(Boston)—Many pregnancy complications are associated with future heart disease. Such complications include gestational diabetes, preterm birth, fetal growth restriction and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (gestational hypertension, preeclampsia and related disorders), and together they are referred to as adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs).  Although APOs are recognized as a useful way to identify individuals with increased risk for future heart disease, it is not known how often APOs occur before traditional heart ...

New Orleans, LA – A study led by Vinod Dasa, MD, Professor of Orthopaedics at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, reports that a novel surgical pain management strategy following total knee arthroplasty (TKA), or total knee replacement, provided pain relief without opioids. The researchers also found that changing prescriptions for opioids at discharge from automatic to upon request dramatically decreased opioid use. Their results are published in the Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics, available here.        “About 70% of opioid-naïve ...

New award from the U.S. Dept. of Energy will help researchers develop green technology to capture carbon dioxide emissions from power plants BALTIMORE, MD (February 27, 2022)—Researchers from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) and the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET) have been awarded a three-year, $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to understand how microalgae can be used to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. “Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing our society today and IMET is thrilled ...

Green leaves and photosynthesis were once considered key features of plants. However, some plants have since abandoned this process, obtaining their nutrients from other organisms. One such plant is the genus of Thismia, commonly known as fairy lanterns, which is characterised by its unusual appearance, elusiveness, and lack of photosynthesis. Fairy lanterns are rare and only grow in specific places. They live underground with their colourful flowers rising above the soil, which can sometimes make them look like mushrooms. Around 90 species of Thismia have been found, but many are ...

INDIANAPOLIS – Despite awareness that pain is common in nursing home residents, there has been minimal attention focused on how this pain changes over time. A new study from Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University School of Nursing researchers presents compelling evidence of the existence of four distinct pain trajectories in this population. This new understanding of pain over time can help nursing home staff and clinicians better understand, recognize and respond to risk factors associated with persistent pain in individuals living in nursing homes. Ultimately, consideration of pain trajectories may alter courses of care and illness, ...

The use of space environment to carry out life science research is of great significance to issues affecting the occurrence and development of life on earth by space flight and space environment; however, there are limitations in complex manipulation, research models based on mammalian and 2D cell culture experiments, and etc. Microfluidic chips, also known as "lab-on-chip (LOC)", integrates the related functions of traditional laboratories on a micron-level chip with low energy consumption, high throughput, and automation, which can realize long-term experimental operation, and remote data recording and transmission, thus ...

What the United States midterm election results revealed about the current state of democracy in the country  – and the challenges that might lie ahead for both major parties – is examined in a new report led by a politics expert from London's Kingston University. Academics from institutions across the United Kingdom, United States and the Republic of Ireland have contributed to the Exploring the 2022 US Midterms briefing paper, recently published by the American Politics Group of the Political Studies Association. The report is designed to act as a bridge ...

People whose savings goals align well with their dominant personality traits are more likely to save money, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. In the U.S. and around the world, savings rates are critically low. In October 2022, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Americans save just 2.3% of their income, the lowest in nearly two decades. Although people report wanting to save more money, saving is difficult -- in part because it requires people to overcome the psychological hurdle of making a sacrifice in the present to ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A new study may reveal part of the reason why conservatives are more likely than liberals to reject some COVID-19 health measures: They see boundaries as restrictions.   Liberals were more likely to see some of the measures used in the pandemic – such as social distancing rules and plexiglass separators in restaurants and stores – as providing guidance, rather than restrictions.   “There seems to be a fundamental ideological difference in how people view boundaries,” said Selin Malkoc, co-author of the study and professor of marketing at The Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business.   “Conservatives ...

OTHELLO, Wash. — Keeping queen bees chilled in indoor refrigeration units can make the practice of “queen banking” — storing excess queens in the spring to supplement hives in the fall — more stable and less labor-intensive, a Washington State University study found. It may also help strengthen honey bee survival in the face of a changing climate. In a paper published in the Journal of Apicultural Research, researchers compared queen banks stored in refrigerated units to those stored in the conventional ...

As an energy source that would help countries achieve carbon neutrality and energy security, hydrogen energy is being sought after globally as the energy source of the future. To this end, the European Union(EU) has introduced its strategy on hydrogen, implementing its plan to invest €470 billion(623 trillion Korean won) in 10 years to build a hydrogen-based society in the region. Germany, one of the most ardent supporters of global green initiatives, has put forward a national hydrogen strategy to invest a total of 1.2 trillion Korean won by 2030. The South Korean government is also investing in ...

The latest evidence on the treatment of urgent heart problems will be revealed at ESC Acute CardioVascular Care 2023, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).   Acute cardiovascular care focuses on patients with life-threatening conditions such as heart attack, cardiac arrest, acute heart failure and cardiogenic shock. The annual congress of the Association for Acute CardioVascular Care (ACVC), a branch of the ESC, takes place 24 to 26 March at the Marseille Parc Chanot Exhibition and Convention Centre in Marseille, France. Explore the scientific programme.   New scientific findings will be showcased in the abstracts. Among ...

Research Highlights: Black women of childbearing age were more than twice as likely to have uncontrolled blood pressure than white women of similar age, putting them at an increased risk of pregnancy-related complications. This disparity in high blood pressure persisted after adjusting for social determinants of health, health factors and modifiable health behaviors. Food insecurity — lack of access to adequate healthy food — one of the social factors that may affect high blood pressure risk, was higher among Hispanic and Black women compared with white women.  The research is featured in a special Go Red for Women issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association focused ...

Peer-reviewed / Mendelian Randomization / People An earlier first birth, a higher number of live births, and starting periods at a younger age are all linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular problems in women, according to new research. The study, led by Imperial College London researchers, provides evidence for a causal relationship between sex-specific factors and cardiovascular disease in women, and identifies potential ways to mediate this increased risk. The study is the most comprehensive analysis to date of reproductive factors specific to women and their links ...

Mutations of the gene encoding dystrophins have long been known to cause the debilitating muscle-wasting disease DMD, which affects one in every 5,000 boys born. People with the condition will usually only live into their 20s or 30s. Now, a study, led by the University of Portsmouth, has found that the same gene has a role in oncology. A team of international researchers analysed a broad spectrum of malignant tissues, including from breast, ovarian, and gastrointestinal cancer patients.  The DMD gene expression was reduced in 80 per cent of these tumours. This low expression of dystrophins was associated with a more advanced stage of cancer and reduced ...

Using a new dataset, Rafael Prieto-Curiel of the Complexity Science Hub and colleagues analyzed the coordinates and surface of 183 million buildings in nearly 6,000 cities across all 52 countries in Africa. With their model, they quantify the shape of cities. Thus, they show that if a city's population doubles, the energy demand associated with commuting triples. These results clearly show how important it will be to plan fast-growing cities in a sustainable way. “Our model allows us to estimate African cities’ transport requirements and energy needs with a never before seen accuracy,” Prieto-Curiel, researcher at the Complexity ...

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA [February 27, 2023] — Today, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®)—a not-for-profit alliance of leading United States cancer centers—announced a new collaboration with the Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine in Poland (IHIT), and the Alliance For Innovation—Polish-American Foundation (AFI). The three organizations have signed an agreement enabling clinicians to share their established expertise and international experience in order to improve quality of care and outcomes for patients with hematologic ...

MINNEAPOLIS – Black people are receiving medications for dementia less often than white people, according to a preliminary study released today, February 26, 2023, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 75th Annual Meeting being held in person in Boston and live online from April 22-27, 2023. “Previous research has shown that due to racial disparities, people with dementia do not always receive the same access to medications that may be beneficial in nursing homes and hospitals,” said Alice Hawkins, MD, of Mount Sinai in New York, New York, and a member of the ...

Three years into a five-year pledge to completely phase out lead shot in UK game hunting, a Cambridge study finds that 94% of pheasants on sale for human consumption were killed using lead. The pledge, made in 2020 by nine major UK game shooting and rural organisations, aims to protect the natural environment and ensure a safer supply of game meat for consumers. Lead is toxic even in very small concentrations, and discarded shot from hunting poisons and kills tens of thousands of the UK’s wild birds each year. A Cambridge-led team of 17 volunteers bought whole pheasants from butchers, game ...

“Although contracting herpes simplex or herpes zoster is unpleasant, the mechanism by which these herpesvirus infections can produce a therapeutic effect […]” BUFFALO, NY- February 24, 2023 – A new editorial was published in Genes & Cancer on January 19, 2023, entitled, “Severe herpesvirus infection beats adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.” In this recently published editorial, researcher Tatsuro Jo from the Japanese Red Cross Nagasaki Genbaku Hospital’s Department of Hematology discussed aggressive type adult T-cell ...

Octopus arms coordinate nearly infinite degrees of freedom to perform complex movements such as reaching, grasping, fetching, crawling, and swimming. How these animals achieve such a wide range of activities remains a source of mystery, amazement, and inspiration. Part of the challenge comes from the intricate organization and biomechanics of the internal muscles. This problem was tackled in a multidisciplinary project led by Prashant Mehta and Mattia Gazzola, professors of mechanical science & engineering at the University of Illinois ...

As the mental health crisis continues across the nation, many people struggle to find the care they need. Health insurers publish directories of mental health providers to help consumers obtain care; however, inaccurate directories and a shortage of providers within many insurance networks can make finding covered mental health services challenging. The U.S. federal government and those of many states have put regulations in place to ensure provider directory accuracy, with California having some of the most stringent rules. However, research on the accuracy of mental health care provider directories has been limited. Simon Haeder, PhD, associate ...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Workers tasked with moving products in the immense U.S. food system are at a high risk of serious injury, according to a new Penn State-led study, and pandemic-caused, supply-chain problems have worsened the situation, researchers suggest. The modern food supply chain presents unique hazards to employees that result in higher rates of death and injury when compared to most other industries, noted lead researcher Judd Michael, Penn State professor of agricultural and biological engineering. ...

BOSTON – As legislation in multiple states eases former restrictions around medical and recreational cannabis in the United States, an increasing proportion of the population reports use of the drug. Between 2016 and 2018, more than 22 percent of Massachusetts residents reported any prior cannabis use for medical or recreational reasons. However, little is known about cannabis use in patients who undergo surgery or interventional procedures, where cannabis use has important additional clinical implications. In a new study published in The Lancet’s eClinical Medicine, researchers led ...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Perovskites, a family of materials with unique electric properties, show promise for use in a variety fields, including next-generation solar cells. A Penn State-led team of scientists created a new process to fabricate large perovskite devices that is more cost- and time-effective than previously possible and that they said may accelerate future materials discovery. “This method we developed allows us to easily create very large bulk samples within several minutes, rather than days or weeks using traditional methods,” said Luyao Zheng, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Materials Science at Penn State and lead author on the ...