A team of researchers has created a model to analyze short tandem repeats in the human genome, which are implicated in about 30 harmful conditions. The model predicts the frequency and mutation rate of repeats, providing insights into constraints that may narrow down disease signals.
A study has characterized all of the circular DNA in the worm <em>C. elegans</em> and three human cell types, revealing different sets of circles in different cell varieties. The researchers used a 50-year-old lab technique called density gradient centrifugation to separate and purify the circular DNA.
A recent study published in Nature found that biodiversity is a more powerful predictor of biomass production than climate change, with diverse ecosystems producing higher biomass and toppling climate as the most important factor. The research, conducted by a team at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, analyzed data from ove...
Research found that fictional autistic characters often display at least nine of the 12 diagnostic criteria, a level rarely seen in real life. In reality, most people with autism lack exceptional skills, contradicting common stereotypes.
Researchers have successfully isolated fetal heart sounds from background noise using a mathematical technique, allowing for potential non-invasive and low-cost fetal monitoring at home. This could inform doctors about fetal health and make pregnancy safer by enabling long-term monitoring between checkups.
Researchers found that plants have adapted to rising CO2 levels by becoming more efficient at using water, which could help offset human-induced climate change. The study provides new insights into the impact of CO2 on plant behavior and photosynthesis.
Hollow atoms, created in labs, have electrons that can quickly lose energy through interatomic coulomb decay. This effect is important for understanding the helpful effects of ionizing radiation in cancer therapy and causing DNA damage.
Portuguese researchers have discovered how cellular nuclei reach their position within muscle cells, a process disrupted in most muscle disorders. This finding has important implications for developing novel therapeutic strategies to treat muscular diseases and sport-induced muscle injuries.
A new study from the University of Waterloo found that the beverage industry is heavily promoting sugar-sweetened beverages in Guatemalan schools, contributing to high consumption rates among students. In contrast, private school students who have access to free drinking water consumed sweetened beverages less often.
Researchers develop a general-purpose technique to analyze neural networks trained for natural-language-processing tasks. The method applies to any black-box text-processing system, revealing idiosyncrasies in human translators' work and identifying gender biases in machine translation systems.
The second round of experimentation has begun at Wendelstein 7-X, a stellarator designed to produce power from fusion reactions. The upgrade includes new heating and measuring facilities, graphite wall tiles, and ten divertor modules, which will allow for higher temperatures and plasma discharges.
A new study models the impact of changing precipitation patterns in northern European and North American cities, finding that urban runoff is strongly controlled by built-up versus vegetated surfaces. The research also highlights the importance of wintertime climate for northern cities' flood risks.
A drug originally developed in the 1960s as an antiviral medication is showing promise in reducing aggression in traumatic brain injury patients. Amantadine, taken twice daily at 100mg, has been found to decrease aggression in multiple studies, improving quality of life for affected individuals.
Analysis of Chinese life expectancy data reveals a significant impact of airborne particulate matter (PM) on mortality rates. Exposure to PM smaller than 10 microns is estimated to reduce life expectancy by 0.6 years for every 10 μg/m3 of PM10.
A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine found that excessive sedentary time, regardless of exercise habits, significantly increases the risk of death. Taking regular movement breaks can help mitigate this effect.
A NYU study found that 3% of high school seniors reported current synthetic cannabinoid (SC) use, with nearly half using more than three times in the past month. Daily or almost-daily use was also common among SC users, particularly males and African Americans.
Researchers discovered that autophagy, a cellular 'clean-up process', initially slows ALS disease progression but later accelerates its deadly spread through the spinal cord. The study provides new insights into the complex mechanisms of ALS and lays the groundwork for therapies that could eventually prevent its onset.
Climate change may alter desert locust distribution and behavior, potentially increasing agricultural threats in southern Africa. The study suggests maintaining existing monitoring capacities and reviewing prevention strategies to address changing environmental conditions.
A new tool, G-TRUST, has been developed to help clinicians identify trustworthy and relevant practice guidelines. The eight-item checklist assesses guideline quality based on expert consensus, identifying low-quality guidelines and disqualifying high-quality ones.
The CheckMate 238 trial demonstrated that adjuvant nivolumab is superior to standard of care ipilimumab in patients with high-risk stage III/IV melanoma, resulting in improved relapse-free survival and reduced side effects. Nivolumab's benefits were observed across various patient subgroups.
Researchers found that maternal e-cigarette vaping increases the risk and severity of allergic asthma in offspring, with detrimental effects partially mediated through mitochondrial function. The study highlights the need for caution when considering e-cigarettes as a safe alternative to cigarette smoking during pregnancy.
Researchers analyze climate models to show that polynyas in the Southern Ocean can release heat into the atmosphere, warming temperatures and wind patterns globally. This process also affects tropical rainfall and water resources in regions like Indonesia and South America.
A recent study analyzed over 100 clinical trials and found that many were unregistered and unpublished. Prospective registration was significantly associated with subsequent publication, as well as being published with the same primary outcomes as defined in the protocol.
Researchers at NYU Langone Health's main hospital during Superstorm Sandy found that communication and social support were critical in connecting nurses with others during the crisis. The study also calls for more education and planning for future disasters, including training on power loss and 'all hazards' approaches.
Researchers developed an algorithm to generate contiguous district shapes, balancing population and political affiliation. The tool enables state legislatures to explore options in a transparent and efficient manner, promoting fairness and reducing partisan biases.
Studies suggest having an obese spouse substantially increases a man's risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while women with an obese partner are not at increased risk. The research highlights the importance of screening spouses for diabetes if obesity is found in one person.
The TerraSentia robot, developed by the University of Illinois, can autonomously count plants and measure stem width to estimate biomass. Early adopters will receive consulting services to teach their robot to detect additional traits that drive their business or research.
INRS professors Bernard Giroux and Jinyang Liang receive funding to develop geophysical monitoring tools for environmental risks and real-time brain imaging techniques for studying membrane dynamics in neurons. This research has potential applications in material sciences and optical physics.
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute discover a way to reprogram mature skin-like cells into stem cells using antibodies, potentially reducing mutations and improving properties. This method could lead to personalized cell therapies and organ regeneration.
Researchers found that a simple index based on systolic blood pressure and left-ventricular end-diastolic blood pressure ratio can predict in-hospital mortality for patients with STEMI. The study included 219 patients and showed that the SBP/LVEDP ratio was more predictive than other indices.
The Clinical Practice Guideline: Evaluation of the Neck Mass in Adults aims to reduce delays in diagnosis of malignant disease and optimize outcomes. The guideline addresses testing and physical examination of an adult with a neck mass, promoting high-quality and cost-effective care.
NASA satellite images reveal Hurricane Irma's structure and strengthening as it approaches southern Florida. The storm re-strengthened from a Category 3 to a Category 4 hurricane after passing over warm waters in the Caribbean. The National Hurricane Center reports maximum sustained winds of 130 mph, with higher gusts.
Nurses who regularly clean surfaces with disinfectants face a 22-32% increased risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Exposure to specific chemicals like glutaraldehyde, bleach, and quaternary ammonium compounds also increases COPD risk.
A team of astronomers observed distant galaxies 11 billion light-years away and found that active star formation can upswell galaxies, changing their shape. This suggests that galaxies can form new shapes without colliding with other galaxies.
Australian hospitals have adopted two new protocols for assessing chest pain, which were developed by Professor Louise Cullen and Professor William Parsonage. The Accelerated Diagnostic Protocol (ADP) was found to identify low-risk patients correctly, reducing emergency department length of stay from 292 minutes to 256 minutes. The IMP...
New studies reveal that e-cigarette refills contain respiratory irritants and increase symptoms in smokers. E-cigarette use is most common among smokers, with dual users experiencing the worst respiratory symptoms.
A recent ESMO 2017 Congress session has ignited debate on the optimal duration of adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer, with experts weighing in on the pros and cons of shortening treatment from six to three months. The IDEA study suggests that three months provides a similar benefit but with reduced side effects.
A study of 1.5 million children found that those with asthma were 1.6 times more likely to be prescribed antibiotics than those without asthma. This could be due to mistaken asthma symptoms for a bacterial infection or preventative use, despite guidelines against it.
The Triggers tool identifies patients who benefit from early palliative care, improving their prognosis and quality of life. In a pilot study, the tool was successfully implemented at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, with 75% of patients showing positive triggers for specialist palliative care.
Research finds that Asian dust is associated with an increased likelihood of acute myocardial infarction, especially in patients with chronic kidney disease. The study analyzed data from Kumamoto University Hospital and found a significant association between Asian dust exposure and the onset of acute myocardial infarction.
The KEYNOTE-045 trial demonstrates pembrolizumab's superiority in overall survival and adverse event profile compared to chemotherapy in platinum-pretreated urothelial cancer patients. The medication offers durable responses and a favorable safety profile.
Hurricane Jose's eye is visible in satellite images over the Leeward Islands, with maximum sustained winds near 130 mph. The storm is expected to make a turn toward the north, gradually weakening over the next couple of days.
New research shows that e-cigarettes with nicotine cause a significant increase in arterial stiffness, blood pressure, and heart rate in humans. This study highlights the potential dangers of e-cigarettes and emphasizes the need for caution and further investigation into their long-term effects.
The phase III RANGE trial showed that ramucirumab plus docetaxel significantly prolonged investigator-assessed progression-free survival compared to placebo plus docetaxel. The treatment also nearly doubled the objective response rate in patients with platinum-refractory advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer.
Hurricane Katia made landfall in Mexico as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 75 mph. The remnants of the storm were quickly dissipating over eastern Mexico, with some areas still experiencing heavy rainfall.
The PACIFIC trial showed that durvalumab improved progression-free survival in patients with locally advanced, unresectable stage II-III NSCLC, decreasing the probability of disease progression by 48%. Durvalumab also reduced treatment-related adverse events and improved overall response rates.
A phase III clinical trial found that osimertinib improves progression-free survival and median duration of response by 50-100% compared to standard first line therapy for patients with EGFR mutated non-small-cell lung cancer. The benefit was consistent across all subgroups, including those with and without brain metastases.
A nationwide study in Ireland found that most oncology patients consider clinical trials important but struggle with central concepts like chance and randomization. The study aimed to understand factors influencing patients' decisions about participating in clinical trials.
The MONARCH 3 trial showed that adding abemaciclib to endocrine therapy improved progression-free survival compared to endocrine therapy alone. Around one-third of women may not need a CDK 4/6 inhibitor as initial treatment.
A randomized trial of over 600 patients confirms chemoradiation as the standard treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer, with no improved disease-free survival seen with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery. The findings suggest that chemoradiation should remain the standard treatment.
NASA's Aqua satellite captured images of Hurricane Irma's eye along Cuba's northern coast, revealing coldest temperatures surrounding the storm. The hurricane is expected to strengthen once it moves away from Cuba and then re-strengthen again as it approaches Florida, bringing powerful winds and heavy rainfall.
NASA's Terra satellite passed over Hurricane Jose, capturing a visible-light image of its well-defined eye. The eye has become slightly more asymmetric, with northeastward elongation of the cirrus canopy indicating increasing southwesterly shear.
New research links respiratory tract infections in young children to an increased risk of asthma and worse lung function in later life. Children who had lower respiratory tract infections between 6 months and 5 years old had a two- to four-fold increased risk of developing asthma.
A study published at ESMO 2017 Congress found that abdominal fat distribution is a significant predictor of cancer diagnosis in postmenopausal women. The study, which included 5,855 women, showed that the ratio of abdominal to peripheral fat was an independent risk factor for certain cancers.
A meta-analysis of studies found frequent sperm aberrations and lower fertility rates among men after undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedures. Researchers identified elevated estrogen hormone levels and deficient vitamin D as potential factors contributing to semen abnormalities and reduced fertility.
The system uses cameras and AI to detect hand movements deviating from normal driving behavior, grading them for possible safety threats. Researchers hope the technology will reduce traffic accidents caused by distracted drivers, a major contributor to global crashes.
A new study found that more than 1 in 4 European workers are exposed to secondhand smoke at work, with indoor workplaces seeing an increase in cases. The research, which surveyed over 55,000 people across the EU, highlights the need for stronger enforcement of existing smoke-free laws.
A new method for detecting strontium in milk has been adapted for use in routine environmental studies. The research group successfully applied the IAEA's emergency method to achieve reliable results at lower detection limits.
Regulatory T-cells in adipose tissue increase in response to environmental stimuli, promoting heat production and fatty acid breakdown. This discovery highlights the complex interactions between immune cells and environment in maintaining metabolic balance.
Researchers found patients with FTD showed thinning of outer retina compared to control subjects. The degree of retinal thinning was worse in those with lower cognition scores.