LAS VEGAS – June, 27, 2023 – Patient eligibility for bariatric surgery, also called weight-loss or metabolic surgery, has expanded over the last decade and its safety and effectiveness even further established in clinical studies and professional guidelines, but relatively few patients with a body mass index (BMI) below 35 actually get the surgery in any given year, according to new studies presented here at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting. In one study*, University of Southern California (USC) researchers found only 3.5% of the more than one million bariatric ...

LAS VEGAS – June 27, 2023 – More than half of patients with diabetes and a history of metabolic surgery  (51%) experienced remission of their diabetes even if they did not achieve significant weight loss after surgery, according to a new study* presented here today at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting. Researchers from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, University of California San Francisco in Fresno, and Stony Brook University Medical Center in New York performed a multicenter retrospective study of patients with diabetes who underwent gastric ...

Copenhagen, Denmark: More women are having just one embryo transferred per cycle of fertility treatment to get pregnant, according to research presented at the 39th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) [1]. Preliminary data from the ESHRE European IVF-monitoring Consortium (EIM) [2] shows that nearly three in five (57.6%) out of all in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedures in 2020 in Europe involved the transfer ...

Copenhagen, Denmark: A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool can identify sperm in severely infertile men in seconds compared to the hours it takes scientists, according to results presented today (Tuesday) at the 39th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) [1].   The study authors say the algorithm they have developed brings hope to men who want a biological child but have no sperm in their semen.   Currently, these patients must undergo a procedure where a portion of their testes is removed to help them become fathers. Embryologists extract sperm manually from this biopsy sample to fertilise the partner’s eggs ...

Recurrent bouts of systemic lupus erythematosus, marked by the body’s immune system attack of its own tissues, closely tracked with measureable upticks in growth in the gut of a certain species of bacteria. New research from NYU Grossman School of Medicine shows that bacterial blooms of the gut bacterium Ruminococcus blautia gnavus occurred at the same time as disease flare-ups in five of 16 women with lupus of diverse racial backgrounds studied over a four-year period. Systemic lupus erythematosus involves damaging inflammation, especially in the kidneys, but also in joints, skin, and blood vessels. ...

EL PASO, Texas (June 27, 2023) ­– Step aside self-driving cars, self-driving boats are here — and they can do more than take you on a cruise.  Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso have constructed a fully autonomous boat that can carry out bathymetric surveys — surveys of the depth and terrain of bodies of water like oceans, rivers and lakes. The team hopes the robotic boat can help simplify the survey process, which usually takes a crew of individuals to complete, as well as assist ...

Researchers led by Katsunori Tanaka at the RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR) in Japan and Hiromitsu Haba at the RIKEN Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science (RNC) have developed a new technique that has the potential to generically treat several kinds of cancer, with fewer negative side effects than currently available methods. Published on June 27 in Chemical Science, the proof-of-concept study showed that tumors in mice grew almost three times less and survival was 100% after just one injection of a compound that is designed to emit small amounts of alpha radiation from the inside of cancer cells, thus killing them but sparing ...

In October, the excavation work for the superlative construction project began. What some consider an ideal ecological city, others call a promotional gimmick. Researchers from the Complexity Science Hub now show why The Line should not be a showcase for future cities.    "It's the embodiment of the dream to start from scratch and completely rethink a city," says  Rafael Prieto-Curiel, who researches cities at the Complexity Science Hub. The Line is planned to be a city built from nothing in the desert. It is to consist of two gigantic, unbroken rows of skyscrapers, with living space in between. 170 kilometers long. 200 meters wide. 500 meters high, higher ...

Magnetotactic bacteria, which can align with the Earth’s magnetic field, have been discovered in a new location. Previously observed on land and in shallow water, analysis of a hydrothermal vent has proven that they can also survive deep under the ocean. The bacteria were able to exist in an environment that was not ideal for their typical needs. Magnetotactic bacteria are of interest not only for the role they play in Earth’s ecosystem, but also in the search for extraterrestrial life. Evidence of their existence can remain in rocks for billions of years. Their magnetic inclinations can also provide ...

June 27, 2023, the University of Copenhagen is excited to reveal the speakers, program and travel grants for the 10th Aging Research & Drug Discovery Meeting, the World's Largest Conference on Aging Research in the biopharmaceutical industry that will transpire on August 28 - September 1, 2023 on-site at the Ceremonial Hall, University of Copenhagen, and online. According to the United Nations, the proportion of people aged over 65 now outnumber children younger than 5. The enormous growth in the elderly population is posing a socioeconomic challenge to societies worldwide, and necessitates new sweeping interventions for age-associated ...

Osaka, Japan – Many commercial products such as food, cosmetics, and inks contain cellulose nanofiber (CNF) as a thickening agent. However, CNFs have some limitations that prevent their more widespread use. Now, researchers from Osaka University have demonstrated a method of dehydrating CNFs to a dense powder without affecting their three key properties. Their findings are published in Macromolecular Rapid Communications. Video for your easy understanding https://youtu.be/PAEd36v_SjI  CNFs are a popular thickening agent because small amounts in water have high transparency, high viscosity, and the viscosity ...

Orlando, Fla., June 27, 2023 – Hand hygiene is the simplest, most effective way to prevent the spread of infections in healthcare, yet healthcare worker adherence is often low. Infection preventionists at two health systems will present their successful hand hygiene interventions at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology’s (APIC’s) Annual Conference in Orlando Florida, June 26-28.   University of Michigan Health sustains 95% hospital-wide hand hygiene compliance through creation ...

ARLINGTON, Va. (June 27, 2023) — A group of five medical organizations have released updated recommendations for the prevention of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, known as MRSA, transmission and infection. MRSA causes approximately 10% of hospital-associated infections in the United States and such infections are associated with an increased risk of death. Certain infections caused by MRSA rose by as much as 41% during the pandemic after falling in preceding years. Strategies to Prevent Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Transmission and Infection in Acute Care Hospitals provides evidence-based, ...

Computer scientists at the University of Waterloo have discovered a method of attack that can successfully bypass voice authentication security systems with up to a 99% success rate after only six tries.  Voice authentication – which allows companies to verify the identity of their clients via a supposedly unique “voiceprint” – has increasingly been used in remote banking, call centers and other security-critical scenarios.  “When enrolling in voice authentication, ...

Prof. Okujima, in collaboration with Prof. Kobayashi at Shinshu University, reported the synthesis, molecular structure, optical properties and electronic structure of unusual phenanthrene-fused porphyrins. Precursor porphyrins fused with aryl-substituted bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene afforded the corresponding arylbenzoporphyrins (arylBPs) by retro Diels–Alder reaction. Unusual phenanthroporphyrins were obtained via the intramolecular Scholl reaction of arylBPs. We analyzed the optical and electronic structures using magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy and time-dependent density functional theory calculations. Our ...

The study is led by Ligang Feng (School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University).   The rapid development of the economy driven by the large consummation of traditional fossil fuels is not sustainable, and global attention is shifted to the utilization of renewable energy sources, and biomass fuels. Methanol is considered a good biomass fuel to realize energy storage and conversion, which is convenient for storage and transportation; more importantly, it is much safer than other fuels such as gasoline, diesel, and natural gas. In addition, it can be prepared with wide sources in low-cost and ...

Diamond has long been the go-to material for quantum sensing due to its coherent nitrogen-vacancy centres, controllable spin, sensitivity to magnetic fields, and ability to be used at room temperature. With such a suitable material so easy to fabricate and scale, there’s been little interest in exploring diamond alternatives. But this GOAT of the quantum world has one Achilles Heel… It’s too big. Just as an NFL linebacker is not the best sportsperson to ride in the Kentucky Derby, diamond is not an ideal material when exploring quantum sensors and information processing. ...

Chicago, Illinois (Embargoed until 3:45 p.m. CDT, Tuesday, June 27, 2023)—By monitoring early-response biomarkers in men undergoing 177Lu-PSMA prostate cancer treatment, physicians can personalize dosing intervals, significantly improving patient outcomes. In a study presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2023 Annual Meeting, early stratification with 177Lu-SPECT/CT allowed men responding to treatment to take a “treatment holiday” and allowed those not responding the option to switch to another treatment.  Approved by the U.S. Food ...

Chicago, Illinois (Embargoed until 4:05 p.m. CDT, Tuesday, June 27, 2023)—A new computational technique that combines genomic and tau PET imaging data promises a more personalized approach for subtyping Alzheimer’s disease. Based on a novel clustering framework using sparse canonical correlation analysis (SCCA), the integrated approach was successful in identifying four subtypes of Alzheimer’s disease and the top genes associated with each. This research was presented at the 2023 Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Annual ...

From the 20-foot-long jawbones of the filter-feeding blue whale to the short, but bone-crushing, jaws of the hyena and the delicate chin bones of a human, the pair of lower jawbones characteristic of mammals have evolved with amazing variation. But at first glance, having a single bone on each side of the head — which creates a stiff lower jaw, or mandible — doesn't appear to give mammals an advantage over other vertebrates, which have at least two and as many as 11 bones comprising each side of the lower jaw. Crocodiles, for example, have an edge over hyenas when it comes to their bite strength relative to ...

MIAMI, FLORIDA (June 27, 2023) – Cancer patients with unmet supportive care needs are more likely to experience worse clinical outcomes, including more emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations, according to new research from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The study, published June 21 in JAMA Network Open, also found that Black race, Hispanic ethnicity and factors such as anxiety, depression, pain, poor physical function and low health-related quality-of-life ...

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Diabetes is a progressive disease that affects one’s ability to control blood sugar levels. For many patients, the condition becomes more severe over time and blood sugar levels grow more difficult to manage. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, such as semaglutide, have granted patients more control in lowering of blood sugar. John Buse, MD, PhD, the Verne S. Caviness Distinguished Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, and an international team of researchers have presented new findings about new higher-dose formulations ...

The age of those who are distressed because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity—known as gender dysphoria—has been steadily falling, reveals research published in the open access journal General Psychiatry. And it’s lower for those assigned female sex at birth than those assigned male, the findings indicate. Recent studies suggest that gender dysphoria is becoming more common, particularly among those assigned female sex at birth. But these studies have been hampered by small sample sizes, short monitoring periods, or outdated datasets.  In a bid to get round these limitations, the researchers drew on data submitted ...

The role of mediation in preventing disputes between parents and doctors about a seriously ill child’s medical treatment from escalating to litigation may be more limited than hoped for, suggests an analysis of rulings, published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. It might have avoided only just under half of these published court cases heard since 1990 in England and Wales, the analysis suggests. Contested medical treatment decisions for children litigated in the courts of England and Wales may be on the rise, say the researchers.   While 10 and 11 such ...

Governments and companies planning to pursue the circular economy need to involve scientists more directly, states a new report published by the International Society for Industrial Ecology, and led by UCL’s Dr Stijn van Ewijk. The report, published today, draws attention to the weight of relevant expertise found in the field of industrial ecology, a discipline that has been focusing on the minimisation of waste, predicting the impacts of new products, and designing environmentally friendly systems for decades.  The ...