Tree planting has been widely touted as a cost-effective way of reducing global warming, due to trees’ ability to store large quantities of carbon from the atmosphere. But, writing in the journal Nature Geoscience, an international group of scientists argue that tree planting at high latitudes will accelerate, rather than decelerate, global warming. As the climate continues to warm, trees can be planted further and further north, and large-scale tree-planting projects in the Arctic have been championed by governments and ...

Genes contain instructions for making proteins, and a central dogma of biology is that this information flows from DNA to RNA to proteins. But only two percent of the human genome actually encodes proteins; the function of the remaining 98 percent remains largely unknown. One pressing problem in human genetics is to understand what these regions of the genome do—if anything at all. Historically, some have even referred to these regions as “junk.” Now, a new study in Cell finds that some noncoding RNAs are not, in fact, junk—they are functional and play an important role in our cells, including in cancer and human development. Using CRISPR technology that ...

About The Study: In this longitudinal cohort study of multiple aspects of child neurodevelopment between ages 6 and 24 months, negligible associations between prenatal exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection and child outcomes were observed. Follow-up research is warranted to determine whether these predominantly null effects persist into later childhood. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Gerald F. Giesbrecht, PhD, email ggiesbre@ucalgary.ca. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.43697) Editor’s ...

About The Study: Results from this study highlight a lower genetic detection rate for Black patients than for white patients with inherited retinal diseases. This supports a concern that the current development of inherited retinal disease therapeutics is highly dependent on the ability to identify the genetic cause of disease. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, K. Thiran Jayasundera, M.D., email thiran@med.umich.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2024.4696) Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including ...

When thinking about the immune system, most people think about B and T cells and how they can be trained to recognize pathogens, preventing re-infections. Besides this “adaptive” immune system, we also have an “innate” immune system which acts as first line defense against e.g. bacteria and viruses. The textbook view is that the innate immune system is non-specific so that it’s response always follows the same pattern, even for recurring infections. However, research published today in Stem Cell Reports provides evidence ...

“It’s necessary to consider the full life cycle of plastics, starting from the extraction of fossil fuel and the primary plastic polymer production” says lead article writer Patricia Villarrubia-Gómez at Stockholm Resilience Centre. Plastics are not as safe and inert as previously thought. The new research article written by an international team of researchers uses the planetary boundaries framework to structure the rapidly mounting evidence of the effects of plastics on the environment, health and human wellbeing. 500 million tons of plastics are now produced yearly but only nine percent get recycled globally. Plastics are everywhere: ...

The risks of adverse effects and complications from treatment for prostate cancer are substantial and continue for years after treatment ends. The largest comprehensive analysis reporting long-term risks from such treatment relative to the risks faced by a control group of untreated men has just been published in the journal JAMA Oncology. In the 12 years following treatment, men whose initial treatment was a prostatectomy (removal of all or part of the prostate) had a risk of urinary or sexual complications ...

Before 2024 ends, Congress will decide whether to keep or change rules about telehealth, or let them expire. And even though the decision will focus on Medicare’s payment for virtual patient care, it will likely impact telehealth access for people with other kinds of health insurance too. Now, a new University of Michigan study suggests that policymakers can rest easier about one of the top worries about telehealth: that virtual care will drive up the use of tests and scans that patients don’t need, wasting money and resources. In fact, the study shows that low-value care didn’t rise faster at primary care practices that used telehealth the most, compared with those ...

City of Hope® Research Spotlight offers a glimpse at groundbreaking scientific and clinical discoveries advancing lifesaving cures for patients with cancer, diabetes and other chronic, life-threatening diseases. Each spotlight features research-related news such as recognitions, collaborations and the latest research defining the future of medical treatment. This roundup highlights the biology behind our sense of smell, real-world data that can be used to refine esophageal cancer treatment guidelines, a potential new approach to treating patients with type 2 diabetes, a new way to target pancreatic cancer ...

Miami (November 7, 2024) – Health care providers treating people with COPD also need to focus on the person’s socioeconomic factors, along with considering their additional health conditions or comorbidities, according to a new article. The article is published in the September 2024 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open-access journal. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory lung disease, comprising several conditions, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and can be caused by genetics ...

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is recognized as one of the most lethal cancers, with an estimated five-year survival rate of approximately 10%. This poor prognosis is largely attributed to the challenges in early diagnosis, aggressive tumor biology, and limited treatment options. Most PDAC cases are diagnosed at advanced stages due to its typically asymptomatic onset, making only a small percentage of patients eligible for potentially curative surgical resection. In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the role of gut microbiota dysbiosis in PDAC, as ...

INDIANAPOLIS – One of the first studies to investigate the prevalence of unrecognized cognitive impairment among patients seen at Federally Qualified Health Centers, has found that it is ubiquitous, especially among minoritized older adults. These facilities provide primary care and preventive services regardless of ability to pay or health insurance status to more than 30 million patients, including a growing number of older adults. Early and equitable detection of cognitive impairment can benefit patients and their families. Delaying diagnosis leads to poor health outcomes for patients ...

Research analysing European survey data from 113,884 men who have sex with men (MSM) and published in Eurosurveillance indicates that while most MSM have a basic understanding of viral hepatitis, only 44% report having been vaccinated against both hepatitis A and B.  The data highlight notable immunisation gaps despite available vaccination and recommendations. Strong public health support and creating an open environment that enables MSM to follow recommendations will be crucial to reduce outbreaks among MSM and eliminate hepatitis B. Men who have sex with men are more likely to get infected with ...

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA [November 7, 2024] — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®)—an alliance of leading cancer centers focusing on maintaining evidence-based expert consensus driven guidelines for care—announces the publication of the expanded NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast, Ovarian, Pancreatic, and Prostate. This closely follows the recent publication of the expanded NCCN Guidelines® for Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Colorectal, Endometrial, and Gastric.  Additional cancer types were added to the title and content for both guidelines. ...

Pancreatic cancer (PC) presents substantial diagnostic challenges due to its aggressive nature and lack of early symptoms, leading to late detection and poor prognosis. According to recent cancer statistics, PC ranks as the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths globally, with increasing incidence, particularly in high-risk regions such as China. Factors such as a shortage of specific and reliable screening markers, along with a lower prevalence in the general population, make effective large-scale screening a formidable tasko assess advancements in diagnostic techniques, artificial intelligence integration, biomarker discoveries, ...

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a life-threatening condition characterized by acute deterioration of liver function in patients with pre-existing chronic liver disease. It is often accompanied by multiorgan failure and systemic inflammation, with high short-term mortality rates. The triggers for ACLF include bacterial infections, acute alcoholic hepatitis, and ischemic hepatitis, leading to the release of pro-inflammatory mediators. These systemic inflammatory responses result in immune dysfunction, contributing to the progression of the disease​. Recent research has emphasized the metabolic changes ...

It may sound like a contradiction to talk about compassion in the competitive world of elite sport. After all, isn't elite sport all about becoming hardened to resistance and adversity? But this is a false dichotomy, according to a new study that analysed the views of 12 Danish high-performance coaches on the use of compassion in their work with elite athletes. In fact, there is a broad consensus among the coaches, most of whom are head of national teams, about the benefits of using compassion, says the study's lead author, Emilia Backman from the Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen. "All of the high-performance ...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Scientists have spotted microplastics, tiny pieces of plastic smaller than 5 millimeters, in some of the most pristine environments on Earth, from the depths of the Mariana Trench to the snow on Mt. Everest to the mountaintop clouds of China and Japan. Microplastics have been detected in human brains, the bellies of sea turtles and the roots of plants. Now, new research led by Penn State scientists reveals that microplastics in the atmosphere could be affecting weather and climate. The study, published today (Nov 7) in the journal Environmental Science and Technology: ...

Researchers with the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (ECOG-ACRIN) and PrECOG, LLC, will present a variety of abstracts that aim to improve treatments for patients with lymphoma and acute leukemias at the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Meeting & Exposition. The meeting is set to occur in San Diego, California, and virtually December 7 - 10, 2024.   Promising results from a phase 2 study (PrE0905) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and new data from the practice-changing E1910 phase ...

Readily available thermoelectric generators operating under modest temperature differences can power CO2 conversion, according to a proof-of-concept study by chemists at the University of British Columbia (UBC). The findings open up the intriguing possibility that the temperature differentials encountered in an array of environments—from a typical geothermal installation on Earth to the cold, desolate surface of Mars—could power the conversion of CO2 into a range of useful fuels and chemicals. “The environment ...

Why is human culture — the shared body of knowledge passed down across generations — so much more powerful than animal cultures?  “What’s special about our species?” is a question scientists have wrestled with for centuries, and now a scientist at Arizona State University has a new hypothesis that could change the way we perceive ourselves, and the world around us.  “Ten years ago it was basically accepted that it was the ability of human culture to accumulate and evolve that made us special, but new discoveries about animal behavior are challenging these ideas and forcing us to rethink what makes our cultures, ...

Lumbar disc herniation is one of the most common structural changes in the lower back and the most common cause of radiating pain, or sciatica, in the leg. Hereditary risk factors for disc herniations were investigated in a recently published international study led by a University of Oulu research group, utilising data from FinnGen, the Estonian Biobank, and the UK Biobank. The study analyzed the genetic and health data of 829,699 participants.  The study found 41 novel regions of the genome that modify the disease risk for disc herniations, in addition ...

New research into a chemical produced by a caterpillar fungus that has shown promise as a possible cancer treatment has revealed how it interacts with genes to interrupt cell growth signals. The discovery is an important step towards developing new drugs for the treatment of the disease. The research into a chemical produced by a caterpillar fungus has revealed how it may work as a cancer treatment. It interrupts the cell growth signals that are overactive in cancer, an approach that could be less damaging to healthy ...

Philadelphia, November 7, 2024 – Melanoma accounts for only 1% of skin cancers in the United States but results in the largest number of skin cancer deaths. Investigators evaluated the potential link between the availability and use of tanning beds and the rising rates of melanoma in New England. They found compelling evidence linking tanning bed usage to increased melanoma risk. Their spatial epidemiologic study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, published by Elsevier, provides critical insights to inform public health strategies and reduce melanoma incidence. The incidence of melanoma in the US has been increasing ...

Toronto, Canada, 7 November 2024 – From a curious young scientist investigating her grandfather's family wine to a leading expert in mitochondrial health and mental illness, Dr. Ana Cristina Andreazza's journey exemplifies the power of personal motivation in driving scientific innovation. As founder and Scientific Director of the Mitochondrial Innovation Initiative (Mito2i), Dr. Andreazza is revolutionizing our understanding of the connection between cellular energy production and mental health. In an illuminating Genomic Press Interview, published in Brain Medicine on November 7, 2024, ...