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Science News for May 31, 2024


Relieving a fear of public speaking

A researcher at Singapore Management University is using virtual reality technology and AI to help students overcome their fear of public speaking. The PresentationPro platform uses avatars that respond realistically to verbal and non-verbal cues, allowing students to practice public speaking in a low-risk environment.

CU researchers analyze prevalence, impact of ethical or religious barriers to providing medical aid in dying

A recent study published by CU researchers found that 26% of physician respondents reported large ethical or religious barriers to participating in medical aid in dying, but many were willing to discuss MAiD with patients. Despite these barriers, physicians were less likely to participate directly in MAiD.

SourceUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus·JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine·DateMay 31, 2024

Overcoming barriers to heat pump adoption in cold climates and avoiding the 'energy poverty trap'

A University of Michigan study found that switching to electric heat pumps would increase annual utility bills by an average of $1,100 for Southeast Michigan households. Weatherization upgrades could offset the increase, but retrofits are expensive and infeasible for low-income households, potentially creating an energy poverty trap.

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalResources Conservation and Recycling·DateMay 31, 2024

Stem cells shed new light on how the human embryo forms

A new study using stem cell-based models has revealed how early embryo cells decide between contributing to the foetus or to the supporting yolk sac. Understanding this decision is crucial for infertility treatment using in vitro fertilized (IVF) embryos, as producing the right number of yolk sac forming cells may be critical.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalCell Stem Cell·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 31, 2024

Navigating new horizons: Pioneering AI framework enhances robot efficiency and planning

A groundbreaking study has introduced a new artificial intelligence framework that revolutionizes the way robots interpret and execute tasks. The CPMI framework leverages large language models to improve robot efficiency and effectiveness in complex instruction-based tasks, enabling adaptability and learning from experiences in real-time.

SourceBeijing Institute of Technology Press Co., Ltd·JournalCyborg and Bionic Systems·DateMay 31, 2024

A greener, more effective way to kill termites

Researchers at the University of California - Riverside have discovered a highly effective and nontoxic way to kill western drywood termites using a pleasant-smelling chemical called pinene. The method involves releasing the scent of pinene, which attracts termites and guides them to a spot where insecticide is injected into wood.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalJournal of Economic Entomology·DateMay 31, 2024

AI-controlled stations can charge electric cars at a personal price

A new study from Chalmers University of Technology shows that AI-controlled charging stations can offer personalized prices to electric vehicle users, minimizing both price and waiting time. However, the researchers highlight the importance of addressing ethical issues related to data exploitation by motorists.

SourceChalmers University of Technology·JournalTransportation Research Part C Emerging Technologies·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 31, 2024

News from "El Gordo": Study suggests dark matter may have collisional properties after all

Researchers used numerical simulations to analyze the behavior of dark matter in the giant galaxy cluster El Gordo. The study found that the physical separation between dark matter and other mass components can be explained using the Self-Interacting Dark Matter (SIDM) model.

SourceScuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati·JournalAstronomy and Astrophysics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 31, 2024

Clues to mysterious disappearance of North America’s large mammals 50,000 years ago found within ancient bone collagen

Researchers used novel biomolecular methods to analyze fossil bone fragments at the Smithsonian Museum, revealing excellent preservation of collagen proteins that can provide a molecular barcode for identification. The study provides new insights into the mysterious disappearance of North America's large mammals 50,000 years ago.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Mammal Science·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 31, 2024

Swiss study of Portuguese immigrants looks into the impact of citizenship on identity

A Swiss research team surveyed 400 Portuguese immigrants to understand how their desire for citizenship influences their attachment to home and host cultures. The findings suggest that acquiring citizenship can lead to a decrease in attachment to the immigrant's original group, while increasing identification with the host culture.

SourceThe Polish Association of Social Psychology·JournalSocial Psychological Bulletin·DateMay 31, 2024

The importance of assets for coping with COVID-19 and other shocks

Household wealth is strongly associated with food security, with higher relative wealth households experiencing less probability of falling into food insecurity. Assets help preserve human capital by reducing costly coping strategies like dietary modification and spending reductions. Eradicating poverty and inequality is key to reducin...

SourceEscuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral·JournalGlobal Food Security·TypeSurvey·DateMay 31, 2024

Revolutionizing interaction recognition: The power of merge-and-split graph convolutional networks

The Merge-and-Split Graph Convolutional Network (MS-GCN) tackles interaction dynamics between multiple individuals, understanding nuanced relationships between body parts during interactions. It achieves state-of-the-art results on NTU60 and NTU120 datasets, advancing action recognition and intuitive AI systems.

SourceBeijing Institute of Technology Press Co., Ltd·JournalCyborg and Bionic Systems·DateMay 31, 2024

Work-life imbalance significantly increases risk of cardiovascular diseases

A recent study found that work-life imbalance significantly predicts higher triglycerides and lower HDL levels in midlife and older adults. This suggests that spillover effects of workplace stress on home life can contribute to physiological changes linked to cardiovascular diseases. The research highlights the importance of organizati...

SourceSingapore Management University·JournalJournal of Psychosomatic Research·DateMay 31, 2024

Moving beyond cubicles: How an active workplace design can drive workers’ behaviors

Researchers identify gaps in understanding how workplace design influences employee active and sedentary behaviors. A new study suggests that accurately measuring behaviors and analyzing spatial layouts can inform the design of work environments that facilitate engagement with inactive behaviors.

SourceJapan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology·JournalBritish Journal of Sports Medicine·DateMay 31, 2024

Lighting up the brain: What happens when our ‘serotonin center’ is triggered?

Researchers at OIST used a novel technique to study how activating the brain's serotonin center affects awake animals. They found that serotonin from the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) activates brain areas influencing behavior and motivation, including the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia.

SourceOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 31, 2024

BU study finds policy makers’ use of in-hospital mortality as a sepsis quality metric may unfairly penalize safety-net hospitals

A Boston University study suggests that in-hospital mortality for patients with sepsis may not accurately reflect true short-term mortality rates, potentially harming safety-net hospitals. The researchers found no difference in 30-day mortality between safety-net and non-safety-net hospitals, contrary to previous reports.

SourceBoston University School of Medicine·JournalJAMA Network Open·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMay 31, 2024

A new way to see viruses in action

The team created finely detailed images of the viral RNA and replication structures, revealing spherical shapes around the nucleus of infected cells. The images provide insight into how the virus evades cell defenses and could lead to new therapeutic targets for drug development.

SourceStanford University·JournalNature Communications·DateMay 31, 2024

Researchers identify a genetic cause of intellectual disability affecting tens of thousands

Researchers identified a genetic cause of intellectual disability, caused by mutations in the non-coding gene RNU4-2, which affects tens of thousands of people worldwide. The discovery is significant, as it represents one of the most common single-gene genetic causes of neurodevelopmental disorders.

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·JournalNature Medicine·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMay 31, 2024

Korea University College of Medicine’s team predict hearing conditions in vestibular schwannoma patients using radiomics

A recent study demonstrates that radiomics can effectively forecast the hearing status of patients with vestibular schwannoma. The research team isolated specific radiomics features from MRI images that best predict hearing status, offering an objective method to predict patient outcomes.

SourceKorea University College of Medicine·JournalEuropean Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMay 31, 2024

Repeated thoracic paravertebral blocking to alleviate pain symptoms in 66-years-old man with post-herpetic neuralgia: A case report

A case report describes the successful use of thoracic paravertebral blocking to manage severe chronic pain associated with post-herpetic neuralgia. The procedure, involving repeated injections of levobupivacaine and dexamethasone, resulted in significant pain subsidence and reduced medication needs.

SourceBentham Science Publishers·JournalThe Open Anesthesia Journal·DateMay 31, 2024