Researchers found that stiffness is the most problematic characteristic of spasticity after spinal cord injury, affecting daily life and function. Non-pharmacological interventions such as stretching and exercise are more effective than medications in managing symptoms.
Early childhood bilharzia damages psychometric measures, cognitive skills, and executive function in children, leading to disadvantaged educational attainment; treatment with praziquantel can reverse detrimental effects within 6 months.
Researchers found that some medications used to treat autoimmune rheumatic diseases can weaken the immune response to COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccination still induced an immune response in patients, but at a lower rate than in those without autoimmune diseases.
A new study identifies four key challenges faced by sharing economy consumers, including reconciling goals and values, managing risk, and personalizing experiences. Researchers also uncover mechanisms and actions that help consumers navigate these challenges, creating value in the process.
Researchers found that four patients with rare angiosarcoma partially or completely responded to treatment with a combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab. Stable disease was maintained by two more patients, with at least one patient experiencing complete tumor disappearance.
Researchers found that removing race-based adjustments from equations estimating kidney function could make Black patients ineligible for cancer treatments and lower their doses. The analysis showed that Black patients in the US are more frequently diagnosed with cancer and are more likely to die from it than white Americans.
Researchers found that factors like cost and prescription characteristics are associated with increased use of manufacturer's coupons at pharmacies. The study suggests that these factors may influence patients' decisions about using coupons to reduce medication costs.
The DTU researchers have developed a universal measurement-based optical quantum computer platform, enabling the execution of any arbitrary algorithm. The platform is scalable to thousands of qubits and can be connected directly to a future quantum Internet.
Research finds that immunocompromised dialysis patients who received the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine have higher levels of neutralising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Delta. A third dose of an mRNA vaccine is recommended to protect this vulnerable group.
A recent study by North Carolina State University researchers suggests that crop insurance can serve as a disincentive for farmers to adopt climate change mitigation measures. The study found that higher levels of crop insurance participation increase the variability of crop yields due to warmer temperatures, making farming riskier. Po...
A team of researchers has identified a novel splicing mechanism for human short introns, involving the distinct factor SPF45. This discovery sheds light on alternative splicing and its potential applications in cancer treatment.
Researchers at Harvard SEAS have demonstrated a new way to control polarized light using metasurfaces, enabling holographic images with an unlimited number of polarization states and manipulation in virtually infinite directions. This advancement could lead to applications in imaging, microscopes, displays, and astronomy.
Researchers at University of Michigan develop faster path planning approach for rubble-roving robots, enabling them to find stable paths in treacherous terrain more efficiently. The new algorithm outperformed traditional methods in success and total time to plan, with an 84% success rate in virtual experiments.
A new study from the University of California - Davis found that domestic cats overwhelmingly choose freely available food over food puzzles, contrary to expected contrafreeloading behavior. Cats spent more time at the tray and made more first choices to eat from it than the puzzle, suggesting a preference for easy access to food.
A recent study published in Functional Ecology reveals that trees' carbohydrate reserves are crucial for surviving insect defoliation, with a critical threshold of 1.5% carbohydrates in dried wood. Trees growing along forest edges tend to have more reserves, making them more resilient than interior forest trees.
Research in China found that air pollution decreases monthly wages by 4% for inmates, with sensitivity varying by age and education. The study highlights the importance of addressing blue-collar workers' exposure to poor air quality for optimal environmental policy design.
A new algorithm can help engineers predict how cellular materials will react to different loads, conditions, and constraints. The research found that this approach can achieve extreme mechanical properties, including negative Poisson's ratio and elastic modulus.
Researchers found that people's personality, such as extroversion, and gender affect their interaction with websites. Extroverted individuals tend to prefer interactive sites that facilitate communication between users, while men and women have different preferences when it comes to interacting with computers.
Researchers uncover how cancer cells make lactic acid to thrive in low-oxygen environments, a process enabled by the PRL-3 protein. This discovery holds promise for developing inhibitors to disrupt this survival mechanism.
Two studies report substantial reductions in COVID-19 infections and deaths among vaccinated organ transplant patients, with a lower risk of breakthrough infections compared to the general population. Vaccination is considered critically important for this high-risk group.
A team of researchers has developed a new concept for a future brain-computer interface system that employs independent, wireless microscale neural sensors to record and stimulate brain activity. The system, dubbed 'neurograins,' successfully recorded neural signals from a rodent's cerebral cortex, demonstrating its potential to provid...
Researchers at Aalto University have discovered that fibrous red phosphorous, when electrons are confined in its one-dimensional sub-units, shows large optical responses. The material demonstrates giant anisotropic linear and non-linear optical responses, as well as emission intensity.
Collective behavior in schools of herring, herds of wildebeest, and other groups helps maintain ecosystem diversity and stability. The study found an emergent social-ecological feedback that buffers the system against crashing, allowing more consumer species to persist.
Scientists have discovered three new dinosaur fossils in Northwest China, representing two new species: Silutitan sinensis and Hamititan xinjiangensis. The findings shed light on sauropods in the region and increase the known diversity of Mesozoic reptiles in the area.
Researchers found that weighted restraint significantly decreases lung reserve volume and increases breathing effort during recovery from exercise. The study's findings suggest that prolonged application of weighted restraint could pose a threat to the subject's survival.
Researchers created a duplex bond coat approach that extends the life of engine components, protecting them from chemical reactions and water vapor. The new coating system uses ytterbium disilicate and hafnium oxide to create a stable and durable barrier against high temperatures.
Researchers found a correlation between the damping time scale of accretion disk variability and supermassive black hole masses. This discovery may help constrain poorly understood processes within accretion disks.
Andrew Jackura, a postdoctoral researcher, aims to study the three-body problem, which explains strong nuclear interactions among three particles. He will use lattice QCD to investigate this complex phenomenon and ultimately understand how it contributes to nuclear binding.
A joint Sino-Brazilian research team has reported new dinosaur fossils from the Early Cretaceous Hami Pterosaur Fauna, including two giant sauropod species. The findings, published in Scientific Reports, provide significant insights into Chinese sauropods and the ecological diversity of the region.
A new study suggests that competition from coyotes is putting pressure on gray foxes, particularly in the Southeast. In regions where coyotes and foxes coexist, they partition their diets without overlap, but coyotes' arrival in the Southeast has led to significant regional differences in diet overlap.
Researchers at Portland State University developed data-driven speed management strategies to improve safety and efficiency in multimodal transportation. They found that disabling speed feedback signs on conventional roadways resulted in reduced driver speeds and a lower likelihood of severe crashes.
A novel blood test, Stockholm3, can reduce the number of MRIs performed by a third while preventing the detection of minor, low-risk tumours. The addition of this test to MRI reduces overdiagnosis by as much as 69% and halves the number of biopsies.
A multi-year study found that cashless fare systems can exclude lower-income riders due to lack of access to smartphones, internet, and banking services. Maintaining cash options can mitigate this issue, offering a more equitable solution for all riders.
Researchers discovered that black howler monkeys use cognitive maps similar to humans, following well-trodden routes and linking them to take short-cuts. The primates can also supplement their mental maps with knowledge of direction and distance between locations.
A study from Michigan State University's Sleep and Learning Lab found that short naps of 30 or 60 minutes did not show measurable effects on relieving the effects of sleep deprivation. However, participants who obtained more slow-wave sleep during the nap showed reduced impairments associated with sleep deprivation.
A study by Texas A&M University researchers has developed a simulation-based approach to accurately predict the effects of altered gravity on an individual-by-individual basis. The approach identifies key factors influencing cardiovascular responses and increases accuracy and saving time compared to traditional methods.
A new article examines polycentric development in the Wasatch Front Region, Utah, finding that moderately compact urban design fosters trip generation through walking and biking. The study also highlights the importance of public transit connections to reduce vehicle miles traveled and combat urban sprawl.
Researchers at HKUST have revealed how surface ruthenium atoms improve hydrogen evolution and oxidation activities on platinum, opening a new venue for rational design of more advanced catalysts. This discovery rules out widespread theories and opens directions for future design of high-performance bimetallic electrocatalysts.
A comprehensive analysis of data on nearly two million adults found that high-glycemic foods are neither more nor less likely to lead to weight gain than low-glycemic foods. The study suggests that carbohydrate quality, rather than glycemic index, is a more important factor in determining body weight.
A recent study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases documents the person-to-person transmission of antimicrobial-resistant pneumonic plague in an outbreak in rural Madagascar. The AMR strain was resistant to streptomycin but susceptible to co-trimoxazole, and all patients treated with antibiotics survived.
A Duke University-led study found that bottlenose dolphins burn calories at a lower rate with age, similar to humans. The researchers measured the dolphins' average daily metabolic rate using the 'doubly labeled water method,' finding that older dolphins used 22% to 49% fewer calories each day than expected for their body weight.
A new study published in Nature Food found that long-running wars are the primary driver of rising hunger in Africa, displacing people, raising food prices, and blocking aid. Droughts have played a smaller role in exacerbating food insecurity, with their impact remaining steady or even decreasing over time.
Researchers have determined the structure of human leukotriene B4 receptor 1 (hBLT1), a protein involved in inflammation and disease. The analysis reveals how the receptor recognizes its binding partners and interacts with them, opening up avenues for designing better drugs.
Researchers used isotopic data from a mammoth's tusk to recreate its lifetime journey, covering vast distances across Alaska. The study provides the first evidence that woolly mammoths traveled extensively.
The winning image by Kristen Brown depicts a school of jack fish in a spiral formation, symbolizing the beauty and bounty of oceans as well as the spiralling crisis of coral reef decline. The competition celebrates Earth's biodiversity and its evolutionary origins through six categories.
Advances in plant-based technology have revived interest in pharmaceuticals produced in plants, including edible drugs. Plant-derived therapeutic proteins have shown promising results in clinical trials, with strong immune responses generated by virus-like particles in vaccines.
A new study by Cornell University reveals that TV ads significantly influence retail investors' decisions, leading to increased online searches and stock trading volumes. The study found that certain types of ads, such as those airing during prime-time hours or for financial sector products, generated the strongest investor response.
Researchers at Niigata University have identified a key pathway involving the protein optineurin that may contribute to the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) disease. The study found that optineurin inhibits the formation of stress-induced TDP-43 protein aggregates in motor neurons, which are a hallmark of ALS.
Researchers at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute found that combining checkpoint inhibitors with adoptive cell therapy improves treatment outcomes for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. The study showed promising anti-tumor activity, with 11 out of 16 patients experiencing tumor regression.
A new study documents distinct changes in daily energy expenditure throughout the human lifespan, from birth to old age. The research, based on a large cohort of humans, reveals that energy expenditure varies significantly across life stages, with rapid increases during infancy and childhood, followed by a plateau through adulthood.
Researchers discovered a definitive relationship between the mass of actively feeding supermassive black holes and their characteristic timescale in light flickering patterns. The findings suggest that the processes driving flickering during accretion are universal, applying to both massive black holes and lighter white dwarfs.
A unique pair of gene variants has been found to cause sudden onset high blood pressure in pregnant women, which can be treated with a procedure to remove the adrenal nodule. The discovery provides new hope for women affected by this condition.
A study of over 6,600 people worldwide found that metabolism slows down by about 3% each year until the 20s, then levels off. Energy needs do not increase during adolescence or midlife despite expected growth spurts.
A new study uses machine-learning algorithms to predict the next phase of a traffic signal, giving bicyclists a smoother ride. The researchers achieved high accuracy with 85% prediction success rate, using LSTM and 1D CNN models.
A new approach to modeling COVID-19 spread incorporates real-time data on people's movements, showing promise for optimal lockdown policies. The study suggests a balance between controlling the pandemic and minimizing economic costs can be achieved through mathematical models and Google mobility data.
Researchers found that climate change will amplify the temporary cooling caused by large eruptions and reduce its effect on small- and medium-sized eruptions. The study used global climate models to simulate how volcanic aerosols might be affected by warming scenarios.
A study published in The Lancet found that at least 11.1% of COVID-19 patients in 314 UK hospitals were infected after admission, with rates rising to 16-20% in mid-May 2020. Researchers attributed the high transmission rates to limited facilities for case isolation, diagnostic testing challenges, and airborne transmission.
New research on female mice reveals that experienced mouse mothers tutor other females in parenting skills, facilitated by the hormone oxytocin. This behavior is observed even when the mice are separated by a clear plastic window, suggesting a strong learning mechanism.
Researchers developed three criteria to assess loss of prediction efficiency when modeling large spatial datasets. The tool, called TLR estimation method, provides insight into 'fit' of approximation parameters and prediction variability.
Cornell University researchers used facial recognition AI to develop an imaging robot called BlackBird that scans grape leaf samples automatically, reducing manual assessment time from six months to one day. The technology has the potential to save farmers billions of dollars by detecting disease early and reducing fungicide usage.