Science
press releases.

Science28 Jun 2023

Genetic variant linked with faster progression of multiple sclerosis

Contact: Bess Connolly, 203-432-1324 or elizabeth.connolly@yale.edu Embargoed For Release: 11 A.M. ET June 28, 2023 Genetic variant linked with faster progression of multiple sclerosis New Haven, Conn. — A study of more than 22,000 people with multiple sclerosis (MS) has for the first time identified a genetic variant associated with faster progression of the disease, an accumulation of disability that can rob patients of their mobility and independence over time. Multiple sclerosis begins as an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the brain and the spinal cord, resulting in symptom flares, called relapses, as well as longer-term degeneration known ...

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Science28 Jun 2023

Developing a nano-antenna that forms a near field of circularly polarized light: Promising applications in highly sensitive sensing and asymmetric photochemical reactions for molecular chirality

Main Points The research group proposed and tested a nano-antenna that uses the specific optical resonance of dielectric nanoparticles to form a near field of circularly polarized light. This technique bolsters the circularly polarized light-selective response of chiral molecules. The results of this study should provide applications in chirality analysis and asymmetric photochemical reactions for biomolecules, chemical substances, and pharmaceuticals. Research Background “Chirality” refers to the property of a substance that cannot be superimposed on its mirror image. Since the mirror image isomers of chiral molecules ...

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Science28 Jun 2023

All-in-one device for hemorrhage control

(LOS ANGELES) – June 28, 2023 - A multi-faceted device for effectively treating deep, non-compressible, and irregularly-shaped wounds has been engineered by the scientists at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI). As outlined in their recent paper in Advanced Science, the device provides rapid hemorrhage management, has minimal inflammatory effects, and provides infection control. It also has tunable biodegradation rates, making it usable for both internal and external use, and features sensing capabilities for long-term hemorrhage monitoring. This versatile device is highly beneficial ...

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Science28 Jun 2023

Boom! Detecting gregarious goliath groupers using their low-frequency pulse sounds

From growls to pulses to booms, whales, fish and crustaceans all produce sounds. In fact, more than 800 species of fish are capable of making noises for a variety of functions such as courtship and mating, defending their turf or responding to threats. Each of these species has a characteristic waveform that is unique to their “calls.” As such, detecting structures in these signals can be used to identify the sounds of different species. Classifying sounds produced by fish will help to understand how they respond to environmental changes ...

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Science28 Jun 2023

Researchers unearth the mysteries of how Turkey’s East Anatolian fault formed

An international team led by the University of Minnesota Twin Cities has, for the first time, accurately determined the age and formation process of the East Anatolian fault, which runs from eastern to south-central Turkey and was involved in the creation of the Anatolian tectonic plate. The fault zone was the site of two devastating earthquakes that occurred in Turkey and Syria in February 2023. While the researchers’ findings won’t help predict timing or size of earthquakes, it allows geologists to learn more about how long the area has been seismically active and how major earthquakes have shaped the landscape over time, which can help drive ...

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Science28 Jun 2023

Women with adenomyosis face increased risk of pregnancy and childbirth complications

Copenhagen, Denmark: Women with adenomyosis – a chronic condition that can cause pelvic pain and heavy menstrual bleeding – are at increased risk of infertility as well as problems in pregnancy and during birth, according to research presented at the 39th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) [1]. Data from the first study of its kind based on more than nine million women show that mothers-to-be with adenomyosis experienced higher rates of complications. The greatest risk was for caesarean section delivery – ...

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Science28 Jun 2023

Prisoners ‘trading rare jaguar parts for fashion items’

Prisoners in Bolivia are trading in jaguar skins and other wild animal body parts to produce wallets, hats, and belts for sale in local markets. The fangs and bones of jaguars are being illegally exported for use as traditional Asian medicine. The trade, which further threatens the future of this species, has been uncovered by researchers investigating reports of illegal trading at Mocoví prison, in Trinidad, Bolivia. As the largest big cat in the Americas the jaguar (Panthera Onca) has ecological and cultural significance in the landlocked country of Bolivia, but numbers are declining fast due to reasons including habitat loss – as ...

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Science28 Jun 2023

That essential morning coffee may be a placebo

For many people, the day doesn’t start until their coffee mug is empty. Coffee is often thought to make you feel more alert, so people drink it to wake themselves up and improve their efficiency. Portuguese scientists studied coffee-drinkers to understand whether that wakefulness effect is dependent on the properties of caffeine, or whether it’s about the experience of drinking coffee. “There is a common expectation that coffee increases alertness and psychomotor functioning,” said Prof Nuno Sousa of the University of Minho, corresponding author of the study ...

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Science28 Jun 2023

US public pensions could be $21 billion richer right now

New research shows that U.S. public pension funds would be $21 billion richer had they divested from fossil fuels a decade ago. The study, out of the University of Waterloo in partnership with Stand.earth, analyzed the public equity portfolios of six major U.S. public pension funds, which collectively represent approximately 3.4 million people, to determine the effect divesting from their energy holdings would have had. In total, researchers estimate that the pension funds would have seen a return on their investments that was 13 per cent higher on average. Another analysis of the same eight U.S. public pension funds included in the report found that ...

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Science28 Jun 2023

Vaping a gateway to smoking for non-smokers, research shows

While vaping provides a pathway to help smokers wanting to quit, for non-smokers it may be the first step on a pathway to taking up smoking, a new study has shown. Led by University of Otago post graduate student Andre Mason and Associate Professor Damian Scarf, of the University of Otago’s Department of Psychology, the collaborative research, published today (Wednesday 28 June) in the Drug and Alcohol Review, analysed data related to smoking and vaping status of New Zealanders from the 2018-2020 New Zealand Attitudes and Values survey. Associate Professor Scarf says broadly, the prevalence of smoking was found ...

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Science28 Jun 2023

Children the 'hidden victims' of modern slavery

Dependant children of people impacted by human trafficking and modern slavery are being left unsupported and their needs overlooked, putting families at risk of intergenerational trauma. A report by UniSA researcher Dr Nerida Chazal highlights the lack of recognition of dependants as victims themselves and the limited support they receive, putting their psychological and developmental needs at risk. In Australia, only the police can formally refer victim-survivors to the official government funded Support for Trafficked People Program (STPP), run by the Australian Red Cross. Currently, victim-survivors with dependants receive minimal additional funding to meet their ...

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Science28 Jun 2023

Self-harm content is ‘rife’ online and more should be done to protect children, says trauma therapist

Children are exposed to many types of online trauma including self-harm, a leading psychotherapist has warned, and they need the right support to make sense of what they are seeing. Catherine Knibbs is a researcher and trauma therapist, who helped counsel survivors of the Manchester Arena terror attack. In her new book, Online Harms and Cybertrauma, she argues that the amount of self-harm content available to children online is an urgent societal issue which needs to be addressed by parents, policymakers ...

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Science27 Jun 2023

Worm named after a comedian impacting spiny lobster reproduction and could threaten a lucrative fishery

A species of nemertean worm discovered by a Clemson University marine biologist five years ago affects the reproductive performance of Caribbean spiny lobsters, a critical species in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Antonio Baeza, an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, discovered the new wormwhile researching parental behaviors of the spiny lobster Panulirus argus in the Florida Keys. Baeza good-naturedly named the worm Carcinonemertes conanobrieni after comedian Conan O’Brien because of its physical characteristics — long-bodied and pale with a slight tint of orange. The worm has been found off the coast of ...

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Science27 Jun 2023

MD Anderson Research Highlights for June 27, 2023

HOUSTON ― The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention. These advances are made possible through seamless collaboration between MD Anderson’s world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back. Recent developments include the identification of disparities in end-of-life immunotherapy treatment, a new target to improve immunotherapy responses in KRAS-mutant lung cancer, a new connection for small RNAs in anti-tumor immunity and obesity, the benefits of fecal microbiome transplants ...

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Science27 Jun 2023

Birds aren’t the only creatures who flock together

Virginia Tech researchers are working to increase access and inclusivity in ornithology as part of a collaborative effort funded by the National Science Foundation. The Leading Cultural Change Through Professional Societies of Biology program has awarded $500,000 to help researchers in the co-creation of affinity groups to facilitate diverse and inclusive ornithological societies. The program supports the design, implementation, and evaluation of projects that leverage the work of professional societies to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in ...

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Science27 Jun 2023

The Gerontological Society of America congratulates 2023 awardees

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) — the country’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — is proud to acknowledge the work of 20 outstanding individuals through its prestigious awards program. GSA salutes outstanding research, recognizes distinguished leadership in teaching and service, and fosters new ideas through a host of awards. Nominated by their peers, the recipients’ achievements serve as milestones in the history and development of gerontology. The award presentations will take place at GSA’s 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, which will be held from November 8 to 12 in Tampa, Florida. Society-Wide Donald ...

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Science27 Jun 2023

DOE and Sweden sign joint implementation agreement to increase scientific cooperation

The Department of Energy (DOE) today signed an implementation agreement with Sweden to further promote and facilitate basic science research in energy and related fields. The agreement reflects the United States and Sweden’s commitment to advancing scientific knowledge. It aims to foster joint research, shared facilities and exchanges of scientists in topics such as scientific computing, high energy physics, nuclear physics, fusion, basic energy sciences, and biological and environmental research. Present at the ...

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Science27 Jun 2023

A prestigious CAREER award for UTA faculty member

A University of Texas at Arlington faculty member is pioneering a transformative technique aimed at enhancing the utilization of tungsten in additive manufacturing processes, specifically overcoming significant challenges presented by tungsten’s high melting point, intrinsic brittleness and high susceptibility to cracking. Narges Shayesteh, assistant professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department and director of the Innovative Additive Manufacturing Laboratory, has earned a five-year, $582,358 Faculty Early Career Award Development Program (CAREER) grant from the National Science Foundation to advance her research and education initiatives. The ...

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Science27 Jun 2023

Unsafe feeding methods spiked during infant formula shortage

Nearly half of parents who relied on formula to feed their babies during the infant formula shortage last year resorted to potentially harmful feeding methods, according to a survey from researchers at the University of California, Davis. The study was published in the journal BMC Pediatrics. In an online anonymous survey of U.S. parents, the number of individuals that used at least one unsafe feeding practice increased from 8% before the formula shortage to nearly 50% during the shortage. Unsafe practices included watering down formula, using expired or homemade formula, or using human milk from informal sharing. The percentage of parents who shared human milk ...

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Science27 Jun 2023

Illinois study reveals genetic secrets of America's favorite snack

URBANA, Ill. – In its simplest form, popcorn is pretty uncomplicated. Most supermarket varieties offer the choice of two kernel colors, yellow or white, and two kernel shapes, pointed or pearl. When popped, the flake typically expands into one of two shapes: mushroom or butterfly. But there’s more to popcorn than meets the eye. New research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign reveals a wealth of untapped diversity lurking in popcorn’s genetic code. Analyzing 320 publicly available popcorn lines, crop sciences researchers found variation at more ...

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Science27 Jun 2023

New model provides unprecedented window into human embryonic development

Two to three weeks after conception, an embryo faces a critical point in its development. In the stage known as gastrulation, the transformation of embryonic cells into specialized cells begins. This initiates an explosion of cellular diversity in which the embryonic cells later become the precursors of future blood, tissue, muscle, and more types of cells, and the primitive body axes start to form. Studying this process in the human-specific context has posed significant challenges to biologists, but new research offers an unprecedented window into this point in time in ...

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Science27 Jun 2023

Deaf mice can have virtually normal auditory circuitry: implications for cochlear implants

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University, US, led by Calvin Kersbergen report that mice with the most common form of human congenital deafness develop normal auditory circuitry – until the ear canal opens and hearing begins. Publishing June 27th in the open access journal PLOS Biology, the study suggests that this is possible because spontaneous activity of support cells in the inner ear remains present during the first weeks of life. Mutations to the protein connexin 26 are the most common cause of hearing loss at birth, accounting for more than 25% of genetic hearing loss worldwide. To understand how these mutations lead to deafness ...

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Science27 Jun 2023

Deaf mice have nearly normal inner ear function until ear canal opens

**EMBARGOED TILL TUESDAY, JUNE 27, AT 2 P.M. ET** For the first two weeks of life, mice with a hereditary form of deafness have nearly normal neural activity in the auditory system, according to a new study by Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists. Their previous studies indicate that this early auditory activity — before the onset of hearing — provides a kind of training to prepare the brain to process sound when hearing begins. The findings are published June 27 in PLOS Biology. Mutations in Gjb2 cause more than a quarter of all hereditary forms of hearing loss at birth in people, according to some estimates. The connexin 26 protein coded by ...

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Science27 Jun 2023

Chemists are on the hunt for the other 99 percent

The universe is awash in billions of possible chemicals. But even with a bevy of high-tech instruments, scientists have determined the chemical structures of just a small fraction of those compounds, maybe 1 percent. Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are taking aim at the other 99 percent, creating new ways to learn more about a vast sea of unknown compounds. There may be cures for disease, new approaches for tackling climate change, or new chemical or biological threats lurking in the chemical universe. The work is part of an initiative known as m/q or “m over q”—shorthand ...

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Science27 Jun 2023

Easier access to opioid painkillers may reduce opioid-related deaths

Increasing access to prescription opioid painkillers may reduce opioid overdose deaths in the United States, according to a Rutgers study. “When access to prescription opioids is heavily restricted, people will seek out opioids that are unregulated,” said Grant Victor, an assistant professor in the Rutgers School of Social Work and lead author of the study published in the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment. “The opposite may also be true; our findings suggest that restoring easier access to opioid pain medications may protect against fatal overdoses.” America’s opioid crisis has ...

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