Research on making sense of scientific and medical data. Covers AI error-correction, single-cell search engines, optical computing, and measurement reliability.
Research using ultrasound scans distinguishes between yawns and simple mouth openings in fetuses, with more than half of all mouth openings being yawns at 24 weeks gestation. The study suggests that fetal yawning trends may be used to monitor healthy development, possibly related to brain maturation.
A Baylor University sociologist found that blending family commitment with strong religion can dampen civic participation. The study, published in Social Science Research, analyzed data from the National Survey of Families and Households, suggesting that familistic individuals may have limited time and energy for secular organizations.
Suicide rates in the US rose sharply from 1999 to 2010, with a quadrupled increase from 2008 to 2010, accounting for around 1500 additional deaths per year since 2007. Rising unemployment is believed to be a major contributor to this trend.
Researchers at UCSB have made a significant discovery in the study of split-brain research, uncovering dynamic changes in brain coordination patterns between left and right hemispheres. The findings show that healthy test subjects respond less accurately when information is shown only to the right brain.
A recent study in Neurosurgical Focus highlights the importance of preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative processes in reducing neurosurgery-related adverse events. The authors propose a national registry for outcome data and monitoring, as well as standardization of specialized equipment and evidence-based guidelines.
Entomologists at UC Riverside reconstructed the evolutionary history of assassin bugs using molecular, paleontological, behavioral, and ecological data. The new phylogeny reveals that kissing bugs originated around 27-32 million years ago, contradicting previous estimates, and suggests a single origin or two separate but close origins.
A recent analysis of Japan fisheries data reveals that most fish caught off the northeast coast remain below seafood consumption limits, despite tightened regulations. However, highly contaminated demersal fish consistently show high levels of cesium contamination from the damaged nuclear power plant.
The implementation of a 24-h ICU in-house staff intensivist coverage significantly improved mortality rates and reduced hospital length of stay by nearly half a day. This model also led to quicker decision-making and a positive trend in end-of-life care quality.
A recent UCSF study found that most liver transplant candidates who died or were removed from the transplant list received one or more liver donation offers prior to death/delisting. The study suggests that efforts to reduce wait-list mortality must target multiple factors beyond just organ availability.
The Living Voters Guide has expanded to include fact-checking by Seattle Public Library staff, providing voters with credible information and signals as to what's believable. This initiative aims to promote constructive online debate and informed voting through a collaborative and user-friendly platform.
The probe dug a 12 cm deep hole before bouncing out onto a flat surface, sliding 30 cm across the surface due to friction. The probe wobbled back and forth five times before coming to rest, suggesting the surface was soft enough to make a hole but hard enough to support wobbling
Research on harvestman spiders found that single male parents of eggs suffer no long-term decrease in fitness compared to females or non-caring males. The study suggests that reduced mortality risk and genetic advantages of improving offspring survival may have favored the evolution of paternal care in insects.
Clemson University researchers will use artificial intelligence and data analytics to enhance coordination in perioperative services at three hospitals. The goal is to develop a more efficient system while maintaining quality of care, addressing the escalating cost of healthcare.
Most pregnancy-related infections are caused by four types of treatable conditions: genital tract, urinary tract, soft tissues, and abortion-related infections. Integrating targeted interventions into antenatal care services can help reduce maternal mortality.
Researchers developed a mathematical model to analyze data from North American forests, finding that warmer climates accelerate leaf decay uniformly, while plant composition determines the range of rates. The study reveals surprising commonality among diverse leaf decay patterns, shedding light on global carbon flux and climate change.
Researchers at Iowa State, Virginia Tech, and Stanford University aim to develop techniques for analyzing large-scale data analytics from high-throughput DNA sequencing. The project will utilize the NSF-funded HokieSpeed supercomputing instrument to improve genome analysis and identify mutations relevant to cancer.
A University of Michigan School of Public Health fellow analyzed data on 53 diseases over 19 years, finding that strong advocacy organizations received significantly more funding. This shift in policy prioritizes patients with particular diseases as recipients of research funds, based on perceived moral worthiness.
Researchers analyze temperatures, shapes, and densities of coronal cavities to understand space weather disruption. By studying these structures, scientists aim to get advance warning on CME eruptions and improve technology protection near Earth.
A new report outlines best practices for US states to improve their effectiveness in curbing prescription drug abuse and overdose deaths. The study found that proactive approaches, such as analyzing data and sharing information with prescribers and law enforcement, can prevent painkiller misuse and reduce fatal overdoses.
Researchers discovered that people's moral attitudes are more flexible than thought, with participants often constructing coherent arguments supporting the opposite of their original position. The study highlights the potential limitations of self-reported questionnaires in capturing complex attitudes.
The Rasberry Crazy Ant, an invasive species in Texas, has been identified as Nylanderia fulva, which will aid in controlling its spread. The species is now known to be distributed more widely than initially thought and may have invaded all Gulf Coast states.
The Arctic Ocean's sea ice cover has reached its annual minimum extent of 1.32 million square miles, a new record low in the satellite era. This represents a decline of almost 300,000 square miles from the previous lowest extent set in 2007, and is approximately half the size of the average extent from 1979 to 2000.
A University of Alberta study estimates that Canadian homes are a kill zone for up to 22 million birds annually. The research suggests that bird fatalities from window collisions can be prevented by adjusting feeder placement distance from windows. Factors influencing collision frequency include tree age and feeder feeding habits.
Researchers have discovered a new species of African monkey, the lesula, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The species is threatened by local bush meat hunting and has a limited range of 6,500 square miles, making it vulnerable to extinction.
Researchers found that women's disgust responses are weaker when they are sexually aroused. The study, published in PLOS ONE, used a combination of peer review and post-publication rating and commenting to maximize the impact of every report it publishes. All works published in PLOS ONE are Open Access.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems developed a mobile app that integrates real-time traffic data into regional public transportation. The system provides personalized routing suggestions based on user preferences and displays bus schedules, routes, and nearby points of interest.
Ischemic stroke risk after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) dropped significantly, from 4.7% in 1998-2000 to 3.8% in 2007-2008, due to improved AMI care. Reperfusion therapy, blood clot dissolving therapy, and statins were found to be independent predictors of reduced stroke risk.
Researchers found that both high and low mating rates are detrimental to female sea slug fitness, suggesting indirect benefits to traumatic mating. The study suggests that there may be additional fitness benefits beyond reproduction.
Married men tend to consume fewer drinks than single, divorced, or widowed men due to their wives' lower levels of drinking. In contrast, long-term married women often consume more drinks than recently divorced or widowed women, who may experience increased drinking after a divorce.
A recent Texas A&M University study reveals that hurricanes can intensify by 50% faster when passing over large areas of fresh water, making them more devastating. The research analyzed Tropical Cyclones for the decade 1998-2007 and found a significant correlation between freshwater regions and increased storm intensity.
A new NASA study has found that the likelihood of experiencing an extreme summer heat wave has increased significantly since the middle of the 20th century. The researchers analyzed mean summer temperatures and found that 'extremely hot' summers, previously rare, have become routine in recent decades.
A study of over 200,000 patients found no long-term increased risk of death with endoscopic vein graft harvesting compared to open vein-graft harvesting, while also showing a significant reduction in wound complications.
A recent Harvard study found that expanding Medicaid coverage to low-income adults leads to significant improvements in health and reduced mortality rates. The study analyzed data from three states with expanded Medicaid programs and found a 6.1% reduction in mortality among those covered, corresponding to 2,840 deaths prevented per year.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis decoded the brain activity of two monkeys performing a reaching task, revealing distinct planning strategies and cognitive styles. The study found that one monkey, hyperactive, jumped the gun while the other, smooth operator, waited for the target to appear.
Two independent research reports published in PLOS ONE show that chimpanzees use weight to choose the best hammer for cracking open nuts, a sophisticated tool use. In contrast, old world monkeys modulate their begging behavior based on whether an experimenter is paying attention to them, suggesting intentional communication.
A social entrepreneurship approach for sexual health optimization is being explored, focusing on decentralized community delivery and multisectoral networks. The authors argue that this approach has great promise in delivering comprehensive sexual health interventions to most-at-risk populations.
Researchers analyzed data from 782 hospitals on 127,950 Medicare beneficiaries with acute ischemic stroke. They found that including stroke severity in hospital mortality models significantly improved predicting the risk of death within 30 days and changed performance rankings for many hospitals.
GigaScience, a new journal from BGI and BioMed Central, publishes large-scale biological research in a unique format that combines standard articles with complete data hosting and analysis tools. This allows readers to test scientific conclusions using underlying data and analysis tools.
A case study on implementing the BasicNeeds model of mental health and development in Nepal found that user empowerment and community development are key to success. The model works in partnership with governments to provide essential services where mental health has not been a priority, leading to improved outcomes for users.
A systematic review found that the level of evidence for emergency obstetric referral interventions is poor, making it difficult to determine their effectiveness. The design limitations of individual studies also hindered the assessment of referral interventions.
A study analyzing published data found that vertebroplasty provides better pain relief and function for patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures compared to nonoperative treatments. Vertebral stabilization technique also offers benefits over other treatments despite conflicting results to date.
University of Oklahoma physicists collaborated with 1,700 U.S. scientists on the Higgs boson search project. The international effort resulted in the discovery of a new particle consistent with the Higgs boson.
A prospective cohort study found associations between plasma concentrations of saturated phospholipid fatty acids and increased risk of coronary heart disease. In contrast, n-6 polyunsaturated phospholipid fatty acids showed an inverse association with coronary heart disease risk.
A cluster-randomized trial found that urban women's groups in Mumbai slums discussed perinatal health, resulting in behavior change. However, there was no measurable impact on population-level perinatal health or mortality rates.
The Tevatron experiments have found a strong indication of the Higgs particle's existence, pointing towards a mass between 115 and 135 GeV/c2. The data analysis of 500 trillion collisions shows a statistical significance of 2.9 sigma in the bottom-quark decay mode.
A new study found that declining testosterone levels in men are more likely caused by smoking behavior, obesity, and depression than aging. The study of over 1,500 men aged 35-80 showed that testosterone levels decreased less than 1% each year.
Researchers taught a robot to converse with humans as if it were a small child, enabling the robot to move from babbling to producing salient wordforms. This study may be useful for understanding language acquisition in humans.
The method combines three bipartite visual representations of genetic information to explore genetic data and identify novel patterns. The technique is applied to SNPs from individuals with Nigerian and Utah ancestry, revealing associations between SNP frequencies and ancestral origins.
Infant mortality rates remain high in Appalachia, with white infants facing disproportionately higher deaths compared to non-Appalachian regions. Poverty and limited access to physicians contribute to the deficit, emphasizing the need for improved prenatal care and healthcare policies.
Dr. Micah I. Krichevsky has been recognized for his commitment to advancing women in microbiology through the American Society for Microbiology's Alice C. Evans Award. He established Bionomics International and developed a standardized method for computer coding of microbiological data, impacting research globally.
Researchers measured hormone levels to distinguish between two theories for the whale's decline, supporting the inadequate prey hypothesis. The data suggest that recovering Chinook salmon populations is critical to killer whale recovery.
Researchers analyzed maritime piracy data from 2002 to 2009, identifying target vessels and violence levels. Bulk carriers and container ships were most targeted, with increasing reports of kidnapping and violent attacks.
A new study from Indiana University found little difference in swim performance between male and female childhood athletes under the age of 8. The researchers also discovered similar performance levels among 11- and 12-year-old swimmers, with pubertal changes affecting older athletes.
Researchers found that reducing TB infections in geographic hotspots can significantly reduce citywide transmission rates by up to 29% over 50 years. Controlling these hotspots may have a similar impact on long-term, community-wide TB incidence as achieving the same targets in the remaining population.
A study published in Comunicación y Sociedad found that consumption of political information is linked to more moderate and positive opinions about politics and politicians. The study showed that scientists are the most trusted profession, while politicians are the least.
A study found that African countries with more intense PEPFAR assistance experienced lower all-cause adult mortality rates, with an estimated 740,914 deaths averted. The initiative also showed significant reductions in HIV-specific deaths.
Research from the University of Edinburgh found that stillbirths and neonatal deaths were less likely to occur when labor was induced at 40 weeks compared to births where the pregnancy was allowed to continue. Women who underwent elective inductions also had lower rates of Caesarean sections.
Researchers found that non-verbal sensorimotor communication between conductors and musicians improves music performance. The study measured movements of bow and baton to show how closely correlated leadership can lead to better musical output.
A study published in PLoS ONE found that reading larger font sizes produces emotion effects in event-related potentials that begin earlier and last longer than smaller font sizes. The researchers also found that bigger words elicit stronger emotional brain responses.
A simple drawing test can predict long-term stroke death risk among older men, with lowest scores linked to a threefold increased risk of death. The test is more effective than the mini mental state exam in predicting post-stroke mortality.