WASHINGTON – Many people around the world believe in karma – that idea that divine justice will punish people who do bad deeds and reward those who good. But that belief plays out differently for oneself versus others, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. People are more likely to believe that they’ve earned good things in their own life through karmic merit, while bad things that happen to other people are due to karmic punishment, according ...

Washington, D.C. – May 1, 2025 – Analyses from the (Ergonomics in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (ERGO-CATH) study show the traditional approach using a lead apron causes 43% of interventional cardiologists to experience discomfort, building on existing consensus of the significant occupational health risks that exist in the catheterization (cath) lab. The data were presented today at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 2025 Scientific Sessions in Washington, D.C. The cath lab is a designated ...

Washington, D.C. – MAY 1, 2025 – Findings from the Transfusion Requirements in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TRITAVI) registry demonstrate that single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is associated with a significantly lower incidence of six-month mortality and major bleeding risk compared to dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). The late-breaking data were presented today at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 2025 Scientific Sessions. The current standard of care following TAVR is SAPT, which involves the use of only one ...

Press Contacts: Gavin Stern gstern@scai.org, 202-644-8561 Annika Parrish  aparrish@brgcommunications.com, 703-793-8356    WOMEN AND BLACK PATIENTS FACE HIGHER RISKS AND UNEQUAL ACCESS IN ADVANCED CARDIOVASCULAR PROCEDURES   Women Experience Higher Risk of Serious Cardiovascular Events After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation and Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Device Placement Black Patients with Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia Almost 50% More Likely to Require Major Amputation Yet 10% ...

Fukuoka, Japan—The duplication and division of cells is critical to keeping all multicellular organisms alive. But the opposite process is equally important: cell death. Controlled death of cells, or programmed cell death, is also necessary for the proper development and function of the body. It has also been a focus of researchers developing treatments for cancer by finding ways to activate the cell death of cancer cells themselves. Ferroptosis is a recently discovered form of programmed cell death and has been a promising target for the ...

Washington, D.C. – MAY 1, 2025 – In patients undergoing chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), stenting demonstrated improved long-term survival and fewer cardiac arrests at one year. The late-breaking data were presented today at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 2025 Scientific Sessions. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease and a leading cause of death worldwide. CTO PCI is a minimally invasive procedure to treat CAD by reopening blocked arteries with a catheter and stent. CTO PCI is a ...

Washington, D.C. – MAY 1, 2025 – The first study evaluating Medicare patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) demonstrated good safety outcomes, such as mortality and adverse event rates at 30 days, compared to outpatient hospital departments, but were less likely to use certain technologies. The late-breaking data were presented today at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 2025 Scientific Sessions. Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are non-hospital facilities that provide same-day surgical or procedural ...

Background and Aims Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), is the most common form of chronic liver disease worldwide. This study aimed to explore the role of TM6SF2 in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced MASLD through the gut-liver axis. Methods The TM6SF2 gut-specific knockout (TM6SF2 GKO) mouse was constructed using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. TM6SF2 GKO and wild-type (CON) mice were fed either a HFD or a control diet for 16 weeks to induce MASLD. Blood, liver, and intestinal lipid content, as well as gut microbiota and serum metabolites, were then analyzed. Results TM6SF2 GKO ...

Washington, D.C. – MAY 1, 2025 – In one of the largest studies of early cardiogenic shock (CS) patients, where blood flow is still functioning to vital organs, researchers demonstrated that 26% experienced worse outcomes, including care escalation, CS deterioration, or in-hospital mortality. The data were presented today as late-breaking clinical research at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 2025 Scientific Sessions. CS is a life-threatening condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. As a result, your blood pressure may suddenly drop to dangerous levels, and if CS isn’t diagnosed and treated ...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A clinical trial is underway to assess the effectiveness and safety of sipavibart, AstraZeneca’s long-acting monoclonal antibody designed to provide protection against Covid-19, as a potential treatment for Long Covid, the Nova Southeastern University (NSU) and the Schmidt Initiative for Long Covid (SILC) announced today.  With funding from SILC, NSU researchers led by Dr. Nancy Klimas are enrolling 100 patients in the multi-year study with the goal of improving their Long Covid symptoms and restoring them to full health.   “Like ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A new study shows how damaging it can be for college students in introductory STEM classes to compare how hard they work to the extent of effort put in by their peers.   Researchers studied students in an introductory chemistry class, one of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields. They found that those who thought they had to work harder than others in class were less likely to believe they had the ability to succeed in science.   This focus on comparative effort was bad for both men and women in the class. But women showed positive effects of thinking they tried hard in the class ...

For years, estrogens were known as the reproductive hormones produced by the ovaries, but recent discoveries reveal that these hormones are also synthesized in the brain through an enzyme called aromatase. This brain-specific version of estrogen is called neuroestrogen, and while its presence has been known, its precise function remained unclear—until now. Researchers from Fujita Health University reveal a groundbreaking discovery suggesting the direct role of neuroestrogen in appetite regulation. “It is well known that MC4R (melanocortin-4 receptor) is an important receptor in the brain that regulates food intake,” explains lead author Takanori Hayashi, Associate Professor ...

Could it be possible to diagnose Parkinson's disease with the help of a simple retinal exam? The idea should be seriously considered, according to a study published in the May issue of Neurobiology of Disease by researchers from Université Laval who discovered that the retina of people with Parkinson's disease responds differently to light stimuli than that of healthy people. Parkinson's disease is usually diagnosed when a person consults a doctor because of motor problems such as tremors. “By then, the disease has been present for several ...

Scientists have for the first time provided insight into how bomb residue transfers to the hands of suspects, which could lead to stronger evidence in court. The study, which was led by a team from King’s College London and published today in the journal Science & Justice, investigated how explosive materials commonly found in pipe bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) transferred to the palms and fingers of individuals who handled them. The researchers learned that the amount that was handled and the unique characteristics of the handler were important determining factors. Surprisingly, ...

Parenting in the hospital is stressful. Moms and dads naturally focus on their ill child, sometimes to the neglect of their own mental health. A Stanford Medicine team has found an effective way to help: Using a virtual reality headset, parents of inpatients at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford can participate in a short, guided meditation that helps them relax and build healthy coping skills. The VR-guided meditation reduced parental anxiety by about 30% in a study that was published recently in the Journal of Patient Experience. It was especially helpful for Spanish-speaking families, ...

Whether they’re counting on Medicare to pay for something it doesn’t currently pay for, thinking they can deal with the issue later, or thinking they won’t need it at all, a new poll reveals major gaps in knowledge and preparation regarding long-term care among Americans aged 50 and over. Nearly two-thirds (62%) believe Medicare would pay for their care if they needed to permanently move into a nursing home. But Medicare generally doesn’t cover this kind of care. It also doesn’t pay family caregivers to take care of someone at home. The poll also asked about Medicaid, which ...

PITTSBURGH, May 1, 2025 – University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine scientists are one step closer to developing a brain-computer interface, or BCI, that allows people with tetraplegia to restore their lost sense of touch.  While exploring a digitally represented object through their artificially created sense of touch, users described the warm fur of a purring cat, the smooth rigid surface of a door key and cool roundness of an apple. This research, a collaboration between Pitt and the University of Chicago, ...

New York, NY — A study led by researchers at the Columbia Butler Aging Center and the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health has unveiled a groundbreaking framework for rethinking political decision-making—drawing inspiration from how the human body maintains stability and health. The findings are published in the npj Complexity, a Springer Nature publication. By using simulations modeled after physiological systems, the researchers explored how networked structures of decision-makers can be designed ...

When a fruit fly is navigating straight forward at high speed, why does it know that it’s not straying off course? Because as long as the fly moves directly forward, the visual scene shifts from front to back in a near-perfect mirror image across both retinas – generating, in other words, a symmetrical visual motion pattern. This pattern, known as “optic flow”, provides a powerful cue for detecting self-motion and maintaining direction. Moreover, at high speeds, as soon as the fly starts deviating ...

The intensification of existing farmland can sometimes be more harmful to local biodiversity than expanding the area covered by agricultural land, finds a new study led by University College London (UCL) researchers. They showed that neither expansion nor intensification is consistently better for biodiversity, as it varies by factors including region, crop type and local vegetation. The findings, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, challenge the conventional wisdom in favour of intensification, that encourages farmers to improve the productivity of existing farmland with techniques such as increased fertiliser and pesticide use. Lead author Dr Silvia ...

Vaccines save millions of lives every year, but there is still an urgent need for more efficient vaccines. Strategies to combat serious outbreaks of viral infections are particularly important. Such infections are initiated at mucosal surfaces, where there is a close association between polarized epithelial cells and immune effector cells. However, vaccines are usually given intramuscularly or subcutaneously, and often do not provide sufficient protection at the actual site of infection. In the current paper, the laboratory ...

A UNSW Sydney mathematician has discovered a new method to tackle algebra’s oldest challenge – solving higher polynomial equations. Polynomials are equations involving a variable raised to powers, such as the degree two polynomial: 1+ 4x - 3x2 = 0. The equations are fundamental to maths as well as science, where they have broad applications, like helping describe the movement of planets or writing computer programs. However, a general method for solving ‘higher order’ polynomial equations, where x is raised to the power of five or higher, has historically proven elusive. Now, UNSW Honorary ...

A new lifecycle study published in IOP Publishing’s journal Sustainability Science and Technology has discovered a promising alternative to plastic sanitary products, potentially leading to far reduced sanitary waste. Sanitary pads made with cornstarch are 17 times more environmentally friendly compared to plastic equivalents. The high concentration of plastic in disposable products is a direct threat to the environment. An estimated 200,000 tonnes of sanitary products are disposed of every year, and the vast majority of them end up in the ocean. Key statistics: Sanitary pads made with cornstarch are 17 times more environmentally ...

Mountain regions are hotspots of biodiversity and represent some of the most species-rich habitats overall. However, these diverse ecosystems are being rapidly transformed by global change. Over the past five decades, rising temperatures and changes in land use at high altitudes have encouraged the growth and spread of highly competitive plants such as shrubs and trees – a process known as “mountain greening.” The specialized and often low-growing species of open grassland habitats are being pushed back as a result. Sideritis, a characteristic ...

Plasma-activated medium (PAM) shows tumor-fighting effects against the rare form of cancer known as synovial sarcoma, an Osaka Metropolitan University-led research team has found. The group irradiated a mammalian cell culture medium with non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma to produce PAM and conducted in vitro tests using human cells and in vivo tests using mice with this type of soft tissue sarcoma. Graduate School of Medicine student Hana Yao, Associate Professor Hiromitsu Toyoda, and Professor Hiroaki Nakamura, and Graduate School of Engineering Professor Jun-Seok Oh were part ...