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Science News Archive September 2023 - Page 21


Page 21 of 37

The pandemic a tough time also for pharmacies

A majority of pharmacists in Sweden experienced increased workloads and a deteriorating work environment due to customer conflicts and new tasks. Despite this, many reported no impact on patient safety, highlighting the need for further research.

SourceUniversity of Gothenburg·JournalExploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy·TypeSurvey·DateSep 15, 2023

Study: No evidence that YouTube promoted anti-vaccine content during COVID-19 pandemic

A study by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found that YouTube's recommendation system did not promote anti-vaccine content during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study analyzed over 27,000 video recommendations and found that users were directed to longer, more popular health-related content.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalJournal of Medical Internet Research·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 15, 2023

Syphilis transmission networks and antimicrobial resistance in England uncovered using genomics

Researchers use genomic surveillance to identify distinct sexual networks for syphilis transmission in England, highlighting the presence of drug resistance. The study reveals information beyond standard epidemiological surveillance data, aiding public health strategies to break transmission chains.

SourceWellcome Trust Sanger Institute·JournalThe Lancet Microbe·TypeObservational study·DateSep 15, 2023

Cost of public health insurance for US-born and immigrant adults

A study of 44,000 low-income adults found that providing public health insurance to immigrants has a lower direct cost than for US-born individuals. Upon coverage, immigrants' healthcare utilization remains relatively modest, contradicting the assumption that offering insurance would significantly impact healthcare expenses.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Network Open·DateSep 15, 2023

Legal mining sites in Brazil store 2.55 gigatonnes of CO2 in vegetation and soil, study estimates

Researchers at the University of São Paulo estimate that Brazil's active legal mines will release 2.55 gigatonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere if not managed sustainably. The country's technosols, derived from mine tailings and waste, could offset up to 60% of soil-related emissions, according to a new study.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalCommunications Earth & Environment·DateSep 15, 2023

Verbal nonsense reveals limitations of AI chatbots

Researchers found that even top-performing AI models can mistake nonsense sentences for natural language, highlighting the need for improvement. The study suggests that comparing human language processing to AI's could provide new perspectives on how we think.

SourceColumbia University·JournalNature Machine Intelligence·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 14, 2023

During failure of core protein quality control in the nematode C. elegans, a specialized anti-aggregation mechanism relying on pathogen response factors and lysosomal mediated degradation is triggered

In C. elegans, a specialized anti-aggregation mechanism is triggered in response to core protein quality control failure, promoting tissue-specific resilience to age-dependent protein aggregation. This mechanism relies on pathogen response factors and lysosomal mediated degradation.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateSep 14, 2023

UM School of Medicine researchers identify important new signaling molecule involved in vascular health

Researchers identified a stable NO intermediary called NO-ferroheme, which enables nitric oxide to regulate blood flow and blood pressure. The discovery provides strong evidence for the role of heme in stabilizing NO and offers potential for developing new drugs targeting disease states such as pulmonary hypertension and diabetes.

SourceUniversity of Maryland School of Medicine·JournalNature Chemical Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 14, 2023

Is physical activity always a good option? Study finds physically demanding occupations can lead to risk of cognitive impairment

A new study by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health found that working in a medium or high occupational physical activity job increases the risk of cognitive impairment. Researchers assessed 7005 participants and found those with physically demanding work had a higher risk of dementia and mild cognitive impairment.

High rate of mental health problems & political extremism found in those who bought firearms during COVID pandemic

A new study suggests that people who bought firearms during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic have higher rates of recent suicidal thoughts, self-harm behaviors, and intimate partner violence compared to other firearm owners and non-gun owners. Pandemic firearm buyers also tend to hold extreme beliefs, including anti-vaccination view...

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalPLOS ONE·TypeSurvey·DateSep 14, 2023

Study decodes surprising approach mice take in learning

In a new study, researchers deciphered mice's behavior during reward-based learning tasks, finding they persistently blend multiple strategies. The findings suggest mice do not fully adopt optimal approaches, and their ability to shift between strategies is crucial for understanding their decision-making process.

SourcePicower Institute at MIT·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 14, 2023

How do robots collaborate to achieve consensus?

Researchers proposed a novel self-organizing approach for robot swarms to achieve consensus, combining aspects of centralized and decentralized control. This method reduces uncertainty sources and enhances collective perception accuracy, enabling robots to fuse sensor information without global or static communication networks.

SourceIntelligent Computing·JournalIntelligent Computing·DateSep 14, 2023

Calcium acts as missing link to dead cell clean-up

Scientists at Kyoto University have found that extracellular calcium mediates the activation of Xkr4, a protein that triggers an 'eat me' signal for immune cells to clean up dead cell debris. The binding of calcium ions to Xkr4's transmembrane helices enables its full activation.

SourceKyoto University·JournalNature Communications·DateSep 14, 2023

Carbon atoms coming together in space

Researchers at Hokkaido University have discovered a mechanism for carbon atoms to come together on the surface of interstellar ice grains, producing complex organic molecules. This process occurs at temperatures above 30 Kelvin and may have played a role in the origin of life on Earth.

SourceHokkaido University·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 14, 2023

Study: Many primary care providers & adult patients wary of discussing firearms

A new study reveals that over half of adult patients skip questioning about firearms on screening questionnaires, while surveyed primary care providers are often uncomfortable discussing firearm safety with most patients. The study suggests a need for more research and improved training on firearm-related topics for primary care clinics.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine·TypeSurvey·DateSep 14, 2023

Switching off the cytokine storm

Researchers at EMBL Grenoble have obtained the first structure of p38α being activated by MKK6, opening up new directions for developing drugs to stop cytokine storms. The inflammatory response is triggered by a series of kinases, and inactivating p38α could prevent inflammation from occurring.

SourceEuropean Molecular Biology Laboratory·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 14, 2023

Variants in the genome interact with each other and with the environment to affect the risk of cardiovascular disease

A recent study published in Cell found that genetic variants can influence the risk of cardiovascular disease by interacting with environmental factors. For example, carriers of certain sequence variants are protected against the negative effects of alcohol consumption on coronary artery disease.

SourcedeCODE genetics·JournalCell·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 14, 2023

New tool can reveal inequitable distribution of ‘healing’ green spaces

A new UBC study used a local restorative nature index to assess the healing qualities of green space, finding that areas with the greatest need for restorative nature often have the least exposure to it. The study suggests that urban planners prioritize areas with high socioeconomic vulnerability and limited access to green spaces.

SourceUniversity of British Columbia·JournalAMBIO·TypeObservational study·DateSep 14, 2023

AI confirms tracheal tube position on chest radiography

An AI system by Lunit identified improperly positioned endotracheal tubes with high sensitivity and specificity, allowing for earlier repositioning and reducing complications. The study included 539 chest radiographs from three institutions and showed promising results in detecting ETT presence and improper position.

SourceAmerican Roentgen Ray Society·JournalAmerican Journal of Roentgenology·TypeImaging analysis·DateSep 14, 2023