A new Penn study found that internal medicine residents are twice as likely to prescribe expensive brand-name statins when supervised by senior physicians who also use them. The study's findings represent an opportunity to improve value in healthcare spending and highlight the importance of redesigning graduate medical education.
Researchers developed a high-throughput screening method to characterize and select multipotent cells from adipose-derived stromal cells (hASCs) using flow cytometry. This approach can identify specific cell types advantageous for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering applications.
The new fibers have a unique structure that allows for reversible stretching without increasing electrical resistance. They enable the creation of artificial muscles, capacitors, and strain sensors with improved performance and durability.
A recent study by the University of California - Davis found that algae concentrations are key to maintaining Lake Tahoe's iconic blue color, contradicting previous assumptions about the relationship between clarity and blueness. The report also highlights improvements in water clarity and climate change impacts on the lake.
Researchers developed a new material that mimics the structure of coral, a natural adsorbent of heavy metals, and found it could remove around 2.5 times more mercury from water than traditional aluminium oxide nanoparticles. The synthetic coral-like material has potential applications in environmental remediation.
Researchers have identified a gene associated with susceptibility to adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. The BNC2 gene is linked to increased expression of protein BNC2, which regulates YY1. Studies found that the gene variation leads to higher BNC2 production in genes with the variant, contributing to the development of scoliosis.
A multi-institutional team of researchers has identified an apparently successful treatment for a genetic immune disorder that causes a multitude of health problems. The FDA-approved drug abatacept was tested on a small group of patients, resulting in improved lung function and reduced autoimmunity.
A new study by Trinity College Dublin found that post-separation contact between fathers and their children can lead to the continued abuse of women and children. The research highlights the need for support services to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of children in these situations.
Researchers found that body fat can send signals to the brain, affecting its regulation of energy balance and stress responses. This discovery sheds new light on the relationship between stress, obesity, and metabolism.
Researchers have developed a genetic test that analyzes tumor sensitivity to radiation therapy, with findings suggesting metastatic colon tumors are more resistant to radiation than primary tumors. The study suggests personalizing radiation therapy for patients may be possible through this test.
Researchers have pinpointed the brain region responsible for unifying double vision, a process crucial for tasks such as aiming and catching objects. This finding may lead to new treatments for amblyopia, a condition where the brain favors one eye over the other.
A new workshop report from the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) identifies key barriers to complex data integration and offers recommendations for the research community. The report highlights impediments, technical problems, and crosscutting issues related to integrating data.
Researchers found a molecular clue to aging in transparent roundworm C. elegans, discovering that adult cells begin their downhill slide when an animal reaches reproductive maturity. The study suggests that a genetic switch is responsible for turning off cell stress responses, starting the decline of adult animals.
The Scripps Research Institute has been awarded $4.5 million in grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support HIV vaccine development. The new funding will enable scientists to screen immunogens and vaccines with high likelihood of success.
Researchers found that US health care providers perceive South Asians as being more reluctant to report pain and seek medications. This is partly due to cultural differences in medical practice in South Asia, where patients are often not asked about their pain and may be given low-dose pain medications after surgeries.
The new tool, MAGI, enables users to search, visualize, and annotate large public cancer genetics datasets, including data from The Cancer Genome Atlas project. Users can also upload their own data and compare findings to those in the larger databases.
Mayo researchers found that class II HDAC inhibitors signal through a newly discovered pathway to promote synergy with chemotherapy treatment in anaplastic thyroid cancer. The study identified vorinostat and belinostat as effective agents, which can increase activity of RhoB, a tumor suppressor and stimulate cell death.
North Carolina State University researchers have developed a way to significantly enhance wireless power transfer efficiency using magnetic field enhancement. The method uses a copper loop as a simple magnetic resonance field enhancer (MRFE), boosting transfer efficiency by at least 100% compared to air alone.
A new database, Histone Antibody Specificity Database, has been launched to improve the accuracy of histone antibodies used in epigenetics research. The database provides validated test results for over 100 commonly used antibodies, allowing researchers to select reliable options for their experiments.
A new study using ancient DNA and paleoclimate data found that rapid warming events played a greater role in the extinction of megafauna than human activity. The researchers analyzed DNA records over 50,000 years and compared them to climate event records from Greenland ice cores.
University of Pittsburgh professor Jeremy Levy has been awarded a $3 million grant to pursue research in reconfigurable nanoelectronics at oxide interfaces. The grant aims to merge two fields: semiconductor nanoelectronics and complex oxides, which hold promise for future applications including data storage and medical imaging.
Researchers found that abrupt climate changes during the Holocene epoch affected ancient societies, leading to wetter conditions compared to recent times. The study's high-resolution peat record revealed transitions in major civilizations coinciding with episodes of high atmospheric dust.
Researchers discovered that female stink bugs change the color of their eggs depending on the surrounding light environment. The darker-colored eggs, which are not darkened by melanin but a previously unknown pigment, offer protection against UV radiation when laid on top of leaves.
Researchers at Children's Hospital Los Angeles have shown improved outcomes in using stem cell transplantation to treat juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML), a rare form of chronic blood cancer. The study found that half of patients can be cured from their disease, and a potential standard conditioning regimen has been identified.
The ASBMB's Minority Affairs Committee has received a $500,000 NSF grant to support its Interactive Mentoring Activities for Grantsmanship Enhancement (IMAGE) program. The program aims to promote diversity in the scientific workforce by providing grantsmanship skills and career-development strategies to postdoctoral fellows and early-c...
Researchers found that lack of confidence, physical and mental impairments, and environmental factors hinder people with MS from engaging in meaningful activities. Building confidence is crucial to overcome these barriers and promote healthy behaviors.
Researchers develop a new method to create highly stretchable conductors by aligning carbon nanotubes with rubber cores, resulting in an impressive 1000% stretch-to-conductivity ratio. This innovation has significant implications for future medical devices, optical elements, and robotics.
Researchers at the University of Leicester and CNRS have observed the growth of free nanoparticles in helium gas, revealing new information about their structure. The study found that nanoparticles grow by clustering together under increasing pressure, similar to decaffeination processes.
NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data showing cloud top temperatures as cold as -63F/-53C on July 23, indicating potential heavy rainfall. The tropical depression is moving away from the Philippines in a north-northeasterly direction with maximum sustained winds near 25 knots.
Researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have discovered a new way to improve liver cancer treatment by blocking the activity of the lymphotoxin-beta receptor. The approach, which combines drugs currently in clinical trials with those targeting oncogene signals, may lead to improved patient outcomes.
The University of Montana research team, led by Sarj Patel and Tom Rau, will conduct expanded testing on biomarkers for traumatic brain injury. They aim to clinically validate their research and explore chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
A study found that certain combinations of gut bacteria, such as those from the Porphyromonadaceae and Lachnospiraceae families, resist colonization by C. difficile in mice. The researchers developed a computer model that accurately predicted C. difficile's success rate for other mice based on their gut microbiome composition.
Researchers developed a web tool to estimate the impact of genetic modification of mice, which can complicate biomedical research interpretation. The tool aids in explaining controversies and improving translation from lab animals to humans.
Researchers found that ethoxzolamide inhibits TB's ability to detect acidic environments, effectively blinding the bacterium and allowing the immune system to attack. This compound could help shorten treatment duration and slow the emergence of drug resistance in TB.
A new University of Virginia study confirms that Americans' conscious and unconscious biases against lesbian women and gay men are decreasing across all demographic groups. The study found that implicit bias decreased by 13% over seven years, while explicit bias decreased twice as much.
The American Geophysical Union awards top honors to journalists Andrew Revkin, Douglas Fox, and Sandi Doughton for their exceptional science reporting. Revkin receives the Robert C. Cowen Award for his climate change coverage, while Fox wins the Walter Sullivan Award for his story on dust's impact on drought in the US West.
A study published in Scientific Reports reveals that roosters follow a systematic rule based on social ranking to determine the order of crowing. Dominant birds take priority to announce the break of dawn, while subordinate birds wait patiently for their turn.
Researchers investigate granitic rocks in El Capitan using field mapping, rock climbing, and geochemical analyses. They found no systematic patterns in rock composition, challenging models of granite formation that rely on magma chambers.
The Global Precipitation Measurement satellite tracked Typhoon Halola's strengthening and intensification, revealing heavy rain rates of over 84 mm/h. The storm's tall thunderstorm towers reached heights of over 10.5 miles, releasing energy that can lead to intensification.
A new algorithm, DeMAND, is helping scientists identify the full repertoire of proteins affected by a drug. By analyzing gene expression changes and protein interactions, DeMAND provides a more comprehensive picture of a drug's effects.
A University of Delaware-led study found that an intensive regimen of regular exercise and a healthy diet can reduce the short-term onset of knee pain for overweight adults with Type 2 diabetes. The study, published in Arthritis Care and Research, shows a 15% decrease in knee pain development among those who underwent the intensive pro...
Researchers at Rice University have developed a new method to incorporate light-capturing nanomaterials into solar panels, increasing efficiency and reducing costs. This breakthrough could help meet the US goal of reducing solar electricity costs to 6 cents per kilowatt-hour.
New research reveals that gender faultlines can appear when individuals share demographic traits and professional interests, leading to a stronger sense of in-group identity among employees. The study found that such faultlines have a negative effect on employee loyalty, but a supportive diversity climate can mitigate this issue.
A team of researchers at Washington State University has discovered a novel structural function of the protein ATF5, which guides transcription and provides structure within the centrosome. This finding sheds light on the role of ATF5 in cell division and its potential implications for cancer growth and disease treatment.
Researchers at Washington State University found no accumulated glyphosate in human milk despite widespread use of Roundup herbicide. The study's results contradict a previous, unverified claim and provide strong evidence for the safety of breast milk.
A new Rutgers University study found that a hormone deficiency in the brain can lead to overeating and a preference for high-fat food. Researchers discovered that reducing glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) in the central nervous system caused mice to consume more calories and show an increased preference for high-fat foods.
A team of researchers has discovered that abrupt warming events played a key role in the mass extinction of megafauna during the last ice age. The study found that rapid warming, not sudden cold snaps, was the cause of extinctions among species such as mammoths and giant sloths.
University of Pennsylvania engineers have discovered a silicon-based photonic device sensitive to photon spin, enabling faster and more efficient computing. This breakthrough could lead to the development of photonic computers that exploit the spin of photons, potentially orders of magnitude faster than current technology.
A new online portal provides a robust online interactive database to address the 'antibody crisis' in molecular biology. The Histone Antibody Specificity Database allows scientists to find reliable antibodies for their research with higher confidence, using validated test results.
The new guideline provides a comprehensive framework for clinicians to manage gastrointestinal symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorders. It highlights the importance of nutrition management in addressing feeding and GI concerns, and recommends a standard manual of care for clinicians worldwide.
A new study from King's College London found that many of the same genes affect GCSE results in a range of subjects, including English, mathematics, science, and humanities. The research suggests that genetic factors explain over half of the differences between children's educational achievement across all disciplines.
Researchers found that men with low-risk prostate cancer are increasingly opting for active surveillance, while those with higher-risk tumors are receiving more aggressive treatments. This shift aims to reduce overtreatment and improve outcomes for patients.
Researchers developed an algorithm dubbed ENVE to detect genetic aberrations in tumors using deep sequencing data. The algorithm resolves most noise issues and reveals areas where genetic changes have gone awry, potentially leading to more effective treatments for multiple types of cancer.
A new study examined brain networks in veterans with trauma exposure using functional magnetic resonance imaging and graph theory tools. The researchers found that veterans with more severe PTSD re-experiencing symptoms showed weaker connectivity in two brain networks, including the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.
Researchers are investigating the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals on child behavior, memory, and learning. The four-year study aims to close a gap in research by examining thyroid hormone levels and their association with chemical exposure during pregnancy, infancy, or childhood.
Researchers identified the hectic emergency department environment and lack of baseline cognitive state as major barriers to delirium recognition. Doctors emphasized the need for a rapid screening test and a 'physician-proof' dementia screening tool to improve detection rates.
Research from The University of Manchester found that English people who upgrade their social status experience greater autonomy and control, leading to increased happiness. In contrast, Americans who rise in society's ranks are less satisfied than those who remain at lower levels.
Astronomers discovered jets of material ejected by still-forming young brown dwarfs, confirming they form through a scaled-down version of star formation. The presence of these jets was detected by the VLA and confirmed with Spitzer and Herschel space telescopes.
A study by University of Florida researchers found that body fat can send signals to the brain, affecting how it deals with stress and metabolism. The discovery reveals a novel fat-to-brain feedback network that was previously thought to be mainly driven by the brain.
A new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health finds that over 70% of pollen and honey samples collected from foraging bees in Massachusetts contain neonicotinoids, a class of pesticide linked to Colony Collapse Disorder. The study suggests that these pesticides pose significant risks to bee health and human exposure.