The press release
archive.

Science21 Feb 2024

Can yoga effectively treat chronic back pain?

New research published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research suggests that the physical postures, breathing exercises, and mindfulness practices of yoga may benefit individuals with back pain. In the study, 10 women with and 11 without chronic low back pain underwent an 8‐session yoga program over 4 weeks, with the first session conducted in a clinic and the rest delivered with a tele‐approach. Women with chronic low back pain experienced a significant decrease in pain intensity, as assessed through a 10-point visual analog scale (an average ...

Read the release

Social Science21 Feb 2024

Do immigrant deaths at the border influence white and Latinx Americans’ belief in the American dream?

The American dream narrative posits that anyone who works hard can become successful in the US, whereas the systemic racism narrative argues that the US is a racist country where minorities are systemically held back. A survey-based study in Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy found that these narratives predict individuals’ support for the presidential candidacy of Donald Trump or Joe Biden, above and beyond more traditional political ideologies. In a follow-up experiment in which participants were confronted with news clips of immigrant deaths at the border, white individuals decreased their ...

Read the release

Medicine21 Feb 2024

How do renewable energy and innovation impact environmental quality in different countries?

Renewable energy production leads to reduced carbon dioxide emissions in countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) but increased emissions in emerging economies, according to the results of a study published in the Natural Resources Forum. A similar disparity was seen when considering the environmental impacts of innovation. (The OECD is an international organization that works to build better policies for better lives. Thirty-eight countries around the world are currently members.) Regarding ...

Read the release

Science21 Feb 2024

Does watching TV or videos during the day affect nighttime urination?

In a study published in Neurourology and Urodynamics, adults who spent 5 or more hours a day watching TV and/or videos were more likely to develop nocturia, or the need to urinate multiple times during the night. The study drew from 2011–2016 data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Among 13,294 US individuals aged 20 and older, 4,236 (31.86%) reported experiencing nocturia, while 9,058 (68.14%) did not. Participants with 5 or more hours of TV and/or video viewing time per day had a 48% higher risk of experiencing nocturia compared with those with less than 1 hour of daily TV and/or video viewing time. “As ...

Read the release

Medicine21 Feb 2024

How do chronic inflammation and physical inactivity affect age-related changes in gene and protein expression in skeletal muscle?

New research indicates that some age-related changes in gene and protein expression in the skeletal muscles of older individuals may be affected more by physical inactivity and chronic inflammation than primary aging, or intrinsic maturational processes. Physical inactivity and chronic inflammation are the most important drivers of secondary aging, or changes over time that are caused by extrinsic factors such as diseases or poor health practices. In the Aging Cell study that included 15 young healthy people and 8 young and 37 older patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis (who suffered from long-term inactivity ...

Read the release

Science21 Feb 2024

Study finds menthol cigarette ban would lead a lot of people to quit smoking

A new paper in Nicotine & Tobacco Research, published by Oxford University Press, finds that banning the sale of menthol cigarettes would likely lead to a meaningful reduction in smoking rates. Menthol cigarettes are of particular public health concern because studies have found that the cooling effects of menthol mask the harshness of cigarettes, making it easier for young people to start smoking. Prior research has also found that menthol in cigarettes makes it easier for smokers to absorb nicotine, which results in ...

Read the release

Environment21 Feb 2024

New cloud model could help with climate research

When clouds meet clear skies, cloud droplets evaporate as they mix with dry air. A new study involving researchers from the University of Gothenburg has succeeded in capturing what happens in a model. Ultimately, this could lead to more accurate climate modeling in the future. The clouds in the sky have a significant impact on our climate. Not only do they produce precipitation and provide shade from the sun, they also act as large reflectors that prevent the radiation of heat from the Earth – commonly known as the greenhouse effect. “Although clouds have been studied for a long time, they are one of the biggest sources of uncertainty in climate models,” ...

Read the release

Medicine21 Feb 2024

Unravelling the genetic and environmental influences on trust

Trust, a cornerstone of human interaction, has a significant genetic component, with around 33% of the variation between individuals attributed to our genes, according to new Australian research using data from twins and a meta-analysis of previous studies on the heritability of trust. Successful relationships, economic transactions and social cohesion are all a matter of trust. Without trust, businesses collapse, political parties fail, and conflicts erupt, whether on a personal or international scale, resulting in broken hearts and lives lost. “Higher levels of trust are associated with a range of social and economic benefits, ...

Read the release

Medicine21 Feb 2024

People who a eat healthy, plant-based diet are less likely to suffer with dangerous snoring

People who eat a healthy, plant-based diet that is high in vegetables, fruit, whole grains and nuts are less likely to suffer with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), according to a study published today (Wednesday) in ERJ Open Research [1]. However, people eating an unhealthy plant-based diet, high in refined carbohydrates, sugary drinks, high-sugar and high-salt foods, are at a higher risk of OSA. People with OSA often snore loudly, their breathing starts and stops during the night, and they may wake up several times. Not only does this cause tiredness, but it can also increase the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The new study ...

Read the release

Science21 Feb 2024

Angle-dependent holograms made possible by metasurfaces

The expression "flawless from every angle" is commonly used to characterize a celebrity's appearance. This doesn't simply imply that they appear attractive from a specific viewpoint, but rather that their appeal remains consistent and appealing from various angles and perspectives. Recently, a research team from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) has employed metasurface to fabricate angle-dependent holograms with multiple functions, capturing significant interest within ...

Read the release

Energy21 Feb 2024

These tiny power converters run on vibrational energy

University of California San Diego and CEA-Leti scientists have developed a ground-breaking piezoelectric-based DC-DC converter that unifies all power switches onto a single chip to increase power density. This new power topology, which extends beyond existing topologies, blends the advantages of piezoelectric converters with capacitive-based DC-DC converters. The power converters the team developed are much smaller than the huge, bulky inductors currently used for this role. The devices could eventually be used for any type of DC-DC conversation, ...

Read the release

Medicine21 Feb 2024

Ochsner Health Hospitals accredited as Surgical Review Corporation Centers of Excellence

NEW ORLEANS, La – Ochsner Medical Center – New Orleans achieved accreditation as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery, and Ochsner Baptist – A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center, inclusive of Ochsner Medical Center and Ochsner Medical Complex- Clearview, received accreditation as a Center of Excellence in Continence Care for Women by SRC (Surgical Review Corporation). This accreditation recognizes Ochsner Health’s commitment to a high standard of quality patient care delivery and safety. “Robotic ...

Read the release

Environment21 Feb 2024

$2 million grant from The Roe Green Foundation catalyzes multidisciplinary research building in Uganda

CLEVELAND--For the past 38 years, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and University Hospitals (UH) have worked closely with a variety of institutions in Uganda to advance medical research and education across a range of fields. Their facilities have remained scattered across the campuses of local partners but now, the collaboration will have a permanent home. A $2 million gift from The Roe Green Foundation, jointly awarded to CWRU and UH, will advance global health initiatives from each institution and establish a state-of-the-art research hub and gathering ...

Read the release

Technology21 Feb 2024

SFU researchers develop AI that can understand light in photographs

Despite significant progress in developing AI systems that can understand the physical world like humans do, researchers have struggled with modelling a certain aspect of our visual system: the perception of light. “Determining the influence of light in a given photograph is a bit like trying to separate the ingredients out of an already baked cake.” explains Chris Careaga, a PhD student in the Computational Photography Lab at SFU. The task requires undoing the complicated interactions between light and surfaces in a scene. This problem is referred to as intrinsic decomposition, and has been ...

Read the release

Medicine21 Feb 2024

Minority ethnic NHS staff more likely to face workplace discrimination during pandemic than White colleagues

Minority ethnic NHS staff were more likely to face workplace harassment, discrimination, and unavailability of personal protective equipment (PPE) than their White British colleagues during the pandemic, reveals research published online in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine. Urgent action is needed to redress ongoing race inequalities in the health service, insist the researchers, who call for the inclusion of diversity and inclusion training in professional development, and the expansion of the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard. Staff from minority ethnic groups make up nearly ...

Read the release

Medicine21 Feb 2024

J-shaped curve apparent between dietary thiamine and worsening mental acuity

There seems to be a J-shaped curve between dietary thiamine (vitamin B1) and worsening mental acuity among cognitively healthy older people, suggests research published in the open access journal General Psychiatry. The sweet spot seems to be a daily intake of 0.68 mg, below which there is relatively little impact. But higher daily intake was strongly associated with cognitive decline, with the optimal maintenance dose 0.6 to less than 1 mg/day, the findings show. Thiamine is an essential water-soluble B vitamin involved in energy metabolism and brain neurotransmitter activity. Good dietary sources include whole grains, fortified ...

Read the release

Medicine21 Feb 2024

Adopting healthy lifestyle strongly linked to lower irritable bowel syndrome risk

Adopting a healthy lifestyle is strongly linked to a lower risk of irritable bowel syndrome or IBS for short, finds research published online in the journal Gut. Of the big 5 healthy behaviours, not smoking, a high level of vigorous physical activity, and getting enough sleep were independently associated with keeping the condition at bay. Characterised by abdominal pain, bloating, and abnormal bowel habit, IBS is thought to affect up to 1 in 10 people worldwide. Exactly what causes IBS isn’t fully understood, but disordered functioning of the gut–brain ...

Read the release

Medicine21 Feb 2024

Avid appetite in childhood linked to later eating disorder symptoms

An enthusiastic response to food in early childhood may be linked to a higher likelihood of experiencing eating disorder symptoms in adolescence, according to a new study led by researchers at UCL and Erasmus University Rotterdam. The study, published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, looked at survey data from 3,670 young people in the UK and the Netherlands to investigate how appetite traits in early childhood might relate to the likelihood of developing eating disorder symptoms up to 10 years later. The researchers found that a particularly high food responsiveness, defined as the urge to eat when you see, smell ...

Read the release

Medicine21 Feb 2024

Red light can reduce blood glucose levels, says study

The researchers found that 670 nanometres (nm) of red light stimulated energy production within mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses within cells, leading to increased consumption of glucose. In particular, it led to a 27.7% reduction in blood glucose levels following glucose intake, and it reduced maximum glucose spiking by 7.5%. While the study was conducted in healthy individuals, the non-invasive, non-pharmacological technique has the potential to have an impact on diabetes control after meals, as it can reduce damaging fluctuations of blood glucose in the body that contribute to ageing. The study also highlights the significant long-term consequences for human health, including ...

Read the release

Environment21 Feb 2024

UT-Battelle donates $186,000 to support SEEED’s green construction program

Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s managing contractor, UT-Battelle, presented a donation of $186,000 to Socially Equal Energy Efficient Development, or SEEED, to support the nonprofit’s third green solar home as part of their Green Construction Program. “We are committed to serving the communities that we live in,” UT-Battelle CEO and ORNL Director Stephen Streiffer said. “Our partnership with SEEED has provided a tremendous opportunity to share our scientific expertise, and we are excited that our support will help make this green solar home become a reality.” Streiffer joined SEEED for a groundbreaking ceremony in Knoxville, Tenn., at the home project ...

Read the release

Medicine21 Feb 2024

Spinning, magnetic micro-robots help researchers probe immune cell recognition

Researchers at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and the Department of Chemistry at the University of Chicago have engineered tiny, spinning micro-robots that bind to immune cells to probe their function. The robot, or “hexapod,” gives scientists a new, highly adaptable way to study immune cells and to aid in the design of immunotherapies against cancer, infection, or autoimmune diseases. Each hexapod robot has six arms containing molecules that might be recognized as foreign by the immune system — such as protein fragments from a tumor, virus, or ...

Read the release

Medicine21 Feb 2024

Helping patients with low income overcome eating disorders

Individuals with eating disorders who have low income are frequently misdiagnosed and lack adequate access to appropriate therapy, according to researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Their paper, published in The Cognitive Behaviour Therapist on Feb. 19, identified the barriers to care that come with having low income and offered guidelines on how therapists can make accommodations for these patients to improve diagnoses and access to treatment. Approximately 30 million people in the United States experience ...

Read the release

Medicine21 Feb 2024

Preventing relapse by restoring an opioid-weakened brain pathway governing behavior

Medical University of South Carolina scientists report in Neuron that they have uncovered a way to restore an opioid-weakened brain pathway in a preclinical model. With funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, the MUSC research team, led by neuroscientist James Otis, Ph.D., used advanced neuroscience tools to return a pathway between the thalamus and basal ganglia to healthy functioning in mice. As a result, this restoration prevented mice that were opioid-dependent from seeking or self-administering heroin. Results also suggested that sustained opioid use was the cause of this weakened pathway, rather than being caused by ...

Read the release

Physics21 Feb 2024

Water quality monitor, locust-inspired electronic nose under development

By Beth Miller Two teams of engineers led by faculty in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis will work toward developing products to monitor drinking water quality and to detect explosives with an electronic nose with one-year, $650,000 Convergence Accelerator Phase 1 grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Barani Raman, professor of biomedical engineering, and Daniel Giammar, the Walter E. Browne Professor of Environmental Engineering, will lead teams of researchers from Washington University and other institutions and entities funded under the NSF’s Convergence Accelerator program, designed to address national-scale ...

Read the release

Medicine21 Feb 2024

Child tax credits provided significant relief to families experiencing economic shocks during COVID

Contact: Jillian McKoy, jpmckoy@bu.edu Michael Saunders, msaunder@bu.edu ## As a proposal to reinstate expanded Child Tax Credits (CTC) in the United States awaits a vote in the Senate, a new study led by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researchers reveals that the now-expired 2021 CTC expansion benefitted families experiencing financial setbacks due to health or employment challenges spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. Published in the journal Health Affairs Scholar, the study found that monthly advance payments included in the 2021 CTC ...

Read the release