Arlington, Va. — April 11, 2024 — A new study published today in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) reports the infection prevention steps taken to control a months-long multispecies outbreak of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales that occurred in a pediatric ward at the Toho University Omori Medical Center in Tokyo in 2017. This study highlights the particular vulnerability for contamination through sinks and other water sources; indeed, even replacing all sinks in the ward did not stop this outbreak. Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) are a major public health threat ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Although lung cancer is traditionally thought of as a “smoker’s disease,” a surprising 15-20% of newly diagnosed lung cancers occur in people who have never smoked, many of whom are in their 40s or 50s.  Doctors say this concerning rise in non-smoking lung cancer cases is likely linked to long-term, high exposures of radon gas. This colorless, odorless gas is emitted from the breakdown of radioactive material naturally occurring underground that then seeps through building foundations. The gas can linger and ...

With the increasing environmental and resource problems associated with agriculture, the promotion of sustainable agricultural development has been recommended in many areas of China and also beyond its borders. As a contribution to achieving sustainable development goals, the Chinese government first proposed green development in 2015 and implemented the agriculture green development (AGD) program in 2017 to address a range of issues related to the future development of agriculture in China and the well-being ...

To date, most network security architectures have used perimeter-based defense to isolate internal networks from external networks. Firewalls, virtual private networks (VPN), and demilitarized zone (DMZ) networks prevent external attacks by creating a network security perimeter. This can effectively prevent external attacks, but it is difficult to prevent internal attacks because once an intruder breaches the security perimeter, further illegal actions will not be hindered. In addition, with the rapid development of digital technologies such as 5G, the ...

This study is led by Professor Wensheng Hou (Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China). The authors engineered a novel expression vector designed to facilitate gene editing and enable visual confirmation of successful modifications. To achieve this, the authors used RUBY reporter which harnessed the ability to convert tyrosine into a vivid red betalain pigment. This breakthrough allowed to visually confirm gene expression in soybean plants without the need for specialized equipment. By utilizing this innovative color-based screening system, the authors could quickly assess whether genetic modifications ...

New evidence of one of the first cities in the Pacific shows they were established much earlier than previously thought, according to new research from The Australian National University (ANU).   The study used aerial laser scanning to map archaeological sites on the island of Tongatapu in Tonga.   Lead author, PhD scholar Phillip Parton, said the new timeline also indicates that urbanisation in the Pacific was an indigenous innovation that developed before Western influence. “Earth structures were being constructed in Tongatapu around AD 300. This is 700 years earlier than previously thought,” ...

Octopuses have been around for hundreds of millions of years, but did you know that most only live for a few years, dying soon after mating or laying eggs? Until now that hasn’t been a problem, but octopus catches have doubled in recent decades as the world strives to meet the nutritional demands of a rising global population. How do we ensure octopus fisheries remain sustainable, protecting the longevity of this ancient animal while guaranteeing the world doesn’t go hungry? An accurate, reliable, cost effective and easy-to-use method to determine an octopus’s ...

A single low dose injection of esketamine given immediately after childbirth reduces major depressive episodes in individuals with depressive symptoms during pregnancy (prenatal depression), finds a clinical trial published by The BMJ today. The results suggest that low dose esketamine should be considered in new mothers with prenatal depressive symptoms. Depression is common during pregnancy and shortly after giving birth and can have several adverse effects on new mothers and their infants. Esketamine ...

Childhood verbal abuse by adults costs society an estimated $300 billion (£239 billion) a year globally, show findings presented at the first international conference on childhood verbal abuse, hosted by UCL, Words Matter and the World Health Organization (WHO). The Words Matter: Impact and Prevention of Childhood Verbal Abuse conference marks the first time that experts from around the world have come together to focus attention on the lifetime damage of childhood verbal abuse and the need to develop solutions. Childhood ...

Tucson, AZ—Neural systems, shaped by millions of years of evolution, enable living things to perceive and react to their surroundings. But how does the nervous system adapt to today’s unprecedented challenge of rapid and extensive human-caused environmental changes, including exposure to pollution, toxins, and increasingly unpredictable environments? In 2025, Research Corporation for Science Advancement, The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group, and The Kavli Foundation will launch a Scialog initiative to catalyze research to explore ...

Pilot study shows potential for using AI chatbots to assist public health campaigns in reducing vaccine hesitancy as well as providing helpful advice on STIs and access to care. **Note: the release below is a special early release from the ESCMID Global Congress (formerly ECCMID, Barcelona, Spain, 27-30 April). Please credit the congress if you use this story** **ECCMID has now changed name to ESCMID Global, please credit ESCMID Global Congress in all future stories** New research being presented at this year’s ESCMID Global ...

Years after the U.S. began to slowly emerge from mandatory COVID-19 lockdowns, more than half of older adults still spend more time at home and less time socializing in public spaces than they did pre-pandemic, according to new University of Colorado Boulder research.  Participants cited fear of infection and “more uncomfortable and hostile” social dynamics as key reasons for their retreat from civic life. “The pandemic is not over for a lot of folks,” said Jessica Finlay, an assistant professor of geography whose findings are revealed in a series of new papers. ...

Ancient Egyptians were known for their religious beliefs and astronomical knowledge of the Sun, Moon, and planets, but up until now it has been unclear what role the Milky Way played in Egyptian religion and culture.  A new study by a University of Portsmouth astrophysicist sheds light on the relationship between the Milky Way and the Egyptian sky-goddess Nut.  Nut is goddess of the sky, who is often depicted as a star-studded woman arched over her brother, the earth god Geb. She protects the earth from being flooded by the encroaching waters of the void, and plays a key role in the solar cycle, swallowing the Sun as it sets at dusk ...

In 2021, the University of Missouri launched MizzouForward, the boldest investment in the university’s 185-year history. The goals of the 10-year, $1.5 billion initiative include: Enriching students’ educational experiences Hiring 150 new faculty to Mizzou Boosting research productivity Strengthening the state’s economy Upgrading infrastructure on Mizzou’s campus   One of the earliest investments in MizzouForward involved dedicating more than $4 million to fund 53 student success initiatives, including ...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The size of an individual snack piece not only influences how fast a person eats it, but also how much of it they eat, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn State. With nearly a quarter of daily calorie intake in the United States coming from snacks, these findings may have implications for helping people better understand how eating behavior impacts calorie and sodium intake. The team of food scientists investigated how the size of pretzels influences eating behavior — overall intake, eating rate, bite size and snacking duration — and found that people eat larger pretzels ...

Modern life relies on plastic. This lightweight, adaptable product is a cornerstone of packaging, medical equipment, the aerospace and automotive industries and more. But plastic waste remains a problem as it degrades in landfills and pollutes oceans. FAMU-FSU College of Engineering researchers have created a potential alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastic that is made from carbon dioxide (CO2) and lignin, a component of wood that is a low-cost byproduct of paper manufacturing and biofuel production. Their research was published in Advanced Functional Materials. “Our study takes the harmful greenhouse gas CO2 ...

“Our data demonstrated, for the first time, the antioxidant activity of geraniol and its function to attenuate brain hippocampus injury induced in vivo by D-galactose.” BUFFALO, NY- April 10, 2024 – A new research paper was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 16, Issue 6, entitled, “Geraniol attenuates oxidative stress and neuroinflammation-mediated cognitive impairment in D galactose-induced mouse aging model.” D-galactose (D-gal) administration was proven to induce cognitive impairment and aging in rodents’ models. Geraniol ...

DALLAS (SMU) – A new study by SMU psychologists shows interpersonal racial discrimination and other forms of violence can impact the mental health of adolescents in the justice system. The research advocates for a more holistic approach to mental health intervention, emphasizing the importance of considering adolescents' experiences of interpersonal racial discrimination alongside other more recognized forms of violence. By acknowledging and addressing these intersecting factors, stakeholders can better tailor support systems to meet ...

University of Florida engineers have developed a method for 3D printing called vapor-induced phase-separation 3D printing, or VIPS-3DP, to create single-material as well as multi-material objects. The discovery has the potential to advance the world of additive manufacturing. Yong Huang, Ph. D., a professor in UF’s department of mechanical and aerospace engineering, said the printing process he and colleagues developed allows manufacturers to create custom-made objects economically and sustainably. The novel approach was reported Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications. “It is more economical and much simpler than current ...

“Our results reveal that MIA-602 may be a useful treatment for Doxorubicin-resistant AML [...]” BUFFALO, NY- April 10, 2024 – A new research paper was published in Oncotarget's Volume 15 on April 8, 2024, entitled, “Exploring the role of GHRH antagonist MIA-602 in overcoming Doxorubicin-resistance in acute myeloid leukemia.” Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by the rapid proliferation of mutagenic hematopoietic progenitors in the bone marrow. Conventional therapies include chemotherapy and bone marrow stem cell transplantation; however, they are often associated with poor prognosis. Notably, growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) ...

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4 P.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 2024 MINNEAPOLIS – A changing climate may be linked to growing death and disability from stroke in regions around the world, according to a study published in the April 10, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers found over three decades that non-optimal temperatures, those above or below temperatures associated with the lowest death rates, were increasingly linked to death and disability due to stroke. The study does not prove that climate change causes ...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Marketing is one of the most effective ways for an early-stage business-to-business (B2B) startup firm to grow, yet nearly half of such firms that would benefit from it choose not to do any marketing, according to the findings of a paper co-authored by a Smeal College of Business professor and published in the journal Industrial Marketing Management. The researchers focused on systematic marketing — where a firm has an ongoing process of collecting and using customer data to improve its offerings, communications and distribution programs. They specifically examined which startup firms conduct systematic marketing, what causes them to do so and what ...

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment (INCITE) program is now accepting proposals for high-impact, computationally intensive research projects in a broad array of science, engineering and computer science domains. Proposals must be submitted between April 10 and June 14. The INCITE program aims to accelerate scientific discoveries and technological innovations by awarding researchers with substantial allocations of supercomputer time and supporting resources at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF) and the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF). The ALCF and OLCF are DOE Office ...

Organisations that fail to identify or swiftly expel “institutional parasites” risk long-term damage, academics from leading British and Finnish business schools have warned. In a paper published in the respected Academy of Management Review, they argue that the increasingly complex and opaque nature of many organisations provides fertile ground for institutional parasites – such as suppliers or other key external partners and employees. Dr Jukka Rintamäki from Finland’s Aalto University School of Business, Dr Simon Parker from Nottingham University Business School and Professor Andre Spicer, Professor ...

WASHINGTON (April 10, 2024) — Citizen scientists have long contributed to the collection and observation of natural events - from weather watchers to wildlife trackers – with thousands of organized community projects spanning decades. Beginning in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to an explosion of novice infectious disease detectives adding to the collection of science-enthusiasts. To give these new disease detectives more tools for their craft, a new book written by two Georgetown University global health researchers, “Outbreak ...