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Science News Archive March 2025 - Page 47


Page 47 of 51

Dicamba drift: New use of an old herbicide disrupts pollinators

A University of Michigan study found that dicamba drift reduces pollinator abundance and visits to some weeds but not others. Weeds exposed to dicamba drift have fewer pollinators near them and reduced pollinator visits. Dicamba damages plants by mimicking the hormone auxin, impacting plant growth size, flower production, and timing.

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalNew Phytologist·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 4, 2025

Association of statin use with 28-day mortality in the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database: a retrospective cohort study

The study found that statin use was associated with reduced 28-day all-cause mortality in critically ill patients. Simvastatin had the highest reduction of mortality among patients in the ICU, particularly in those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, acute kidney injury, sepsis, or myocardial infarction.

SourceNational Center for Respiratory Medicine·JournalJournal of Thoracic Disease·TypeObservational study·DateMar 4, 2025

First-of-its-kind AI tool can predict water quality across the U.S.

Researchers have developed a new AI tool that uses sensors and real-time data to predict water quality across the US. This tool can be applied nationwide, benefiting communities by providing water quality forecasts, streamlining operations, and informing strategies for managing turbidity in basins worldwide.

SourceUniversity of Vermont·JournalJAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 4, 2025

New University of Minnesota research shows impact of anxiety and apathy on decision-making

A study published in Biological Psychiatry found that anxiety and apathy lead to different patterns in how people process uncertainty and make decisions. Participants made choices between exploring new options or sticking with familiar ones, revealing distinct computational mechanisms underlying these behaviors.

SourceUniversity of Minnesota Medical School·JournalBiological Psychiatry·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMar 4, 2025

Chinese Medical Journal article reveals the anticancer potential of poly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors

PARP inhibitors have been found to be effective in treating cancers with BRCA1/2 mutations by blocking DNA repair pathways. The combination of PARPis with chemotherapeutic drugs can also improve treatment efficacy, increasing DNA damage and blocking repair processes.

SourceChinese Medical Journals Publishing House Co., Ltd.·JournalChinese Medical Journal·TypeLiterature review·DateMar 4, 2025

Proposes the idea and technical roadmap for the evolution from Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to Geographic Intelligent Agents

The research proposes a new framework for Geographic Intelligent Agents, integrating embodied intelligence and self-supervised learning. This framework enables GIS to achieve bidirectional interaction between physical and informational spaces, significantly enhancing its decision-making capabilities.

Teachers' negative emotions impact engagement of students, new study finds

A new study found that about 10% of teachers displayed notable amounts of negative emotions during instructional time, leading to reduced student enjoyment and engagement. The researchers suggest providing training on mindfulness and emotion regulation to help teachers manage negative emotions while teaching.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalContemporary Educational Psychology·TypeObservational study·DateMar 4, 2025

SNU researchers develop world’s first technology to observe atomic structural changes of nanoparticles in 3D

The study resolves a long-standing challenge in observing nanostructures and enables real-time tracking of three-dimensional atomic structural changes in individual nanoparticles. Researchers successfully captured the precise moments when surface atoms detached, rearranged, or reattached in three dimensions.

SourceSeoul National University College of Engineering·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 4, 2025

Brain waves measured during sleep predict cognitive impairment years before symptoms appear, study finds

Researchers developed an AI tool to predict cognitive impairment over the next five years by analyzing brain wave patterns during sleep using EEG. The tool identified subtle differences in brain wave patterns that predicted which participants would later be diagnosed with cognitive impairment.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalJournal of Alzheimer’s Disease·TypeObservational study·DateMar 4, 2025

The first Bronze Age settlement in the Maghreb

A research study led by Hamza Benattia Melgarejo has uncovered the first Bronze Age settlement in the Maghreb, dating back to between 2200 and 600 BC. The excavations at Kach Kouch, Morocco reveal a human occupation with distinct phases of settlement, showcasing a thriving agricultural economy based on crops like barley and wheat.

SourceUniversity of Barcelona·JournalAntiquity·TypeObservational study·DateMar 4, 2025

Study provides novel insights into GenAI feedback

Researchers found that GenAI feedback offers timely and personalized feedback, educational benefits as an essay editor and tutor, and social benefits as a supportive environment. However, challenges include limited AI skills, dependency risk, and emotional understanding limitations.

SourceECNU Review of Education·JournalECNU Review of Education·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 4, 2025

Mount Sinai researchers identify molecular glues that protect insulin-producing cells from damage related to diabetes

Researchers have discovered a novel approach to protecting insulin-producing beta cells from glucolipotoxicity, a condition linked to type 2 diabetes progression. The findings could lead to promising treatments targeting beta cell dysfunction, potentially slowing or preventing disease progression.

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 4, 2025

Postoperative outcomes following preweekend surgery

Patients undergoing surgery immediately before a weekend experienced significantly higher risks of postoperative complications, hospital readmissions, and death compared to those treated after the weekend. The study emphasizes the need for improved care quality regardless of the day of the week.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Network Open·DateMar 4, 2025

White blood cells use brute force to dislodge bacteria

A recent study in Nature Communications reveals that white blood cells employ a novel mechanism to dislodge bacteria from human tissues using brute force and integrin-based adhesion rings. The research, led by Xuefeng Wang, has significant implications for understanding the role of macrophages in cleaning up environmental pollutants.

SourceUniversity of Cincinnati·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 4, 2025

New consensus report on anaphylaxis: A major advancement in allergy care

A new consensus report on anaphylaxis has been released, providing updated clinical criteria and guidelines for diagnosing and treating the condition. The report includes distinct infant findings to improve management in young children, addressing a significant burden on patients and caregivers worldwide.

SourceCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center·JournalJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology·DateMar 4, 2025

Merging schools to reduce segregation

Researchers explore merging public elementary schools to reduce racial segregation, finding a median reduction of 20% in some districts. The approach also slightly increases commute times, but can halve district-wide segregation with careful planning.

SourcePNAS Nexus·JournalPNAS Nexus·DateMar 4, 2025

People with intellectual disabilities less likely to participate in population screening

Research from Radboud University Medical Center found that people with intellectual disabilities are significantly less likely to participate in cancer screenings for cervical, breast, and colon cancer. The results highlight the need for better alignment of screening programs with the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities.

SourceRadboud University Medical Center·JournalThe Lancet Public Health·TypeSurvey·DateMar 4, 2025

NASA’s Hubble finds Kuiper Belt duo may be trio

A team of researchers has found a stable trio of icy space rocks in the Kuiper Belt using data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the W. M. Keck Observatory. The Altjira system suggests that similar triples may exist, supporting a theory of solar system formation and the formation of Kuiper Belt objects.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·JournalThe Planetary Science Journal·TypeObservational study·DateMar 4, 2025

Study: Smartwatches could end the next pandemic

Researchers at Aalto University and others have developed a model that shows smartwatches can accurately detect viral infections several days before symptoms appear. This early detection can lead to significant reductions in disease transmission and could potentially stop a pandemic before it starts.

SourceAalto University·JournalPNAS Nexus·DateMar 4, 2025

Royalty among us

Richard Willson, a University of Houston professor, has been elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry for his contributions to the chemical sciences. He has developed innovative methods to detect viruses and other biological threats using glow-in-the-dark nanoparticles.

Urban inequality scaling – Research indicates correlation between population size and elite wealth in urban spaces

A new study by the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology reveals striking quantitative similarities between ancient and modern cities regarding elite wealth concentration. As cities grow larger, elite wealth increases in a sublinear way, with diminishing returns on each increase in city size.

SourceMax Planck Institute of Geoanthropology·JournalNature Cities·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMar 4, 2025

Researchers see breakthrough with biofuel

Researchers from UC and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have made a breakthrough in understanding how alcohol damages microbes that produce it. The study reveals the primary location of toxicity is in the cell membrane, which can be stabilized to increase efficiency in biofuel production.

SourceUniversity of Cincinnati·JournalLangmuir·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 4, 2025

Ending pandemics with smartwatches

Recent studies demonstrate that smartwatches can detect infections early through subtle physiological changes, prompting timely action to slow disease spread. By identifying infections sooner and reducing social contacts, wearable technology may help contain future outbreaks and prevent pandemics.

SourcePNAS Nexus·JournalPNAS Nexus·DateMar 4, 2025

From classical hydrodynamics to quantum hydrodynamics and back again – how the Navier-Stokes equations describe quantum systems

Researchers from the University of Warsaw have shown that Navier-Stokes equations can be generalized to quantum systems, specifically quantum liquids with restricted particle motion. This discovery opens up new possibilities for research into transport in one-dimensional quantum systems.

SourceUniversity of Warsaw, Faculty of Physics·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateMar 4, 2025

Challenging our intuitions: How social forces shape success

A literature review reveals that our intuitions about success are often misleading, with failure being a predictor of future success and early successes reinforcing inequalities. The study also shows that persuading 'bridge' individuals in social networks is more effective at driving mass adoption than celebrity endorsements.

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalNature Communications·TypeLiterature review·DateMar 4, 2025