CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — As much of the U.S. broils under record-setting temperatures, battles wildfires and is rocked by fierce storms, a new study suggests that the science learning standards for many public schools are not preparing young people to understand and respond to problems such as climate change that will dramatically impact their lives and those of millions of people around the globe. Published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Science, the findings raise troubling questions about political bias shaping if and what the nation’s ...

The scientists who received the 2017 Nobel Prize in chemistry were honored for their development of a technique called cryo-electron microscopy, or cryo-EM. The technology was revolutionary because it enabled scientists to see the atomic structure of biological molecules in high resolution. But cryo-EM still had a catch: It was only effective for imaging large molecules. Now, UCLA biochemists, working with pharmaceutical industry scientists, have developed a solution that will make it possible for cryo-EM to acquire high-quality images of smaller protein molecules, too. The scientists engineered a 20 nanometer, cube-shaped ...

EL PASO, Texas (Sept. 27, 2023) — The University of Texas at El Paso has been chosen to become a center of thought leadership for Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) across the country, thanks to a new $7 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The new grant, known as NODE (Network Opportunities for Developing Equitable and Effective Evaluation at HSIs), is a six-year investment that will position UTEP to provide the first full portrait of the effectiveness of all grants funded by the NSF HSI program. Anne-Marie Núñez, Ph.D., executive director of the Diana Natalicio Institute ...

    Image In a solar system called TRAPPIST-1, 40 light years from the sun, seven Earth-sized planets revolve around a cold star.    Astronomers obtained new data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) on TRAPPIST-1 b, the planet in the TRAPPIST-1 solar system closest to its star. These new observations offer insights into how its star can affect observations of exoplanets in the habitable zone of cool stars. In the habitable zone, liquid water can still exist on the orbiting planet's surface.   The ...

New York, September 27, 2023 – Individual innovation is considered one sign of intelligence within species, and elephants are among the animals that researchers have long taken an interest in because of their sophisticated approach to problem solving. A newly published study in the journal Animal Behaviour details findings from a six-month-long study documenting the abilities of individual wild Asian elephants to access food by solving puzzles that unlocked storage boxes. “This is the first research study to show that individual wild elephants have different willingness and abilities to problem solve in ...

In eastern Africa, malaria parasites have developed resistance to artemisinins, the backbone of current treatment regimens, a development that could dramatically worsen malaria’s impact if partner drugs fail in the future.  The finding from studies in Eritrea was reported Sept. 28 in the New England Journal of Medicine by a team of researchers led by Didier Ménard, PhD, of the Université de Strasbourg/Institut Pasteur in France and including Columbia University microbiologist David Fidock, PhD, the C.S. Hamish Young Professor of Microbiology & Immunology and professor of medical sciences in the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.    Treatment ...

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Industry has long relied upon energy-intensive processes, such as distillation and crystallization, to separate molecules that ultimately serve as ingredients in medicine, chemicals and other products. In recent decades, there has been a push to supplant these processes with membranes, which are potentially a lower-cost and eco-friendly alternative. Unfortunately, most membranes are made from polymers that degrade during use, making them impractical. To solve this problem, a University at Buffalo-led research team ...

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Providing safe drinking water was a great public health achievement in the 20th century, yet problems persist. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 7.15 million waterborne illnesses occur in the United States annually resulting in 601,000 emergency room visits, 6,630 deaths and $3.33 billion in direct health care costs. Michigan State University, a world leader in water research, is working to make our drinking water safer. MSU has been awarded a $2.1 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection ...

When people have to make a tough decision, their first instinct is usually to gather as much information as possible. Just one problem: according to research published this week in Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, most people’s decision-making actually gets worse, not better, when you give them additional facts and details. “It’s counterintuitive, because we all like to think we use information wisely to make smart decisions,” said Farber Chair Associate Professor ...

At a glance: Johan Paulsson, HMS professor of systems biology, will lead project studying bacterial behavior and antibiotic resistance. Efforts will focus on developing technology to improve diagnosis, speed discovery of new antibiotics, and illuminate basic mechanisms of bacterial behavior. Harvard Medical School researcher Johan Paulsson will lead a multi-institutional $104 million effort to study bacteria and antibiotic resistance, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced today. The work is funded by the newly established Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) in an ...

BOSTON - Researchers at Boston Medical Center and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute conducted one of the first-ever analyses of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) at single cell resolution, unlocking new insights into this rare and often hard-to-treat cancer. The findings represent a tremendous leap forward in understanding why these tumors are largely resistant to immunotherapy and provide key insights that could lead to future treatments. “This study was a tour-de-force that catalyzed the efforts and innovations of researchers across Boston – including Boston Medical Center and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute - and has resulted in a better understanding ...

“With the majority of lung cancer patients being older than 65, it is imperative that actions are taken to encourage and facilitate clinical trials among older patients.” BUFFALO, NY- September 27, 2023 – A new editorial paper was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 15, Issue 17, entitled, “Promising trends in lung cancer care, but are we overlooking the majority?” In their new editorial, ...

“The balance between appropriate precautions and the harm of social isolation always requires a thorough appraisal.”  BUFFALO, NY- September 27, 2023 – A new editorial paper was published in Oncotarget's Volume 14 on September 22, 2023, entitled, “Reassessing the risks and benefits of COVID-19 precautions in 2023.” The COVID-19 pandemic has killed over one million Americans with many dying during the Omicron wave. By now most Americans have either had COVID-19 and/or been vaccinated against it. Despite the availability of updated immunizations, only 16.7% of Americans are now up-to-date on bivalent ...

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4 P.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2023   MINNEAPOLIS – People with a higher cumulative estrogen exposure throughout their life may have a lower risk of cerebral small vessel disease, according to a new study published in the September 27, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Cerebral small vessel disease, a form of cerebrovascular disease, results from damage to small blood vessels in the brain. It raises the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia.   “Previous research has shown that rates of cerebrovascular disease increase after menopause, which is often attributed ...

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4 P.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2023   MINNEAPOLIS – Short-term exposure to air pollution may be linked to an increased risk of stroke, according to a meta-analysis published in the September 27, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Short-term exposure was defined as occurring within five days of the stroke. “Previous research has established a connection between long-term exposure to air pollution and an increased risk of stroke,” said study author Ahmad Toubasi, MD, of the University of Jordan in Amman. “However, the correlation between short-term ...

In two recent papers, Saint Louis University researchers report finding high concentrations of microplastics present in a Missouri cave system that had been closed to human visitors for 30 years. Elizabeth Hasenmueller, Ph.D., associate professor of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and associate director of the WATER Institute at SLU, and her team published findings in the journals, Science of the Total Environment and Water Research, finding significant microplastic levels in Cliff Cave in Saint Louis County, Missouri. The research, which originated from Hasenmueller’s research group and Karst Hydrology class, allowed students on the ...

An astounding 30% of Americans currently have metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD, which is formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD. And many are unaware that they have it. Over time, MASLD can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and even liver cancer. The disease is also associated with and might be caused by factors that contribute to obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease. “Many people are not aware that MASLD can also be a sign of another condition, like diabetes or cardiovascular disease,” said Elizabeth Speliotes, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., gastroenterologist at Michigan Medicine ...

Media contacts: Emily Gowdey-Backus, director of media relations, Emily_GowdeyBackus@uml.edu Nancy Cicco, assistant director of media relations, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu   Having worked with renewables for the last 15 years, and listening to the lofty goals political leaders make to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, UMass Lowell mechanical engineering Professor Christopher Niezrecki can tell you that as a state and a nation, we’re not on track. It’s not easy to wrap one’s head around the scale of the problem and even harder to come up with viable solutions. There is global scientific consensus that ...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $30 million in funding for three projects to increase scientific productivity and discoveries across DOE light source, neutron source, and high-performance computing and networking facilities. The DOE Office of Science provides researchers with access to the most advanced tools of modern science. The awarded projects are focused on developing the computational mathematics and scientific computing research needed to accelerate discovery and innovation at DOE’s X-ray and neutron source user facilities. “Scientific research is becoming ever more dependent on complex data ...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Major depressive disorder affects up to 50% of all individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) at some point during their lifetime and can lead to lower quality of life, greater disease progression and higher mortality. Patients enrolled in a phase 3 trial of an internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy program modified specifically for MS showed a large drop in depressive symptoms compared to a control group. The online program may offer an effective and easily accessible way to manage depression and lead to better quality of life for persons with ...

The University of North Florida has been awarded matching State legislative funding of nearly $800K based upon the School of Nursing's (SON) successful healthcare partnerships with Mayo Clinic, HCA Healthcare South Atlantic Division and Baptist Health.      The Florida legislative budget allowance and Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) Fund is contributing to nursing program enhancements including growing scholarships for UNF nursing students, opening the UNF MedNexus Deerwood Simulation Center, developing cohorts of undergraduate nursing students in the UNF accelerated prelicensure program and enhancing the UNF-HCA Simulation Center experience.      This ...

Most pregnant people in the U.S. are at risk of not getting enough of six nutrients important to a healthy pregnancy—vitamin A, vitamin D, folate, calcium, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids—from foods alone. Yet finding a combination of foods and supplements that delivers the right amounts of these nutrients without exceeding calorie recommendations or safety limits can be challenging. In a new study published in The Journal of Nutrition, researchers from NIH’s Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program wanted to find low-calorie, nutrient-rich foods that could boost nutrient intake, much like dietary supplements do. They calculated ...

Carnegie Mellon University has launched the WebAssembly Research Center to harness the potential of the open-source platform. The internet isn't just the internet anymore. Increasingly, users turn to the web to stream videos, play games, shop, edit photos, collaborate with colleagues and more. Those users expect the internet to work seamlessly on everything from a computer to a smartphone. To make that happen means juggling code in different languages written for different platforms. WebAssembly (Wasm) was created to do just that. "Ultimately, all software could one day run on WebAssembly," said Ben Titzer, director ...

Audio Scientists already know that the stress caused by racial discrimination is related to a host of chronic health conditions, but less is known about which types of discrimination are most harmful.    To answer that question, researchers at the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology surveyed 100 adolescents aged 13-19, who had obesity or who were overweight, about their experiences with institutional, peer, educational and cumulative discrimination.    They measured their salivary cortisol ...

Washington, DC (September 27, 2023) -- Personality traits and mental health problems are among the factors linked to erectile dysfunction (ED), a condition that affects up to 80% of men over the age of 60. But researchers often overlook these psychological causes and their treatments in favor of biological components of ED, according to a new article in Current Directions in Psychological Science.  In a review of existing research, Mark S. Allen, Alex M. Wood (Leeds Trinity University), and David Sheffield ...