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Science News Archive February 2025 - Page 17


Page 17 of 44

A patient’s ability to perform a cardiac stress test offers a critical window on their mortality risk

A study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that patients who can exercise during cardiac stress testing have a lower mortality rate than those who cannot. The researchers discovered that assessing a patient's ability to exercise during testing provides a stronger distinction between high- and low-risk patients.

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·JournalMayo Clinic Proceedings·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 19, 2025

Stopping asthma in its tracks

Researchers have developed two therapeutic cocktails that inhibit key molecules, stopping immune cells from overreacting to allergens. The treatments reduced asthma attacks in mice by erasing the immune system's memory of asthma-causing allergens.

SourceLa Jolla Institute for Immunology·JournalJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 19, 2025

Nature: AI-made lung disease breakthrough

An international team of researchers has created a detailed map of individual cells in the adult lung, including those affected by chronic lung disease. The AI-driven finding shows that some lung tissue in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) exhibits signs of the disease before significant structural changes occur.

SourceSt Vincent's Institute of Medical Research·JournalNature Genetics·TypeImaging analysis·DateFeb 19, 2025

Synthetic RIG-I-agonist RNA induces death of hepatocellular carcinoma cells

A synthetic retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) agonist RNA has been shown to induce innate immune signaling and death of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. The addition of recombinant interferon-b potentiated this cell death, suggesting a potential new mechanism for treating patients with liver cancer.

SourceMary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News·JournalJournal of Interferon & Cytokine Research·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 19, 2025

Dynamic volumetric displays enabled by tunable upconversion in rare-Earth-doped glasses

Researchers developed innovative RE³⁺-doped monolithic glasses capable of tunable full-color emission under NIR laser excitation. These glasses overcome key obstacles faced by existing technologies and demonstrate the potential as materials for dynamic, full-color laser-based volumetric displays.

Emergency clinicians increase prescriptions of buprenorphine, effectively help patients get started on the path to recovery

A study found that emergency clinician prescribing of buprenorphine increased in California, leading to more patients starting treatment for opioid use disorder. The efforts were successful in getting patients started, with at least one in three filling a second prescription within 40 days.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalJAMA·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 19, 2025

The role of ketamine in treatment-resistant depression

Ketamine has been shown to rapidly reduce depressive symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant depression, often within hours of administration. However, the long-term efficacy and safety of ketamine therapy remain uncertain, with potential risks including cognitive impairment and cardiovascular effects.

SourceXia & He Publishing Inc.·JournalJournal of Exploratory Research in Pharmacology·DateFeb 19, 2025

Human Immunome Project and Michelson Medical Research Foundation award $150,000 grants to three early-career scientists researching immunology and vaccines

Three early-career scientists, Dr. Omar Abudayyeh, Dr. Caleb Lareau, and Dr. Yuzhong Liu, are awarded $150,000 grants for their innovative research on human immunology, vaccine discovery, and cancer immunotherapy. Their proposals aim to advance our understanding of the immune system and develop new treatments for deadly diseases.

New process gets common rocks to trap carbon rapidly, cheaply

Stanford researchers have developed a practical and low-cost method to remove atmospheric carbon dioxide from the air using common minerals. The new process, known as enhanced weathering, uses heat to transform silicates into materials that capture and store CO2, offering a potentially scalable solution to mitigate global warming.

SourceStanford University·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 19, 2025

New environmentally-friendly mortar reduces heat loss

Researchers at Newcastle University have developed a new environmentally-friendly mortar made from recycled plastic and silica aerogel, which improves insulation and reduces plastic waste. The new mortar mix reduced heat loss by up to 55% while maintaining the required strength for masonry construction.

SourceNewcastle University·JournalConstruction and Building Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 19, 2025

Professor Kazunari Domen: Groundbreaking contributions to photocatalytic water splitting

Professor Kazunari Domen's research develops novel materials and techniques for efficient solar energy harvesting and scalable hydrogen production. His work enables the successful development of large-scale solar-driven hydrogen production units, paving the way for a clean energy future.

Relationship between sleep and nutrition with app data: A large-scale study

A large-scale study examined the relationship between nutrients and sleep using data from people who used mobile applications to track their eating and sleeping habits. The results showed that participants with high protein, monounsaturated fatty acid, and polyunsaturated fatty acid intake had improved sleep outcomes.

DESI uncovers 300 new intermediate-mass black holes plus 2500 new active black holes in dwarf galaxies

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) has discovered a treasure trove of actively feeding black holes in small galaxies, revealing surprisingly few are of intermediate mass. The team identified 300 new intermediate-mass black hole candidates and 2500 active black holes in dwarf galaxies.

AI in retail: how to spark creativity and improve job satisfaction

A study by researchers from Florida Atlantic University and Hanyang University explores how AI service quality affects retail employees' innovation, job fit, and job satisfaction. The results suggest that employees are more likely to engage in innovative behaviors when they perceive benefits from AI interactions.

SourceFlorida Atlantic University·JournalJournal of Retailing and Consumer Services·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 19, 2025

A breakthrough in hydrogen catalysis: Electronic fine-tuning unlocks superior performance

Researchers develop a new electronic fine-tuning approach to enhance the interactions between zinc and ruthenium, resulting in a highly active and stable catalyst for both oxygen reduction reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction. This breakthrough offers a cost-effective alternative to conventional platinum-based catalysts.

Natural hydrogen: a sustainable energy source in mountain ranges

A team of researchers found that mountain ranges with deep mantle rocks near the surface are ideal for large-scale natural hydrogen generation and accumulation. This process, called serpentinization, can produce up to 20 times more hydrogen than in rift environments, providing a promising alternative to synthetic hydrogen production.

SourceGFZ Helmholtz-Zentrum für Geoforschung·JournalScience Advances·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateFeb 19, 2025

All generic drugs are not equal, study finds

A new study found that generic drugs made in India have significantly more 'severe adverse events' for patients, including hospitalization and death. The researchers matched 2,443 drugs made in the US and emerging economies, finding that mature generic drugs were responsible for the higher rates of severe adverse events.

SourceOhio State University·JournalProduction and Operations Management·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 19, 2025