In the realm of chronic inflammation, lipid abnormalities are well-recognized as pivotal contributors to the progression and clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis. Particularly in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a systemic autoimmune disorder, the immune response leads to the generation of inflammatory cytokines that profoundly alter lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. This review article delves into the latest research exploring the impact of inflammation on proatherogenic disorders of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in RA patients, with a focus on proinflammatory cytokines. Role of Proinflammatory Cytokines in Lipid and Lipoprotein Dysregulation Inflammatory ...

New research has revealed factories globally are not properly destroying one of the most potent greenhouse gases emitted from the production of fluoropolymers like Teflon, and refrigerants. The study investigated a known disparity between real and reported emissions of this gas, prompting calls for more countries to sign up to official agreements to limit emissions and for their Teflon factories to be independently audited to ensure compliance. The study, published today in the journal Nature, scrutinised emissions of one of the most potent hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) greenhouse gases called trifluoromethane, also ...

Children who have persistently raised inflammation are at a higher risk of experiencing serious mental health disorders including psychosis and depression in early adulthood, according to a study published today in JAMA Psychiatry. The research lead by the University of Birmingham also found that those who had experienced inflammation at a young age were at a higher risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases such as insulin resistance - an early form of diabetes.  The study used data collected by the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) – also known as Children of the 90s – and included a total of 6,556 participants of whom 50.4% ...

Mass General Brigham researchers found that women had a lower risk of developing postoperative atrial fibrillation after surgery compared to men, but a higher risk of long-term mortality  New research suggests that women who develop postoperative atrial fibrillation (poAF) after cardiac surgery are at greater risk of death than men. A study led by Mass General Brigham researchers found that women may have protective factors against the development of poAF, but once it develops, they may be more vulnerable to its associated long-term morbidities. The researchers suggest that more vigilant monitoring and long-term ...

A new study that examined health data on 18 million people reveals higher incidence of mental illnesses for up to a year following severe COVID-19 in unvaccinated people. Vaccination appeared to mitigate the adverse effects of COVID-19 on mental illnesses. The University of Bristol-led study, published in JAMA Psychiatry today [21 August], investigated associations of COVID-19 with mental illnesses according to time since diagnosis and vaccination status. COVID-19 is associated with mental illnesses in both hospital and population-based studies. However, until now, there was limited evidence about the association of COVID-19 with ...

The COVID-19 pandemic brought an increase in crime to New York City’s subways and buses. The transit system’s employees—especially female workers—have frequently been on the receiving end of attacks, according to a new study published in the Journal of Urban Health. The study, led by researchers at the NYU School of Global Public Health, found that 89 percent of public-facing transit workers in New York City experienced harassment or violence on the job during the pandemic (2020-2023). “Transit workers are our city’s unsung heroes—they kept New York City functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic, ...

About The Study: In this cohort study, depression, serious mental illness, general anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, addiction, self-harm, and suicide were elevated during weeks 1 through 4 after COVID-19 diagnosis compared with before or without COVID-19. Incidence was lower in people who were vaccinated when they had COVID-19 and incidence was higher, and persisted longer, after hospitalization for COVID-19. The findings support recommendation of COVID-19 vaccination in the general population and ...

UPTON, N.Y. — Scientists studying the tracks of particles streaming from six billion collisions of atomic nuclei at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) — an “atom smasher” that recreates the conditions of the early universe — have discovered a new kind of antimatter nucleus, the heaviest ever detected. Composed of four antimatter particles — an antiproton, two antineutrons, and one antihyperon — these exotic antinuclei are known as antihyperhydrogen-4. Members of RHIC’s STAR Collaboration made the discovery by using their house-sized particle detector ...

About The Study: Chronic absenteeism rates were substantially higher in school districts that used virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with in person in this cross-sectional study. Understanding how to reduce chronic absenteeism and use virtual learning without potentially negative consequences are key policy questions moving forward.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, William N. Evans, PhD, email wevans1@nd.edu. To access the embargoed study: ...

Mitochondria, the so-called “powerhouse of the cell,” depend on a newly discovered recycling mechanism identified by scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).  Mitochondria are tiny structures inside of cells that carry out a wide range of critical functions, including generating energy to help keep cells healthy. Every mitochondrion has two layers of membranes: the outer membrane and the inner membrane. On the inner membrane, folds called cristae contain proteins and molecules needed for energy production. ...

A groundbreaking study conducted across 30 field sites in the southwest UK has revealed the importance of incorporating varied habitats into the landscape at large. The research, published today in Nature and led by ecologists at the University of Bristol, addresses critical questions in conservation and land management, shedding new light on species interactions and how food chains operate across multiple habitats. The study found significant differences in food web structures among landscapes with one, two, or three habitats, including a more evenly distributed abundance of species. Multi-habitat landscapes host a higher number ...

Physicists from the STAR Collaboration have observed a new antimatter hypernucleus, antihyperhydrogen-4, for the first time. This is the heaviest antimatter hypernucleus discovered in experiments to date. This study, led by researchers from the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was published in Nature on Aug. 21. Current physics assumes that the properties of matter and antimatter are symmetrical and that equal amounts of matter and antimatter existed at the birth of the universe. However, some mysterious physical mechanism caused the annihilation of most matter and antimatter, with only about one in ten billion matter particles ...

Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (FGIDs), also known as disorders of gut-brain interaction, encompass a wide range of conditions that cannot be attributed to structural, biochemical, or organic abnormalities. These disorders vary significantly from infancy to adulthood, with distinct manifestations in neonates/toddlers and children/adolescents. The ROME criteria, updated periodically, currently in use is ROME IV, which facilitates early and accurate diagnosis of FGIDs. Despite their prevalence, pediatric FGIDs pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to children's inability to articulate symptoms and the influence ...

The interaction between humans and their environment, mediated by nutrition, plays a crucial role in regulating inflammatory responses. Chronic inflammatory diseases have been on the rise, and the scientific community has been actively exploring pro-inflammatory nutrients as potential therapeutic targets. Gluten, a major component of wheat, barley, and rye, has been implicated in numerous health issues, particularly celiac disease (CD). This review essay summarizes the key findings of a recent study published in the Journal of Translational Gastroenterology, focusing on the proinflammatory effects of gluten and its implications in autoimmunity. Gluten and ...

While animals in drylands hone their natural senses to find vegetation, humans have developed “external eyes” to track these vital resources.   Scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have created an advanced method that integrates high-frequency near-surface camera data with broader satellite imagery to better monitor and assess dryland ecosystems. Their approach could aid in taking timely action to prevent land degradation, contributing to improved environmental management and conservation strategies.   Their results were published in the Journal of Remote Sensing on July 8.   Drylands, including ...

Data published today in the New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst reported that MedPearl, a Providence-developed clinician-built clinical decision platform, improves primary care clinician productivity, decreases time waste on administrative tasks and improves the quality of referrals sent to specialists. The paper details operational outcomes from MedPearl’s use among more than 4,000 active monthly clinician users and shows statistically significant improvement in total productivity, after-hours time spent in the EMR and incremental margin per referral ...

East Hanover, NJ – August 21, 2024 – Kessler Foundation researchers have published a new clinical study investigating the effects of robotic postural stand training combined with spinal cord epidural stimulation (Stand-scES) on trunk control in individuals with high-level spinal cord injury (SCI). The open access article, “Effects of Robotic Postural Stand Training with Epidural Stimulation on Sitting Postural Control in Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury: A Pilot Study” (doi.org/10.3390/jcm13154309) was published in the Journal of Clinical ...

PITTSBURGH - Carnegie Mellon University will be a core partner in a new multi-institutional collaboration that has received $26 million from the National Science Foundation to launch an Engineering Research Center (ERC) dedicated to revolutionizing the ability of robots to amplify human labor. Nine Carnegie Mellon University faculty members, with expertise ranging from Softbotics, engineering, and computer science to psychology, and diversity and inclusion, will help to develop highly dexterous robotic hands, user-friendly interfaces, ...

Epigenetics, the modification of chromosomes without altering DNA sequences, serves as a crucial regulatory mechanism for gene expression. Among the various epigenetic marks, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications on RNA have gained significant attention in recent years for their role in various biological processes, including cancer development and progression. This article reviews the latest advances in understanding the role of m6A modifications in leukemia, a heterogeneous group of hematological malignancies. Role of m6A Modification in Leukemia m6A Writers and Erasers m6A modifications ...

In an era where technology increasingly merges with healthcare to enhance patient outcomes, a groundbreaking study conducted by Fuyang Yu and his colleagues introduces an innovative approach to lower limb rehabilitation. Their research, published in Cyborg Bionic Systems, outlines the development of a lower limb rehabilitation robot designed to significantly improve the safety and effectiveness of gait training through a novel method based on human-robot interaction force measurement. Rehabilitation robots are ...

There may be a way to slow the growth of endometrial cancer through targeted cancer cell therapy, according to new research from the University of Missouri School of Medicine. This year, around 65,000 women are expected to be diagnosed with endometrial cancer, the most common cancer of the female reproductive organs. An increased risk in development for multiple human cancers is associated with mutations in the PTEN protein, which normally regulates cell division and growth. The mutation allows cells to multiply uncontrollably.  Using mice models, Krystina Dunston, research lab manager and NextGen Precision Health researchers Tae Hoon Kim and Jae-Wook Jeong, studied the ...

Québec City, August 21, 2024 – A research team from Université Laval has shown the benefits of camu-camu on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which affects over seven million people in Canada. This exotic fruit reduces liver fat levels.   Over 12 weeks, thirty participants took either camu-camu extract or a placebo at different times in this randomized clinical trial. Participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine fat levels in the liver. Scientists observed a 7.43% reduction in liver lipids when study participants took camu-camu extract. With the ...

Inside the next generation of fusion vessels known as spherical tokamaks, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) envisioned a hot region with flowing liquid metal that is reminiscent of a subterranean cave. Researchers say evaporating liquid metal could protect the inside of the tokamak from the intense heat of the plasma. It’s an idea that dates back several decades and is tied to one of the Lab’s strengths: working with liquid metals. “PPPL’s expertise in using liquid metals, ...

A new study on songbirds sheds light on the power of social interaction to facilitate learning, insights that potentially apply to human development. McGill University researchers discovered that zebra finches deprived of early social experiences could still form strong bonds with a partner later in life. Once placed into cohabitation with a male, females that had never heard a mating song before could quickly develop a preference for his melody. The findings, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society ...

First, lunar ISPP is analyzed from aspects of lunar resources, near-term lunar processes, carbothermal process, polar ice, and reduction of iron oxides. There are basically 4 potential lunar resources: (1) Silicates in regolith containing typically >40% oxygen. (2) Regolith containing FeO for hydrogen reduction. FeO content may vary from 5% to 14%, leading to recoverable oxygen content in the 1 to 3% range. (3) Imbedded atoms in regolith from solar wind (typically parts per million). (4) Water ice in regolith pores in permanently shadowed craters near the poles (unknown percentage but ...