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Science News Archive August 2024 - Page 9


Page 9 of 38

Communicating consensus strengthens beliefs about climate change

A new study finds that sharing scientific consensus on human-caused climate change strengthens believers' opinions, but has little effect on those who are already skeptical. The research, conducted across 27 countries, highlights the importance of clear communication in reducing climate change misinformation.

SourceColumbia University's Mailman School of Public Health·JournalNature Human Behaviour·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 26, 2024

Marine science oxygen produced in the deep sea raises questions about extraterrestrial life

Researchers at Boston University discovered that deep-sea rocks, called polymetallic nodules, produce oxygen through a process known as seawater electrolysis. This phenomenon creates 'dark oxygen' without sunlight, contradicting the long-held assumption that oxygen is only produced by plants and organisms with photosynthetic capabilities.

SourceBoston University·JournalNature Geoscience·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 26, 2024

Old chemo drug, new pancreatic cancer therapy?

Researchers have discovered a new approach to treating pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a rare type of pancreatic cancer. Folinic acid has been found to weaken the cancer's defenses by elevating levels of anti-cancer immune molecules, enabling a more effective immune response and slower tumor growth.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 26, 2024

Study: Direct incentives may boost hiring managers’ willingness to employ individuals with criminal convictions

A study found that direct incentives, such as tax credits and insurance, can increase hiring managers' willingness to hire applicants with prior records. The most effective incentives were a $2,400 tax credit and $25,000 insurance against losses, which worked regardless of conviction type or perceptions about performance.

SourceAmerican Society of Criminology·JournalCriminology & Public Policy·DateAug 26, 2024

People who recover from dengue are at higher risk of long-term health complications than those who recovered from COVID-19, Singapore study finds

A nationwide study by Nanyang Technological University found that individuals who recovered from dengue are at a 55% higher risk of long-term health complications, including heart problems and cognitive disorders. This is compared to those who recovered from COVID-19.

SourceNanyang Technological University·JournalJournal of Travel Medicine·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 26, 2024

Almost half of FDA-approved AI medical devices are not trained on real patient data

A recent study found that approximately half of FDA-approved AI medical devices are not trained on real patient data, sparking concerns about device accuracy. The researchers analyzed 500+ medical AI devices and discovered that many lacked clinical validation data, which is essential for ensuring the credibility of these technologies.

SourceUniversity of North Carolina Health Care·JournalNature Medicine·DateAug 26, 2024

Tick-borne Powassan virus in a child

A case study reports a 9-year-old Canadian child diagnosed with Tick-borne Powassan virus encephalitis after symptoms developed 1 week after a camping trip in northern Ontario. The authors emphasize the importance of broad arbovirus serology testing for patients presenting with encephalitis, particularly during summer and fall.

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·TypeCase study·DateAug 26, 2024

Research from UTHealth Houston finds parents who recently experienced intimate partner violence had higher potential for parenting stress and child maltreatment

Parents who recently experienced intimate partner violence reported higher parenting stress and were less likely to use positive parenting strategies. The study emphasizes the need for expanded resources, positive parenting strategies, and tools to help individuals become better parents and break the intergenerational cycle of violence.

SourceUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston·JournalJAMA Pediatrics·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 26, 2024

Mapping the sex life of Malaria parasites at single cell resolution, reveals the genetics underlying Malaria transmission

Scientists have mapped the global repertoire of genes that determine the male or female sexual fates in Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites. This study reveals key regulators of gene expression during development and identifies novel candidate 'driver' genes, shedding light on the complex biology of malaria transmission.

SourceStockholm University·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 26, 2024

Unlocking crop yield potential: New modeling approach for sustainable agriculture

A new functional data analysis-based methodology predicts crop yields in year-round cultivation, offering a predictive framework for optimizing agricultural management. The model provides actionable insights into the relationship between environmental conditions and crop performance, enhancing sustainability amidst climate change.

A new and simple approach extending data expansion-based implicit discourse relation classification

A new research by Wei Song and team proposes a novel method for explicit data expansion to address challenges in implicit discourse relation classification. The proposed method uses argument pair type classification (APTC) and label-smoothing strategy to filter out noisy argument pairs and reduce the impact of noisy sense labels.

SourceHigher Education Press·JournalFrontiers of Computer Science·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 26, 2024

Brigham-led study estimates 1 in 7 Medicare beneficiaries with high body mass index may qualify for anti-obesity drug

A new study estimates that 1 in 7 Medicare beneficiaries with elevated body mass index (BMI) may qualify for semaglutide, a popular weight loss medication. The study found that maximum annual costs to Medicare could exceed $10 billion if different definitions of cardiovascular risk are considered.

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 26, 2024

Study identifies keys to success of evidence-based decision making: Interactions with researchers, stakeholders, communities of practice

Researchers found that effective evidence-based decision making requires extensive communication with others, including researchers, stakeholders, and communities of practice. The study identified three networks - decision maker-researcher, decision maker-stakeholder, and decision maker-community of practice - as crucial for success.

SourceCarnegie Mellon University·JournalBehavioral Science & Policy·DateAug 26, 2024

Ultracompact polarization-entangled photon sources for miniaturized quantum devices

Scientists have created an ultra-thin light source emitting pairs of polarization-entangled photons, enabling ultra-secure communication and powerful computation. The breakthrough material, 3R-WS2, facilitates the search for superior quantum materials, bringing quantum technology closer to reality.

Sustaining oyster farming with sturdier rafts

Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have developed polyethylene rafts that are about five times more durable than traditional bamboo rafts used in oyster farming. The new rafts are designed to be affordable and can withstand harsh weather conditions, reducing damage from typhoons.

SourceOsaka Metropolitan University·JournalOcean Engineering·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 26, 2024

Increased risk of dementia after acute kidney injury

A new study published in Neurology found that acute kidney injury is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia. The study analyzed data from over 300,000 individuals and found a 49% higher risk of dementia overall, with significant increases for specific types of dementia such as Lewy body dementia and vascular dementia.

SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalNeurology·TypeObservational study·DateAug 26, 2024

An entire brain-machine interface on a chip: Converting brain activity to text on one extremely small integrated system

Researchers at EPFL developed a next-generation miniaturized brain-machine interface capable of direct brain-to-text communication on tiny silicon chips. The MiBMI system can decode neural signals generated when a person imagines writing letters or words with high accuracy and low power consumption.

SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalIEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits·TypeMeta-analysis·DateAug 26, 2024

Spin squeezing for all

Researchers have successfully achieved spin squeezing in a more accessible way, enabling precise measurements with quantum-enhanced metrology. This breakthrough may lead to new portable sensors for biomedical imaging and atomic clocks.

SourceHarvard University·JournalNature Physics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 26, 2024

Looking for clues about your real age? Your grandparents’ education may offer some insight.

A new study found that grandchildren of college-educated grandparents showed slower biological aging than those whose grandparents did not graduate from college. The research, published in Social Science and Medicine, used epigenetic-based aging clocks to examine the relationship between grandparents' education level and their grandchi...

SourceDrexel University·JournalSocial Science & Medicine·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 26, 2024

People of lower socioeconomic status less likely to receive cataract surgery in private clinics

A new study found that private clinics in Ontario increased cataract surgery rates for higher-income patients after receiving public funding, while lower-income patients saw a 9% decrease in access. The researchers suggest policy changes to address conflicts of interest and ensure equitable access to surgery.

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·TypeObservational study·DateAug 26, 2024

High BMI eligibility for semaglutide could cost Medicare an additional $145 billion annually

A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine found that approximately 61% of Medicare-eligible adults have a BMI of 27 or higher, making them eligible for semaglutide. However, the number of patients who will be eligible depends on how cardiovascular disease is defined, with narrow definitions resulting in only 3.6 million people b...

SourceAmerican College of Physicians·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·TypeNews article·DateAug 26, 2024

Webb finds early galaxies weren’t too big for their britches after all

Recent discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope's Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science Survey have cast doubt on the crisis in cosmology. Astronomers found that early galaxies were not as massive as initially thought due to the presence of black holes, which made them appear brighter and more massive than they actually are.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeNews article·DateAug 26, 2024

Piecing the puzzle together: How different brain regions contribute to visual object memory

Researchers identified key brain areas, including aVTC and OFC, essential for visual object memory in macaques. Single-neuron recordings revealed top-down regulation and causal information flow between these regions, shedding light on short-term visual object memory mechanisms.

SourceThe National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 25, 2024

Quantum optical phenomenon in the brain challenges conventional view of amyloid in Alzheimer’s

Researchers discovered that amyloid fibrils can harness quantum superradiant effects to mitigate oxidative stress, potentially transforming dementia treatments and understanding of Alzheimer's disease. This finding raises questions about the conventional view of amyloid's role in the disease.

SourceHoward University·JournalFrontiers in Physics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 25, 2024