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Science News Archive August 2015 - Page 19


Page 19 of 32

Fears of potentially blinding complication from Avastin eye injections overblown, says Penn study

A new Penn study analyzing insurance claims data suggests that repackaged Avastin injections do not carry a higher risk of endophthalmitis than commercially available Lucentis. This finding contradicts the FDA's planned restriction on Avastin's ophthalmic use and may inadvertently increase infection risk for patients.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalJAMA Ophthalmology·DateAug 13, 2015

How beneficial bacteria protect intestinal cells

Researchers have identified a protective mechanism used by beneficial bacteria to safeguard intestinal cells from stress and damage. By stimulating the Nrf2 pathway, these bacteria can help prevent weight loss and death after radiation exposure, as well as protect against toxic herbicides like paraquat.

SourceEmory Health Sciences·JournalCell Reports·DateAug 13, 2015

Surgeons refine procedure for life-threatening congenital heart defect

Researchers analyzed 43 patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) who underwent either an arterial or venous shunt as part of the hybrid palliation procedure. The study found that the arterial shunt group showed better pulmonary arterial growth, shorter surgical times, and higher oxygen saturations at discharge. However, no ...

SourceAmerican Association for Thoracic Surgery·JournalJournal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery·DateAug 13, 2015

Study finds little improvement in mortality rate for extremely preterm infants since 2000

Researchers have found that the mortality rate for extremely preterm infants has not improved significantly since 2000, despite advancements in medical technology and treatment. Data from over 47,000 records shows a decline in mortality rates from 1990 to 2000, but no significant improvement from 2000 to 2010.

SourceUniversity of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston·JournalJournal of Perinatology·DateAug 13, 2015

Helping Siri hear through a cocktail party

A new sensor developed at Duke University uses metamaterials and compressive sensing to separate overlapping sounds in loud environments. The device achieved a 96.7% accuracy rate in distinguishing between three identical sounds sent from different directions.

SourceDuke University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 13, 2015

Chickenpox continues to decline in US thanks to vaccination

A new study published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society finds that US chickenpox cases have declined by 93% since the introduction of the vaccine in 1995, thanks to increased vaccination coverage. This decline is attributed to herd immunity, which protects those who are not immunized themselves.

SourcePediatric Infectious Diseases Society·JournalJournal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society·DateAug 13, 2015

Heavy smokers and smokers who are obese gain more weight after quitting

Heavy smokers and obese individuals may experience significant weight gain after quitting smoking due to factors like daily cigarette consumption and body mass index. Researchers analyzed data from over 12,000 participants to find that those who quit smoking gained an average of 23 pounds among smokers of 25 or more cigarettes per day.

SourcePenn State·JournalInternational Journal of Obesity·DateAug 13, 2015

Fortified against blindness

Researchers developed vitamin A fortified sweet potato varieties to combat blindness in Africa and South-Eastern Asia. Impilo and Purple Sunset are the most promising varieties, offering high beta-carotene content and adaptability to different growing conditions.

SourceAmerican Society of Agronomy·JournalCrop Science·DateAug 13, 2015

Reading comprehension focus of NSF grant

A team of Penn State researchers, led by Ping Li, has been awarded a nearly $1 million grant to investigate how readers comprehend science texts. The project aims to capture cognitive and brain representations during and after reading, with implications for STEM education.

Rogue supernovas likely flung into space by black hole slingshots

A new study suggests that rogue supernovas that explode in deep space were likely kicked out of their galaxies at high speeds and then ejected into space by the gravitational pull of a binary black hole. The study, published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, used data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to trace 13 h...

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateAug 13, 2015