Science
press releases.

Science22 Dec 2023

TTUHSC's Reddy elected fellow by the National Academy of Inventors

P. Hemachandra Reddy, Ph.D., a professor in the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Medicine’s Department of Internal Medicine who has researched healthy aging, dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases for more than 20 years, recently was named to the 2023 class of Fellows for the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). The NAI is a member organization comprised of U.S. and international universities and governmental and nonprofit research institutes with more than 4,600 individual inventor members and fellows spanning more than 300 institutions worldwide. ...

Read the release

Science21 Dec 2023

Sunday sales reign supreme and other takeaways from review of farmers market transactions

CORNELL UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE FOR RELEASE: Dec. 21, 2023 Kaitlyn Serrao 607-882-1140 kms465@cornell.edu ITHACA, N.Y. – Cornell researchers partnered with New York livestock farmers to analyze transactions at farmers markets, finding that sales were better on Sundays, early in the morning, and during certain months of the year. The study, which researchers believe is the first peer-reviewed analysis of customer-level transaction data at farmers markets, gives new insights into how farmers can make markets more profitable for them. The researchers and farmers used point-of-sale devices that record sales ...

Read the release

Science21 Dec 2023

Inside the matrix: Nanoscale patterns revealed within model research organism

Species throughout the animal kingdom feature vital interfaces between the outermost layers of their bodies and the environment. Intricate microscopic structures—featured on the outer skin layers of humans, as one example—are known to assemble in matrix patterns. But how these complex structures, known as apical extracellular matrices (aECMs) are assembled into elaborately woven architectures has remained an elusive question. Now, following years of research and the power of a technologically advanced instrument, University of California San Diego scientists have unraveled the underpinnings ...

Read the release

Science21 Dec 2023

Despite use of tecovirimat since the beginning of the 2022 mpox outbreak, few data have been published on its antiviral effect in humans

Despite use of tecovirimat since the beginning of the 2022 mpox outbreak, few data have been published on its antiviral effect in humans; this study predicts the impact of early tecovirimat administration on the time to viral clearance in patients with mpox infection, using an integrative modeling approach combining pre-clinical and clinical data ##### In your coverage, please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper in PLOS Biology: http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3002249 Article Title: Early administration of tecovirimat shortens the time to mpox clearance ...

Read the release

Science21 Dec 2023

Polar bear fur-inspired fibers offer exceptional thermal insulation, tested in a sweater

Inspired by the structure of polar bear fur, researchers present a knittable aerogel fiber with exceptional thermal and mechanical properties. The fibers are washable, dyeable, durable, and well-suited to be used in advanced textiles. This allowed the researchers to test them in a sweater that demonstrated impressive thermal insulation, among other features. Aerogels are an ideal material for thermal insulation. They demonstrate high porosity and extremely low thermal conductivity. However, the application of ...

Read the release

Science21 Dec 2023

Wireless tracking system could help improve the XR experience

A new technology developed by engineers at the University of California San Diego has the potential to make the extended reality (XR) experience smoother and more seamless. The technology consists of an asset localization system that uses wireless signals to track physical objects with centimeter-level accuracy in real time, and then generates a virtual representation of these objects. Applications of this technology range from enhancing virtual gaming experiences to improving workplace safety. The team, led by Dinesh Bharadia, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, ...

Read the release

Science21 Dec 2023

New insights revealed on tissue-dependent roles of JAK signaling in inflammation

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have gained a deeper understanding of the nuanced roles of JAK inhibitors, or modulators, in inflammation across various cell types and tissues. Their findings suggest a more precise approach is required to potentially expand JAK inhibitor use to a wider range of allergy and inflammatory disorders. Details on the findings were published in the December 21, 2023, issue of the journal Cell. JAK1 is a key protein in the body that supports cell communication and controls the immune system. It is part of ...

Read the release

Science21 Dec 2023

Artery calcification more common in night owls

Artery calcification is almost twice as common in night owls compared to early birds, according to a study from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Circadian function appears to be particularly important during the early stages of cardiovascular disease. Atherosclerosis involves fatty deposits accumulating on the inside of the arteries, making it harder for blood to pass through. The disease develops over a very long period of time and is not noticed until it leads to blood clots causing angina, heart attack, or stroke. Previous research has shown that people with late-night habits have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but this is the first study to show how circadian rhythms ...

Read the release

Science21 Dec 2023

Scientists create chiral POM-based frameworks with enhanced stability and catalytic activity

A team of scientists has created a chiral assembly by blending inorganic polyoxometalates and organic cyclodextrin molecules. Polyoxometalates are a class of nanomaterials with many useful applications. But the use of polyoxometalates as building blocks to construct chiral POM-based frameworks has been a long-stranding challenge for researchers. In this research, the team produced a 3D framework, constructed by coordination assembly. The resulting framework features an interlaced organic-inorganic hybrid layer. The team has published their work in the journal, Polyoxometalates, ...

Read the release

Science21 Dec 2023

Sleep deprivation makes us less happy, more anxious

Sleep loss does more than just make us tired. It can undermine our emotional functioning, decrease positive moods and put us at higher risk for anxiety symptoms, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association that synthesized more than 50 years of research on sleep deprivation and mood. “In our largely sleep-deprived society, quantifying the effects of sleep loss on emotion is critical for promoting psychological health,” said study lead author Cara Palmer, PhD, of Montana State University. “This study represents ...

Read the release

Science21 Dec 2023

Great British Bake Off Christmas desserts not as naughty as you may think

Christmas desserts from The Great British Bake Off are more likely to use ingredients that are associated with reductions, rather than increases, in the risk of death or disease, suggests research published in the Christmas issue of The BMJ. As the holiday season approaches, the age-old debate resurfaces: can we indulge in Christmas desserts without feeling the pang of guilt? Can we look past the negative headlines of what butter and sugar do to our bodies, and enjoy a piece of Christmas cake in heavenly peace? To answer this Christmas conundrum, researchers set out to determine ...

Read the release

Science21 Dec 2023

Spike in morning after pill sales in the U.S. after New Year celebrations

Sales of emergency contraception are estimated to rise by around 10% in the US in the week after the New Year holiday, suggesting that this period is associated with increased risks of unprotected sex compared with other holidays, finds a study published in the Christmas issue of The BMJ. Other holidays such as Valentine’s Day and Independence Day were also associated with an increase in sales, but to a lesser extent. Although this annual spike in sales might seem humorous, the researchers point out that as many US states have increased restrictions on abortion ...

Read the release

Science21 Dec 2023

The evolutionary timeline of diminished boric acid and urea transportation in aquaporin 10

Aquaporin (Aqp) 10 water channels in humans allow the free passage of water, glycerol, urea, and boric acid across cells. However, Aqp10.2b in pufferfishes allows only the passage of water and glycerol and not urea and boric acid. Researchers from the Tokyo Institute of Technology sought to understand the evolutionary timeline that resulted in the variable substrate selection mechanisms among Aqp10s. Their results indicate that Aqp10.2 in ray-finned fishes may have reduced or lost urea and boric acid permeabilities through evolution. Aquaporins ...

Read the release

Science21 Dec 2023

Wildflowers increasingly doing without insect pollinators

Scientists at the CNRS and the University of Montpellier1 have discovered that flowering plants growing in farmland are increasingly doing without insect pollinators. As reproduction becomes more difficult for them in an environment depleted in pollinating insects, the plants are evolving towards self-fertilisation. These findings are published in a paper in the journal New Phytologist dated December 20, 2023. By comparing field pansies growing in the Paris region today with pansies from the same localities resurrected in the laboratory from seeds collected2 between 1992 and 2001, the research team found that today's flowers are 10% smaller, produce 20% less nectar, and are less ...

Read the release

Science21 Dec 2023

Blue PHOLEDs: Final color of efficient OLEDs finally viable in lighting

Dec. 20, 2023 Contact: Derek Smith, 734-546-3632, smitdere@umich.edu; Nicole Casal Moore, 734-709-1651, ncmoore@umich.edu ANN ARBOR—Lights could soon use the full color suite of perfectly efficient organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs, that last tens of thousands of hours, thanks to an innovation from physicists and engineers at the University of Michigan. The U-M team's new phosphorescent OLEDs, commonly referred to as PHOLEDs, can maintain 90% of the blue light intensity for 10-14 times longer than other designs that emit similar deep blue colors. That kind ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

Benidipine calcium channel blocker improves cigarette smoke-induced lung emphysema

A new research paper was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 15, Issue 23, entitled, “Benidipine calcium channel blocker promotes the death of cigarette smoke-induced senescent cells and improves lung emphysema.” Smoking is the main risk factor for many lung diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Cigarette smoke (CS) contains carcinogenic and reactive oxygen species that favor DNA mutations and perturb the homeostasis and environment of cells. CS induces lung cell senescence resulting in a stable proliferation arrest and a senescence-associated ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

Tracking roadway savings from coast to coast

Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers have identified the most energy-efficient 2024 model year vehicles available in the United States, including electric and hybrids, in the latest edition of the Department of Energy’s Fuel Economy Guide. The annual online resource compares fuel costs for two-seaters up to large sedans, small and midsize station wagons, minivans, small and standard sport utility vehicles and small and standard pickup trucks. A quick reference top 10 list is searchable for make, model and class, too. “With the national average of gasoline over $3 per gallon, drivers need to know how much they can save by ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

$6 million National Science Foundation award to Binghamton will accelerate research translation into broader societal benefits

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- A Binghamton University team is one of just 18 nationally that will share in $100 million in U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) funding from the Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) Directorate to accelerate the pace and scale of translational research. The Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program will provide $6 million to Binghamton as a cooperative agreement over four years to source and grow pivotal innovations that, with help from the technology transfer office, can go to market and have a positive impact on society. “Binghamton is quickly ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

Rise of archery in Andes Mountains dated to 5,000 years ago — earlier than previous research

When did archery arise in the Americas? And what were the effects of this technology on society? These questions have long been debated among anthropologists and archaeologists. But a study led by a University of California, Davis, anthropologist, is shining light on this mystery. Focusing on the Lake Titicaca Basin in the Andes mountains, anthropologists found through analysis of 1,179 projectile points that the rise of archery technology dates to around 5,000 years ago. Previous research held that archery in the Andes emerged around 3,000 years ago. The new research indicates that the adoption of bow-and-arrow technology coincided with both the expansion of ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

Management of refractory or relapsed classic Hodgkin lymphoma in Brazil

A new review paper was published in Oncotarget's Volume 14 on December 12, 2023, entitled, “Current perspectives on the management of refractory or relapsed classic hodgkin lymphoma in Brazil: Balancing efficacy, safety, and tolerability.” Classic Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL), which accounts for 90–95% of all cases of Hodgkin lymphoma, is the most frequent cancer in adolescents and the most frequent lymphoma in adolescents and young adults. Despite progressive improvements over past decades and the general sensitivity of ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

Specific characteristics of Ukrainian refugees linked to tendency to move farther west

In a survey study comparing Ukrainian refugees living in Kraków, Poland with those farther away from Ukraine in Vienna, Austria, those in Vienna tended to have higher education levels, more prior work experience, and greater willingness to remain in their new area of residence. Judith Kohlenberger of the Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria, and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on December 20, 2023. Since Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine began in early 2022, nearly 8 million Ukrainians have fled the country. These refugees often tend to be female, in their mid- to late 30s, and more highly educated than the average ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

World’s smallest “fanged” frogs found in Indonesia

In general, frogs’ teeth aren’t anything to write home about—they look like pointy little pinpricks lining the upper jaw. But one group of stream-dwelling frogs in Southeast Asia has a strange adaptation: two bony “fangs” jutting out of their lower jawbone. They use these fangs to battle with each other over territory and mates, and sometimes even to hunt tough-shelled prey like giant centipedes and crabs. In a new study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers have described a new species of fanged frog: the smallest one ever discovered. “This new species is tiny compared to other fanged frogs on the island where ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

Study: Spinal cord injury causes acute and systemic muscle wasting

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) patients lose body weight and muscle mass, despite being on a high-calorie diet while in the intensive care unit. Their muscle wasting is substantial and extends beyond what can explained by inactivity or denervation (loss of nerve supply) alone. Research led by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine published in the journal Science Translational Medicine sheds new light and decodes early muscle loss after SCI to provide an unprecedent first understanding that muscle wasting is: rapid ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

Number of people affected by tropical cyclones has increased sharply since 2002

The number of people affected by tropical cyclones has nearly doubled from 2002 to 2019, reaching nearly 800 million people in 2019, according to a new study. While more people are affected by tropical cyclones in Asia than any other region, every affected world region saw an increase in the number of people exposed to tropical cyclones, which are expected to become more intense and possibly more frequent as the climate warms. “Although our study period is not sufficiently long to understand long-term trends, we observe a steady increase in both population and person-days exposure for ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

An electrifying improvement in copper conductivity

RICHLAND, Wash.—A common carbon compound is enabling remarkable performance enhancements when mixed in just the right proportion with copper to make electrical wires. It’s a phenomenon that defies conventional wisdom about how metals conduct electricity. The findings, reported December 2023 in the journal Materials & Design, could lead to more efficient electricity distribution to homes and businesses, as well as more efficient motors to power electric vehicles and industrial equipment. The team has applied for a patent for the work, which was supported by the Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Materials ...

Read the release