News on the grants and awards that fuel scientific work. Covers federal grants, foundation awards, gene-editing and disease programs, and shifts in funding policy.
A new Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions showed potential in assessing studies with higher risk of bias. Exclusion of high-risk studies altered estimates of clinically pertinent outcomes in two systematic reviews, highlighting the need for further testing of the new instrument.
General practice workloads in England have increased by 16% over seven years, with more frequent and longer consultations, according to a large-scale analysis. The study's findings suggest the system is approaching saturation point due to low recruitment rates and an ageing population with complex needs.
A nationwide study found that a web-based program improved relationship satisfaction and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety in 300 couples. The program, developed by University of Miami psychologists, was completed online with minimal calls with project staff, offering an affordable alternative to traditional counseling.
The University of Stirling has developed an innovative activity toolkit to support people living with dementia. The 'gardens' themed kit provides a group activity pack to prompt conversation and reminiscence, aiming to bring benefits such as constructive conversations, social connections, and engagement with personal histories.
Researchers identify two distinct HSV-1 virus strains in an individual, revealing their European/North American and Asian origins. The discovery opens doors to tracing a person's life history using genetic fingerprinting of viral genomes.
Researchers will follow eight crew members over five years to measure changes in muscle strength and function, with a focus on the ankle and knee joints. The goal is to determine when muscle loss levels off and develop countermeasures to limit losses for future Mars missions.
Researchers at UC Riverside found a new species of tumbleweed with a dramatically expanded geographic range in just a decade. The species, Salsola ryanii, is an allopolyploid formed from hybridization between two invasive species.
A study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry identified 11 core themes associated with dying well, including preferences for specific dying processes, pain-free status and emotional well-being. Researchers emphasized the importance of discussing end-of-life wishes with patients to ensure a 'good death'.
Researchers at Aalto University have developed a new scrolling technique called Spotlights, which uses the spotlight metaphor of human visual attention. This technique significantly speeds up browsing of long texts by 60%, reduces time spent locating desired locations, and increases the probability of noticing points of interest.
Research from the University of Texas at Dallas suggests that companies structure compensation contracts based on a manager's personality traits, not just firm characteristics. Overconfident CEOs receive more incentive-heavy compensation, which can drive shareholder value.
New research examining 3 million death certificates found that historical black names conveyed a large advantage over a person's lifetime. Men with these names added more than one year of life relative to other black males.
A novel plant protein, HMGB3, signals tissue damage and activates an immune response in plants, similar to its human counterpart HMGB1. This discovery sheds light on the parallels between plant and human immune systems.
A study published in PLOS ONE found that pit bulls wait three times longer to be adopted from shelters than lookalike breeds without the label. The 'pit bull' breed is often negatively perceived, leading to lower adoptability.
The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) is establishing four new Research Units, focusing on climate-related extinction events, individual risk perception, human impact on high-altitude ecosystems, and resilience in pre-modern societies. The units will receive approximately €7 million in funding for the first period.
The International Human Frontier Science Program has selected eight researchers to receive Career Development Awards, worth $300,000 over three years. The award supports the launch of their first independent laboratory and enables fellows to return home or move to another HFSP member country.
Researchers at Boyce Thompson Institute developed a tissue culture procedure to propagate the rare and threatened woodland agrimony, multiplying its numbers by 1013. The study aimed to understand why this species is in decline, with results suggesting grazing deer as an important factor.
The USDA has announced $4.5 million in funding for college and university faculty to develop innovative projects advancing agriculture and science education. These grants will focus on preparing the future agri-science workforce, particularly in sustainable textile design and STEM fields.
Leading researchers identify five priorities for surgical disparities research, focusing on improving communication, community outreach, and care quality. The national agenda aims to reduce disparities in surgical procedures and improve patient-centered care.
Tomsk Polytechnic University scientists create composite coating based on diamond and cubic boron nitride to improve durability and protect against high temperatures. The coating integrates the properties of diamond and nitride coatings, making it applicable to most metals.
Scientists have developed an improved method for lifting and analyzing lipstick samples, using gas chromatography to compare crime scene lipsticks to a database of known brands. This breakthrough could help law enforcement identify suspects more efficiently.
Researchers found that a parent-orientated discharge planning process, known as the Train-to Home intervention, can increase parental confidence in caring for their baby. The project resulted in fewer visits to emergency departments after going home and reduced healthcare costs after discharge from hospital.
Researchers successfully simulated the Unruh effect using an NMR quantum simulator, replicating theoretical predictions and creating new quantum correlations. The study paves the way for exploring accelerated systems in black hole physics, cosmology, and particle physics.
A new study finds that the Cadillac tax will hit middle-income families hardest, while sparing the wealthy. The tax will reduce the financial burden of health benefits on lower-income workers and exacerbate inequalities in healthcare.
A team of researchers from INRS has successfully generated multiphoton entangled quantum states using on-chip optical frequency combs. This breakthrough paves the way for practical applications of quantum computing, enabling secure data transfer and superfast processing.
Research reveals that people with anxiety have a hard time distinguishing between emotionally charged experiences and neutral stimuli, exhibiting a behavioral phenomenon known as over-generalization.
A new mechanism reveals counterintuitive rules for individual movement in crowds, with implications for controlling active systems, such as nanoparticle delivery and crowd security. Researchers plan to apply their findings to develop intelligent nanorobots for drug-delivery and environmental sustainability.
The new laser-based tracking system HYPERION enables aircraft and UAVs to transmit vital data securely and efficiently. With its optimised range of 1km and potential to extend this, HYPERION could aid disaster relief efforts by allowing for real-time access to mission data.
The African Postharvest Losses information System (APHLIS) will be upgraded to monitor other crops, improving postharvest management. The new system will provide data on crop quality, income, and nutrition, enabling strategic targeting of investment in loss mitigation and R&D programmes.
The EU has awarded a €1.2 million project to the University of Huddersfield, led by Professor Grigoris Antoniou, to tackle the challenge of reasoning in legal informatics. This research will enable companies to ensure compliance with regulations and make informed decisions.
Researchers have achieved controlled movement of individual skyrmions along a magnetic wire using electrical impulses at room temperature. This breakthrough is a significant step towards the development of new data storage technologies, offering improved energy efficiency and high storage density.
A new study by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health finds that HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment will cost $261 billion if coverage is scaled up, exceeding domestic financing capabilities. The researchers emphasize the need for innovative funding sources to sustain control efforts.
A new German-Russian materials research cooperation will be established with participation of 25 scientists from both countries. The programme aims to create magnetically controlled elastic materials for customised sensory applications.
The University of Bath has been awarded two Innovate UK grants to lead separate projects investigating different aspects of a vehicle's exhaust system, aiming to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. The research will focus on two new ways to utilize waste thermal energy to enhance fuel economy in future vehicles.
A new eHealth solution is being developed to improve direct and rapid access to youth mental health services in Canada. The pilot program will facilitate self-referral through a web portal and secure communication platform, with the goal of empowering young people to undertake the initial consultation process.
The Office of Naval Research awarded $25 million to 47 young investigators for their promising basic research in various naval-relevant fields. The awardees will receive funding for laboratory equipment, graduate student stipends and scholarships.
A team of Cornell graduate students has developed a hyper-elastic light-emitting capacitor (HLEC) that can stretch up to six times its original size while emitting light. The material allows robots to change their color in response to mood or environment, enabling human-robot interactions.
Japanese researchers are urging increased interdisciplinarity and internationalization in Japanese energy and environment research to provide effective scientific advice. The Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami killed over 15,000 people and crippled the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant five years ago.
The University of Warwick will receive £5 million to support 66 PhD students in engineering and physical sciences research. The program aims to equip students with advanced research training and skills to address 21st-century questions.
A recent study by University of Illinois researchers found that conservation aid alone has not prevented deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa. The study suggests that in some cases, conservation aid may have exacerbated forest loss due to displacement of forest clearing activities outside protected areas.
Researchers at Saarland University have developed a system that enables players to interact with each other and the game using spoken language, despite speaking different languages. The Dialog Box uses AI-powered voice interactions to facilitate collaboration and problem-solving among team members.
A new study by NYU Tandon School of Engineering found that Craigslist identifies less than half of scam rental listings, with suspicious postings lingering for up to 20 hours. The researchers mapped the listings into seven distinct scam categories, most involving credit card payments.
The study proposes a multi-criteria decision aid framework to assess water storage systems, prioritizing farmers as key stakeholders. Outranking assessment is suggested to facilitate systematic planning and inclusion of various criteria, ensuring more effective water storage investments in Sub-Sahara Africa.
A GW chemistry professor is leading a team of researchers to identify enzyme inhibitors as possible medications for devastating diseases like malaria and tuberculosis. The five-year, $2.6 million grant will focus on designing small molecule inhibitors that can stop the production of key enzymes necessary for pathogen survival.
The Cyclotron Road program has selected its second cohort of innovators, including researchers working on next-generation batteries, advanced materials, and solar technologies. The new cohort will receive funding and mentorship to develop their technology from Berkeley Lab.
Researchers will work on two programmes: Nano-Engineered Flow Technologies and MISTRAL, aiming to improve infrastructure design and modeling at the nanoscale. The projects will focus on enhancing fuel efficiency, cooling electronics, and developing visionary technologies.
A study from the University of Leicester found that women who feel more at risk of crime tend to be attracted to physically dominant men. The researchers suggest that this attraction is not based on a desire for protection, but rather a psychological mechanism related to feelings of vulnerability.
A research team at the University of Tokyo has identified an enzyme called Trimmer, which trims the tails of small RNAs called piRNAs. This process helps regulate jumping genes, or transposons, that can disrupt host genes and contribute to diseases like cancer.
Dr. Marisa Orr receives a five-year CAREER grant to develop an online Academic Dashboard for empowering engineering students to make adaptive decisions and achieve academic success. The project aims to improve student outcomes by reducing time to graduation and increasing student satisfaction with their major and eventual career.
The Geographical Management of Cancer Health Disparities Program (GMaP) grant supports region-specific cancer research, education, outreach, and training needs. Moffitt serves as the hub for GMaP Region 2, which includes partner institutions in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, and Puerto Rico.
Researchers from PLOS ONE discovered three skeletons buried in medieval graves in France that may have belonged to Muslims, with DNA analysis revealing paternal lineage from North Africa. The burials follow Islamic rites and radiocarbon dating suggests the skeletons are from the 7th-9th centuries.
Scientists from the University of Exeter will lead a four-year €5.4 million project to discover essential raw materials and minerals in Europe. The team aims to use advanced techniques to expose previously unknown underground resources for high-tech products.
Researchers propose novel solutions to improve bridge safety and reduce maintenance costs, addressing structural issues with rebar placement and column connections. Computer modeling suggests cost savings of up to 30 times greater than the research investment.
A team of geologists at UC Santa Barbara is measuring coastal erosion and the effects of sea level rise and higher energy storms brought by El Niño this winter. The study aims to simulate future climate conditions and provide insights into California's coast a century from now.
A new study found that salespeople who accurately gauge customers' focus on non-monetary benefits versus price can reduce discounts by an average of $616 per transaction. Correctly perceiving customers' price sensitivity is not easy, as salespeople are easily thrown off by misinterpreted cues.
Montreal scientists have discovered a mechanism that enables brain cells to adjust their support for neurons, potentially improving brain function or restoring lost potential in disease. The discovery sheds light on the complex functioning of astrocytes, star-shaped cells that protect and support brain neurons.
A virtual reality system, ICSPACE, is being developed to support physical rehabilitation and athletic performance. The system uses stereoscopic glasses and infrared cameras to track users' movements, providing personalized feedback and coaching.
A new study found that dietary and pharmaceutical interventions can have opposite effects on mortality rates in males versus females. The findings support the theory that the sexes age differently, with some interventions increasing longevity in females but decreasing it in males.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center received $14 million in CPRIT research funding to recruit three cancer scientists, including two senior researchers and a tenure-track faculty member. This funding supports the institution's goal of attracting top research talent to advance cancer research.
Pollinator preferences favor orchids with stronger scents in the Swiss lowlands, but not in mountain regions. Key differences were found in floral scent molecules and pollinator communities between the two areas.
The European Research Council has granted Dr. Thomas Tütken a Consolidator Grant to investigate when the first land-based vertebrates began to use plants as a food source. By analyzing fossil teeth, he aims to reconstruct past food webs and extinction patterns of early land vertebrates.