A new study from George Washington University found that Iowa school districts with strong teachers unions were more likely to adopt COVID-19 mask mandates. The researchers also discovered that Democratic-leaning union members played a significant role in advocating for mask requirements.
Researchers identified a genetic mutation linked to a weakened immune system response in the gut, leading to rare and severe inflammatory bowel disease. The study found that mutations in the IFIH1 gene result in abnormal production of the MDA5 protein, causing improper immune activation and inflammation.
The COVID-19 pandemic has likely led to an increase in falls among older adults due to decreased physical activity, worsened physical conditioning, and heightened fear of falling. This is a pressing concern as falls can result in significant injuries, particularly among this age group.
Researchers at NC State re-examined birnessite's behavior, finding that nanoconfined interlayer structural water mitigates ion interactions, enabling an intermediate adsorption mechanism. This leads to capacitive behavior without significant structural change.
Zooplankton swim up and down in response to shifts in light due to cloud cover, with mini-migrations adding up to 30% of the average nightly migration distance. This behavior has implications for metabolic requirements and carbon transfer in the ocean.
A Hong Kong study suggests a link between the COVID-19 pandemic and an increase in childhood short-sightedness, with children spending less time outdoors and more time on screens. The study found that around 1 in 5 children developed short-sightedness during the pandemic, compared to around 1 in 3 over three years.
A computer simulation modelled by Associate Professor David Goldbaum suggests a leader emerges through a dynamic self-reinforcing social process, even with identical attributes among group members. The study finds that building up influence and gaining popularity is key to becoming a leader.
A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that within 15 years of a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis, 60% of participants had at least one diabetes-related complication. Lifestyle modification and approved medications are not enough to manage the disease, emphasizing the need for expanded treatment options.
A new model integrates advanced models and observational data to track carbon cycles in agroecosystems, validating its performance and demonstrating its potential for estimating different carbon components. This solution has the potential to advance precision agriculture and inform sustainable farming practices.
A new study suggests that girls are less likely to view science as a viable career when taught alongside confident and aspirational peers. Contrary to expectations, boys' confidence in STEM subjects is more likely to inspire them to pursue careers in the field.
A new DNA study provides critical information on conserving rough-nosed horned lizards in Sri Lankan rainforests. The research found that the lizards are separated into four forest groups, which can inform guidelines for forest landscape restoration and habitat connectivity.
Astronomers studied a piece of supernova shrapnel to understand how it ended up moving fast out of the galaxy. The metal-rich star's slow rotation rate suggests it survived a massive explosion, shedding light on the original two-star system.
A world-first study found that cancer patients receiving chemotherapy intravenously have more than double the risk of developing a blood clot or thrombosis if the vein is too small and the catheter occupies more than 45% of the vein. Researchers identified specific limits on catheter-to-vein ratios to reduce risks for cancer patients.
Researchers at the University of Basel have developed new luminescent manganese complexes with promising properties, including improved efficiency and stability. These findings offer a potential solution for more sustainable energy production and could lead to the creation of water-soluble variants for medical applications.
Scientists at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre have made a breakthrough discovery in understanding how dormant hematopoietic stem cells are activated, which could lead to new therapeutic targets for various cancers. The team found that lysosomes act as key signaling hubs regulating long-term hematopoietic stem cells.
Researchers determined that a woman's 'vascular age' is a better indicator for cardiovascular disease risk than her chronological age or years since menopause. Hormone therapy brings increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but 'vascular age' provides a clearer answer for physicians making decisions about hormone therapy.
Researchers discovered elevated cryptic transcription in aging mammalian stem cells, which is thought to contribute to the aging process. The study found that strategies controlling cryptic transcription may have pro-longevity effects.
A new study found that plastic pollution is ingested by juvenile sea turtles, leading them to accumulate in highly polluted areas like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The research team examined 121 sea turtles from five species and found that 86% of loggerheads and 83% of greens contained plastic.
Researchers found no evidence of increased suicide risk among patients taking recently developed antiseizure medications. The study suggests that the FDA's blanket warning on anti-seizure medications may not be justified, highlighting concerns about its impact on patient treatment and trial results.
A recent UC Riverside study reveals that neonicotinoids, commonly used in commercial plant nurseries, are deadly to bees regardless of watering levels. The research found a 90% decrease in bee reproduction with both high and low irrigation levels, highlighting the need for alternative management practices to reduce harm to pollinators.
Researchers at INRS and Université de Montréal are developing new electrodes based on nanostructured materials to degrade chemical compounds, including persistent organic pollutants (POPs) like PFAS. The project aims to create innovative solutions to decontaminate waters containing harmful chemicals.
A new study by UBC researchers found that people perceived as being less real and having 'less mind' when appearing within a photo. This discovery has implications for digital communication, particularly in online trials, healthcare, and education, where the perception of a person's mind can influence moral judgement.
A new study suggests that a slower spinning Earth may have boosted oxygen production by cyanobacteria, contributing to the planet's two great oxygenation events. This finding is based on research of microbial communities in a submerged Lake Huron sinkhole.
A new study suggests that thawing permafrost in Siberia may release large amounts of methane gas from limestone formations, posing a significant threat to global warming. Elevated methane concentrations were detected in two areas with limestone bedrock, indicating that fracture systems in these formations became permeable upon warming.
Luigi Ferrucci, MD, PhD, FGSA, has been awarded the 2021 Donald P. Kent Award by the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) for his outstanding professional leadership in gerontology through teaching, service, and public interpretation.
Siddha Pimputkar, an assistant professor at Lehigh University, has received the American Association for Crystal Growth (AACG) Young Scientist Award for his outstanding contributions to crystal growth. His research focuses on synthesizing bulk and thin-film single-crystal nitrogen-containing materials.
Researchers developed chemically modified guide RNAs for an RNA-targeting CRISPR system, significantly enhancing the ability to target and edit RNA in human cells. The optimized guides increased efficiencies of CRISPR activity by 2- to 5-fold and extended targeting activity from 48 hours to four days.
A study found that Scottish male former professional soccer players at midfield and defensive positions had a higher risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases. The research also suggested that longer careers were associated with an increased risk, particularly among those playing in the 1990s and 2000s.
Researchers found that over 60% of US residents infected with antibiotic-resistant salmonella Kentucky while abroad were resistant to fluoroquinolones. The bacteria is more likely to cause disease and evade antibiotics when acquired in Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa.
A study by UC Santa Barbara's Marine Science Institute found that understory algae can't compensate for the lost productivity of giant kelp in kelp forests. The researchers discovered a gradual reduction in canopy productivity and an exponential increase in understory algae productivity over 10 years.
Researchers found that text messages with ownership language increased appointment rates by 84.33% and accelerated vaccination schedules at UCLA Health. The study involved two randomized controlled trials with over 87,000 participants and demonstrated the effectiveness of text reminders in overcoming barriers to vaccine scheduling.
Researchers found that the oxygen produced by photosynthesis is limited by the time available during shorter days, as late-rising cyanobacteria need a few hours to photosynthesize and produce oxygen. This discovery suggests that changes in day length may have impacted global oxygen levels over Earth's history.
A recent study found that people willingly share monetary gains with others and dislike inequality, yet behave selfishly in large group decisions. In the Big Robber Game, over half of participants took the maximum amount from their group, while displaying prosocial behavior in small, bilateral games.
Researchers found a regulatory cell type, mesenchymal cells, control liver regeneration through cell-to-cell contacts. The study suggests that the wrong number of contacts between populations can lead to cancer or chronic liver diseases.
A team of scientists found that Neanderthals intentionally applied red ochre pigment to the cave's flowstone formation, dating back 65,000 years. The analysis revealed variations in pigment composition corresponding to different dates of application, indicating a tradition passed down through generations.
Researchers developed machine learning methods to accurately identify and characterize metabolism-disrupting chemicals, also known as obesogens. A high-throughput chemical screening approach combined with a machine learning approach was used to profile over 60 chemicals with known effects and predict their metabolism-disrupting potential.
A Japanese research team found that residents who engage in activities like camping and hiking experience increased happiness, while ownership has no effect. The study suggests better policies for enhancing forest relationships and measuring happiness based on the types of forest happiness.
A recent study published in the American Heart Association's Circulation Journal found that combining aerobic exercise with moderate calorie restriction resulted in greater improvements in aortic stiffness compared to exercise alone or exercise plus a more restrictive diet. The study, which included 160 sedentary adults aged 65-79 year...
Researchers at City of Hope developed a powerful miniature brain platform to study the causes of Alzheimer's disease and test dementia drugs in development. They used human stem cell technology to model sporadic Alzheimer's disease, finding that exposure to serum from blood can induce multiple symptoms.
Researchers found significant periodic flow velocity fluctuations in fuel injector ignite combustion oscillations, leading to high mechanical stress on the combustion chamber. The findings provide a reasonable answer for why these oscillations occur and have significant implications for preventing fatal damage in critical engines.
A recent study published in Circulation found that eliminating 200 calories and exercising four days a week significantly improved aortic stiffness in older adults with obesity. The results suggest that moderate caloric reduction and aerobic activity are more effective than restrictive dieting for improving vascular health.
A new study from MIT reveals Egypt will import more virtual water than the Nile can provide if current trends continue, threatening the country's water security. The research proposes shifting production to lower-water crops and improving irrigation methods to sustainably manage resources.
A single butterfly species introduced to an island in the 1990s had a significant impact on several insect populations, leading to genetic decline and high extinction risk for some species. The parasitoid wasp's mobility and symbiotic bacterial relationships played key roles in shaping this outcome.
A decline in atmospheric CO2 played a major role in driving Earth's climate from a warm greenhouse into a cold icehouse world around 34 million years ago. Land temperatures cooled by about 3C alongside ocean temperatures, and only climate models with declining CO2 could reproduce this cooling.
Research reveals that biological invasions are threatening the evolutionary history and ecological strategies of birds and mammals. The study found that 11% of their phylogenetic diversity is at risk, with a greater impact on bird species due to their vulnerability to invasive species.
Seoul National University researchers have created a new record-breaking thermoelectric material using tin and selenium elements, overcoming previous limitations with high performance and toxicity concerns. The material achieves a thermoelectric figure of merit greater than 3.1 and power generation efficiency exceeding 20% in bulk form.
Researchers from Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, have developed a novel thermal diode with improved rectification performance. The new device exhibits excellent thermal rectification performance, with a maximum coefficient of 1.51, and requires less temperature bias than other reported thermal diodes.
Researchers project a further decline in excess male births in countries like China and India, but warn of a surplus of young men globally, posing social and economic challenges. A global loss of 22 million female births could occur by 2100 if all at-risk countries are included in projections.
A new study published in Nutrients found that U.S. adolescents who eat potatoes have higher quality diets than those who do not consume potatoes, regardless of how they are processed or prepared. Potatoes were associated with improved intake of key shortfall nutrients, including dietary fiber and potassium.
A new study published in Frontiers in Marine Science reveals that small juvenile marine turtles from the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean have a high incidence of plastic ingestion. Plastic ingestion is suspected to lead to mortality, malnutrition, and chemical contamination. The types of plastic ingested vary between the two study sites...
Researchers found a 40-meter fall in sea level increases eruption likelihood at Santorini and possibly other volcanoes worldwide. Climate change impacts volcanic activity, particularly as ice sheets retreat and global sea levels rise.
Researchers from NYUAD and University of Wisconsin-Madison develop interactive 3D diagrams to teach functional neuroanatomy. The study shows that VR exceeded PC viewing for experience-based learning outcomes, making it an enjoyable and easier learning tool.
Researchers found that local delivery of tumor-specific T-cells is an efficient option to convert tumors unresponsive to checkpoint inhibitors to permit tumor cures. Locally delivered T-cells showed similar control of established tumors as intravenous adoptive T-cell transfer.
Researchers at the University of Rochester have developed a new method using pulsed lasers in liquids to create nanoparticles that can be easily tested for use as catalysts. This technique accelerates the process of discovering effective catalysts, which is crucial for producing essential materials and clean fuels.
In a new study, researchers found that punishments, like dropping non-pollinated flowers, enforce cooperation between fig trees and wasps. Contrary to previous findings, some fig species do not eliminate non-pollinating wasps by aborting their own fruit.
A new app called selfBACK has been developed to help people deal with back pain in a better way. The app uses artificial intelligence and draws on other people's experiences with back pain to provide tailored advice and feedback.
Scientists discovered impaired leptin transport to the brain via LepR receptors leads to pre-diabetic state and exhausted insulin secretion. Reintroducing leptin restores pancreatic function-promoting action, suggesting a crucial brain role in type 2 diabetes management.
Chapman's Pygmy Chameleon, one of the world's rarest chameleons, has been found in surviving patches of forest in Malawi. The species was feared extinct due to forest loss and habitat fragmentation, leading to reduced genetic diversity and increased extinction risk.
Researchers found that individuals who consumed more hyperpalatable carbohydrate and sodium foods at an all-you-can-eat buffet had significantly greater weight change and percent body fat change. Hedonic eating, characterized by rewarding food properties, may boost a person's risk for weight and body-fat gain in early adulthood.
A Kaiser Permanente study of over 31,000 heart attack patients in Southern California revealed significant racial disparities in long-term survival. Black patients from lower-resourced neighborhoods were more likely to die within 5 years after a heart attack compared to white patients, regardless of healthcare access.