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Science News Archive June 2025 - Page 34


Page 34 of 40

Vigilance and targeted public health measures are essential in the face of the diphtheria epidemic that has affected vulnerable populations in Western Europe since 2022

A recent study reveals the diphtheria epidemic in Western Europe is primarily caused by contamination during migratory travel or in destination countries, not in the countries of origin. The researchers emphasize the importance of maintaining high levels of vigilance and public health support among vulnerable populations.

SourceInstitut Pasteur·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateJun 4, 2025

Blood sugar response to various carbohydrates can point to metabolic health subtypes, study finds

A new study published in Nature Medicine suggests that individual differences in blood sugar responses to various carbohydrates can indicate specific metabolic health subtypes. These subtypes are associated with different levels of insulin resistance or beta-cell dysfunction, which can contribute to prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

SourceStanford Medicine·JournalNature Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateJun 4, 2025

Real-time 3D visualization reveals potent antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against superbacteria

A research group in Korea has discovered a novel natural antimicrobial peptide, Hirunipin-2, demonstrating high potential as a new therapeutic effective against superbacteria. The peptide was evaluated using real-time 3D visualization and shown to exhibit synergistic effects when combined with existing antibiotics.

Productivity response to salary transparency suggests workers care more about wage fairness than wage equality

A study of nearly 20,000 employees found that workers care more about wage fairness than wage equality. When underpaid, they respond with a slight decrease in output, while being overpaid leads to a significant increase in productivity. This challenges companies' concerns about the impact of salary transparency on aggregate productivity.

SourceStrategic Management Society·JournalStrategic Management Journal·TypeSurvey·DateJun 4, 2025

Do you trust me now?

Researchers found that plain language summaries increase consumer trust by 2-5% and willingness to share personal info. However, companies should avoid using these summaries to hide malicious practices.

SourceUniversity of Georgia·JournalJournal of the Association for Consumer Research·DateJun 4, 2025

PolyU scholar honored with the Hong Kong Engineering Science and Technology Award for contributions to Web3 and digital economy

Prof. AU Man Ho Allen has been recognized with the prestigious Hong Kong Engineering Science and Technology (HKEST) Award 2024-25 for his outstanding contributions to the Web3 ecosystem and the digital economy. His research focuses on developing practical, secure, and privacy-preserving cryptographic solutions.

Museum specimens offer new lens on pollution history

A new study uses preserved plants and animals from natural history museums to track pollution trends over two centuries. Researchers found significant changes in pollutant levels between specimens collected in the 19th and 20th centuries, highlighting the impact of industrial activity on human health.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Arlington·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateJun 4, 2025

What information should be reported for sham acupuncture control in clinical trials?

The SHARE guidelines offer a systematic checklist to report sham acupuncture control in clinical trials, covering elements of sham acupuncture and related contextual factors. This comprehensive reporting promotes accurate interpretation of trial results and enhances the quality of sham acupuncture-controlled clinical trials.

SourceKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.·JournalWorld Journal of Acupuncture - Moxibustion·TypeNews article·DateJun 4, 2025

Many possible futures: How dopamine in the brain might inform AI that adapts quickly to change

Researchers found that brain's dopamine neurons encode a map of possible future rewards across time and magnitude, guiding adaptive behavior in uncertain environments. This biological insight aligns with recent advances in AI, particularly distributional RL algorithms, which learn from reward distributions rather than averages.

SourceChampalimaud Centre for the Unknown·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 4, 2025

A 1960s idea inspires NBI researchers to study hitherto inaccessible quantum states

Researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute have created a novel pathway to study elusive quantum states in superconducting vortices. They designed a tiny superconducting cylinder and applied magnetic flux to mimic the essential physics, allowing them to study these states on their own terms.

SourceUniversity of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeObservational study·DateJun 4, 2025

HKUST chemists innovate in the synthesis of chiral bridged polycyclic compounds

A research team from HKUST has developed a catalytic enantioselective type II [5 + 2] cycloaddition method to synthesize complex chiral bridged polycyclic structures, which is a challenging task in organic chemistry. The novel approach utilizes 3-oxidopyrylium ylides and chiral phosphoric acids to create the desired complex shapes.

SourceHong Kong University of Science and Technology·JournalNature Synthesis·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 4, 2025

Pet dogs could combat genetic eczema risk in children

Researchers found that exposure to dogs in early life reduced the risk of eczema in genetically predisposed children by suppressing skin inflammation. The study identified a genetic variant near an interleukin-7 receptor gene that responded differently to dog ownership, providing potential targets for future treatment or prevention.

SourceUniversity of Edinburgh·JournalAllergy·TypeObservational study·DateJun 4, 2025

The Great Lakes are in an extreme new era

A new study from the University of Michigan reveals that heat waves and cold spells on the Great Lakes have increased by more than 100% since 1998, coinciding with the strongest El Niño event. This trend has significant implications for the region's weather, economy, and ecosystems.

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalCommunications Earth & Environment·DateJun 4, 2025

A threesome that hatches potato parasites

A Kobe University team has identified a new molecule, solanoeclepin C, that plants secrete to attract soil microbes. This newly found compound is converted into hatching factors that cause potato cyst nematodes to hatch prematurely, potentially offering a novel approach to parasite control.

SourceKobe University·JournalNew Phytologist·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 4, 2025

New data-driven method reveals how (un)predictable complex systems can be

A team of researchers developed a novel method called Time-Lagged Recurrence (TLR) to estimate the predictability of complex dynamical systems. TLR uses data-driven approach to evaluate how an ensemble of similar initial states evolves over time, determining local predictability at that state.

SourceNational University of Singapore College of Design and Engineering·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 4, 2025

Studying the 12C+12C fusion reaction at astrophysical energies using HOPG target

Researchers have made the most sensitive direct measurement yet of the 12C(12C,a0)23Na reaction down to an excitation energy of 2.22 MeV using a HOPG target and intense carbon beam. The results represent the highest sensitivity achieved for this channel, with a thick-target yield on the order of 10−17 per incident carbon ion.

SourceNuclear Science and Techniques·JournalNuclear Science and Techniques·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 4, 2025

Magnetism in new exotic material opens the way for robust quantum computers

Researchers have developed a new type of exotic quantum material that can maintain its quantum properties when exposed to external disturbances, paving the way for robust quantum computers. The breakthrough uses magnetism to create stability, making it an important step towards realising practical topological quantum computing.

SourceChalmers University of Technology·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 4, 2025