COLUMBUS, Ohio – If you feel terrible about giving a late gift to a friend for Christmas or their birthday, a new study has good news for you.   Researchers found that recipients aren’t nearly as upset about getting a late gift as givers assume they will be.   “Go ahead and send that late gift, because it doesn’t seem to bother most people as much as givers fear,” said Cory Haltman, lead author of the study and doctoral student in marketing at The Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business.   In a series of six studies, Haltman and his colleagues explored the mismatch between givers’ ...

We tie our shoes, we put on neckties, we wrestle with power cords. Yet despite deep familiarity with knots, most people cannot tell a weak knot from a strong one by looking at them, new Johns Hopkins University research finds. Researchers showed people pictures of two knots and asked them to point to the strongest one. They couldn’t. They showed people videos of each knot, where the knots spin slowly so they could get a good long look. They still failed. People couldn’t even manage it ...

It's easy to think that machine learning is a completely digital phenomenon, made possible by computers and algorithms that can mimic brain-like behaviors. But the first machines were analog and now, a small but growing body of research is showing that mechanical systems are capable of learning, too. Physicists at the University of Michigan have provided the latest entry into that field of work.  The U-M team of Shuaifeng Li and Xiaoming Mao devised an algorithm that provides a mathematical framework for how learning works in lattices called ...

[Vienna, 09.12.2024] —Train delays are not only a common frustration for passengers but can also lead to significant economic losses, especially when they cascade through the railway network. When a train is delayed, it often triggers a chain reaction, turning minor issues into widespread delays across the system. This can be costly. A report from the Association of American Railroads (AAR) indicates that a nationwide rail disruption in the US could cost the economy over $2 billion per day. Therefore, the pressing question for railway operators is: How to manage the cascading effect of delays efficiently ...

Modeling how cars deform in a crash, how spacecraft responds to extreme environments, or how bridges resist stress could be made thousands of times faster thanks to new artificial intelligence that enables personal computers to solve massive math problems that generally require supercomputers. The new AI framework is a generic approach that can quickly predict solutions to pervasive and time-consuming math equations needed to create models of how fluids or electrical currents propagate through different ...

The batteries of electric vehicles subject to the normal use of real­ world drivers - like heavy traffic, long highway trips, short city trips, and mostly being parked - could last about a third longer than researchers have generally forecast, according to a new study by scientists working in the SLAC-Stanford Battery. Center, a joint center between Stanford University's Precourt Institute for Energy and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, This suggests that the owner of a typical EV may not need to replace the expensive battery pack or buy a new car for several additional years. Almost always, battery scientists and engineers have tested ...

A pioneering Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered model able to understand the sequences and structure patterns that make up the genetic “language” of plants, has been launched by a research collaboration.  Plant RNA-FM, believed to be the first AI model of its kind, has been developed by a collaboration between plant researchers at the John Innes Centre and computer scientists at the University of Exeter.  The model, say its creators, is a smart technological breakthrough that can drive discovery and innovation in plant science and potentially across the study of invertebrates ...

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly referred to as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), impacts roughly 30% of the global adult population. The disease spans from benign fat accumulation in the liver (steatosis) to its more severe form, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH, formerly nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH). MASH represents a dangerous progression, with the potential to cause cirrhosis, liver cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Despite ...

Even as dramatic water-related disasters such as floods and storms intensified in some parts of the world, more than three-quarters of Earth’s land became permanently drier in recent decades, UN scientists warned today in a stark new analysis. Some 77.6% of Earth’s land experienced drier conditions during the three decades leading up to 2020 compared to the previous 30-year period, according to the landmark report from the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Over the same period, drylands expanded by about 4.3 million km2 – an area nearly a third larger than India, the world’s ...

AUSTIN, TX, Dec 09, 2024 – Hurricane Helene highlighted the increasing intensity of extreme weather events and the catastrophic flooding they can bring. A new study finds that many Americans residing in lower-quality public housing face a high risk of experiencing flood-related damages as their homes are disproportionately located in areas of high flood risk.   A study by scientists from the Ohio State University and Texas A&M University has combined HUD’s physical inspection scores of public housing units across the country (from 2013-2020) with ...

A recent analysis reveals that the incidence rates of soft tissue sarcomas—cancers in muscle, fat, blood vessels, nerves, and tendons—are lower in young U.S. active-duty military servicemen compared with those in the general population, but higher in middle-aged servicemen, perhaps due to greater cumulative exposure to toxins. The findings are published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. Soft tissue sarcomas are rare cancers arising all over the body, in various organs and tissues such as muscle, fat, and viscera. Most sarcomas arise sporadically, but a small subset arise from exposure to ...

AUSTIN, TX, Dec 9, 2024 – Semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) are found in building materials and consumer products like carpeting, furniture and electronics. Gases released by these chemicals in homes, offices and schools pose potential human health risks such as cancers, reproductive disorders, and nervous system damage.   A recent study of the indoor air in central Texas high schools revealed that two groups of SVOCs, phthalates and PBDEs, are prevalent in high school environments. The ...

AUSTIN, TX, Dec 9, 2024 – Limiting red meat consumption is key to a sustainable and healthy diet, yet Americans are among the world’s largest consumers of red meat. A new study reveals the demographics of American adults who choose not to eat red meat and finds that environmental concerns may matter more to them than health risks.   Researchers at Baruch College and the University of Southern California (USC) surveyed more than 7,500 adults as part of the Understanding America Study – a probability-based Internet panel of individuals 18 and older. They will present ...

A little of what you fancy does you good… unless it’s a fizzy drink. Scientists studying the impact of sugar on the risk of cardiovascular disease have found that eating too much added sugar increases your risk of stroke or aneurysm, but eating a few treats is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases. Meanwhile, drinking sweetened beverages raises your risk of stroke, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation.   “The most striking finding from our study is the divergent relationship between different sources of added sugar and cardiovascular ...

In short: “We exist, therefore the universe is made to host us”: the anthropic principle has sparked intense debate in cosmology since its first formulation. A new paper published in JCAP proposes a way to test it. To falsify it, all three of the following conditions must be confirmed by observations: • Cosmic inflation occurred • Axions exist • Dark matter is not made of axions If all these conditions are proven true, the anthropic principle would lose its validity, and our universe would appear ...

WASHINGTON, DC – Monday, December 9, 2024 – More than half of Americans (52%) worry about affording the cost of often hidden healthcare fees, increasingly pervasive charges that could add hundreds or even thousands of dollars to their medical bills a new West Health-Gallup poll finds. Hospitals typically add these fees on top of charges for routine medical services like lab tests or physical examinations provided at outpatient centers, clinics, and medical offices that they own. This means patients end up paying more for the same medical service than they would at independent providers or freestanding clinics – and some may not even ...

Conventional wastewater treatment involves the centralized collection of wastewater from sources through pipes to large-scale treatment plants, where it is treated in bulk. However, this is not feasible in small, decentralized areas such as rural areas. Simple treatment units installed at small non-point sources of pollution mainly focus on disinfection and turbidity improvement, and do not properly decompose the recalcitrant organic matter in wastewater. In addition, even if industrial wastewater is treated in-house, the treatment efficiency is low, and highly ...

Philadelphia, December 9, 2024 – Researchers from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) found that transmission of rotavirus vaccine strains in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is rare and without clinical consequences, strongly suggesting that giving the rotavirus vaccine to eligible infants during their hospitalization provides immune benefits that outweigh any risks. The findings, published today in the journal Pediatrics, could serve as the basis for a change in clinical practice. Rotavirus is a virus that infects the lining of the intestines and is typically ...

New guidelines on the diagnosis and management of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) –  developed by the Centre for Research Excellence in Women’s Health in  Reproductive Life (CRE-WHiRL) at Monash University, and key international women’s health organisations with an international team of experts including women with lived experience – will be published today (TBC) simultaneously in three leading journals. POI is defined as loss of ovarian function before 40 years. This is much earlier than the usual age of menopause; occurring at an average age of 48-51 years in women globally. POI affects approximately 4 per cent ...

Parents who face the heartbreaking loss of their child should get a specific keyworker to support them through bereavement, wherever they are in the country, according to a set of recommendations informed by new research.   In an academic paper published in Archives of Disease in Childhood today, bereaved parents and academic experts from the University of Birmingham, University of Bristol and Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust have outlined their recommendations for support that all bereaved parents ...

Bucking conventionality, boys in Norway are making early gains in reading English as a second language and even outperforming girls at age 10 and 13 – a new a study of more than one million students suggests. Publishing their findings in the peer-reviewed journal Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, experts from the University of Oslo propose the perhaps unexpected results might be explained by online gaming and experiences with other digital technologies such as YouTube – with English being the language of the internet. “Our ...

Chronic pain is an acute and debilitating condition that affects millions of people worldwide. And while pain interventions are available, many people struggle without treatment at all.   Now new research from the University of South Australia shows that adopting a healthy diet can reduce the severity of chronic pain, presenting an easy and accessible way for sufferers to better manage their condition.   Exploring associations between body fat, diet, and pain, researchers found that a greater consumption of foods within the Australian Dietary Guidelines was directly associated with lower levels of body ...

MIAMI, FLORIDA (STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL DEC. 8, 2024, AT 12 NOON EST) – Two clinical trials testing the antibody loncastuximab tesirine (Zynlonta) showed encouraging results in patients with high-risk forms of two blood cancers – follicular lymphoma and marginal zone lymphoma. The findings, led by physician-scientists at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, will be presented at the American Society of Hematology’s 2024 meeting in San Diego. One study, a phase 2 clinical trial led by Juan Alderuccio, M.D., ...

HONG KONG (8 December 2024)—A new vortex electric field with the potential to enhance future electronic, magnetic and optical devices has been observed by researchers from City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) and local partners. The research, published in Science, is highly valuable as it can upgrade the operation of many devices, including strengthening memory stability and computing speed. With further research, the discovery of the vortex electric field can even later impact the fields of quantum computing, spintronics, and nanotechnology. “Previously, generating a vortex electric field required expensive thin film deposition techniques and complex procedures. However, our ...

Though he doesn’t remember it, Branden Baptiste had his first sickle cell crisis at age 2. Through elementary school, he was in and out of the hospital with pain episodes, not knowing why. As he got older, he learned he had sickle cell disease: His red blood cells were forming sickle shapes and getting stuck in his blood stream, preventing oxygen from reaching his tissues. “From age 12, things skyrocketed,” says Branden, now 20. “I was in the hospital every other month with crises.” He estimates he missed 60 days of school every year. In sixth grade, Branden had to have his left hip replaced ...