he most common type of lung fibrosis — scarring of the lungs -- is idiopathic, meaning of unknown cause.  Researchers are urgently trying to find ways to prevent or slow idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and related lung conditions, which can cause worsening shortness of breath, dry cough, and extreme fatigue. Average survival following diagnosis of IPF is just three to five years, and the disease has no cure. A recent U-M study from a team led by Sean Fortier, M.D. and Marc Peters-Golden, M.D. of the Division ...

An international group of scientists, co-led by researcher Ariadna Mechó of the Barcelona Supercomputing Center - Centro Nacional de Supercomputación (BSC-CNS), observed 160 species on seamounts off the coast of Chile that had not yet been known to live in the region and suspect that at least 50 of these species are new to science. The recent Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition to the underwater mountains of the Salas y Gómez Ridge, a remote and underexplored area that stretches from ...

CLEVELAND – Since the Cleveland Innovation District launched in 2021, the founding institutions have made significant progress, including exceeding many of the targets set by the Ohio Department of Development and JobsOhio. Collectively, the institutions participating in this $500 million public-private initiative have created more than 2,600 jobs, spent nearly  $1.2 billion on research and innovation, commenced construction of two new research facilities, created dedicated research space comprising more than 550,000 square feet, and awarded more than 7,300 degrees and certificates to support workforce development. “The Cleveland Innovation District’s progress ...

WASHINGTON (April 12, 2024) – A third of the nearly 20 million women who participated in a national health survey report migraines during menstruation, and of them, 11.8 million, or 52.5%, were premenopausal. The analysis was conducted by researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center and Pfizer, Inc., which makes a migraine medication.  Because of  the underuse of medications to help treat or prevent menstrual migraines, investigators wanted to understand how common menstrual migraines were and which groups of women could most benefit from potential therapies. The study will be presented April 16, at the American Academy of Neurology ...

HOUSTON ― The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention. These advances are made possible through seamless collaboration between MD Anderson’s world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back. Recent developments at MD Anderson offer insights into a combination strategy to improve immunotherapy responses, promising trial results for patients with tumors harboring BRAF mutations, a maintenance strategy for patients with acute myeloid leukemia following chemotherapy, a strategy ...

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., is pleased that Barbara Mazzolai, PhD, has been appointed the new Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the bimonthly journal Soft Robotics. Dr. Mazzolai joins Barry Trimmer, PhD, as part of the executive editorial team for the journal. Soft Robotics is the leading robotics journal devoted to the emerging technologies and developments of soft and deformable robots.  The journal’s coverage includes flexible electronics, materials science, computer science, and biomechanics. The journal breaks new ground as the first to answer the urgent need for research on robotic technology that can safely ...

Wiley, one of the world’s largest publishers and a global leader in research and learning, today announced the 2024 release of the Mass Spectra of Designer Drugs. This indispensable spectral database serves as a cornerstone for forensic laboratories worldwide, enabling swift identification of illicit substances. Sourced from both legal and underground literature, it provides access to the latest novel psychoactive substances (NPS) like variants of fentanyl, xylazine, various opioids, synthetic cannabinoids, and more. This annually refreshed database provides access to 35,094 mass spectra representing 26,712 unique ...

By Ann Kellett, Texas A&M University School of Public Health Freestanding emergency departments (EDs) — either satellite branches of hospitals or independently operated facilities — have popped up across the country. Texas has the most, with 338 freestanding EDs as of May 2023, and these facilities handle nearly one quarter of all emergency department visits in the state. Now, a new study from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health is the first to compare the characteristics of visits to freestanding EDs with visits to traditional hospital-based ...

University of Cincinnati researchers will present abstracts at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting 2024, April 13-18 in Denver, Colorado. Two-component treatment leads to improvement for patients Late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) is a rare, inherited genetic disease caused by the accumulation of glycogen, the body’s stored form of glucose, in muscles and other organs. Left untreated, the muscle weakness it causes can lead to the loss of the ability to walk and breathing impairment. A research team led by UC’s ...

Chimpanzees and bonobos are often thought to reflect two different sides of human nature—the conflict-ready chimpanzee versus the peaceful bonobo—but a new study publishing April 12 in the journal Current Biology shows that, within their own communities, male bonobos are more frequently aggressive than male chimpanzees. For both species, more aggressive males had more mating opportunities. “Chimpanzees and bonobos use aggression in different ways for specific reasons,” says anthropologist and lead author Maud Mouginot of Boston University. “The idea is not to invalidate the ...

A deep dive into macroalgae genetics has uncovered the genetic underpinnings that enabled macroalgae, or “seaweed,” to evolve multicellularity. Three lineages of macroalgae developed multicellularity independently and during very different time periods by acquiring genes that enable cell adhesion, extracellular matrix formation, and cell differentiation, researchers report April 12 in the journal Molecular Plant. Surprisingly, many of these multicellular-enabling genes had viral origins. The study, which increased the total number of sequenced macroalgal genomes from 14 to 124, is the first to investigate ...

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. With global incidence rates rising, new, more effective treatments are necessary to alleviate the health burden of the disease. Important advances in recent years include doctors using genetic tests to look for specific mutations they can target for more personalised, effective treatment. Around 1 in 2 melanoma patients will have mutations in the BRAF gene. This gene normally makes a protein which helps control cell growth, but mutations can cause the cells to grow and divide uncontrollably instead, happening in many different types of cancer including ...

It is one of the world’s most spectacular sights – huge flocks or “flamboyances” of flamingos around East Africa’s lakes – as seen in the film Out of Africa or David Attenborough’s A Perfect Planet. But new research led by King’s College London has revealed how the lesser flamingo is at danger of being flushed out of its historic feeding grounds, with serious consequences for the future of the species. For the first time satellite earth observation data has been used to study all the key flamingo feeding lakes in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania over two decades and it identified how rising ...

About The Study: In this study of National Immunization Survey–Child data, improvements in vaccination timeliness were observed from the 2011 to the 2021 survey. However, widening disparities by socioeconomic indicators signal that increased efforts to facilitate timely vaccination among children in lower-income families are needed.  Authors: Sophia R. Newcomer, Ph.D., M.P.H., of the University of Montana, Missoula, is the corresponding author.  To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this ...

About The Study: Researchers observed an abrupt increase in permanent contraception procedures among adults ages 18 to 30 following Dobbs. The increase in procedures for female patients was double that for male patients. These patterns offer insights into the gendered dynamics of permanent contraceptive use and may reflect the disproportionate health, social, and economic consequences of compulsory pregnancy on women and people with the capacity to become pregnant.  Authors: Jacqueline E. Ellison, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website ...

About The Study: The results of this study suggest that endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is cost saving compared with semaglutide in the treatment of class II obesity. On price threshold analyses, a 3-fold decrease in the price of semaglutide is needed to achieve nondominance.  Authors: Christopher C. Thompson, M.D., M.Sc., of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, is the corresponding author.  To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/  (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.6221) Editor’s Note: Please ...

The first study to evaluate the effect of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling on permanent contraception procedures among young adults nationwide was published today in a JAMA Health Forum research letter. The study, authored by policy researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health and Boston University, underscores how the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling changed preferences for permanent contraception among people ages 18 to 30, who are more likely to have abortions and are also more likely to experience sterilization regret compared to people over 30. The study is also the first to assess how the Dobbs ruling ...

Approximately one in seven couples face difficulties conceiving a child naturally. Half of these cases are due to male infertility – either caused by the complete absence or low number of mature sperm. In today’s clinical practice, over half of these cases remain unexplained, hindering optimal counselling, treatment, and prevention of potential comorbidities. Known genetic factors account for ~10% of male infertility; however, it is believed that a large portion of unexplained cases of spermatogenic failure are caused by genetic defects that ...

In cellular biology, unraveling the complexities of cellular function at the molecular level remains a paramount endeavor. Significant scientific focus has been placed on understanding the interactions at organelle contact sites, especially between mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). These sites are critical hubs for the exchange of essential biomolecules, such as lipids and calcium, which are vital for maintaining cellular homeostasis. Disruptions in this inter-organelle communication are implicated in the onset ...

A fleeting visit of the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission to Venus has revealed surprising insights into how gases are stripped away from the upper layers of the planet’s atmosphere.  Detections in a previously unexplored region of Venus’s magnetic environment show that carbon and oxygen are being accelerated to speeds where they can escape the planet’s gravitational pull. The results have been published today in the journal Nature Astronomy. Lina Hadid, CNRS researcher at the Plasma Physics Laboratory (LPP) and lead author of the study said: “This is the first time ...

Vancouver, BC – The International Neuromodulation Society (INS) announces its 16th Scientific World Congress in the breathtaking city of Vancouver, Canada, from May 11-16, 2024. This event, "Neuromodulation: Harnessing the Power of the Nervous System," is set to gather over 1,500 experts from over 40 countries –– with researchers presenting more than 460 abstracts –– all dedicated to advancing research, clinical application, and development in the field of neuromodulation.  This multidisciplinary program will draw clinicians, engineers, scientists, post-doctoral fellows, current students, and device manufacturers, and attendees ...

The IOF Committee of Scientific Advisors (CSA) Medal of Achievement has been presented to Dr Patricia Clark at the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis & Musculoskeletal Diseases (WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2024), being held in London, UK from April 11-14, 2024. The CSA Medal of Achievement honours individuals who have significantly advanced the field of osteoporosis through their original and outstanding scientific contributions, and whose work has helped to increase understanding and awareness of osteoporosis. Candidates are nominated by members ...

Today, the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO) and the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) have awarded the ESCEO-IOF Pierre Delmas Medal to Professor Claudia Campusano, MD, MSc., Professor of Medicine and Endocrinology at the Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de los Andes in Santiago, Chile.  The ESCEO-IOF Pierre Delmas Medal was presented at the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases, taking place in London, UK from April 11 to 14, 2024. The award recognizes a researcher who has made outstanding ...

The design and development of novel materials with superior properties demands a comprehensive analysis of their atomic and electronic structures. Electron energy parameters such as ionization potential (IP), the energy needed to remove an electron from the valence band maximum, and electron affinity (EA), the amount of energy released upon the attachment of an electron to the conduction band minimum, reveal important information about the electronic band structure of surfaces of semiconductors, insulators, and dielectrics. The accurate ...

Scientists have discovered that a type of fat accumulates as tissue ages and that this accumulation can be reversed through exercise. Researchers from Amsterdam UMC, together with colleagues from Maastricht UMC+, analysed both mice and human tissue before and after exercise allowing them to draw this conclusion. The results are published today in Nature Aging.   "The idea that we could reverse aging is something that was long considered science fiction, but these findings do allow us to understand a lot more about the ...