African forests, which feed and provide subsistence means to at least 100 million people, are being cleared at a rate of over 10% by 2025 due to expanding agricultural production. The study recommends policies that prioritize forest conservation and local control of land to mitigate deforestation.
A new study reports that one human monoclonal antibody therapy, MR191-N, protected nonhuman primates from the lethal effects of both Marburg and Ravn viruses. The treatment showed success in clearing the viruses and preventing death in infected animals.
Research at UC Merced found a chemical record of global photosynthesis spanning hundreds of years, indicating a significant increase in plant growth since the industrial revolution. The findings suggest that rising atmospheric CO2 levels and climate change may be driving this trend.
A recent study examines social outcomes in young adults with childhood-onset epilepsy and found that those in remission had similar outcomes to their siblings. However, those not in remission were less productive in school or employment and had worse overall outcomes.
The use of stem cells in predictive toxicology screening holds promise in reducing animal testing. However, standardizing methods, identifying optimal cell types, and defining measures is essential. The journal Applied In Vitro Toxicology explores the benefits and limitations of this approach.
A large randomized trial found that monthly high-dose vitamin D supplementation does not reduce cardiovascular disease risk. The study, published in JAMA Cardiology, involved 2558 adults with low vitamin D levels and showed no significant difference in cardiovascular events between the treatment and placebo groups.
Researchers sequenced Africanized bee genomes to understand their success. They identified a region linked to ovary size and foraging strategy, key traits for adaptation and dispersal. Hybridization between different populations led to the creation of new genetic variants, contributing to the bees' exceptional abilities.
Researchers discovered that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) regulates small blood vessel function and blood pressure by acting as a mechanosensor. TNF controls blood pressure, and drugs that interfere with TNF signaling can dramatically reduce it.
The University of Houston has received a $281,475 grant from the USDA to launch the HOUSTON Academy, providing fellowships to undergraduate students to address obesity and nutrition concerns. The program will focus on community outreach, food demonstration workshops, and health fairs to promote healthy lifestyles.
A study by Stanford researchers identifies a near-global repressor protein, Myt1l, that works to block many cell fates but one. This discovery suggests the possibility of a network of master regulators specific to each cell type.
A new study by Michigan Medicine researchers identified that younger age, female gender, higher severity of illness, fewer days of corticosteroid treatments, and treatment with GM-CSF were associated with more severe psychiatric symptoms. The study found that more days of corticosteroid treatments seemed to be protective from anxiety, ...
A recent study by Arizona State University professors found no evidence of the Ferguson effect in Chicago. However, they did discover a strong association between firearms availability and gun violence, supporting Former NYPD Commissioner William Bratton's argument.
The USDA has allocated $6.3 million to support projects combating childhood obesity, which affects over 12 million children in the US. Funding is aimed at promoting nutrition and healthy living, particularly among low-income communities.
USC scientists discovered unexpected characteristics of the AT2 protein, which interacts with the angiotensin II hormone regulating blood pressure. The study reveals potential new paths to drugs controlling cardiovascular disease and pain, offering an important first step towards targeted therapies.
A Yale researcher found that the FDA reviews and approves new medicines in a shorter timeframe than its peer agency in Europe. The study compared review times for new drugs approved by the FDA and EMA between 2011 and 2015, classifying them by therapeutic areas and 'orphan' drugs.
A new study examines how well biobank donor families understand the risk and implications of a potential confidentiality breach. Families who donate tissue are often willing to trade access to research results for absolute confidentiality.
A study found that the 2006 Massachusetts health reform led to a significant increase in surgical intervention for thyroid cancer, particularly among nonwhite patients. The researchers discovered a 26% rise in thyroidectomy rates and a 22% increase in neck dissections among these patients compared to those with private insurance.
Physicists at Brigham Young University have developed an acoustic technique called time reversal that uses targeted sound vibrations to knock over Lego figures. This technology has far-reaching implications for fields like private communication, targeted noise cancelation, and even medical treatments such as destroying kidney stones.
The RegCM4 model simulates China's climate well, reproducing present-day climatology and interannual variabilities. However, it exhibits biases in winter temperatures and precipitation, with underestimation of heavy rainfall events and overestimation of consecutive dry days.
Astrophysicists at the University of Birmingham made progress in understanding how two black holes can merge, using Advanced LIGO data. The team found that all three observed events can be formed via isolated binary evolution via a common-envelope phase.
The Obesity Research Initiative aims to study the brain's role in regulating body weight and metabolic disorders like diabetes. The initiative will promote collaborative research across disciplines, including neuroscience, genetics, and metabolism.
A survey of over 2,000 people in the UK and USA found that one in six support life-sustaining interventions, while more than twice as many prefer measures to enable peaceful death. The study highlights challenges faced by healthcare providers and legislators regarding end-of-life care.
A recent study found that women with overactive bladder who received antimuscarinics were 38% more likely to develop depressive disorder within three years. The use of these drugs was associated with a higher risk of depression despite their ability to improve bladder symptoms by blocking muscarinic receptors.
Researchers found that acne is associated with an imbalance of skin bacteria, including increased levels of virulence-associated genes and reduced beneficial bacteria. Targeted treatments, such as probiotic supplementation or phage therapy, may be more effective than antibiotics in maintaining a healthy bacterial balance.
A new technique combining machine learning and microfabrication enables researchers to study stem cell differentiation in a controlled environment. By using an agarose gel confinement system, scientists can maintain long-lasting spatial confinement for up to 15 days.
A recent review of published research found that hearing their mother's voice can benefit the health of preterm infants. The study linked maternal voice exposure to physiological and behavioral stabilization, including fewer cardiorespiratory events.
Researchers at Washington State University have identified a key gene involved in the quality of sleep experienced by humans and animals. The study found that a variant of the gene FABP7 is associated with poorer sleep quality, suggesting its importance in regulating sleep across species.
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has increased the limit on work shifts for first-year physicians from 16 to 24 hours, allowing additional hours beyond that. This change reflects a higher standard in evidence-based medical education.
Young kangaroos who spend more time alone with their mothers have a higher chance of surviving in the wild. They also tend to be larger and heavier than their peers when they spend more time with their mother, according to a recent study published in Springer's journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.
Three scientists have been selected for NIDA's Avant-Garde Awards to develop novel approaches to HIV prevention and treatment. Michael Farzan plans gene therapies to prevent HIV infection, while Eric Poeschla explores innate immunity against viruses using viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase.
The USDA has allocated $1.2 million to support aquaculture research in genetics, disease, production systems, and economics. The funding aims to develop an environmentally and economically sustainable U.S. aquaculture industry.
A recent study published in the American Journal of Physiology - Endocrinology and Metabolism suggests that increasing dietary potassium intake can have an equally important effect on hypertension as decreasing sodium intake. Eating foods high in potassium, such as sweet potatoes, avocados, and spinach, may help lower blood pressure.
Gray wolves and other large predators are adapting to human-modified environments by changing their social structures, movements, and behavior to acquire anthropogenic resources. This phenomenon has serious implications for wider conservation efforts, including wolf reintroduction programs.
Researchers are creating the first images of a supermassive black hole's event horizon using an Earth-sized telescope. The project aims to test predictions from Einstein's general relativity theory by studying the shadow, mass, and spin of the black hole.
A new collagen-targeting PET probe, Ga-CBP8, has shown promise in diagnosing and staging pulmonary fibrosis, as well as monitoring treatment response. The probe can differentiate between stable disease and progressive fibrosis, allowing for more effective treatment planning.
A UTA engineer has been awarded a grant to develop materials that can be used in 3-D printing to create unique new blood vessels for children with vascular defects. The goal is to overcome the challenges of current tissue-engineered blood vessels, which are fragile and cannot withstand blood pressure.
A new review suggests targeting the oxytocin system could be an important target for developing medications to treat opioid addiction. Oxytocin-based therapies show promise in preventing relapse and may provide a novel effective approach to treating drug dependence.
The DFG is funding six new research units and two humanities centers focusing on topics such as plant morphodynamics, Russian lyric poetry, and trace element interactions. These initiatives aim to advance knowledge in various fields and tackle pressing issues.
Tel Aviv University researchers studied whiteflies' takeoff method, finding they use wingtip air resistance to stabilize before spreading wings. This technique may be applied to miniaturized drones for improved stability during takeoff.
A Swedish registry study found that individuals who self-harm are at a five-fold risk of being convicted for a violent crime compared to those who have never received clinical care. Self-harm behaviour and violent criminality may be manifestations of a common underlying vulnerability.
A recent study found that adolescents' use of Instagram strengthened their friendships, leading to lower levels of depression. Frequent Instagram use was related to increased closeness to friends, which in turn was linked to better mental health.
A new study in Space Weather suggests that aircrews may experience increased radiation exposure due to weak solar activity, which could impact flight safety and radiation exposure for frequent flyers. Researchers also found auroral activity on Uranus, providing fresh clues about its magnetosphere.
Researchers have developed a method to select semiconducting carbon nanotubes from a solution and make them self-assemble on gold electrodes, resulting in tiny transistors with nearly 100% purity. The process uses polymers with thiol side chains to bind the tubes to the electrodes.
A new survey reveals that many patients in Connecticut struggle to understand their private health insurance plans, leading to delays in care and unexpected medical bills. The study highlights the need for simplified language and increased education to address health disparities among minority groups.
Stanford researchers discovered that accumulating monounsaturated fatty acids can extend the life span of roundworms. The finding suggests that this type of fat may be beneficial for life span, contrary to previous studies on caloric restriction which often show thinner animals to live longer.
A new study suggests that severe acute malnutrition in early childhood may prioritize lung development over other less vital growth, resulting in shorter leg lengths and a higher risk of being severely short for their age. The findings have significant implications for the long-term health of children affected by malnutrition.
The African Plant Biosecurity Network has gained strong commitments from members, partners, and regional agencies to ensure its long-term success. The network aims to improve national and regional quarantine and plant protection capacity, lifting crop yields and enabling safe regional trade.
A clinical trial found that yoga significantly improved quality of life and reduced colitis activity in patients with ulcerative colitis. Regular yoga practice is considered a valuable adjunct to conventional medical therapies for managing the condition.
Australian scientists have discovered a novel strategy to treat pancreatic cancer by softening tumors with Fasudil before chemotherapy, doubling survival time and improving treatment efficacy. The sequential approach also slows cancer spread to other tissues.
A new study by Queen's University researcher Susan Brogly found that 25% of women suffering from prenatal opioid dependence were not being treated for their addiction. This is a concerning finding, as it can lead to poor birth outcomes and increased healthcare costs.
A new study projects that a culturally adapted cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program promoting alcohol abstinence among HIV-infected residents in Kenya could save $628,000 over five years. The program uses trained paraprofessionals with limited training to deliver the intervention, which boosts alcohol abstinence rates to 69 percent.
A new point-of-care testing strategy has been developed to quickly diagnose respiratory infections, including flu, allowing for faster treatment and reduced risk of antibiotic overuse. The test, which can deliver results within an hour, has shown promising results in trialling patients with acute respiratory illnesses.
Researchers from Russia and US collaborate on radiocarbon dating of ancient porcupine fossils, revealing a 40,000-year-old record in the Urals. The study shows thermophilic porcupines disappeared from the region around 27,000 years ago due to climate change.
In a groundbreaking study, great apes showed they can distinguish between true and false beliefs in others, assisting individuals in obtaining an object by exploiting the person's false belief. This advanced social cognition ability is now confirmed for great apes, alongside humans.
Researchers have identified a key gene in zebrafish that causes congenital blindness, which could hold the key to treating a similar disease in humans. The study found that the gene affects cone photoreceptors and leads to degeneration without impacting rod cells.
Researchers have developed a seaweed-derived material to improve the performance of superconductors, lithium-ion batteries and fuel cells. The material has shown high capacitance as a superconductor material and can be used in zinc-air batteries and supercapacitors.
Researchers have developed an algorithm to automatically improve the design of scatterplots by exploiting models and measures of human perception. The optimized designs effectively communicate relationships between two data variables, reducing unintended miscommunication.
Emory's Electronic ICU (eICU) Program has reduced length of patient stays, lowered readmissions, and saved millions by expanding access to critical care services. The program credited to standardizing care delivery and offering timely intensivist-led interventions, leading to better patient outcomes.
Researchers have discovered new structural details of the angiotensin II receptor AT2R using X-ray free electron laser technology. The findings could speed the development of new compounds addressing cardiovascular conditions, neuropathic pain and tissue growth.
Researchers developed an epigenetic clock to predict biological age in mice, measuring the effects of genetic and dietary factors. The tool allows for faster and larger-scale studies on aging interventions, potentially leading to new ways to extend human lifespan.