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Science News Archive June 2022 - Page 33


Page 33 of 40

Long-term study finds cigarette smoking doubled risk of developing heart failure

A long-term study found that cigarette smoking significantly increases the risk of developing both reduced ejection fraction and preserved ejection fraction heart failure. Former smokers retained a higher risk of heart failure for decades after quitting, with the risk decreasing only after 30 years without smoking.

SourceJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health·JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology·DateJun 7, 2022

Adherence to federal hospital price transparency rule

Researchers evaluated US hospital adherence to federal price transparency rule, finding that while overall compliance was high, significant variations existed between hospitals and markets. The study highlights the need for further analysis of these disparities to improve healthcare pricing transparency.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA·DateJun 7, 2022

Yoyo stars responsible for off-center bubbles

Researchers used a new simulation code to study the formation of star clusters and found that massive stars can eject off-center bubbles in the Orion Nebula. The simulations matched observations, showing that ejected stars can initiate ionized bubbles before falling back into the cluster.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 7, 2022

Targeted micronutrition ameliorates allergy symptoms

Researchers at the Messerli Research Institute developed a lozenge that compensates for micronutrient deficiencies in immune cells, reducing inflammation and allergic reactions. The study showed a 45% reduction in symptom burden during peak pollen season, presenting a new approach to allergy care.

SourceMedical University of Vienna·JournalThe Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice·DateJun 7, 2022

Earth’s magnetic poles not likely to flip: study

Researchers analyzed burnt artifacts, volcanic samples, and sediment cores to recreate the Earth's magnetic field over 9,000 years. Their new modeling technique predicts that the South Atlantic Anomaly will disappear within 300 years, ruling out an impending polarity reversal.

SourceLund University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 7, 2022

California’s ‘red flag’ law utilized for 58 threatened mass shootings

A new study from the University of California - Davis Health examines case details and mortality records from the first three years of California's Gun Violence Restraining Order law. The research found that GVROs were used to prevent firearm assault and homicide, with almost 30% of cases involving mass shooting threats.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis Health·JournalInjury Prevention·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJun 7, 2022

Colossal collisions linked to solar system science

A new study using Chandra X-ray Observatory data reveals a deep connection between cosmic collisions and solar system phenomena. The research, led by Helen Russell from the University of Nottingham, shows that electrons are heated by compression of gas in galaxy clusters.

SourceUniversity of Nottingham·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·TypeObservational study·DateJun 7, 2022

Unfreezing waters in ligand binding sites

Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital developed an algorithm to identify temperature-sensitive conformations in proteins, revealing the importance of water networks in ligand binding sites. The findings challenge the assumption that well-resolved cryogenic water positions are both precise and accurate.

SourceSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital·JournalAngewandte Chemie·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 7, 2022

App Boosts Preschoolers’ Motor Skills

A new study published in Pediatrics found that a 12-week app program improved children's motor skills by an average of 15.5 percentage points. The app-based program focused on six motor skills, including hopping, throwing, and jumping, and was shown to be effective in preventing childhood obesity.

SourcePennington Biomedical Research Center·JournalPEDIATRICS·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJun 7, 2022

New data challenges reliance on outdated guidelines to block patients with class i obesity from having weight-loss surgery

A recent study reveals that patients with lower body mass indexes (BMIs) could benefit from weight-loss surgery due to its effectiveness in treating type 2 diabetes and other comorbidities. The study found that patients with Class I obesity who underwent weight-loss procedures had shorter hospital stays, fewer complications, and improv...

New insights on infant word learning reported in study

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences offers fresh insights into infant word learning. Researchers found that infants between 7 and 11 months old learn words by building up memory representations over time, rather than through repeated connections between words and objects.

SourceIndiana University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 7, 2022

Never too odd to learn how to swim

Researchers have developed a new formula for swimming based on their study of odd elasticity, allowing microswimmers to exhibit autonomously directional and deterministic motion. The team used Purcell's swimmer model to demonstrate that any odd elastic micromaterial can spontaneously generate locomotion in a fluid.

SourceKyoto University·JournalPhysical Review E·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 6, 2022

Using telehealth to regularly report symptoms improved overall well-being for patients with advanced cancer

A multi-state study found that patients with advanced cancer who reported symptoms weekly using an electronic survey had better physical function and symptom control compared to those evaluated less frequently. The study showed a 35% better ability to function physically, a 16.1% better control of symptoms, and a 41% better overall hea...

SourceUNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center·JournalJAMA·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJun 6, 2022

Metamaterial enabled arbitrary on-chip spatial mode manipulation

Scientists develop a universal design framework for arbitrary on-chip spatial mode control using metamaterial building blocks, enabling record-high order mode up to the 20th. The method supports high-efficiency integrated photonic communication systems and boosts development of various information processing fields.

Cannabis-related products demonstrate short-term reduction in chronic pain

A systematic review of cannabis-related products found short-term benefits for neuropathic pain, particularly with dronabinol and nabilone. However, the evidence is limited, with many products not well-studied, and patients should consult their primary care physician before using cannabis-based treatments.

SourceOregon Health & Science University·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·TypeLiterature review·DateJun 6, 2022

Bumps could smooth quantum investigations

Rice University engineers have developed a novel approach to manipulating the magnetic and electronic properties of 2D materials by stressing them with contoured substrates. The technique, inspired by recent discoveries in twisted 2D materials, allows for unprecedented control over quantum effects.

SourceRice University·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 6, 2022

New technology protects authenticity of engineered cell lines

Researchers at UT Dallas developed a method to create unique identifiers for each copy of a cell line, allowing users to verify its authenticity and protect intellectual property. The technology uses CRISPR gene editing to insert bar-codes into the cell's genome, creating a unique pattern that can distinguish it from other cell lines.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Dallas·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 6, 2022

COVID-19 increases risk of psychiatric diagnoses in the months after infection, OSU study finds

A recent Oregon State University study found that COVID-19 patients had a 25% increased risk of developing a psychiatric disorder in the four months following their infection. The study matched 46,610 COVID-19 positive individuals with control patients and found a significant increase in anxiety disorders but no change in mood disorders.

SourceOregon State University·JournalWorld Psychiatry·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJun 6, 2022

Thunderstorm activity in the tropics may drive freezing cold-events below −30°C in Northeast China

A study published in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters found that tropical thunderstorms may influence the occurrence of persistent extreme cold events in Northeast China. Cloud clusters from the Madden-Julian oscillation can trigger cooling over the region, leading to extended periods of below-−30°C temperatures.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateJun 6, 2022

Racially charged events spark classroom intervention

A new study published in the INFORMS journal Management Science reveals that high-profile police brutality and racially-charged events have a direct positive effect on what children are learning in U.S. public school classrooms, resulting in increased requests for antiracism resources and culturally-aware dialogue.

SourceInstitute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences·JournalManagement Science·TypeObservational study·DateJun 6, 2022

Has a beautiful songbird become an invasive species in Britain?

A new study finds the Red-billed Leiothrix, a small songbird native to subtropical Asia, has become an invasive non-native species in Britain. The species' potential impact on local wildlife and ecosystems is being highlighted by researchers, who note that it could cause significant changes if widely established.

SourceWiley·JournalIbis·DateJun 6, 2022