtle eggs and hatchlings. Climate models project that these conditions will become more common, threatening the already endangered species.
Researchers have successfully protected laboratory animals from lethal hantavirus disease using a DNA vaccine and duck eggs. The study demonstrates the feasibility of this novel approach, which could supplement or replace existing treatments for HPS.
A study by Duke University Medical Center found that breast cancer patients have significantly impaired cardio-pulmonary function that can persist for years after treatment. Higher cardio fitness levels were linked to longer median survival among women with advanced breast cancer, suggesting exercise may be a useful intervention.
A Queen's University professor and his research team received a prestigious NIH grant to investigate the impact of 'topping up' with intravenous nutrition on survival rates among critically ill patients. The study aims to create new guidelines for optimal energy and protein delivery to critically ill patients.
Researchers discovered that mutated desmin proteins can aggregate with intact proteins of the same kind, leading to muscle diseases. This finding suggests that a single defective gene is enough to trigger the disease, as both malformed and normal proteins are incorporated into the aggregates.
Researchers have shown that a new class of anti-inflammatory agents, called IDR peptides, could increase survival from severe clinical malaria when used in combination with antimalarial drugs. In mouse models infected with the Plasmodium berghei parasite, these treatments prevented inflammation and improved survival.
Climate conditions at nesting beaches affect early survival of turtle eggs and hatchlings, with warmer El Niño conditions linked to higher mortality rates. The study predicts a 50% drop in egg and hatchling survival by 2112 due to global climate change.
A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that pregnant women with low vitamin D levels are more likely to have children with increased body fat. The research, which analyzed data from over 977 pregnant women, suggests a potential long-term health consequence for children born to mothers with vitamin D i...
Concordia University's Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance has received over $497,000 in funding to develop a math tool for primary school students. The initiative aims to increase basic math skills and reduce math-related anxiety among young people.
Researchers found that Americans' hostility to the income tax is rooted in moral beliefs about hard work and personal autonomy. Interview respondents associated taxes with a loss of control over their time and work, viewing a flat tax on consumption as an improvement.
Researchers developed a new 'designer fat' from hazelnut oil that closely mimics the key fatty acids found in human milk. This innovation addresses concerns about digestibility of algae-derived ingredients used in infant formulas.
Researchers developed a chlorinated form of silk that kills bacteria and spores in minutes, offering potential uses for protective coatings and water purification. The treatment, which involves soaking silk in a solution similar to household bleach, has broad applications in various fields.
Researchers used ultrafast spectroscopy to study the initial stage of photosynthesis, observing a single photon exciting different chromophores simultaneously. This discovery hints at more efficient natural light-harvesting processes, potentially influencing efforts to create artificial materials and devices.
Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a computer model to determine how a wind-driven 'tumbleweed' Mars rover would perform on rocky Martian terrain. The study found that larger diameter and lower weight rovers achieve better performance, with a minimum diameter of six meters needed for acceptable movement.
Researchers have successfully realized and analyzed repulsive polarons, a new type of quasiparticle with modified properties. By controlling particle interactions, they found that these quasiparticles can exist for an almost ten times longer lifetime than previously thought.
A study found that doctors who rarely meet with pharmaceutical sales representatives are slower to change prescriptions based on new information, taking up to four times longer than their peers. The study suggests that limiting access to reps can result in serious information gaps and affect prescription behavior.
Research on lemur extinctions over 2,000 years reveals that remaining species go into 'ecological retreat,' increasing extinction risk. Surviving lemurs rely on denser habitats due to vacant environmental niches, which may be a result of human disturbance.
A study by Loyola University Medical Center researchers found that 91 Facebook pages were used to solicit living kidney donors for patients aged 2-69. Twelve percent of the pages resulted in a successful transplant, while 30% reported potential donors being tested for compatibility.
Researchers at Northwestern University have designed new metamaterials that exhibit negative compressibility transitions, where they contract when tensioned and expand when compressed. This discovery may enable new applications in protective mechanical devices and actuators.
A new study suggests that shifting exchange networks were instrumental in prompting the 'Maya collapse', with evidence pointing to a decline in inland centers and rise of coastal trade networks. Researchers used social network analysis to map obsidian transportation routes, revealing changes in trade patterns over time.
Researchers found that patients taking oral acne medications like Accutane or Roaccutane doubled their risk of developing conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye. Using artificial tears or eye drops can help minimize this risk and prevent long-term damage.
Researchers use a historic fire to model the sensitivity of a natural sensor found in fire beetles. The study reveals that these sensors can detect extremely low levels of heat, rivaling those of radio telescopes.
A new study from researchers in the Netherlands found no association between viral infections during infancy and later childhood wheezing symptoms. However, children with reduced neonatal lung function were more prone to experience wheezing during viral infections.
The Belgian Biodiversity Platform has released a new website to visualize the distribution of vascular plants in Belgium, featuring over 23,000 checklists and 2.5 million observations. The platform can be used for analysis and comparison of floral data over successive periods.
A new study found that beetle-infested pine trees release up to 20 times more VOCs than healthy trees, contributing to haze and air pollution. The research suggests that the bark beetle epidemic could lead to higher monoterpene concentrations in the air, harming human health and impacting climate.
A study conducted by TGen-Scottsdale Healthcare analyzed the patient's tumor and normal DNA to identify significant gene mutations that could be targeted for therapy. The analysis provided clues to possible precision medicine treatment of rare nasal tract cancer.
A recent study proposes that up to 100,000 nomad planets might exist in the Milky Way Galaxy for every star, with an estimated quadrillion number of total nomads. If confirmed, this could mean nomad planets play a significant role in the universe.
A new study has identified a gene expression fingerprint associated with low sperm fertilizing capacity, predicting male infertility. The research used RNA profiling to analyze semen samples from 68 donors and found significant differences in gene expression between fertile and infertile individuals.
A new study reveals that male leaders who make mistakes are viewed as less competent and effective than female leaders in the same situation, with a greater impact on followers in masculine work domains. The researchers found that male leaders' errors are perceived more negatively, leading to decreased follower desire to work for them.
The Centre for North Sea Enhanced Oil Recovery with CO2 (CENSEOR-CO2) will develop understanding of enhanced oil recovery technology, creating a commercial use for CO2 captured from power plants and industry. The technology could store 75 million tonnes of CO2 and increase oil removal by five to 25 percent.
A new type of detector harnessing the properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes may prove useful for various industrial and scientific applications. The detector eliminates the need for cooling systems, allowing for highly sensitive infrared detection.
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a new, all-solid-state solar cell that exceeds the performance of traditional Grätzel cells. The device achieves an impressive conversion efficiency of approximately 10.2 percent and is stable over time, addressing key limitations of current solar technology.
Post-tropical storm Alberto's remnants interact with a cold front off the US East coast, moving northeast. The weak circulation dissipates by May 25, according to the National Hurricane Center.
A hormone previously associated with calcium homeostasis boosts immune response when dietary vitamin D levels are inadequate. The discovery may provide an alternative to current antibiotic therapies for treating skin infections.