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Science News for January 14, 2025


Toughening vitrimers based on dioxaborolane metathesis through introducing a reversible secondary interaction

Researchers develop a dual-cross-linked network that enhances the toughness and stretchability of polymeric materials. The introduction of reversible secondary interactions between chemically exchangeable units and NIPAM improves ductility, while optimizing the number density of hydrogen bonds achieves optimal results.

SourceBeijing Zhongke Journal Publising Co. Ltd.·JournalPolymer Science & Technology·DateJan 14, 2025

Research: Automatic text message alerts would potentially result in U.K. banking customer savings up to $300 million

A study found that automatically enrolling UK banking customers into text message alerts reduces overdrafts and unpaid item charges by 4-19%, resulting in potential savings of £170-£240 million. The researchers suggest this policy could benefit low-income customers, frequent over drafters, and financially vulnerable consumers.

SourceBoston College·JournalThe Journal of Finance·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 14, 2025

Long before the L.A. fires, America’s housing crisis displaced millions

A new USC study reveals that the US is facing a shortage of 4.5 million homes due to policy missteps in the early 2000s, which led to a historic housing bubble and subsequent Great Recession. The crisis has disproportionately affected millennials and people of color, with racial and ethnic disparities in homeownership widening over time.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalRSF The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJan 14, 2025

Antibiotic treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis found to be safe and effective in clinical trial

A clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that levofloxacin substantially reduced the risk of developing drug-resistant tuberculosis. The study found that levofloxacin reduced the risk of multidrug-resistant TB in adults and adolescents by 45 percent, and also significantly reduced the risk among family m...

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJan 14, 2025

PolyU researchers develop breakthrough method for self-stimulated ejection of freezing droplets, unlocking cost-effective applications in de-icing

Researchers at PolyU have invented a ground-breaking self-powered mechanism to eject freezing droplets, enabling cost-efficient and promising technological applications. The discovery uses spring-like elastic pillars to accelerate ejection velocity and enlarge kinetic energy transformation of freezing droplets.

SourceThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University·JournalNature Chemical Engineering·DateJan 14, 2025

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute collaborate with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to identify genetic risks for age-related macular degeneration

A new study has identified genetic and demographic factors that increase the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The research found a significant difference in AMD risk between European and non-European descent populations, highlighting the importance of diverse ancestry groups in understanding this condition.

SourceCase Western Reserve University·JournalNature Genetics·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJan 14, 2025

Enhancing thermal dissipation in amorphous silicon metasurfaces via laser-induced crystallization

Researchers propose a method to enhance thermal conductance properties of amorphous silicon metasurfaces through laser-induced crystallization, reducing temperature rises by up to 52%. Simulations show excellent light manipulation capabilities in both amorphous silicon and polysilicon metasurfaces.

SourceAdvanced Devices & Instrumentation·JournalAdvanced Devices & Instrumentation·TypeNews article·DateJan 14, 2025

Hepatitis E vaccination is effective in an epidemic

Researchers from UNIGE-HUG Centre and MSF successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of a hepatitis E vaccine in an outbreak in Bentiu, South Sudan. The study showed that two doses of the vaccine reduced the incidence of the disease and provided protection against severe symptoms.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalThe Lancet Infectious Diseases·TypeNews article·DateJan 14, 2025

IVF pregnancies at greater risk of exposure to medicines that can harm the fetus

A new Australian study found that IVF pregnancies had the highest exposure to teratogenic medicines during the first trimester, compared to naturally conceived pregnancies. The risk was linked to medications used as additional treatment following ART to prevent repeat miscarriages or failed implantation.

SourceUniversity of South Australia·JournalAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJan 14, 2025

Hiroshima flooding: A case study of well usage and adaptive governance

A survey conducted by Professor Takahiro Endo at Osaka Metropolitan University found that Hiroshima Prefecture provided a free water inspection service for well owners after the 2018 floods, promoting their initiative to open inspected wells to the public. This collaborative effort supplemented local governments' emergency water supply...

SourceOsaka Metropolitan University·JournalWater International·TypeCase study·DateJan 14, 2025

Following a 2005 policy, episiotomy rates have reduced in France without an overall increase in anal sphincter injuries during labor, with more research needed to confirm the safest rate of episiotomies and the risks to specific subgroups

A restrictive episiotomy policy implemented in France has led to a decrease in episiotomy rates and anal sphincter injuries during labor. However, further research is necessary to determine the optimal rate of episiotomies and assess potential risks to specific subgroups.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateJan 14, 2025

Supramolecular probes with enhanced phosphorescence properties for biological imaging and sensing

Researchers developed a supramolecular probe with enhanced phosphorescence properties for biological imaging and sensing. The probe demonstrated outstanding stability, biocompatibility, and specificity in viscosity response, enabling real-time visualization of critical physiological processes in cells and in vivo biosensing.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·DateJan 14, 2025

ISM: Intra-class similarity mixing for time series augmentation

A new method, ISM, mixes locally similar regions in two intra-class time series to improve feature diversity and expand the data scale, leading to better classification performance. The proposed approach is compared to existing methods on ten representative datasets from UCR2018, showing improved results with reduced computational cost.

SourceHigher Education Press·JournalFrontiers of Computer Science·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 14, 2025

Bioinspired weather-responsive adaptive shading

Researchers developed an energy-autonomous facade system that adapts to weather using bioinspired design and additive manufacturing. The 'Solar Gate' system harnesses hygromorphism, a property of cellulose, to open and close autonomously without electrical energy.

SourceUniversitaet Stuttgart·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 14, 2025

Roman urbanites followed medical recommendations for weaning babies

A study of ancient Roman teeth reveals that urban dwellers weaned their babies earlier than rural communities, following medical recommendations similar to those in modern cities. The findings support the idea that cities act as information hubs and offer more medical resources, leading to closer adherence to expert health guidelines.

SourcePNAS Nexus·JournalPNAS Nexus·DateJan 14, 2025

New training technique for highly efficient AI methods

Researchers at the University of Bonn have developed a new training technique for highly efficient AI methods, inspired by biological neurons that use short voltage pulses to communicate. This approach enables spiking neural networks to be trained using conventional methods, resulting in improved accuracy and reduced energy consumption.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJan 14, 2025

KAIST research team develops stretchable microelectrodes array for organoid signal monitoring​

The KAIST research team developed a highly stretchable microelectrode array to monitor organoids' functions, enabling real-time analysis of their states. The technology showed promise in high-throughput drug screening applications, revealing changes in signal characteristics according to size and identifying potential drug interactions.

SourceThe Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 14, 2025

Rats anticipate location of food-guarding robots when foraging

Researchers studied rats navigating an L-shape track with a food-guarding robot. The rats created neurological maps of places to avoid after experiencing negative events and thought about these locations even after leaving the area. This finding provides insight into the neuroscience of common psychological conditions like anxiety.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 14, 2025

Diving deep into dopamine

Dopamine plays a lesser-known role in learning from punishment, which is less understood than its role in reward systems. Bioengineer Helen Schwerdt aims to investigate this phenomenon using novel neural interfaces and sustained dopamine monitoring.

Healthy lifestyle changes shown to help low back pain

Researchers found integrating lifestyle support into back pain care reduced disability by an average of 1.3 points on the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire, while participants in a 'Healthy Lifestyle Program' also lost an average of 1.6kg more than the control group.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalJAMA Network Open·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJan 14, 2025

SCP-Nano: A new technology to visualize nanocarriers in cells and tissues

Researchers use SCP-Nano to analyze distribution of extremely low doses of nanocarriers throughout the mouse body, visualizing each cell that has taken them up. The platform identifies unwanted accumulation in organs like the heart and liver, paving the way for safer mRNA therapeutics.

Biomarker-related genetic predisposition discovered for progression from gestational diabetes to type 2 diabetes

A new study identifies molecular mechanisms of the progression from gestational diabetes to type 2 diabetes, finding reduced levels of sphingolipids in blood and a mutation in gene CERS2 linked to risk. The discovery could lead to new therapies and interventions to reduce the risk of this progression.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 14, 2025

New cooling pump drops temperatures by 16 degrees, more at source of heat

Researchers at UCLA have developed a compact cooling technology that can continuously pump away heat using layers of flexing thin films. The prototype lowered ambient temperatures by 16 degrees Fahrenheit and up to 25 degrees at the source of heat, offering a simpler design without greenhouse-gas-generating coolants or liquids.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 14, 2025

Digital meditation to target employee stress

A digital mindfulness-based program has been shown to reduce employee stress perceptions and improve work-specific well-being. The study suggests that such interventions can be easily accessible and scalable methods for reducing workplace stress.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Network Open·DateJan 14, 2025

Want to improve teamwork between employees? New study reveals leadership tactics to make it happen

A new study by Binghamton University researchers offers a promising solution for improving teamwork between IT and business staff. By focusing on the role of the chief information officer (CIO), boosting collaboration and understanding between IT and business teams can lead to more effective alignment of IT with overall business object...

SourceBinghamton University·JournalACM SIGMIS Database the DATABASE for Advances in Information Systems·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJan 14, 2025

Astronomers catch unprecedented features at brink of active black hole

Radio data reveals jets of ionized gas extending from either side of the black hole, with a total size of about half a light-year. The observation suggests that the launch of a black hole jet has never been observed before in real time, providing critical clues to why only a fraction of monster black holes produce powerful plasma jets.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateJan 14, 2025

Direct discharge electrical pulses for carbon fiber recycling

Researchers developed a novel method for carbon fiber recycling that leverages Joule heat generation, thermal stress, and expansion forces to separate fibers without chemicals. The technique is more effective than traditional methods, preserving longer fibers with higher strength and reducing environmental impact.

SourceWaseda University·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 14, 2025

Precise positioning in challenging environments: a new approach to UWB-assisted navigation

Researchers introduce a novel method to accurately estimate the position of a single UWB anchor, significantly enhancing VIU system performance. The approach employs a robust ridge nonlinear least-squares method and dynamically adaptive weighting strategy to mitigate cumulative errors and ensure precise range measurements.

Commonly prescribed medications increase fall risk and related injuries in people with COPD

A new study published in the COPD Foundation journal found that people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at a higher risk of falls and related injuries when taking commonly prescribed medications. The likelihood of falls increases relative to the number of fall-risk increasing drugs used.

SourceCOPD Foundation·JournalChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases Journal of the COPD Foundation·DateJan 14, 2025

Painful skin when tapering cortisone cream

A Swedish study found that topical steroid withdrawal (TSW) is characterized by symptoms such as redness, pain, and itching, often accompanied by sleep problems. The study aimed to understand the phenomenon of TSW, which many patients consider a cortisone dependence.

SourceUniversity of Gothenburg·JournalActa Dermato Venereologica·TypeSurvey·DateJan 14, 2025

Great Barrier Reef fish evidence suggests shifts in major global biodiversity patterns

New research reveals significant transformations in Great Barrier Reef fish communities, with changes in species richness and composition driven by coral diversity rather than coral cover. The study's findings raise questions about the shifting latitudinal diversity gradient and its implications for ecosystem functioning.

SourceLancaster University·JournalNature Communications·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJan 14, 2025

Tree crops crucial for sustainable development

Researchers emphasize global importance of tree crops for achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals, while promoting biodiversity conservation and mitigating climate change. Tree crops provide stable habitats, prevent soil erosion, and contribute to greenhouse gas reduction.

SourceUniversity of Göttingen·JournalNature Sustainability·TypeObservational study·DateJan 14, 2025

THE LANCET DIABETES & ENDOCRINOLOGY: Global Commission proposes major overhaul of obesity diagnosis, going beyond BMI to define when obesity is a disease.

The global Commission recommends diagnosing obesity based on excess body fat measures and objective signs of illness, shifting from BMI-based definition. This approach aims to provide personalized care for individuals with clinical and pre-clinical obesity, facilitating fair allocation of healthcare resources.

SourceThe Lancet·JournalThe Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology·TypeLiterature review·DateJan 14, 2025

HKU ecologist highlights critical gaps in global wildlife trade monitoring

A recent study by HKU ecologist Professor Alice C. Hughes reveals that almost 30,000 wild species were traded globally between 2000 and 2022, with over 50% sourced directly from the wild. This highlights the critical need for systematic monitoring of wildlife trade to assess its sustainability.

SourceThe University of Hong Kong·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateJan 14, 2025

Robust, thermally stable and impurity-tolerant aluminum-based catalyst system for polylactide production under industrial conditions

Researchers developed a robust, thermally stable, and impurity-tolerant aluminum-based catalyst system for polylactide production. The new system exhibits high activity at low catalyst concentrations and can produce colorless semicrystalline poly(lactic acid) under industrially relevant conditions.

SourceBeijing Zhongke Journal Publising Co. Ltd.·JournalPolymer Science & Technology·DateJan 14, 2025

Waking up is not stressful, study finds

Researchers at the University of Bristol found no increase in cortisol release after waking, contrary to long-held assumptions. The study's findings suggest that daily cortisol rhythms may play a more significant role in regulating stress responses.

SourceUniversity of Bristol·JournalProceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateJan 14, 2025