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Science News Archive May 2024 - Page 19


Page 19 of 44

Purdue-led fishing expedition nets new pupfish family member in New Mexico

A new pupfish family member has been discovered in New Mexico through genetic analysis. The study found that genetic drift was the primary driver of speciation, rather than natural selection. The researchers sequenced the entire genome of individual pupfish and compared them to previous genetic sampling.

SourcePurdue University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 20, 2024

“I feel like I’m Alice in Wonderland”: Why nightmares and ‘daymares’ could be early warning signs of autoimmune disease

Researchers found that patients with lupus and other autoimmune diseases often experience vivid nightmares before hallucinations appear. These symptoms can serve as an early warning sign for disease flares, allowing clinicians to take action to improve care and reduce clinic times. Recognizing these mental health and neurological sympt...

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalEClinicalMedicine·TypeSurvey·DateMay 20, 2024

Economies in South China and Indochina set to suffer under precipitation extremes brought about by climate change

A study published by the Institute of Atmospheric Physics predicts significant economic impacts on provinces like Hunan, Jiangxi, and Guangdong due to increased heavy precipitation and droughts. The region's GDP is expected to be hardest hit under certain climate change scenarios, emphasizing the need for adaptation strategies.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAdvances in Atmospheric Sciences·DateMay 20, 2024

New mechanisms behind antibiotic resistance

New study reveals two novel mechanisms that contribute to antibiotic resistance in bacteria, accelerating the growth of resistant bacteria during treatment. These mechanisms can occur independently and are linked to increased gene copy number variation and heteroresistance, complicating treatment for patients.

SourceUppsala University·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 20, 2024

Powering wearable devices with high-performing carbon nanotube yarns

Scientists at Nara Institute of Science and Technology create flexible wearable thermoelectric generators that produce electricity from body heat using high-performing carbon nanotube yarns. The yarns, developed through a low-cost and environmentally friendly method, show three times higher power factor than previous CNT yarns.

SourceNara Institute of Science and Technology·JournalACS Applied Nano Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 20, 2024

Revolutionizing plastic-greenhouse agriculture: a novel soil profile design for global sustainability and enhanced crop production

A novel conceptual framework designs four functional layers to optimize conditions for horticultural growth in plastic-greenhouse environments. The soil profile includes a mulch layer, root-carbon layer, soil-carbon mix layer, and water conservation layer tailored to address specific challenges faced by plants.

SourceMaximum Academic Press·JournalVegetable Research·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 20, 2024

Webb cracks case of inflated exoplanet

The James Webb Space Telescope has provided new insights into the mysterious case of WASP-107 b, an exoplanet that defies explanation due to its inflated size. Data collected by Webb shows surprisingly little methane in the planet's atmosphere, indicating a significantly hotter interior and core mass than previously estimated.

U.S. drought-monitoring system outpaced by climate changes

A new study finds that the US Drought Monitor is not keeping pace with climate change, leading to frequent severe droughts being classified as rare. The consequences are dire, with some regions spending more time in extreme drought conditions than federal guidelines allow, potentially leaving them without adequate aid.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalAGU Advances·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMay 20, 2024

Study explores association between fluoride exposure in pregnancy and neurobehavioral issues in young children

A new study led by University of Florida researcher Ashley Malin found a possible link between fluoride exposure during pregnancy and increased odds of neurobehavioral problems in children at age 3. The findings, based on an analysis of 229 mother-child pairs, suggest that higher fluoride levels may negatively affect fetal brain develo...

SourceUniversity of Florida·JournalJAMA Network Open·TypeObservational study·DateMay 20, 2024

Mothers live longer as child mortality declines

A new study published in Scientific Reports found that declining childhood mortality has added a full year to women's lives. The study used mathematical modeling based on CDC data and estimated that the reduction in maternal bereavement adds one year, or about 6%, to life expectancy.

SourceCornell University·JournalScientific Reports·DateMay 20, 2024

Cloudy waters causes African fish to develop bigger eyes

Researchers found that young African fish raised in cloudy water developed larger eye structures than those raised in clear water. As the fish age, they lose this ability to adapt. The study also showed that older fish have bigger brains and optic lobes, suggesting different sensory demands at various stages of life.

SourceOhio State University·JournalJournal of Experimental Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 20, 2024

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) may improve pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular function

A recent study found that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was associated with improved pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular function in women. The researchers analyzed data from over 700 women with pulmonary hypertension and found that those who used HRT had lower mean pulmonary artery pressure and higher right ventricular fr...

SourceAmerican Thoracic Society·JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·DateMay 19, 2024

Hospitals caring for diverse patient populations have higher mechanical ventilation mortality

A recent study published at the ATS 2024 International Conference found that hospitals caring for diverse patient populations experience strain that affects all patients, leading to higher mechanical ventilation mortality rates. The researchers suggest that systemic factors such as hospital resources and income levels contribute to dis...

SourceAmerican Thoracic Society·JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·DateMay 19, 2024

Social media: the stuff of nightmares?

A new scale, SMNS, measures social media's impact on nightmares, finding a link between excessive social media use and negative mental health outcomes. The study suggests that responsible social media use can help mitigate the occurrence of social media-related nightmares.

SourceFlinders University·JournalBMC Psychology·TypeSurvey·DateMay 19, 2024

Measuring lung function more accurately and more equitably

Researchers at Harvard Medical School analyzed 370,000 participants to find that removing race from lung function tests would shift disease severity categorization across patient populations. This could lead to more white and Hispanic people being reclassified as having less advanced illness.

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMay 19, 2024

Meerkat chit-chat

Researchers from the University of Konstanz and Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour found that meerkats use two different types of vocal interactions to communicate within their groups. Close calls are call-and-response exchanges between animals, while short notes announce 'I am here' but don't necessarily get a direct reply.

SourceUniversity of Konstanz·JournalPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·DateMay 19, 2024

World-first trial shows benefits of finding, treating undiagnosed asthma and COPD

A world-first clinical trial found that finding and treating people with undiagnosed asthma or COPD improves their health and reduces healthcare visits. The study, which involved 508 patients, showed that those treated by a lung specialist and educator averaged fewer healthcare visits and improved symptoms compared to usual care.

SourceThe Ottawa Hospital·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMay 19, 2024

DGIST-Stanford joint research team successfully developed novel medical AI model based on federated learning! Expected to take the first step in the era of large-scale AI

The DGIST-Stanford joint research team successfully developed a novel medical AI model based on federated learning, which can accurately segment body organs by effectively learning medical image data from different hospitals. The technique uses shared embedding learning to enable federated learning without data breaches and leaks.

Spirometry clinical trial eligibility may differ with race-neutral equations

Research found that race-neutral spirometry equations tend to decrease severity for white patients and increase severity for Black patients, leading to higher enrollment rates of Black patients in COPD clinical trials. This shift resulted in more Black subjects meeting typical inclusion criteria, while fewer white subjects were eligible.

SourceAmerican Thoracic Society·JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·DateMay 19, 2024

Evolutionary history of extinct duck revealed

A University of Otago-led study has uncovered the origins of a mysterious lineage of mergansers in Aotearoa New Zealand, revealing that they arrived from the Northern Hemisphere at least seven million years ago. The research used ancient DNA techniques to extract genetic material from extinct species and reconstruct their family tree.

SourceUniversity of Otago·JournalZoological Journal of the Linnean Society·DateMay 19, 2024

Patients seen by female gastroenterologists have significantly less health care utilization than patients seen by male providers

A recent study found that patients seen by female gastroenterologists have significantly less healthcare utilization than those seen by male providers. Female patients, in particular, experience lower rates of emergency department visits and primary care office visits after receiving initial consultations from female gastroenterologists.

SourceDigestive Disease Week·TypeObservational study·DateMay 18, 2024

Harnessing plant viruses for the delivery of genome editing reagents in diverse plant species

Genome editing holds promise for molecular breeding, but delivery methods are hindered by tissue culture processes. RNA and DNA viruses have been employed to overcome these challenges. Geminiviruses offer a high copy number for delivering repair donors, while new vector systems and compact nuclease delivery are being explored.