WASHINGTON—Early life exposure to a class of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) called polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may lead to behavioral problems in rats, according to a new animal study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are chemicals that mimic, block or interfere with hormones in the body's endocrine system and contribute to endocrine diseases such as cancer, reproductive disorders, obesity and neuroendocrine disorders. PCBs have been banned for decades but are still persistent in ...

Researchers have found that the global goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is now almost certainly out of reach. The results, published Dec. 10 in Geophysical Research Letters, suggest the hottest years ahead will very likely shatter existing heat records. There is a 50% chance, the authors reported, that global warming will breach 2 degrees Celsius even if humanity meets current goals of rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by the 2050s. A number of previous studies, including the authoritative ...

Background and Aims Coronary artery disease (CAD) is increasingly observed in patients with liver cirrhosis. However, data on the incidence and prevalence of CAD in cirrhotic patients are heterogeneous, and the association remains uncertain. In this study, we aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to address these issues. Methods PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched. Incidence, prevalence, and factors associated with CAD were pooled using a random-effects model. Risk ratio (RR) and odds ratio (OR), with their ...

All living organisms host microbiomes composed of both beneficial and harmful microbes that influence health. Microbiome diversity affects host fitness: low diversity can lead to immune issues and poor nutrient absorption, while high diversity can boost resilience to stress and pathogens. To illuminate this issue, researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, have spent the last five years studying the relationships between songbird gut microbiomes and traits that relate to a bird’s health and breeding success. While links between the gut microbiome and other traits have been described in laboratory experiments with captive animals, ...

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stands as the dominant form of liver cancer, ranking as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Often diagnosed at advanced stages, the therapeutic landscape is limited, with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) serving as a key locoregional treatment. TACE, while effective in inducing tumor necrosis, exerts dual effects on the tumor microenvironment (TME), necessitating integration with systemic therapies like immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Yet, therapeutic resistance, hypoxia-induced angiogenesis, and immune evasion remain significant barriers. The advent of T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing offers a transformative lens to ...

The Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) announced that a research team led by Dr. Dong-Chan Lim and Dr. So-Yeon Kim from the Energy & Environment Materials Research Division has developed a next-generation thin-film material technology that significantly improves the durability of energy and electronic devices. This technology, which combines organic and inorganic materials in a dual-layer structure, can be applied to film-based solar cells and sensors. It is particularly notable for its ability to minimize the physical stress caused by rolling or unrolling, thereby greatly enhancing mechanical ...

AGU Annual Meeting  9 – 13 December 2024  Walter E. Washington Convention Center  801 Allen Y. Lew Place NW  Washington, D.C. 20001 5 December 2024  Press Release 24-37 EMBARGOED until Tuesday, 10 December at 8:00 a.m. EST Bighorn sheep face death by avalanche in Sierra Nevada range Even as snow cover becomes less reliable, climate change may make deadly avalanches in the California range more frequent Researcher contact:   Ned Bair, University of California, Santa Barbara, edwardbair@ucsb.edu (UTC-8 hours) AGU press contact:    Liza Lester, +1 (202) 777-7494, news@agu.org ...

AGU Annual Meeting    9 – 13 December 2024    Walter E. Washington Convention Center    801 Allen Y. Lew Place NW    Washington, D.C. 20001   6 December 2024   Press Release 24-39  EMBARGOED until Tuesday, 10 December at 8:00 am EST  AGU press contact:    Liza Lester, +1 (202) 777-7494, news@agu.org (UTC-5 hours)   Contact information for the researchers:   Dan Jaffe, University of Washington, djaffe@uw.edu (UTC-8 hours)  WASHINGTON  — Normally, America’s smokiest cities lie out west. But Canada’s unusually intense 2023 wildfire ...

AGU Annual Meeting   9 – 13 December 2024   Walter E. Washington Convention Center   801 Allen Y. Lew Place NW   Washington, D.C. 20001  8 December 2024  Press Release 24-40  EMBARGOED until Tuesday, 10 December at 8:00 am EST Researcher contact:  Julia Gohlke, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, jgohlke@vt.edu (UTC-5 hours)   AGU press contact:  Rebecca Dzombak, news@agu.org (UTC-5 hours)  WASHINGTON — Floods can shape someone’s health before they’re even born, according to new research. The findings will be presented ...

Chestnut Hill, Mass (12/10/2024) – As opposed to a constant flow from sources above and below ground, periods of heavy rain and runoff deliver the greatest amounts of fertilizer-derived nitrogen through creeks, rivers, and storm drains into the northern Gulf of Mexico, a team of scientists led by Boston College researchers reports today in the journal Communications Earth and Environment. The findings clarify how nitrogen is delivered to the gulf and can be used to develop policies to protect the northern Gulf of Mexico, according to Boston College Assistant Professor of Earth and ...

HOUSTON and REDWOOD CITY, Calif. ― The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and AmMax Bio, Inc. today announced a worldwide exclusive license agreement and clinical trial agreement to develop and advance AmMax’s AMB-066 monoclonal antibody therapy as a first-in-class treatment option for patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and minimal residual disease (MRD) as well as those with MRD in other solid tumors. Under the agreements, AmMax and MD Anderson will build upon preclinical discoveries made by MD Anderson researchers to evaluate the potential for AMB-066, which targets colony stimulating factor ...

Society increasingly uses algorithms to make weighty decisions in contexts including criminal justice, healthcare, and finance, a trend that has been criticized for institutionalizing bias and sacrificing fairness. In a pre-registered study, Kirk Bansak and Elisabeth Paulson asked 9,000 US-based study participants to choose between decision-makers for two high stakes situations: pretrial release and bank loan applications. Participants chose either between two human decision-makers, between two algorithmic decision-makers, or between ...

The introduction of high-speed rail reduced spatial environmental inequality in China by helping elements such as green technologies spread across the country. Shengjun Zhu and colleagues hypothesized that the introduction of high-speed rail between 1998 and 2010 helped facilitate the spread of elements including capital, labor, green technology, and information, particularly from leading to lagging areas. These trends could contribute to the reduction of industrial pollution, and the authors hypothesized that ...

PULLMAN, Wash. – While sustaining friendships from afar can be challenging, they may offer unexpected benefits for environmental conservation. A Washington State University-led study, recently published in Conservation Letters, found that these social ties can positively influence community-based conservation.  While the study focused on 28 fishing villages in northern Tanzania, it has potential broader implications for global conservation efforts. “Our findings challenge the notion that external connections undermine conservation,” said Kristopher Smith, the study’s lead author and a postdoctoral ...

It is said that every rose has its thorn, but technically speaking, roses have prickles. Prickles are derived from the epidermis of the plant, whereas true thorns are modified stems. Rose prickles defend the plant from herbivores and help the plant support itself on surrounding objects. Liat Levavi and Benny Bar-On investigated the biomechanical properties of the prickles of the dog rose (Rosa canina Linnaeus) with a view towards features that might be used in the design of miniature anchoring platforms. ...

AI can predict human intelligence by looking at the connections of a working human brain. Neuroscientists can predict intelligence from brain structure and function—to a point. Previous studies have suggested that intelligence is widely distributed across the brain. Kirsten Hilger and colleagues used machine learning models to predict multiple kinds of intelligence from brain connections of 806 healthy adults while resting and while completing tasks. Fluid intelligence includes inductive and deductive reasoning abilities that do not rely on context, while crystallized intelligence reflects the ability to apply knowledge from ...

Advances in medicine have led to an increase in human longevity. Estimates suggest that by 2030, one in every six individuals globally will be aged over 60 years. This rapid increase in the aging population implies a larger number of aged individuals requiring care. Family members and professional caregivers may not be able to meet this increasing demand. Furthermore, reports suggest a significant shortage of workforce, including nurses, in several developed countries, underscoring the need for additional strategies that ...

A research group led by Atsushi Noro at Nagoya University in Japan has announced a novel design concept for fuel cell electrolytes, utilizing a phosphonic acid polymer with hydrocarbon spacers. This innovative concept allows fuel cells to operate effectively under high-temperature (above 100°C) and low-humidity conditions, addressing crucial barriers to their broader use. The research has been published in ACS Applied Polymer Materials.    By electrochemically reacting hydrogen and oxygen, fuel cells produce electricity while emitting only water, highlighting their clean energy capabilities. However, perfluorosulfonic ...

Imagine being able to inscribe a new pattern of activity into a person’s brain that would allow for faster learning, or better treatment of psychiatric and developmental disorders such as depression or autism. Now imagine being able to do that in a way that doesn’t require brain surgery or any physical manipulation. Sounds like science fiction? It still is. But that’s exactly what Coraline Iordan, an assistant professor of brain and cognitive sciences and of neuroscience at the University of Rochester has been working toward, showing for the ...

University of Cambridge media release   Wrong trees in the wrong place can make cities hotter at night, study reveals   UNDER STRICT EMBARGO UNTIL 10:00 AM UK TIME / 05:00 AM (US ET) ON TUESDAY 10TH DECEMBER 2024   While trees can cool some cities significantly during the day, new research shows that tree canopies can also trap heat and raise temperatures at night. The study aims to help urban planners choose the best combinations of trees and planting locations to combat ...

A new gene therapy can reverse the effects of heart failure and restore heart function in a large animal model. The therapy increases the amount of blood the heart can pump and dramatically improves survival, in what a paper describing the results calls “an unprecedented recovery of cardiac function.” Currently, heart failure is irreversible. In the absence of a heart transplant, most medical treatments aim to reduce the stress on the heart and slow the progression of the often-deadly disease. But if the gene therapy shows similar ...

A White House report earlier this year outlined how discrimination, and specifically racial discrimination, persists in the United States today, raising questions about when attitudes underlying these behaviors are formed.   Past scholarship has found discriminatory views increase as children grow older. However, new work by a team of New York University psychology researchers shows that young children in the US are less likely than adults to see discrimination as harmful, indicating these beliefs begin at an early age. Moreover, children ...

A Dartmouth-led study proposes a new method for recruiting trillions of microscopic sea creatures called zooplankton in the fight against climate change by converting carbon into food the animals would eat, digest, and send deep into the ocean as carbon-filled feces. The technique harnesses the animals' ravenous appetites to essentially accelerate the ocean's natural cycle for removing carbon from the atmosphere, which is known as the biological pump, according to the paper in Nature Scientific Reports. It begins ...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — One of the most momentous events in the history of life involved endosymbiosis — a process by which one organism engulfed another and, instead of ingesting it, incorporated its DNA and functions into itself. Scientific consensus is that this happened twice over the course of evolution, resulting in the energy-generating organelles known as mitochondria and, much later, their photosynthetic counterparts, the plastids. A new study published in the journal Nature Communications explores the origin of chloroplasts, the plastids that allow plants ...

Nanostructured two-dimensional gold monolayers offer possibilities in catalysis, electronics, and nanotechnology. Researchers have created nearly freestanding nanostructured two-dimensional (2D) gold monolayers, an impressive feat of nanomaterial engineering that could open up new avenues in catalysis, electronics, and energy conversion. Gold is an inert metal which typically forms a solid three-dimensional (3D) structure. However, in its 2D form, it can unlock extraordinary properties, such as unique electronic behaviors, enhanced surface reactivity, and immense potential for revolutionary applications in catalysis ...