Science
press releases.

Science21 Jan 2025

Ten group leaders awarded EMBO Installation Grants

EMBO announces that ten life scientists have been selected to receive EMBO Installation Grants. These grants support group leaders, who are in the early stages of setting up their laboratories, to strengthen the life sciences in countries participating in the scheme. Two new installation grantees will establish laboratories in Croatia, one in Czechia, one in Estonia, two in Greece, three in Poland and one in Portugal. “EMBO Installation Grants offer flexible funding, extensive networking opportunities and practical support for life scientists pursuing ambitious research projects,” says EMBO Director Fiona Watt. ”We ...

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Science21 Jan 2025

COPD is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States

Miami (January 21, 2025) – Chronic lower respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics released its “Deaths: Leading Causes for 2022” final report, ranking the 10 leading causes of death. COPD comprises several conditions, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and can be caused by genetics and irritants like smoke or pollution. Symptoms ...

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Science21 Jan 2025

Mass shootings increase alcohol sales

Alcohol sales spike after a public mass shooting, according to a study. The increase in alcohol consumption could further increase firearm-related violence in affected communities. Nicholas R. Buttrick and colleagues analyzed data from 35,000 alcohol retailers, covering more than half of all American grocery and drug-store purchases from 2006–2019, and found that a public mass shooting in a community predicts a 3.5%–5.5% increase in weekly alcohol sales for at least two years. The effect is found for public shootings; mass shootings in private homes did not affect alcohol sales. The authors attribute ...

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Science21 Jan 2025

Why you should (not) get a dog: the pros and cons of dog ownership

Are dogs really the key to better health and a happier life? In this new study, dog owners were invited to describe the biggest benefits and challenges of dog ownership. The commitments and responsibilities of having a dog were found to be both a joy and a burden, highlighting the importance of making a conscious adoption choice. The pet dog population has been growing worldwide. Often benefiting from good press in mainstream media, dog ownership is generally assumed to improve human lives, providing companionship and boosting well-being. While bringing a dog into the family does come with ...

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Science20 Jan 2025

In chimpanzees, peeing is contagious

A new study reported in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on January 20 is the first to describe a phenomenon researchers refer to as “contagious urinations.” The study in 20 captive chimpanzees living at the Kumamoto Sanctuary in Japan shows that, when one chimp pees, others are more likely to follow. “In humans, urinating together can be seen as a social phenomenon,” says Ena Onishi of Kyoto University. “An Italian proverb states, ‘Whoever doesn’t pee in company is either a thief or a spy’ (Chi non piscia in compagnia o è ...

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Science20 Jan 2025

A new chapter in Roman administration: Insights from a late Roman inscription

Archaeologists have uncovered a rare Tetrarchic boundary stone at the site of Abel Beth Maacah in northern Israel. Originally marking land borders under Roman Emperor Diocletian’s tax reforms, the stone provides insight into ancient land ownership, local settlement patterns, and imperial administrative practices. The discovery also introduces two previously unknown place names, expanding our understanding of the region’s historical geography and socio-economic landscape. Archaeologists Prof. Naama Yahalom-Mack and Dr. Nava Panitz-Cohen from the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University, and Prof. Robert Mullins from Azusa Pacific University have uncovered a significant ...

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Science20 Jan 2025

Global trust in science remains strong

A global survey spanning 68 countries reveals that public trust in scientists is still high. Led by the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, a team of 241 researchers conducted the largest post-pandemic study of trust in science, societal expectations and public views on research priorities. Trust in scientists is at a moderately high level worldwide, according to a new study. This is the conclusion of an international team of 241 researchers led by Viktoria Cologna of ETH Zurich and Niels G. Mede of the University of Zurich (UZH). “Our results show that most people in most countries have a relatively ...

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Science20 Jan 2025

New global research reveals strong public trust in science

A new international study on public trust in science, conducted across 68 countries, has found that most people trust scientists and believe they should be more involved in society and policymaking. Further, a majority of survey participants believe that scientists should be more involved in society and policymaking. Published in Nature Human Behaviours (pre print link), this research was conducted by TISP, a Harvard University-based consortium led by Dr Viktoria Cologna (Harvard University, RTH Zurich) and Dr Niels G Mede (University of Zurich), which includes 241 researchers from 169 institutions worldwide, including the University of Bath. The study, which includes 71,922 respondents—2,008 ...

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Science20 Jan 2025

Inflammation may explain stomach problems in psoriasis sufferers

People with the skin condition psoriasis often have invisible inflammation in the small intestine with an increased propensity for ‘leaky gut’, according to new research at Uppsala University. These changes in the gut could explain why psoriasis sufferers often have gastrointestinal problems and are more prone to developing Crohn’s disease. The study is published in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – Molecular Basis of Disease. Psoriasis is a hereditary, chronic skin condition that can also result in inflammation of the joints. In Sweden, almost 300,000 people live with some form of the condition. Chronic inflammatory bowel ...

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Science18 Jan 2025

New register opens to crown Champion Trees across the U.S.

The National Champion Tree Program (NCTP) announced its first Register of Champion Trees since 2021. The program moved from American Forests to the University of Tennessee School of Natural Resources in 2023 and has spent the past year working with state-level Champion Tree programs across the U.S. to update outdated records and verify the newly crowned champions. “We are thrilled beyond measure to share the list of the largest documented trees in the United States,” Jaq Payne, NCTP director, said. “These trees are more than just numbers on a website. They're living, breathing members of our community. I hope this register encourages folks to start ...

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Science17 Jan 2025

New study offers insights into how populations conform or go against the crowd

Cultural traits — the information, beliefs, behaviors, customs, and practices that shape the character of a population — are influenced by conformity, the tendency to align with others, or anti-conformity, the choice to deliberately diverge. A new way to model this dynamic interplay could ultimately help explain societal phenomena like political polarization, cultural trends, and the spread of misinformation. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences outlines this novel approach. Presenting a mathematical model, SFI Complexity Postdoctoral Fellow Kaleda Denton with colleagues ...

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Science17 Jan 2025

‘Turn on the lights’: DAVD display helps navy divers navigate undersea conditions

ARLINGTON, Va.—A favorite childhood memory for Dr. Sandra Chapman was visiting the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor with her father. They hung out at the memorial so often that they memorized lines to the movie playing prior to the boat ride to the memorial. So it’s appropriate that Chapman — a program officer in the Office of Naval Research’s (ONR) Warfighter Performance Department — is passionate about her involvement in the development of an innovative technology recently applied to efforts to preserve the area around the USS Arizona ...

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Science17 Jan 2025

Panorama of our nearest galactic neighbor unveils hundreds of millions of stars

In the decades following the launch of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have tallied over 1 trillion galaxies in the universe. But only one galaxy stands out as the most important nearby stellar island to our Milky Way — the Andromeda Galaxy. It can be seen with the naked eye on clear autumn nights as a faint oval object roughly the size of the moon. A century ago, astronomer Edwin Hubble first established that this so-called "spiral nebula" was approximately 2.5 million light years away from our own Milky Way galaxy. Now, the space telescope named ...

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Science17 Jan 2025

Neutrophil elastase as a predictor of delivery in pregnant women with preterm labor

Background and objectives No previous study has been conducted in Nigeria on the role of neutrophil elastase in predicting preterm birth. The present study aimed to determine the role of the neutrophil elastase test in predicting birth in women with preterm labor. Methods The present prospective cohort study recruited 83 pregnant women with preterm labor between 28 and 36+6 weeks of gestation, and followed up these subjects for 14 days. The controls comprised 85 pregnant women without preterm labor. The cervicovaginal fluid was collected and tested using the neutrophil elastase test. Then, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive parameters were determined. ...

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Science17 Jan 2025

NIH to lead implementation of National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act

WHAT: With support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is leading the implementation of the Dr. Emmanuel Bilirakis and Honorable Jennifer Wexton National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act (P.L. 118-66), which was signed into law on July 2, 2024. This follows a delegation of authority from the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to the NIH Director. The act establishes a Federal ...

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Science17 Jan 2025

Online advertising of compounded glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists

About The Study: This cross-sectional study showed websites that sell compounded glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) often partially informed and sometimes misinformed potential consumers. Compounded medications contain the same active ingredients as in branded medications but may contain different inactive ingredients. Most websites did not disclose that compounded GLP-1 RAs were not FDA approved, although some suggested these drugs were FDA approved. Many websites provided limited safety information and unauthorized efficacy claims. Some ...

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Science17 Jan 2025

SOX9 overexpression ameliorates metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis through activation of the AMPK pathway

Background and Aims The transcription factor sex-determining region Y-related high-mobility group-box gene 9 (SOX9) plays a critical role in organ development. Although SOX9 has been implicated in regulating lipid metabolism in vitro, its specific role in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the role of SOX9 in MASH pathogenesis and explored the underlying mechanisms. Methods MASH models were established using mice fed either a methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) diet or a high-fat, high-fructose diet. To evaluate the effects of SOX9, hepatocyte-specific SOX9 deletion or overexpression was performed. ...

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Science17 Jan 2025

Qigong significantly decreases chronic low back pain in US military veterans

Chronic pain is widespread in the United States, particularly among military veterans, affecting between 40 to 70% of this population and serving as a leading cause of disability. Veterans experience chronic pain more often than civilians, with back pain being the most common. Up to 75% of older veterans report chronic pain, while younger veterans and those from recent conflicts face more severe pain. Chronic low back pain in veterans affects not only physical health but also social and occupational functioning, often leading to job ...

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Science17 Jan 2025

Higher costs limit attendance for life changing cardiac rehab

Despite the success cardiac rehabilitation has shown at reducing heart-related deaths and hospital readmissions, higher out-of-pocket costs may prevent patients from participating in the program, a Michigan Medicine study suggests. In a national study of over 40,000 people with Medicare and commercial insurance, 81.6% of patients did not have to pay for their initial cardiac rehabilitation session. The medically supervised program lasts up to 36 sessions, which are often recommended for patients recovering from many conditions and procedures. Among ...

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Science17 Jan 2025

What do you think ‘guilty’ sounds like? Scientists find accent stereotypes influence beliefs about who commits crimes

The way you talk says a lot about you — but what people think it says may not be true. While no accent is better than any other, people use accents as markers for identifying and stereotyping social groups. In the justice system, these accent stereotypes could influence perceptions of guilt, leading to discrimination. Scientists collaborating on the Improving Voice Identification Procedures project explored this by testing participants’ perceptions of ten different accents heard around the UK. They found that speakers with accents considered lower-status were considered more ...

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Science17 Jan 2025

Researchers reveal novel mechanism for intrinsic regulation of sugar cravings

Excessive sugar consumption is linked to several non-communicable diseases, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. Animals naturally crave sugar, and uncontrolled sugar preferences can lead to high sugar intake, raising the risk of hyperglycemia and metabolic diseases. Previous research suggests that food cravings in humans are driven by signals from the gut to the brain, highlighting the gut's crucial role in shaping dietary preferences. However, the regulation of sugar preference is complex, and the specific influence of gut microbes remains unclear. In a study published in Nature Microbiology, ...

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Science17 Jan 2025

Immunological face of megakaryocytes

Megakaryocytes (MKs), known for their role in platelet production, have emerged as critical players in immune responses, showcasing versatility in both physiological and pathological contexts. Recent advances in technology have unveiled the diverse immune functions of MKs, which express immune sensors and participate in immune activities, thus expanding their traditional role beyond hemostasis and coagulation. This comprehensive review delves into the multifaceted immune roles of MKs, highlighting their distinct immunological roles under ...

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Science17 Jan 2025

Calorie labelling leads to modest reductions in selection and consumption

A new Cochrane review has found that calorie labelling of food on menus and products leads people to choose slightly fewer calories. The research team, led by scientists from UCL, Bath Spa University, the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford, examined evidence from 25 studies on the impact of calorie labelling on food selection and consumption. They found that calorie labels in supermarkets, restaurants and other food outlets led to a small reduction in the calories people selected and purchased. The average reduction was 1.8%, which would equate ...

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Science16 Jan 2025

Pacific Islander teens assert identity through language

The kids and grandkids of immigrants to the United States usually lose the ability to speak their heritage language fluently. Without access to the heritage language, second- and third-generation Americans may use distinct words and pronunciations in the dominant language, English, to assert their ethnic identities and connect to their communities. Sociolinguists have long viewed these shifts as markers of cultural change. Like differences in food, clothing and religion, differences in language are subtle ways that groups distinguish themselves along ethnic boundaries. Recent work has pivoted from asking what are the differences to why are there differences? How are they using language to carve ...

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Science16 Jan 2025

Sharp drop in mortality after 41 weeks of pregnancy

The proportion of babies dying before and during labor after 41 weeks of gestation has fallen by 47% in Sweden in a relatively short time. This is the result of a major national study. The reduction has occurred since the procedures around induction have changed. A pregnancy normally lasts around 40 weeks. However, a fairly high proportion of women, 22%, pass their due date and are pregnant for 41 weeks or longer. Although Sweden generally has a very low risk of stillbirth and death within the first month of life, the risk increases the longer the pregnancy continues ...

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