The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is conducting a research study that will look at whether calcium, vasopressin, or both early in the course of treatment would help severely injured patients that lose a lot of blood survive their injuries. The CAlcium and VAsopressin following Injury Early Resuscitation (CAVALIER) trial will include approximately 1,050 people aged 18 to 90. Patients who have traumatic injuries with loss of blood may be enrolled by participating emergency medical personnel during their transportation to the hospital or after arrival to University Medical Center Hospital. CAVALIER is an Exception from Informed Consent (EFIC) trial, meaning that, the trial ...

NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Who, or rather what, will be the next top model?  Data scientists and developers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility are trying to find out, exploring some of the latest artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to help make high-performance computers more reliable and less costly to run. The models in this case are artificial neural networks trained to monitor and predict the behavior of a scientific computing cluster, where torrents of numbers are constantly crunched. The goal is to help system administrators quickly identify and ...

DALLAS, Feb. 28, 2025  — Cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects Black communities, with more than 57% of non-Hispanic Black adults living with some form of the disease. To drive solutions that address these disparities, the American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health for all, launched the Heart of Innovation HBCU Challenge to empower the next generation of health tech entrepreneurs from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). On Monday, Shadrach ...

A recent study published in the journal Engineering delves into the complex world of assessing the transmission risk of infectious diseases in indoor spaces. With the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding how to accurately evaluate the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) has become crucial. Governments worldwide implemented NPIs to control the spread of COVID-19. Many studies used simulations to measure the risk of infection transmission before and after implementing these measures. However, the choice of metric to quantify ...

Researchers have unveiled a groundbreaking AI-driven approach to improve the early diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder by analyzing micro-expressions in movies. Micro-expressions, which are fleeting facial movements that reveal hidden emotions, are particularly challenging to detect in individuals with ASD. By employing the Cinemetrics method, the team successfully extracted micro-expressions from films featuring ASD patients and utilized an enhanced YOLOv8-SMART algorithm for precise detection. This advanced model significantly outperformed existing methods, achieving remarkable ...

A new study published in Engineering presents a novel framework that combines machine learning (ML) and blockchain technology (BT) to enhance computational security in engineering. The framework, named Machine Learning on Blockchain (MLOB), aims to address the limitations of existing ML-BT integration solutions that primarily focus on data security while overlooking computational security. ML has been widely used in engineering to solve complex problems, offering high accuracy and efficiency. However, it faces security threats such as data tampering and ...

A new review article published in Engineering offers a comprehensive look at vacuum glazing, a technology that shows great potential in enhancing energy efficiency in buildings. As buildings account for around 40% of society’s total energy consumption, improving the thermal performance of glazing is crucial for achieving low-carbon building goals. Vacuum glazing has gained attention for its heat preservation, sound insulation, lightweight features, and anti-condensation properties. The concept dates back to 1913, but it was not until 1989 that researchers in Australia successfully produced vacuum glazing with excellent thermal insulation performance. Since then, significant ...

About The Study: In this study, differences in out-of-pocket maternity spending among the commercially insured were associated with differences in coinsurance rates. These costs could lead people to forgo needed health care or other basic needs that support health (e.g., food or housing). Changes to health plan benefit design could improve equity in out-of-pocket maternity spending and its consequences. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Anna D. Sinaiko, PhD, MPP, email asinaiko@hsph.harvard.edu. To access the embargoed study: ...

COLLEGE PARK, MD – A new study out today in JAMA Health Forum is the first to show that Black, Hispanic and Asian people with private insurance tend to pay more out-of-pocket for maternity care than white people.  “The average additional spending on medical care from pregnancy through postpartum paid by people who are Black, Hispanic and Asian is significantly more than white people,” said Dr. Rebecca Gourevitch, the study’s lead author and an assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the University of Maryland School of Public Health (UMD SPH).  “We found that out-of-pocket costs were highest ...

About The Study: During the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity decreased among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants in most racial and ethnic groups but did not decrease among non-SNAP participants in any group. These results suggest that during the pandemic, increased SNAP benefit amounts were associated with ameliorating food insecurity for many U.S. adults who were able to access SNAP but did not reduce racial and ethnic disparities in food insecurity. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Yingfei Wu, MD, MPH, email yingfeiwu322@gmail.com. To ...

On February 7, 2025, the U.S. National Institutes of Health announced a decision to cap indirect cost reimbursement—which supports the critical infrastructure and staff that make biomedical research possible—at 15%. In a commentary published February 28 in the Cell Press journal Cell, molecular biologist Tom Maniatis of the New York Genome Center (NYGC) and Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute reflects on the impact NIH funding has had on his own career and science, explores the value indirect investment has brought to U.S. science over the last five decades, and calls for urgent, unified action from the scientific community ...

Despite ongoing progress, structural racism and health disparities continue to shape healthcare practices in ways healthcare providers may not even realize. A recent study in JAMA Network Open, published Feb. 28, 2025, shows that continued use of race-specific equations in the diagnostic process of children with asthma symptoms limits the identification of reduced lung function in Black children. “This finding is important because when these children are not identified as having reduced lung function, they may not receive further testing. This can lead to under-diagnosis, ...

Hepatic steatosis, often triggered by non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a leading cause of liver dysfunction globally, affecting approximately 30% of the population. The progression from steatosis to hepatic fibrosis, which may ultimately lead to cirrhosis, is a significant concern in liver disease management. This review highlights the critical role of solute carrier (SLC) family transporters in both hepatic steatosis and fibrosis. SLC transporters are membrane-bound proteins responsible for transporting a variety of molecules, including fatty acids, ...

Scientists have a new target to prevent cold sores after University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers discovered an unexpected way the herpes virus re-activates in the body. The finding could also have important implications for genital herpes caused by the same virus. The discovery from UVA’s Anna Cliffe, PhD, and colleagues seems to defy common sense. She and her team found that the slumbering herpes virus will make a protein to trigger the body’s immune response as part of its escape from dormancy. You’d think this would be bad for the virus – that activating the body’s ...

Glenview, Illinois – The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), the PF Warriors, the Rare Disease Diversity Coalition (RDDC)—a program at the Black Woman's Health Imperative—and the National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW) announce their collaboration to address idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) as a chronic disease on Rare Disease Day 2025. Together, the organizations will employ designated activities that will build a knowledge base on the current IPF landscape ...

The study, which examined 121 babies aged three to twelve months in Accra, the capital of Ghana, demonstrates a remarkable variety of language input in the early months of life. The children are regularly exposed to two to six languages. Strikingly, the number of caregivers the children have also ranges between two and six, and babies who have more adults in their daily lives who regularly take care of them also hear more different languages. In Ghana, families often live in so-called “compound buildings”, where many ...

Virginia Tech is spearheading a research coalition to reveal the untapped potential of the greater Appalachian Mountains region. This coalition aims to accelerate the identification and characterization of unconventional critical mineral resources throughout the area. It brings together academic institutions, research laboratories, federal and state natural resource offices, and consultancies, all collaborating with the end goal of boosting regional economic growth and creating new jobs. The research team, led by Richard Bishop, professor of practice in ...

A recent study published in Engineering delves into the behavior of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) and Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) under thermocyclic loading. This research, conducted by Ju-Hyung Kim and Yail J. Kim, aims to understand the effects of multi-hazard loading on these strengthened structures, which is crucial for the maintenance and rehabilitation of existing buildings. Multi-hazards, such as the combination of seismic events and high temperatures, pose ...

Paul Armsworth, Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has received a 2025 Southeastern Conference Faculty Achievement Award for excellence in teaching, research and service. He and the 15 other recipients this year — one from each SEC member university — are now nominated for the SEC Professor of the Year Award, which will be announced later in the spring. “I am thrilled to receive this recognition, but it is also very humbling to be celebrated in this ...

A recent study published in Engineering presents a groundbreaking method for comprehensively evaluating the performance of aeroengines, the crucial components powering aircraft. Authored by Shubin Si and other researchers from esteemed institutions in China, this research addresses long-standing challenges in aeroengine performance assessment. Aeroengines are complex systems, and their performance directly impacts flight safety and efficiency. Traditional evaluation methods, such as airlines relying on single-parameter indicators like exhaust gas temperature or manufacturers conducting ...

A study led by UMass Chan researchers demonstrated that a gene therapy to correct a mutation that causes maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) prevented newborn death, normalized growth, restored coordinated expression of the affected genes and stabilized biomarkers in a calf as well as in mice.  “Simply put, we believe the gene therapy demonstrated in both animal species, especially in the cow, very well showcases the therapeutic potential for MSUD, in part because the diseased cow, without treatment, has a very similar metabolic profile as the patients,” said Dan Wang, PhD, assistant ...

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a significant concern in clinical practice, arising from medications, herbs, and dietary supplements. It can manifest in different forms, including hepatocellular, cholestatic, and mixed types, each associated with specific liver enzyme abnormalities and histological injury patterns. Hepatocellular DILI is characterized by inflammation, necrosis, and apoptosis, while cholestatic DILI involves bile plug formation and bile duct paucity. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a widely used treatment for cholestatic liver diseases, has recently been investigated for its potential therapeutic effects ...

Hepatic biliary adenofibroma (BAF) is a rare benign bile duct neoplasm that has garnered increasing attention due to its potential role as a precursor lesion for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). Although it shares histopathological features with other biliary tumors, BAF is distinct in its composition, consisting of low-grade tubuloglandular and microcystic bile duct structures embedded in a dense fibrous stroma. Despite its classification as a benign tumor, emerging case reports suggest that BAF may undergo malignant transformation. However, its rarity and limited molecular characterization contribute to diagnostic ...

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a global health challenge, affecting nearly 30% of adults worldwide. A significant subset of MASLD patients progresses to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), liver fibrosis, and even hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), yet no universally approved treatment exists outside resmetirom. The increasing prevalence of MASLD, driven by obesity and diabetes, highlights an urgent need for innovative therapeutic ...

McMaster University researchers have identified small molecules in the blood that may impact early childhood development, showing how dietary exposures, early life experiences, and gut health can influence a child's growth and cognitive milestones. A McMaster team collaborated with Brazilian scientists to conduct an untargeted metabolomic analysis of blood samples taken from more than 5,000 children between the ages of six months and five years as part of the Brazilian National Survey of Child Nutrition study. The McMaster team found several metabolites – small molecules that are by-products of human metabolism and microbial fermentation, ...