A new analysis of 5.8 million Americans finds that earning a college degree is still a sound investment, although the rate of economic return varies across college majors and student demographics. The findings come as skepticism continues to grow over the value of a degree in the face of rising college costs, a decline in college enrollment, and a transforming economy. The study was published today in American Educational Research Journal, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Educational Research Association. It was conducted by Liang Zhang from New York University, Xiangmin Liu from Rutgers University, and Yitong Hu from New York University. The study estimated ...

Scientists have identified a new organelle in liver cells called the mitochondria-lysosome-related organelle (MLRO). This discovery could improve our understanding of chronic liver diseases like alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). Mitochondria are essential components of cells, often called the "powerhouses" because they generate energy. They also play a crucial role in metabolism, calcium signalling, and cell survival. When mitochondria malfunction, it's linked to various liver diseases. Cells have intricate mechanisms to maintain healthy mitochondria. One way is to ...

Four exceptional UNIST students were honored for their outstanding academic and research achievements at the prestigious 30th Annual Samsung Humantech Paper Award ceremony. Among the many eminent individuals, JungSoo Lee (Advisor: Professor Han Gi Chae) from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering notched the highest score and won the Gold Prize within the category of Energy & Environment. His groundbreaking research on enhancing the efficiency of thermoelectric power generation through the development of a new power generation device structure technology earned him this accolade. By focusing on optimizing the structure ...

-- There is a widening employment gap between people with and without disability -- -- In 2022, only 53.1 per cent of people with work-limiting disability were employed, compared to 81.8 per cent of people without disability -- -- People with disability are 25-30 percentage points less likely to be employed -- -- Over a quarter of people with disability cite transport as a barrier to finding work -- A new report by the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre at Curtin University reveals that there has been no improvement in employment rates for people with disability ...

For thousands of Americans each year, a bone marrow transplant has the potential to cure diseases such as leukemias, lymphomas and immune deficiency disorders. While lifesaving, bone marrow transplants are taxing procedures that can affect various organs, including the cardiovascular system. With advances in medical science and improvement in protocols, more bone marrow transplants, also known as hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, are being offered to older patients, a population at greater risk of cardiovascular disease.  Researchers led by ...

BENTLEY UNIVERSITY Drug approvals in the United States between 2010-2019 were aligned with the US, but not global, burden of disease and the increasing number of expedited drug approvals could make the gap worse according to a study in the BMJ Open. The study also demonstrates that drugs indicated for conditions with the greatest burden of disease were less likely to be approved through the FDA’s expedited approval programs that reduce the timeline and cost of drug development, thus making it relatively more expensive to develop these products. US markets and FDA approval play an important role in shaping the product portfolios of global pharmaceutical companies; as such, expedited ...

A study links a rise in a serious bacterial illness to an unexpected factor: a decline in air pollution. Legionnaires’ disease is a respiratory illness with a fatality rate of 10–25% that is caused by inhaled Legionella bacteria. The bacteria live in water and outbreaks have been linked to water sources such as cooling towers, which cool indoor spaces by dissipating heat into the atmosphere in the form of water droplets and vapor. Other sources include improperly maintained public fountains, hot tubs, ice machines, home humidifiers, and showers. A global rise in Legionnaires’ disease since the year 2000 has puzzled ...

We experience turbulence every day: a gust of wind, water gushing down a river or mid-flight bumps on an airplane. Although it may be easy to understand what causes some kinds of turbulence — a felled tree in a river or a bear splashing around for salmon — there is now evidence that a very small disturbance at the start can have dramatic effects later. Instead of a tree, think of a twig — or even the swerving motion of a molecule. University of California San Diego Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Physics Nigel Goldenfeld, along with his former student Dmytro Bandak, and Professors Alexei ...

Recent breakthroughs in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA), such as the recently developed “RevGel-seq” method, has revolutionized plant cell analysis. This technique, independent of special instruments, streamlines processes and resolves protoplast isolation challenges. Now, a multinational team of researchers review this and other such recent advances in plant scRNA sequencing with the intention of providing guidance for facilitating the appropriate selection of scRNA methods for different plant samples. In the world of plant biology, understanding ...

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (03/12/2024) - Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities may have discovered a mechanical explanation for instability observed in the lungs in cases of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), particularly in the aftermath of respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19 or pneumonia. The research was recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences. Currently, there is no known cure for ARDS, a life-threatening ...

Lignin is an abundant natural polymer which is eliminated as a byproduct in the pulp and paper industry. A recent review article explored different microbial processes available for sustainable lignin valorization, yielding not only environmental, but also economic benefits. Researchers highlighted the current advancements as well as challenges faced while using naturally occurring and engineered microbes to transform depolymerized lignin into valuable high-value products. The increasing focus on transitioning to a low-carbon ...

Given the worldwide prevalence of drug-resistance bacteria, the research fraternity is on the lookout for alternative bactericidal treatment approaches. In a recent study, Japanese researchers have now compared bacteriophage-derived enzymes for combating drug-resistant bacteria. Examination of T1-spanin revealed that it shows superior bactericidal activity against various strains, including E.coli. Furthermore, a novel phage-based technology effectively delivers T1-spanin genes into target bacteria. This breakthrough holds promise for the development of ...

From anxiety about the state of the world to ongoing waves of Covid-19, the stresses we face can seem relentless and even overwhelming. Worse, these stressors can cause chronic inflammation in our bodies. Chronic inflammation is linked to serious conditions such as cardiovascular disease and cancer – and may also affect our thinking and behavior.    A new hypothesis published in Frontiers in Science suggests the negative impacts may extend far further.    “We propose that stress, ...

LAWRENCE, KANSAS — A University of Kansas study of rice paddy snakes in Southeast Asia gives key details to their diversification and natural history, adding molecular evidence that the rise of the Khorat Plateau and subsequent environmental shifts in Thailand may have altered the course of the snakes’ evolution some 2.5 million years ago. The findings were published today in the journal Scientific Reports. Researchers say the implications could help tell the story of diversification more broadly in the region. “This paper concerns mud snakes ...

Scientists from the Universities of Sydney and Sorbonne University have used the geological record of the deep sea to discover a connection between the orbits of Earth and Mars, past global warming patterns and the speeding up of deep ocean circulation. They discovered a surprising 2.4-million-year cycle where deep currents wax and wane which, in turn, is linked to periods of increased solar energy and a warmer climate. The study, published in Nature Communications, tackles the questions of how geological-timescale climate ...

If you had to estimate the number of people in a room, without counting them one-by-one, by nature you would overcount them. That’s because, simply put from a Darwinian perspective of how we have evolved, it’s better to overcount potentially harmful agents and predators than to underestimate them. This overcounting social behaviour is shown to be true in humans as well as animals. It’s certainly better to detect too many tigers (even if absent) during a jungle excursion than to miss a hungry one! Now, EPFL neuroscientists show that if you experience hallucinations, especially ...

Researchers from China and Japan have discovered distinct characteristics of the lower mantle flow field. They investigated seismic anisotropy in the upper part of the lower mantle beneath the Philippine Sea Plate (PSP) and found that the ancient lower mantle flow field is still preserved there. The study was published in Nature Geoscience. The lower mantle is an important layer of the Earth and may play an important role in the evolution and material cycling of Earth's interior. It is generally believed to be not only the final destination of subducted slabs, ...

*EMBARGOED UNTIL TUESDAY, MARCH 12, AT 6 A.M. ET Age-related changes that cause the skin to stiffen and become less elastic may also contribute to higher rates of metastatic skin cancer in older people, according to research by investigators from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.  The study, published March 12 in Nature Aging, shows that increased stiffness in aging skin increases the release of a protein called ICAM1. Increased ICAM1 levels stimulate blood vessel growth in the tumor, helping it grow. It also makes the blood vessels “leaky,” enabling tumor cells ...

Despite being scattered across more than a million square kilometres, new research has revealed that remote coral reefs across the Seychelles are closely related. Using genetic analyses and oceanographic modelling, researchers at Oxford University demonstrated for the first time that a network of ocean currents scatter significant numbers of larvae between these distant islands, acting as a ‘coral superhighway.’ These results are published today in Scientific Reports. Dr April Burt (Department of Biology, University of Oxford, and Seychelles Islands Foundation), lead author of the study, said: ‘This discovery is very important because a key factor ...

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Tumors can carry mutations in hundreds of different genes, and each of those genes may be mutated in different ways — some mutations simply replace one DNA nucleotide with another, while others insert or delete larger sections of DNA. Until now, there has been no way to quickly and easily screen each of those mutations in their natural setting to see what role they may play in the development, progression, and treatment response of a tumor. Using a variant of CRISPR genome-editing known as prime editing, MIT researchers have ...

Rainforest seedlings are more likely to survive in natural forests than in places where logging has happened – even if tree restoration projects have taken place, new research shows. Scientists monitored over 5,000 seedlings for a year and a half in North Borneo. They studied a landscape containing both natural forest and areas logged 30 years ago – some of which were recovering naturally, while some had been restored by methods including tree planting. A drought had triggered “mast fruiting” across ...

More than 90% of the commercially available carotenoids are synthetically produced using chemicals. To meet the increasing demand for cost-effective natural compounds in carotenoid synthesis, researchers at Xiamen University, China, have developed an engineered S. cerevisiae yeast strain capable of selectively overproducing carotenoids. They redesigned the genomic sequence and critical pathways to optimize carotenoid production. This novel and successful research approach can be extended to other model ...

When we recycle electronic devices we can no longer use, we expect to make the most out of the precious natural resources that went into building them. But electronic waste is notoriously difficult to recycle, because it’s hard to separate the different metals in the waste from each other. Scientists have now found a way of selectively capturing metals from a waste stream using spent brewer’s yeast, the same beer byproduct that goes into Marmite. Not only that: the yeast can be reused, making the process even more eco-friendly. “Electronic waste is difficult to recycle because it is very heterogeneous,” said Dr Klemens Kremser ...

Does previous experience bias a person in future estimations? Yes, Osaka Metropolitan University researchers in Japan report, but only if the person engages higher processing powers by responding, as opposed to simply observing. They made their findings through experiments involving participants estimating the number of dots flashed on a screen. Participants either had to input their estimate before making another estimate on a new set of dots or were not prompted to do anything but observe. The researchers found ...

11 March 2024, Singapore – A study[1] by KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and National University Hospital (NUH) has revealed that  COVID-19 transmission from mothers to their newborns is low. The study involving 371 women who had COVID-19 infection during pregnancy and their newborns found that only four infants or 1.1 per cent of the babies were diagnosed with COVID-19 after birth, of which three (1.1 per cent) were from mothers who were COVID-19 vaccinated and one infant (1.3 per cent) was from a mother who was not vaccinated. Senior Author of the study, Dr Yeo Kee Thai, Senior Consultant, Department of Neonatology, KKH ...