Dr. Laird G. Jackson received the 2017 ACMG Foundation David L. Rimoin Lifetime Achievement Award for his pioneering work in prenatal genetic testing and pediatric genetics. He is recognized for his dedication to teaching and mentorship, as well as his groundbreaking research on Cornelia de Lange Syndrome.
A recent study analyzing 147 northern lakes reveals that many rely on nutrients from tree leaves, pine needles, and other land-grown plants to feed aquatic life. This underscores the importance of understanding how landscape changes impact lake food webs for effective freshwater management.
Dr. Rebecca Ahrens-Nicklas received the 2017 Richard King Trainee Award for her research on medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency in exclusively breastfed neonates. Her study identified the risk of early decompensation, highlighting the importance of close management of feeding difficulties.
Researchers at Dartmouth College have developed a 3D printing method to transform microscopic nanorings into smart materials that perform work at human-scale. The new technique enables the creation of complex smart devices beyond current grasp, with potential applications in soft robots and other tasks.
Researchers found a circuit in the central amygdala that responds to rewarding events and stimulates reward-related behavior, contradicting the consensus that the structure is primarily linked with fear.
The first issue of Volume 2 of Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications (CVIA) has been published with a Special Issue on Imaging. The issue brings together contributions from leading cardiologists and features recent advances in noninvasive cardiac imaging, as well as clinical applications and future directions.
A nationwide study found that people bereaved by spousal suicide had a higher risk of developing mental health disorders, physical disorders, and suicidal behaviors compared to those bereaved by other manners of death. This study highlights the need for proactive outreach and support mechanisms for individuals bereaved by spousal suicide.
Using light to remotely control the curvature of plastic sheets, researchers can create three-dimensional structures like spheres and tubes. The technique is compatible with commercial printing techniques and holds its shape after the light is removed.
The U.S. National Institutes of Health now requires funding applicants to consider sex as a variable in proposed research, aiming to address disparities in health outcomes. However, some scientists express concerns about the policy's potential impact on research costs and data quality.
Researchers at IST Austria create a novel optogenetic receptor that responds to green light, allowing for the rapid control of cellular behavior in defined spaces. The new tool enables scientists to study cellular signaling pathways and their role in human disorders without constant exposure to light.
A large study of UK adults found that moderate drinking is associated with a lower risk of several cardiovascular diseases, including angina and heart failure. However, heavy drinking was linked to an increased risk of other conditions, such as cardiac arrest and ischaemic stroke.
Analysis of isotopes in bones and teeth from fifth-century cemeteries reveals hybridity among nomads and settlers, suggesting cooperation and coexistence. This challenges the traditional narrative of the Huns' violent attacks on settlements on the edge of the Roman Empire.
The NICE-recommended 'budget impact test' aims to slow-track technologies costing the NHS over £20m a year, but experts say it's flawed and discriminatory. The test prioritizes cost-effectiveness over patient needs, potentially leading to widespread harms.
Researchers found that inhibiting Toll-like receptor 4 activation can silence Ebola virus-infected macrophages, a potential treatment option. The study also suggests this approach could work for other hemorrhagic fever viruses.
A new 'super sponge' created by University of Minnesota researchers can absorb mercury from water within seconds, removing it to below detectable limits. The technology has the potential to reduce mercury contamination in lakes, industrial wastewater, and tap water, with economic benefits estimated at $212 million annually.
A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that consumers will pay big money for painful experiences like obstacle races and ultra-marathons. Through extensive interviews with Mudders, researchers learned that pain helps individuals cope with reduced physicality and create a story of a fulfilled life.
A recent study found that direct acting oral anticoagulants and aspirin may increase heart attack risk compared to vitamin k antagonists like warfarin. Researchers are urging more research on the topic as use of these medications increases.
A new study at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health found that Americans prioritize affordability based on household income. Respondents favored a health insurance policy with a 5% household income cap, rather than the current Ryancare plan which transfers benefits from poorer households to wealthier ones.
Researchers found that unsaturated fatty acids were significantly decreased in Alzheimer's brains compared to healthy patients, contradicting previous assumptions. The study suggests a crucial role for fats in dementia onset and progression, with surprising findings on omega-3s and their impact on the disease.
Researchers found that both humans and smartphones frequently fail to distinguish face morph photos from genuine faces, posing a security risk for identity verification. This weakness can be exploited by fraudsters, but raising awareness and using new technologies may help overcome these issues.
Researchers found that a pollinator's size significantly influences how much pollen is deposited, with bees fitting tightly into flowers to vibrate and unlock pollen. This discovery helps understand natural populations of nightshade plants and their pollinators.
Researchers found that premature infants exhibited decreased responses to light touch compared to full-term infants when discharged from the NICU. However, providing more 'supportive touch' experiences, such as skin-to-skin care and breastfeeding, strengthened their brains' response to light touch.
Researchers have successfully filmed inter-molecular chemical reactions in real-time at the atomic level, revolutionizing material development and discovery. The study utilizes the electron beam of a TEM as both an imaging tool and energy source to drive specific chemical reactions.
A study found that busy work lives are viewed as a status symbol in the US, while Italians prefer a life of leisure. The researchers discovered that conspicuous consumption of time, such as working long hours and avoiding leisure, can convey high status.
Researchers successfully grow human heart cells on spinach leaves by perfusing fluids and microbeads through the plant's vascular system, paving the way for using multiple leaves to treat heart attack patients. The technique could also be adapted for other tissues, such as bone engineering.
A new study reveals a significant decrease in airway wall cells and certain inflammatory cells in smokers and mild to moderate COPD patients. The findings challenge the widely accepted description of airway inflammation in these individuals, suggesting a more complex underlying mechanism.
Research found that higher levels of grazing early in the growing season decline sage-grouse population trends, while similar levels of grazing later in the season correspond with increases. Grazing management actions can positively affect sage-grouse populations by increasing food resources and nesting cover.
Researchers at UF Health have found a way to expand and preserve certain cord-blood cells, known as Tregs, which modulate the immune system and prevent autoimmune diseases like Type 1 diabetes. This discovery has important implications for patients with the disease and could potentially be used as a treatment or preventive measure.
Researchers from UnityPoint Health developed an effective eight-minute educational module to teach staff in a large workplace about basic knowledge and skills to locate and use bleeding control equipment. The module showed positive results with 55% of respondents having direct patient care responsibilities, but limitations were noted r...
A recent study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people's romantic choices share similarities, but for different reasons. Physical attractiveness tends to attract similar types, while educated or religious individuals tend to meet others with similar backgrounds.
A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that exposure to body cues can encourage overweight consumers to overspend. High-body-mass-index consumers were more likely to make indulgent spending decisions after seeing a thin shape.
Lauren Sweetser, a fourth-year medical student at Boston University School of Medicine, has won the 2017 U.S. Public Health Medical Student Service Award for her work with homeless children. The award recognizes students who are involved in public health issues and aims to increase awareness of public health services.
The US Department of Agriculture has awarded over $5 million in grants to support research and extension experiences for undergraduate students in agriculture. These fellowships aim to prepare students for careers in the agricultural sciences, focusing on food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences.
Researchers at the University of Basel discovered that rare earth oxides become hydrophobic only after aging due to chemical reactions with ambient air. The study found that even room temperature exposure can trigger these reactions, leading to water-repelling properties.
Researchers identified three core groupings of emotion regulation strategies, including avoidance, rumination, and problem-solving. These findings can help clinicians understand and treat anxiety, substance abuse, and other disorders by providing a more streamlined approach to assessment and therapy.
Researchers identified 163 early mutations in human development from adult cell genomes, revealing the dominant and minor cells that lead to different body tissues. These 'archaeological traces' of embryonic development provide unprecedented insights into human development.
Researchers from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory present a system called Flexplane that tests new traffic management protocols at realistic speeds without altering network hardware. The system uses a compact, efficient computational model of a network to schedule transmissions on the real network.
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine propose recrafting federal anti-kickback laws to allow more sensible health-promoting initiatives. The authors suggest laws should distinguish between inducements for high-value services with medical benefits and those that mainly benefit provider profit margins.
Scientists have developed a low-cost smartphone attachment for at-home fertility testing, enabling men to monitor their semen quality. The Fertilex platform can detect abnormal semen samples with over 95% accuracy, providing a reliable resource for the millions affected by male infertility.
A Michigan State University study suggests that peer rationales improve academic performance and motivation. Students who received a rationale from peers scored higher on final exams compared to those who received a rationale from instructors.
Researchers used cold pressor tests to assess the relationship between pain threshold and tolerance, and the associated hemodynamic response in the cerebral cortex. The study found no gender difference in hemodynamic responses to pain but sheds light on hidden differences in biological variables in the human brain.
Researchers found activation of maternal immune system during pregnancy alters expression of key genes and processes associated with autism, leading to potential neurological repercussions. MIA-induced effects involve single genes and pathways essential for early fetal neurodevelopment.
A new species of terrestrial crab has been discovered in Hong Kong, with characteristics including a dark brown carapace and long legs. The discovery highlights the need for conservation efforts due to habitat destruction caused by pollution and land reclamation.
The study found extensive variation among Burkholderia cenocepacia isolates from cystic fibrosis patients, with changes in clinically relevant bacterial phenotypes. Genetic determinants of motility and biofilm formation may be promising targets for anti-virulence drugs.
Researchers at Linköping University have developed an organic converter that enables the use of electricity from a wall socket to drive organic light-emitting devices and charge supercapacitors. This innovation paves the way for flexible, thin, cost-effective, and eco-friendly solutions in electronics.
A survey of over 422,000 college freshmen found that transgender students were more likely to experience negative consequences from drinking, including memory blackouts, academic problems and conflicts. Transgender students were also more likely to cite stress reduction or relationship troubles as motivation for drinking.
Researchers have found a gene mutation that may contribute to unexplained female infertility, affecting DNA methylation and embryonic development. Women carrying the mutation are healthy but may experience recurrent pregnancy loss or developmental disabilities.
A Cornell professor explains how to use the 35-year-old evolutionary Tree of Life (TOL) classification system to make sense of biodiversity. The TOL approach reveals the diversity of life by matching and mapping relationships on a branching diagram, showing inferred evolutionary connections between taxa.
Research suggests that phytoplankton can rapidly adapt to global warming by increasing photosynthesis rates, leading to increased oxygen production and a more stable food supply for aquatic life. The study monitored green algae in waters warmed by four degrees centigrade above ambient temperature over ten years.
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has announced $11 million in funding to support the development of safe and effective pest management solutions for specialty crops. This investment aims to improve practices and profits for producers, addressing key challenges such as childhood obesity and rural economic growth.
Raven's autonomous rendezvous capability relies on a hybrid computing system developed by NASA, which combines visible, infrared, and lidar sensors with machine-vision algorithms. The system uses SpaceCube processors to analyze data and make real-time decisions.
Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a transparent silver film that can survive air exposure and maintain its conductive properties. The film has potential applications in touchscreens, flexible displays, and metamaterials for faster computing and data transfer.
Researchers found that HIV co-infections drive natural selection in M. tuberculosis, favoring epitope conservation and influencing its evolution. This discovery has implications for vaccine design to combat the co-epidemic in high-HIV TB settings.
A new study finds that deaths in autistic individuals increased 700 percent in the past 16 years, mostly due to injuries. Swimming classes are recommended immediately after diagnosis to prevent drowning-related fatalities.
Strengthening non-medical vaccine exemption policies can boost vaccination coverage and reduce costs, potentially cutting the risk of measles outbreaks in half. Researchers found that states with weaker policies are 140-190% more likely to experience an outbreak.
Researchers discovered that pre-menopausal South Asian women have higher levels of 'urinary N terminal telopeptide', indicating elevated bone resorption, making them more susceptible to osteoporosis and fractures. Fluctuating Vitamin D levels were also linked to increased bone resorption in white Caucasian women.
Researchers have created a new cellular model to test the efficacy of new gene therapies for Chronic Granulomatous Disease more efficiently, using Crispr/Cas9 technology. The improved method allows for faster and cheaper development of new treatments.
A study published in PLOS Medicine found that six unsaturated fatty acids are associated with Alzheimer's disease cognitive symptoms and neuropathology. The researchers analyzed brain tissue samples from older individuals with healthy brains, those with tau or amyloid proteins but no memory problems, and those with Alzheimer's disease.
A new study published in PLOS ONE found that pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) is directly linked to excess weight gain during pregnancy, especially among young mothers. The research also showed that Hispanic women are less likely to experience excessive weight gain compared to non-Hispanic women.
Direct-to-consumer ads for low-testosterone treatments increase prescriptions but may not improve men's health, according to UC Davis physician Richard Kravitz. The rise in hormone-replacement therapies has led to unnecessary treatments and potential cardiovascular risks.