Experts say pay for performance programs have limited effect, with no significant difference in mortality rates between early and late adopters. The study suggests that increasing incentives and focusing on key measures may improve outcomes.
Researchers found that dietary trehalose enhances the virulence of epidemic C. difficile lineages, leading to increased disease severity and mortality in animal models. The study suggests that trehalose may be a key trigger for the predominance of these lineages, contributing to hospital-acquired infections.
Researchers used MMS data to identify regions where high-energy electrons are accelerated, a key step in understanding magnetosphere energy conversion. This discovery will help scientists study magnetic reconnection and its effects on Earth's power grids and GPS communications.
Researchers identified rare genetic variations in Thorase protein associated with schizophrenia, reversed anti-social behavior in mice using perampanel. The study provides preliminary support for Thorase's role in behavioral disorders.
The World Health Organization has prequalified the Typbar-TCV typhoid conjugate vaccine, offering longer-lasting protection and allowing administration to children under two years old. This step is crucial in expanding access to this lifesaving vaccine and reducing the burden of typhoid in high-risk areas.
Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center discovered that a gene fusion can cause cancer by increasing mitochondrial activity and fueling cell growth. Drugs targeting this pathway can prevent tumor growth in human cancer cells and mice with brain cancer.
A study of 13,237 veterans found that elective coronary revascularization procedures at VA hospitals had better travel distances but more variable outcomes compared to community-based facilities. The researchers also noted differences in costs between the two settings.
A new clinical trial shows that using a generic skin cream containing fluorouracil (5-FU) for two to four weeks can reduce the risk of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) needing surgery by 75% within a year. The study, led by Dr. Martin A. Weinstock, involved over 900 military veterans at high risk for keratinocyte carcinoma skin cancer.
Despite being younger with fewer complications, African surgery patients face a higher risk of death compared to the global average. The study calls for improved monitoring of patients during and after surgery to improve outcomes.
Researchers found that high atmospheric oxygen levels were not critical to the origin of animals, but rather occurred between 540 and 420 million years ago. The transition to a world with an oxygenated deep ocean required significant changes in atmospheric O2 levels, which approached modern levels around 400 million years ago.
The authors propose a scalable and cost-effective preparation protocol for low-dimensional polyion complex nanomaterials with tunable morphologies. The protocol, called PIESA, enables the synthesis of biorelevant nanostructures with controllable shape and charge state.
A study led by The Ottawa Hospital and University of Ottawa suggests combining oncolytic viruses with checkpoint inhibitors could cure resistant breast cancer in mice. This combination therapy showed success in models that mimic metastatic spread after surgery, curing 60-90% of mice.
A new study by Duke University researchers found that stem cell transplant significantly improves survival and reduces the need for immune suppressant drugs in patients with severe scleroderma. The regimen, which includes chemotherapy and radiation, showed a highly significant benefit compared to conventional drug therapy.
A new smart grid system has been developed to reduce inter-area oscillations on the western power grid, allowing for more power to be transmitted while maintaining stability. The system uses real-time data from sensors placed throughout the grid to counteract oscillations, enabling utilities to save costs and improve efficiency.
Researchers found that Costa Rican paper wasps' brains follow biological rule when overall brain size increases, but specific subregions don't. Complex brain structures like mushroom bodies and antennal lobes decrease in proportional size in smaller-bodied wasps.
Research in mice and tissue cultures suggests that vitamin C enhances the killing power of first-line TB drugs, isoniazid and rifampicin. The combination reduces organ burdens faster than the drugs alone, with a potential to shorten TB chemotherapy duration.
A team of researchers found that the star's light appears to dim and brighten due to different amounts of dust blocking various wavelengths of light. The study rules out alien megastructures as a cause, but raises the possibility of other phenomena being behind the dimming.
A new study explores the ecological knowledge of 4-year-old children from urban Native American, rural Native American, and urban non-Native American communities. The research found that rural Native American children were more verbal in their play, while all children displayed realistic and imaginary ecological relations among living ...
New research reveals how alcohol causes permanent genetic damage to blood stem cells, leading to cancer. The study found that acetaldehyde breaks and damages DNA within these cells, altering chromosome sequences and increasing the risk of certain cancers.
Researchers at Penn State and ETH Zurich have demonstrated the behavior of particles of light in a two-dimensional array of waveguides, matching predictions for the four-dimensional quantum Hall effect. This achievement provides evidence for higher-dimensional quantum Hall physics, with potential applications in novel photonic devices.
Researchers from Louisiana State University have collected new data on KIC 8462852, also known as Tabby's Star, which has been dimming and brightening sporadically. The study suggests that dust is likely the cause of these changes, blocking different colors of light at varying intensities.
Researchers have discovered a surge in radium-228 levels in the central Arctic Ocean, indicating large-scale changes along the coast. The team suspects that melting sea ice has stirred up sediments, releasing radium into the ocean, which could have significant impacts on Arctic food webs and animal populations.
PharmaMar initiates EMA re-examination process for Aplidin, a marine-derived anticancer agent targeting multiple myeloma. The re-examination procedure aims to confirm or update the negative opinion on its Marketing Authorization Application.
Engineers at Iowa State University have developed a new type of wearable sensor for plants, using graphene technology to measure water use in crops. The sensors are made by patterning and transferring graphene-based nanomaterials onto tape, allowing for precise measurements of transpiration from leaves.
Researchers found that people with Parkinson's disease had significantly lower caffeine levels in their blood, even if they consumed the same amount as those without the disease. The study suggests a simple test for early diagnosis could be developed using caffeine levels.
A team of scientists led by Guido Silvestri at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center has sequenced the sooty mangabey genome, revealing clues that may help people infected with HIV. The study found two key differences in proteins of the immune system that may contribute to the mangabeys' resistance to AIDS.
Researchers have identified several genes responsible for Alzheimer's disease, including those affecting brain structure and function. These findings provide insight into the biological mechanisms leading to AD, particularly in the pre-symptom stages, and may lead to new treatments.
Scientists have observed increasing fluxes of shelf-derived materials to the central Arctic Ocean, altering its composition and potentially harming biological productivity. The study provides an estimate of Arctic shelf flux and sheds light on understudied transport processes in the region.
Researchers at Duke University have developed a method to create hybrid thin-film materials that can absorb and emit light efficiently. The technique, called Resonant Infrared Matrix-Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation, allows for the creation of delicate organic-inorganic crystals with improved scalability and durability.
Researchers uncovered the secrets behind snapping shrimp's ability to break water, attributing it to millions of years of evolution and adaptation. The study reveals a series of small changes in claw form led to the development of ultrafast movements.
A new study published in Physics Today found that traditional introductory physics laboratory courses fail to enhance student learning due to lack of active engagement. Researchers designed innovative lab alternatives that encourage iterative experimentation and critical thinking.
Researchers discovered a new form of antibiotic resistance in pandemic cholera, where the enzyme AlmG modifies lipid A to prevent CAMPs from binding. This unique mechanism offers a new challenge for overcoming increasing antibiotic resistance.
Christine Cave's new method reveals that it was not uncommon for people to live to old age in traditional societies. The study found that the most common age of death was around 70, similar across cultures.
A new study published in Journal of Bone and Mineral Research found that more than 80% of bone loss in post-menopausal women is due to cortical bone, not trabecular. Cortical bone loss is likely to contribute to the occurrence of fractures in these women.
A new noninvasive approach to treat tinnitus has shown promising results in a double-blind study, alleviating symptoms in 20% of participants. The therapy involves alternating audio and somatosensory stimulation, delivered through headphones and mild pulses on the neck or cheek.
Tropical Storm Ava formed off northeastern Madagascar on Jan. 3, with NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite analyzing the storm in infrared light. The satellite provided data showing coldest cloud tops and strongest storms wrapped around the center of circulation.
Researchers discovered that peacock spiders' intense rainbow iridescence emerges from specialized abdominal scales with airfoil-like microscopic 3D contour and nanoscale diffraction grating structures. This finding may inspire new color technology for applications such as space missions and wearable chemical detection systems.
A study of NYC hospitals found that black and Hispanic preterm infants are more likely to be born at hospitals with higher morbidity-mortality rates, contributing to racial disparities in neonatal deaths and severe complications. These differences explained 39.9% of the black-white disparity and 29.5% of the Hispanic-white disparity in...
Restasis, approved by FDA in 2003, shows no direct improvement in symptoms but is marketed as treatment for chronic dry eye disease. The drug's extensive marketing campaign created a perceived need, driving $8.8 billion in US sales between 2009 and 2015.
A new removable implant has been developed to control type 1 diabetes, with hundreds of thousands of islet cells protected by a thin hydrogel coating and attached to a polymer thread. This therapy could replace daily insulin injections and offer a more effective management solution for the disease.
A new study reveals that an invasive Australian tree species, Pittosporum undulatum, is posing a significant threat to the global biodiversity hotspot in Jamaica's Blue Mountains. The species has already outpaced native trees, reducing their regeneration and threatening rare and endangered species.
The male rat brain changes how it stores information based on the safety and danger of its environment, according to new research. Emotionally charged information, such as danger, is processed by the amygdala, while harmless information is consolidated in other regions like the perirhinal cortex.
Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine discovered a possible biomarker for Huntington's disease, which may help evaluate treatment effectiveness and potentially delay disease onset. The study found altered levels of microRNAs in individuals carrying the HD gene mutation twenty years before symptoms appear.
Researchers have shed new light on the diversity paradox by developing a stochastic model of bacteria-virus interactions. Their findings suggest that the coevolutionary arms race between bacteria and viruses leads to diverse populations and boom-bust cycles, preventing any single species from dominating the ecosystem.
Researchers at Rothamsted Research have developed a simple mathematical model to predict the behavior of midge swarms, which can help protect crops from airborne pests. The model uses basic physics principles to simulate the complex flight dynamics of midges and predicts their dispersal patterns.
Researchers have discovered that experimental diabetes drugs can make cancer cells more vulnerable to traditional chemotherapy agents. The combination of carboplatin and one of the experimental compounds, SR1664, sensitized lung tumor cells and triple-negative breast cancer cells in laboratory models, leading to reduced tumor growth.
Researchers discovered that zebrafish exhibit significant spatial memory impairment after a blow to the head, with slower reaction times to familiar environments. Genetic analysis identified key genes involved in brain cell proliferation and migration, offering new insights into potential human recovery strategies.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have developed a new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology that can accurately diagnose the nature and aggressiveness of kidney cancer without the need for invasive biopsies. This breakthrough technology, known as multiparametric MRI, uses multiple types of images to evaluate the chem...
Dr. Yu Zhu's team developed a new polymer binding material and process to improve battery cyclability and storage density, extending the time between charges and overall battery life.
A study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution reveals that G+C composition is generally strongly favored across different species, regardless of genome size or location. The researchers used large-scale DNA sequencing data to demonstrate a correlation between G+C content and the expectations based on neutral mutations.
A new study suggests that climate change could force winemakers to switch from traditional grape varieties to more drought-tolerant and heat-resistant ones. Researchers at Harvard University are exploring the potential of lesser-known grape varieties to adapt to changing weather patterns.
Boris Striepen has received a $1.8-million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support drug development efforts against cryptosporidiosis, a disease that sickens approximately 750,000 people annually in the US. The project aims to identify and validate therapeutic targets to guide medicinal chemistry.
A collaborative team from Washington University in St. Louis conducted field studies in Raipur, India, to quantify the true scope of particulate emissions from cookstoves. They found that emissions were higher than previously estimated, with some cases exceeding twice the levels detected in laboratory experiments.
A new Northwestern Medicine study finds that blacks have the same risk of developing diabetes as whites when all biological factors are considered over time. Obesity is identified as the primary cause of early onset diabetes in blacks, with black women developing diabetes at triple the rate of white women.
Pericytes, a type of cell on brain blood vessels, grow to cover empty space left by neighboring cells. This brain plasticity may help fight age-related vascular disorders like Alzheimer's disease and stroke.
The study reveals that archaea use the same mechanism to regulate cell size as bacteria and budding yeast, with some variability in precision. The researchers found that Halobacterium salinarum controls its size by adding a constant volume between two events in the cell cycle.
An international team of researchers has combined experiments with quantum theory to explore methane dissociation reactions in minute detail. They found that dissociation reactions are at least two orders of magnitude more efficient on steps than on terraces, providing new insights for optimizing catalysts.
The study found that the Pacific midshipman's swimbladder muscles release and pump calcium ions at a much slower rate than those of other fish, allowing it to sustain an hour-long mating call. This low level of calcium release reduces metabolic demands and enables the muscle fibers to contract with sufficient force.
Current Organocatalysis journal to be indexed in Scopus, expanding its reach. The journal covers various aspects of organocatalysis, including drug discovery and green chemistry.
A study found that high doses of vitamin D significantly reduced arterial stiffness in a population with vitamin deficiency. The results suggest that vitamin D supplementation can be an effective treatment for improving cardiovascular health.