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Science News Archive March 2024 - Page 11


Page 11 of 42

Friend or foe: A closer look at the role of health care algorithms in racial and ethnic disparities

A new study by Penn researchers finds that healthcare algorithms can have a nuanced impact on racial and ethnic disparities, sometimes reducing disparities but also affecting other outcomes. The research team identified strategies to mitigate disparities, including adding non-race variables and using diverse data sets.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·DateMar 25, 2024

The future of independent primary care practices serving vulnerable populations depends on new policies that support health equity

A mixed-methods study examines the challenges faced by independent family physicians in urban communities, who serve socially vulnerable patients with limited support from healthcare entities. The researchers propose that health equity-focused policies and new payment models could help these practices stay afloat.

SourceAmerican Academy of Family Physicians·JournalThe Annals of Family Medicine·DateMar 25, 2024

Collaboration between medical department staff and their IT colleagues on an EHR optimization project leads to improved productivity

A four-month department-wide EHR optimization project led to improved usability and reduced administrative burdens. The study demonstrates that successful EHR workflow optimization is possible at the departmental level through ongoing collaboration between EHR users and IT colleagues.

SourceAmerican Academy of Family Physicians·JournalThe Annals of Family Medicine·DateMar 25, 2024

Novel study compares fracture patterning in fatal, survived intimate partner violence cases

A new study compares fracture patterns in fatal and survived intimate partner violence cases, finding that fractures were more frequent in the upper face and cranial vault regions. The study also identified that most fractures were comminuted or linear, with a significant variability in skeletal trauma associated with IPV.

SourceBoston University School of Medicine·JournalForensic Science International·TypeCase study·DateMar 25, 2024

Why scientists are making space data into sounds

Researchers translate visual data of celestial objects into sonified sounds to improve accessibility and trust in scientific discoveries. The study shows significant learning gains and positive experiential responses among participants, increasing access to astronomy for everyone.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Communication·TypeSurvey·DateMar 25, 2024

Gotta go? New bladder device lets you know

A new implant and smartphone app monitor bladder fullness in real time, offering a game-changer for people with paralysis, spina bifida, or end-stage bladder disease. The device's success has been demonstrated in small animal studies and non-human primate trials.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 25, 2024

Electrochemistry helps clean up electronic waste recycling, precious metal mining

Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a novel electrochemical process to extract precious metals, including gold and platinum group metals, from discarded electronics and low-grade ores. This method uses less energy and fewer chemical materials than current methods, producing high-purity metals with minimal waste.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalNature Chemical Engineering·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 24, 2024

Assessing the wind vulnerability of Patagonia's oil storage tanks: a study on improving infrastructure resilience amidst Argentina's oil boom

Research assesses the susceptibility of open-top oil storage tanks in Patagonia to wind-induced damages, highlighting the need for wind vulnerability assessments. Fragility curves reveal a pronounced risk of structural and operational damages at common wind speeds, guiding design standards and retrofitting approaches.

SourceMaximum Academic Press·JournalEmergency Management Science and Technology·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 24, 2024

Researchers carry out first peer-reviewed study of fecal microbiota transplants in dolphins

Researchers successfully carried out pioneering fecal microbiota transplantations on Navy bottlenose dolphins, showing significant improvement and increased microbial diversity. The study's findings have important implications for marine mammal medicine, highlighting a non-antibiotic option to treat gastrointestinal diseases.

SourceApplied Microbiology International·JournalJournal of Applied Microbiology·DateMar 24, 2024

The rapid production of isocyanate-free, biobased polyurethane foams at ambient temperature is now a reality!

Researchers at University of Liège have developed an innovative process for producing isocyanate-free, recyclable and biobased polyurethane (PU) foams by using rapid foaming technology from room-temperature formulations. This innovation offers a cutting-edge alternative to traditional toxic isocyanates-based processes.

SourceUniversity of Liège·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateMar 24, 2024

Integration of theory prediction and experimental electrooxidation of glycerol on NiCo2O4 nanosheets

The study reveals the crucial role of active species OH* in electrooxidation of glycerol on NiCo2O4 nanosheets, facilitating efficient conversion and selectivity. The catalyst demonstrates long-term cycle stability, providing valuable guidance for designing efficient glycerol oxidation systems.

USC study: newly discovered beneficial mutation in mitochondrial DNA appears to help Alzheimer’s gene carriers live longer, stay sharper and represents a new direction in drug discovery

Researchers discovered a genetic mutation in humanin, a mitochondrial microprotein, that may help individuals with the APOE4 allele live longer and preserve cognitive function. The variant was found to reduce amyloid-beta buildup in the brains of mice engineered to express human APOE4.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalAging Cell·DateMar 23, 2024

MSU offers first study on teacher effectiveness for students with and without disabilities

A study by MSU researchers suggests that evaluating teacher effectiveness for students with and without disabilities requires separate value-added measures. The research team found that top-performing teachers for one group may not be effective for the other, highlighting the need for targeted training and support.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalEducational Evaluation and Policy Analysis·DateMar 22, 2024

Children with language disorders may fall victims to false friends, study warns

A study by the University of Exeter warns that children with language disorders are susceptible to making false friends due to a lack of awareness about peers' motives and thoughts. Children consider peers as friends because they play with them, without fully understanding what constitutes a good or bad friend.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalInternational Journal of Language & Communication Disorders·TypeObservational study·DateMar 22, 2024

Chinese scientists provide novel insights into the effects of alternate day fasting on atherosclerosis

Researchers discovered that alternate day fasting aggravates atherosclerosis in mice by suppressing the expression of hepatic activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3). ADF also increased cholesterol profiles, contradicting its protective effects against obesity and metabolic disorders. The study sheds light on the complex role of ATF3 ...

SourceHigher Education Press·JournalLife Metabolism·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 22, 2024

Decommissioned offshore structures could offer only limited ecological benefits

A new study published in Nature Sustainability suggests that decommissioned offshore structures may only provide limited long-term ecological benefits. The research analyzed over 530 scientific studies on the effects of marine artificial structures and found no conclusive evidence to support their use as artificial reefs.

SourceUniversity of Plymouth·JournalNature Sustainability·TypeMeta-analysis·DateMar 22, 2024

DayCent-CABBI: new model integrates soil microbes, large perennial grasses

A new model integrating soil microbes and large perennial grasses into the DayCent framework improves its representation of ecosystem dynamics. The updated model includes a live microbial biomass pool and dead microbial biomass pool to simulate carbon storage in soils, enhancing the evaluation of bioenergy crop sustainability.

New classification of tuberculosis to support efforts to eliminate the disease

Researchers have developed a new framework for classifying tuberculosis (TB) that replaces the traditional binary approach with four disease states: clinical, subclinical, infectious, and non-infectious. The International Consensus for Early TB (ICE-TB) framework aims to improve diagnosis and treatment of early-stage TB, which has hist...

SourceUniversity College London·JournalThe Lancet Respiratory Medicine·TypeSurvey·DateMar 22, 2024

CU researchers describe tools to better understand CaMKII, a protein involved in brain and heart disease

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have developed three types of drug inhibitors that can help investigate CaMKII's role in brain diseases such as Alzheimer's. These tools provide a detailed first assessment of the protein's functions in any given system, making it accessible to a wide range of scientists.

SourceUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus·JournalCell Reports·TypeSystematic review·DateMar 22, 2024

Early intervention after the first seizure may prevent long-term epilepsy and associated cognitive deficits

Researchers discovered that only a small percentage of neurons are activated in epileptic brains, which can lead to permanent changes and impaired cognition. Early intervention with an experimental treatment within 48 hours after the first seizure may prevent these long-term changes.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMar 22, 2024

A boost to biomedical research with statistical tools: from COVID-19 analysis to data management with REDCapDM

A new R package, REDCapDM, enhances efficiency and reliability in managing research data collected through the popular REDCap platform. The tool provides functions for importing, transforming, identifying discrepancies, and managing data, simplifying the clinical data management process while ensuring quality and reliability.

SourceGermans Trias i Pujol Research Institute·JournalScientific Reports·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMar 22, 2024