Science
press releases.

Science21 May 2024

Addressing homelessness in older people

Homelessness doesn’t only happen to young people but also affects older adults in growing numbers, write authors in an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) that describes this emerging crisishttps://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.231493. People experiencing homelessness are considered older adults at age 50, as visible aging is often evident at younger ages in individuals experiencing homelessness compared with individuals who have secure housing. Individuals experiencing homelessness often develop chronic ...

Read the release

Science21 May 2024

One in 5 adults in Canada without access to primary care

More than 1 in 5 adults in Canada did not have access to primary care, with large regional gaps in access, found new research in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.231372. “Translated to the population of Canada, our survey estimates that more than 6.5 million adults across the country don’t have access to a family doctor or nurse practitioner they can see regularly,” says Dr. Tara Kiran, a family physician and researcher at the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto and the University ...

Read the release

Science21 May 2024

Rice chemist Gustavo Scuseria wins 2024 Schrödinger Medal

By Jade Boyd Special to Rice News Pioneering Rice University chemist Gustavo Scuseria has won the 2024 Schrödinger Medal from the World Association of Theoretical and Computational Chemists. Awarded annually to a single recipient, the medal recognizes an outstanding body of work in theoretical and computational chemistry. Scuseria has pioneered quantum computational methods that are widely used to study the complex quantum states and electronic properties of a wide range of molecules and materials. In awarding the medal, ...

Read the release

Science21 May 2024

Genes provide hope for the survival of Arabia’s last big cat

The authors of a major study on the Critically Endangered Arabian leopard say that the release of captive bred animals carefully selected for their genes can make a significant contribution to the successful recovery of the dwindling wild population and avert the prospect of extinction. An international collaboration led by scientists from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) at the University of Kent, University of East Anglia (UEA), University College London (UCL), Nottingham-Trent University (NTU) and the Diwan of Royal Court in Oman, surveyed the remote Dhofar mountain range of southern Oman to determine how many of Arabia’s last big cat survive. By ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

Purdue-led fishing expedition nets new pupfish family member in New Mexico

Purdue-led fishing expedition nets new pupfish family member in New Mexico Genetic drift, not natural selection, identified as main factor driving speciation WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Scientists have identified a new member on the genetic family tree of an endangered pupfish native to south-central New Mexico. “We went into this thinking that there was one species of conservation concern,” said J. Andrew DeWoody, professor of genetics in Purdue University’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources. “The preponderance of evidence ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

Yoga and meditation-induced altered states of consciousness are common in the general population

BOSTON--Yoga, mindfulness, meditation, breathwork, and other practices are gaining in popularity due to their potential to improve health and well-being. The effects of these practices are mostly positive and occasionally transformational, yet they are known to sometimes be associated with challenging altered states of consciousness. New research by a team including investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, reveals that altered states of consciousness associated with meditation practice are far more common than expected. Although many people reported positive outcomes, that were sometimes even considered ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

Studies show linked biological pathways driving skin inflammation

A certain biological pathway, a set of linked reactions in the body, drives the inflammation seen in the skin disease psoriasis, a new study finds. The work could lead to improved therapies for all inflammatory skin diseases, including atopic and allergic dermatitis and a type of boil called hidradenitis suppurativa, say the study authors. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to irritation and infection, but when out of control, it can lead to the reddish, flaky, itchy lesions that come with these skin diseases. Led by researchers at NYU Langone Health, the new study found that the interleukin-17 (IL-17) pathway, ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

Aging contributes to 2024 Systems Aging Gordon Research Conference

Aging is contributing at the 2024 Systems Aging Gordon Research Conference in Barcelona, Spain, from June 2–7. BUFFALO, NY- May 20, 2024 – Aging is a contributor at the 2024 Systems Aging Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on “Systems Modeling, Aging Biomarkers, and Longevity Interventions” — taking place from June 2–7, 2024, in Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain. “The conference will present recent advances in systemic rejuvenation, multi-omics approaches, applications ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

Pioneering research study makes significant contributions toward addressing the shortage of suitable knee meniscus and TMJ disc replacements

The shortage of suitable donor meniscus grafts from the knee and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) impedes treatments for millions of patients. Vitrification offers a promising solution by transitioning these tissues into a vitreous state at cryogenic temperatures, protecting them from ice crystal damage using high concentrations of cryoprotectant agents (CPAs). However, vitrification's success is hindered for larger tissues (>3 mL) due to challenges in CPA penetration. Dense avascular meniscus tissues require extended CPA exposure for adequate penetration; however, ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

PARC model of care associated with fewer deaths among veterans post-ICU

EMBARGOED UNTIL: 10:15 a.m. PT, Monday, May 20, 2024 PARC MODEL OF CARE ASSOCIATED WITH FEWER DEATHS AMONG VETERANS POST-ICU Session: B18 – Bridging Gaps to Improve Long-Term Outcomes The Post-Acute Recovery Center: A Telehealth Care Model to Improve Patient-Centered Outcomes for High-Risk Survivors of Critical Illness Date and Time: Monday, May 20, 2024, 10:15 a.m. PT Location: San Diego Convention Center, Room 32A-B (Upper Level) ATS 2024, San Diego – Research presented at the ATS 2024 International Conference demonstrates that veterans who received ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

Advancing 3D mapping with tandem dual-antenna SAR interferometry

The new Tandem Dual-Antenna Spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Interferometry (TDA-InSAR) system, addresses the limitations of current spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems by providing a more reliable and efficient method for 3D surface mapping. The system's innovative design allows for single-pass acquisitions, significantly reducing the time required for data collection and enhancing the precision of 3D reconstructions in various terrains, including built-up areas and vegetation canopies. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) interferometry (InSAR) is a powerful tool for producing high-resolution topographic maps. However, traditional InSAR techniques face ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

Evolving market dynamics foster consumer inattention that can lead to risky purchases

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Researchers have developed a new theory of how changing market conditions can lead large numbers of otherwise cautious consumers to buy risky products such as subprime mortgages, cryptocurrency or even cosmetic surgery procedures. These changes can occur in categories of products that are generally low risk when they enter the market. As demand increases, more companies may enter the market and try to attract consumers with lower priced versions of the product that carry more risk. If the negative effects of that risk are not immediately noticeable, the market can evolve to keep consumers ignorant of the risks, said Michelle Barnhart, an associate professor ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

Mothers live longer as child mortality declines

ITHACA, N.Y. – The dramatic decline in childhood mortality during the 20th century has added a full year to women’s lives, according to a new study. “The picture I was building in my mind was to think about what the population of mothers in the U.S. looked like in 1900,” said Matthew Zipple, a Klarman Postdoctoral Fellow in neurobiology and behavior at Cornell University and author of “Reducing Childhood Mortality Extends Mothers’ Lives,” which published May 9 in Scientific Reports. “It was a population made up of two approximately equal-sized ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

C-Path’s TRxA announces its first biologics-focused RFP for academic investigators

TUCSON, Ariz, May 20, 2024 – Critical Path Institute’s (C-Path) Translational Therapeutics Accelerator (TRxA) today announced its inaugural biologics-focused Request for Proposals (RFP) in its Bridging Research and Innovation in Drug Development Grants program (BioBRIDGe). BioBRIDGe awards are designed to help academic researchers traverse the drug development valley of death by providing funding and defining optimal strategies for advancing new, cutting-edge protein-based therapeutics (PBT) from the lab to patients. For this funding cycle, ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

Should your exercise goals be in minutes or steps? Study suggests they are equally beneficial

In the age of smartwatches, monitoring step counts has never been easier, but current physical activity guidelines do not explicitly recommend specific step counts for health. A new study from researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a founding member of Mass General Brigham, suggests that both step and time-based exercise targets are equivalently associated with lower risks of early death and cardiovascular disease. Thus, whether one chooses a time or step goal may not be as important as choosing a goal aligned with personal preferences. Results are published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Physical activity reduces the risk of acquiring chronic illness and ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

NIH awards Coast-to-Coast Consortium $5.6 million for All of Us Research Program

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have been awarded a $5.6 million grant through the Coast-to-Coast Consortium (C2C) to further their pioneering efforts with the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) All of Us Research Program. The award is designated to facilitate participant engagement, enrollment, data collection, and retention. C2C will build on the foundation set by the UCSD-led California Precision Medicine Consortium (CAPMC), established in 2018, which enrolled more than 65,500 participants to the program. This award follows the program's ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

After hundreds of years, study confirms Bermuda now home to cownose rays

For hundreds of years, the whitespotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) has been considered the only inshore stingray species in Bermuda, until now. Using citizen science, photographs, on-water observations and the combination of morphological and genetic data, researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and collaborators are the first to provide evidence that the Atlantic cownose ray (Rhinoptera bonasus) has recently made a new home in Bermuda. Because ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

Chemist Julian West makes C&EN magazine’s ‘Talented 12’ list

HOUSTON – (May 20, 2024) – Rice University chemist Julian West is one of a dozen up-and-coming young scientists featured in Chemical & Engineering News’ (C&EN) 2024 Talented 12, an annual issue of the weekly news magazine that highlights rising stars across all chemistry research disciplines. West, an assistant professor and the Norman Hackerman-Welch Young Investigator in Rice’s Department of Chemistry, is a synthetic chemist whose lab designs novel chemical reactions. Drawing inspiration from biology, West’s research group has found ways to simplify the production of entire libraries of feedstock chemicals ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

1 in 4 parents say their teen consumes caffeine daily or nearly every day

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A quarter of parents report that caffeine is basically part of their teen’s daily life, according to a national poll. Two in three parents think they know whether their teen’s caffeine intake is appropriate and which products have too much caffeine. Yet a third aren’t able to identify recommended caffeine limits, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health. “Our report suggests parents may not always be aware of how much they should be limiting caffeine consumption for teens,” said poll co-director and Mott ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

What makes some brown algae shimmer and others not?

Compartments of consistently sized, tightly packed microspheres are what makes some brown algae shimmer like opal. The Kobe University discovery not only sheds light on the mechanism behind the alga’s structural coloration, it is also the first to spot the effect in an order of brown algae other than the two where it was known to occur. Most brown algae are indeed yellowish-brown, but scuba divers noticed that a species resembling Sporochnus in the order Sporochnales shimmers like peacock feathers in yellow, ...

Read the release

Science20 May 2024

Meerkat chit-chat

EMBARGOED UNTIL MONDAY, 20 MAY 2024, 01:01 CEST (00:01 BST/London Time) Meerkats use two different types of vocal interactions to stay in touch with their group mates. Sometimes the call simply broadcasts information, whereas other times meerkats engage in a call exchange with their neighbours, as researchers from the Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour at the University of Konstanz and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior present in a new publication published on 20 May in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. What does it sound like ...

Read the release

Science19 May 2024

Pamrevlumab for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

About The Study: Among patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treated with pamrevlumab (a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds to and inhibits connective tissue growth factor activity) or placebo, there was no statistically significant between-group difference for the primary outcome of absolute change in forced vital capacity from baseline to week 48. Quote from corresponding author, Ganesh Raghu, M.D.: “Current treatment with the two drugs approved by regulatory agencies ...

Read the release

Science19 May 2024

Measuring lung function more accurately and more equitably

Removing race from equations that estimate lung function will shift the categorization of disease severity across patient populations, moving more Black individuals into an advanced disease category, according to new research led by scientists at Harvard Medical School. At the same time, more white and Hispanic people would be reclassified as having less advanced illness. The findings, the research team said, suggest that adjusting lung function tests to include race — as has been the case historically — likely normalized worse lung function and downplayed disease severity among Black people. The work, to be published May 19 in the New England Journal ...

Read the release

Science18 May 2024

Modular Communicative Leadless ICD is safe and exceeds performance expectations

Wireless implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) eliminate the lead-related complications that come with a wired ICD, but they are unsuitable for patients with ventricular tachycardia, when the heart beats too quickly, or bradycardia, when the resting heart rate is seen as low. Research led by Amsterdam UMC, that is published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, shows that the first wireless modular system suitable for these patient groups is safe and exceeds performance expectations. Opening the door for a wider ...

Read the release

Science17 May 2024

How memories crystallize over time

“Practice makes perfect” is no mere cliché, according to a new study from researchers at The Rockefeller University and UCLA. Instead, it’s the recipe for mastering a task, because repeating an activity over and over solidifies neural pathways in your brain. As they describe in Nature, the scientists used a cutting-edge technology developed by Rockefeller’s Alipasha Vaziri to simultaneously observe 73,000 cortical neurons in mice as the animals learned and repeated a given task over two weeks. The study revealed that memory representations transform from unstable to solid in ...

Read the release