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Science News Archive February 2021 - Page 26


Page 26 of 45

Handgun ownership associated with firearm suicide

A new study published in Archives of Suicide Research found that handgun ownership is associated with a greater odds of dying from self-inflicted gunshot wounds in suicide deaths. Researchers also discovered that individuals who only owned handguns were more likely to use them in their death compared to those who owned shotguns.

SourceRutgers University·JournalArchives of Suicide Research·DateFeb 11, 2021

Recent efforts haven't improved access to kidney transplantation

Despite policies and interventions aimed at improving access to kidney transplantation, a new study found no overall improvement in rates of wait list placement and transplantation over two decades. The researchers also identified striking disparities in access to transplantation, highlighting the need for more effective strategies to ...

SourceAmerican Society of Nephrology·JournalJournal of the American Society of Nephrology·DateFeb 11, 2021

No new mountains formed during Earth's middle age, halting life's evolution for an eon

A new study reveals that mountain formation was paused for nearly a billion years during Earth's middle age, leading to a decline in crustal thickness and potentially halting life evolution. The prolonged orogenic quiescence may have resulted from the long-lived Nuna-Rodina supercontinent altering the thermal structure of the mantle.

Vibrating 2D materials

Scientists have successfully determined the strength of exciton-phonon coupling in 2D materials at room temperature, a crucial step towards optimizing their applications. This breakthrough was achieved using a novel method called coherent 2D microscopy, which combines high spatial resolution with femtosecond time resolution.

SourceUniversity of Würzburg·JournalNature Communications·DateFeb 11, 2021

Learning by observation reduces cognitive bias, research suggests

New research suggests that observing others' decision-making can teach people to make better decisions themselves. The study, co-authored by Professor Irene Scopelliti, tested the effectiveness of a new debiasing training strategy and reports first evidence that watching others make decisions can improve our own decision making.

SourceCity St George’s, University of London·JournalOrganizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes·DateFeb 11, 2021

Patient education program with mental health component reduces cardiovascular disease risks

A 12-month patient education program that integrated mental health information significantly reduced cardiovascular disease risks, improving measures such as fasting blood sugar, LDL cholesterol, and BMI. Patients who received the program maintained most of these improvements six months later.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalPreventive Medicine Reports·DateFeb 11, 2021

One dose of COVID-19 vaccine provokes strong immune response in those previously infected

A recent study published in Eurosurveillance found that one dose of the Pfizer vaccine triggers a strong immune response in people who have previously been infected with SARS-CoV-2. The researchers also observed similar responses across multi-ethnic groups, suggesting that vaccination priority for those previously infected may not be n...

SourceBar-Ilan University·JournalEurosurveillance·DateFeb 11, 2021

Chemotherapy and hearing loss: Until now, an unquantified risk

The largest multi-center study of cisplatin-induced hearing loss reveals that permanent hearing loss occurs in 20-90% of patients, with higher doses and vincristine use increasing risk. The study establishes benchmarks for the prevalence of hearing loss and provides insights into how adjusting dosing approaches can minimize side effects.

SourceChildren's Hospital Los Angeles·JournalThe Lancet Child & Adolescent Health·DateFeb 11, 2021

Heart failure cases soar globally

Global heart failure cases rose from 33.5 million in 1990 to 64.3 million in 2017, mainly due to increased risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. The prevalence of heart failure decreased only in high-income countries, while it increased in low- and middle-income countries.

SourceEuropean Society of Cardiology·JournalEuropean Journal of Preventive Cardiology·DateFeb 11, 2021

Vaporised crusts of Earth-like planets found in dying stars

University of Warwick astronomers detect lithium and potassium in the atmospheres of four nearby white dwarf stars, revealing remnants of rocky planet crusts. The chemical composition of these crusts is similar to Earth's continental crust, providing a glimpse of the planets that may have orbited these dying stars billions of years ago.

SourceUniversity of Warwick·JournalNature Astronomy·DateFeb 11, 2021

Gene variants increase risk of Addison's disease

A large-scale genetic study found that variants of nine genes increase the risk of developing Addison's disease, a rare autoimmune disorder. The study identified specific gene variants associated with the disease, including the AIRE gene, which plays a crucial role in immune system function.

SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalNature Communications·DateFeb 11, 2021