Although their primary purpose is to look for exoplanets, observatories like the Kepler Space Telescope and the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) have supplied a vast amount of data on stellar flares, detected with high-precision photometry by broadband filters in the visible light spectrum. The stars are so far away that they appear only as points of light to these telescopes, and the phenomena interpreted as stellar flares are abrupt increases in the brightness of these points. There is also a lack of data in other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, and most studies of these events focus on irradiated ...

It’s happening every day. From our water, our food and even the air we breathe, tiny plastic particles are finding their way into many parts of our body. But what happens once those particles are inside? What do they do to our digestive system? In a recent paper published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, University of New Mexico researchers found that those tiny particles – microplastics – are having a significant impact on our digestive pathways, making their way from the gut and into the tissues of the kidney, liver and brain. Eliseo Castillo, PhD, an associate professor in the Division of Gastroenterology ...

A team of researchers has unveiled a novel approach to accurately characterizing tree height composition in forests using the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology. This study marks a significant advancement in our understanding of forest ecosystems, shedding light on the intricacies of tree height variability and its implications for ecological studies and climate change mitigation efforts. Tree height composition, a vital ecological attribute, plays a significant role in influencing forest ecosystems, impacting biodiversity, carbon ...

Canada will not reach the original World Health Organization's (WHO) target of eliminating the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030 and lags in comparison to other developed countries, a new study led by researchers at the University of Waterloo has found.  HCV is an infection that poses a major public health threat that affects an estimated 250,000 Canadians – despite having a highly effective medication.   When gone unscreened, HCV is a highly debilitating infection that causes liver failure and could lead to death. Due ...

There’s a reason airlines won’t let you put your laptop in your checked luggage; the lithium-ion battery poses a serious fire hazard. But why? Lithium is incredibly reactive. For instance, pure lithium violently interacts with seemingly innocuous water, releasing heat and forming highly flammable hydrogen. This reactivity, however, is exactly why lithium makes a great material for batteries, and why it is a critical mineral for the green energy transition. Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in electric vehicles. Plus, they can store energy produced by renewable resources like solar and wind.   In recent years, lithium demand has skyrocketed. Primary ...

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2024 — Acidification is threatening the ocean’s ability to pull carbon dioxide out of our atmosphere, so scientists and startups are looking to ocean-sized antacids to raise its pH. While they might not be the ultimate solution to our climate crisis problem, the antacids could have a hand in helping our oceans rebound. https://youtu.be/PqFwRMgvMVY?si=1VSbf7zaWbZQ3d25 Reactions is a video series produced by the American Chemical Society and PBS Digital Studios. Subscribe to Reactions at http://bit.ly/ACSReactions and follow us on X, formerly Twitter @ACSReactions. The American Chemical ...

[Vienna, April 15 2024] — A “rapid and far-reaching change” is necessary to prevent catastrophic climate change, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). "However, the transformation of the economy towards climate neutrality always involves a certain amount of economic stress -- some industries and jobs disappear while others are created," explains Johannes Stangl from the Complexity Science Hub (CSH). When it comes to climate policy measures, how can economic damage be minimized? A ...

WASHINGTON – Use of antibiotics provided no measurable impact on the severity or duration of coughs even if a bacterial infection was present, finds a large, prospective study of people who sought treatment in U.S. primary or urgent care settings for lower-respiratory tract infections. The study by researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center and colleagues appeared April 15, 2024, in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. “Upper respiratory tract infections usually include the common cold, sore throat, sinus infections and ear infections and have well established ways to determine if antibiotics should be given,” says the study’s ...

About The Study: In this study over five respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) seasons, nearly one-quarter of hospitalized adults age 50 or older with RSV infection experienced an acute cardiac event (most frequently acute heart failure), including 1 in 12 adults (8.5%) with no documented underlying cardiovascular disease. The risk of severe outcomes was nearly twice as high in patients with acute cardiac events compared with patients who did not experience an acute cardiac event. These findings clarify the baseline epidemiology of potential cardiac complications of RSV infection prior to RSV vaccine availability.  Authors: Rebecca C. Woodruff, Ph.D., M.P.H., of the Centers for ...

About The Study: In a national cohort study of more than 2 million women in Sweden, women who experienced any of five major adverse pregnancy outcomes (preterm delivery, small for gestational age, preeclampsia, other hypertensive disorders, and gestational diabetes) had increased mortality risks that remained elevated more than 40 years later. Women with adverse pregnancy outcomes need early preventive evaluation and long-term follow-up for detection and treatment of chronic disorders associated with premature mortality.  Authors: Casey Crump, M.D., ...

About The Study: While contraceptive usage increased initially in the month after Dobbs versus Jackson Women’s Health Organization, all contraception types except vasectomy returned to overall downward trends through the end of 2022 in this study that used a national data set of medical and prescription claims. The decreases the researchers found in contraceptive services and the workforce providing these methods may indicate growing challenges for contraception access.  Authors: Julia Strasser, Dr.P.H., M.P.H., ...

About The Study: Using the most recently available 2011 to 2021 data, researchers found limited associations between recreational cannabis legalization and recreational cannabis retail sales with adolescent substance use, extending previous findings. Recreational cannabis legalization was associated with modest decreases in cannabis, alcohol, and e-cigarette use. Recreational cannabis retail sales were associated with lower e-cigarette use, and with lower likelihood but also increased frequency of cannabis use among users, leading to no overall change in cannabis use.  Authors: Rebekah ...

Manisha Jhamb, M.D., launched the Kidney-CHAMP study five years ago because she saw a looming tsunami of chronic kidney disease cases. She was pulled to find a way to assist the primary care physicians upon whom this burden would fall. Today, the results of her study are published in JAMA Internal Medicine. And, even though the study didn’t prove that Kidney-CHAMP staves off disease progression, Jhamb is encouraged that the intervention helped PCPs identify and triage patients with kidney disease, improving patient access to specialists and educational materials. “Despite ...

The precise measurement of electrical resistance is essential in industrial production or electronics – for example, in the manufacture of high-tech sensors, microchips and flight controls. “Very precise measurements are essential here, as even the smallest deviations can significantly affect these complex systems“, explains Professor Charles Gould, a physicist at the Institute for Topological Insulators at the University of Würzburg (JMU). “With our new measurement method, we can significantly improve the accuracy of resistance measurements, without any external magnetic field, using the Quantum Anomalous ...

For many individuals, sports have long served as a source of enjoyment and relaxation. Watching sports, particularly at large gatherings, goes beyond entertainment. It fosters a sense of community and belonging among audiences. This sense of connection not only makes individuals feel good but also benefits society by improving health, enhancing productivity, and reducing crime. Although it is popularly recognized for its positive effects, existing studies on the relationship between watching sports and well-being offer only limited evidence. Recognizing this gap, a team of researchers led by ...

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA [April 15, 2024] — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) and the NCCN Foundation® today announced five winners for the 2024 NCCN Foundation Young Investigator Awards (YIA). These annual awards honor some of the most promising new oncology researchers from across NCCN’s Member Institutions. Investigator selection and project oversight is organized through the NCCN Oncology Research Program (ORP). Funding of up to $150,000 over two years per awardee will be provided by the NCCN Foundation. “It ...

Monday, April 15, 2024 - Toronto - From a young age, people learn the importance of paying attention to the environment around them. Less emphasized is the value of paying attention to their inner environment. Neuroscientists are increasingly studying how looking inward via mindfulness training can affect everything from depression and memory to stress levels and aging. As researchers work to uncover the neural mechanisms underlying these brain changes, they hope to elucidate best practices for people who want to incorporate mindfulness in their lives. “Attentional training is a mechanism by which you can train your brain,” says Erika Nyhus of Bowdoin College, who is chairing ...

Sport junkie or couch potato? Always on time or often late? The animal kingdom, too, is home to a range of personalities, each with its own lifestyle. In a study just released in the journal PLOS Biology, a team led by Sören Häfker and Kristin Tessmar-Raible from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) and the University of Vienna report on a surprising discovery: even simple marine polychaete worms shape their day-to-day lives on the basis of highly individual rhythms. This diversity ...

Bethesda, MD (April 15, 2024) - The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) and Target RWE have partnered to significantly expand real-world data available for serious, and often chronic, gastroenterological diseases. This partnership will also allow Target RWE to incorporate AGA’s eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) severity index tool, I-SEE, into the TARGET-GASTRO registry.   AGA led the international team of more than 30 multidisciplinary experts that developed the Index of Severity for EoE (I-SEE) in 2022. I-SEE is the first-ever severity index for eosinophilic esophagitis, which provides a simple system for physicians to assess and track ...

A University of Michigan study has shown that traumatic experiences during childhood may get "under the skin" later in life, impairing the muscle function of people as they age.   The study examined the function of skeletal muscle of older adults paired with surveys of adverse events they had experienced in childhood. It found that people who experienced greater childhood adversity, reporting one or more adverse events, had poorer muscle metabolism later in life. The research, led by University of Michigan Institute for Social Research scientist Kate Duchowny, is published in Science Advances.   Duchowny and her co-authors used ...

      MEDIA INQUIRES   WRITTEN BY Laura Muntean   Ashley Vargo laura.muntean@ag.tamu.edu   ashley.vargo@ag.tamu.edu 601-248-1891     Depiction ...

Over the past few years, people have generally become more conscious about the food they consume. Thanks to easier access to information as well as public health campaigns and media coverage, people are more aware of how nutrition ties in with both health benefits and chronic diseases. As a result, there is an ongoing cultural shift in most countries, with people prioritizing eating healthily. In turn, the demand for healthier food options and nutritional supplements is steadily growing. In line with these changes, Assistant Professor Kyohei ...

A new study conducted by researchers at Tampere University and Tampere University Hospital revealed how aberrant epigenetic regulation contributes to the development of atypical teratoid/rhabdoid (AT/RT) tumours, which are aggressive brain tumours that mainly affect young children. There is an urgent need for more research in this area as current treatment options are ineffective against these highly malignant tumours. Most tumours take a long time to develop as harmful mutations gradually accumulate in cells’ DNA over time. AT/RT tumours are a rare exception, ...

700 million years ago, a remarkable creature emerged for the first time. Though it may not have been much to look at by today’s standards, the animal had a front and a back, a top and a bottom. This was a groundbreaking adaptation at the time, and one which laid down the basic body plan which most complex animals, including humans, would eventually inherit. The inconspicuous animal resided in the ancient seas of Earth, likely crawling along the seafloor. This was the last common ancestor of bilaterians, ...

Embargo: This journal article is under embargo until April 15 at 10 a.m. BST/London (5 a.m. EDT/3 a.m. MDT). Media may conduct interviews around the findings in advance of that date, but the information may not be published, broadcast, or posted online until after the release window. Journalists are permitted to show papers to independent specialists under embargo conditions, solely for the purpose of commenting on the work described University researchers have shown that a transition to green wastewater-treatment approaches in the U.S. that leverages the potential of carbon-financing could save a staggering $15.6 billion and just under 30 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions ...