SAN ANTONIO — March 12, 2024 — Southwest Research Institute has developed off-road autonomous driving tools with a focus on stealth for the military and agility for space and agriculture clients. The vision-based system pairs stereo cameras with novel algorithms, eliminating the need for lidar and active sensors. “We reflected on the toughest machine vision challenges and then focused on achieving dense, robust modeling for off-road navigation,” said Abe Garza, a research engineer in SwRI’s Intelligent Systems Division. Through internal research, SwRI engineers developed a suite of tools known as the Vision for Off-road Autonomy (VORA). The passive ...

Key Takeaways   A collaborative study between bariatric and transplant teams has created a viable pathway for patients with obesity who also have end-stage renal disease to become eligible for kidney transplants through weight loss surgery.   Postoperative outcomes indicate significant improvements in BMI, hypertension, and diabetes management, enhancing patients’ overall health and transplant viability.  High drop-off rates emphasize the need for enhanced patient ...

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2024 – Sometimes, seeing clearly requires complete black. For astronomy and precision optics, coating devices in black paint can cut down on stray light, enhancing images and boosting performance. For the most advanced telescopes and optical systems, every little bit matters, so their manufacturers seek out the blackest blacks to coat them. In the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A, by AIP Publishing, researchers from the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology and the Chinese Academy of Sciences developed an ultrablack thin-film coating for aerospace-grade magnesium alloys. Their coating absorbs 99.3% of light while being ...

About The Study: The results of a nationally representative 2023 survey indicate that Δ8- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) use prevalence is appreciable among adolescents and is higher in states without marijuana legalization or existing Δ8-THC regulations. Prioritizing surveillance, policy, and public health efforts addressing adolescent Δ8-THC use may be warranted.  Authors: Adam M. Leventhal, Ph.D., of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jama.2024.0865) Editor’s Note: Please see the ...

About The Study: In this observational, target trial emulation analysis that included 148,000 individuals diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Sweden, initial dispensation of ADHD medication was significantly associated with lower all-cause and unnatural-cause mortality, whereas the association with natural-cause mortality was not significant.  Authors: Zheng Chang, Ph.D., and Lin Li, Ph.D., of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, are the corresponding authors. To ...

About The Study: In this study of 3,813 hospitals, patient outcomes for time-sensitive conditions (acute myocardial infarction, hip fracture, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, pneumonia, sepsis, and stroke) were worse during the COVID-19 pandemic than before, with different magnitudes of change at urban versus rural hospitals. Mobilizing strategies tailored to the different needs of urban and rural hospitals may help reduce the likelihood of excess deaths during future public health crises.  Authors: H. Joanna Jiang, Ph.D., of the Agency ...

About The Study: This systematic review and meta-analysis yielded substantive evidence that alcohol use disorder was associated with suicide mortality and that the association was similar across the sexes. The findings underscore the importance of identifying and treating alcohol use disorder as part of a comprehensive suicide prevention strategy.  Authors: Shannon Lange, M.P.H., Ph.D., of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, is the corresponding author.  To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.1941) Editor’s Note: Please see the article ...

Approximately 11% of 12th-grade students across the United States reported past-year use of delta-8- tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8-THC, or delta-8 for short), according to an analysis of data from the 2023 Monitoring the Future survey, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Delta-8 is a psychoactive substance that is typically derived from hemp, a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant. Delta-8 has intoxicating effects similar to delta-9-THC (delta-9), the primary THC component responsible for the “high” people may experience from using ...

A new study suggests that delta-8-THC, an intoxicating substance typically made from hemp, is being used by a substantial number of young people across the United States and could potentially pose a significant public health risk. Delta-8-THC products, which include gummies and vapes, look like marijuana products and have similar mood-altering effects. Delta-8 is often manufactured out of cannabidiol from hemp rather than marijuana, and there is no federal minimum age requirement to purchase delta-8 products. In various states, delta-8-THC is widely sold at gas stations or online, but rates of use among American youth have been unknown. Now, researchers from ...

The pandemic put a spotlight on the challenges that health systems face when deciding how to allocate scarce resources during a time of crisis. To better understand differing opinions on this issue, researchers at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and UC Health conducted a survey of laypeople and healthcare professionals, and found that while both groups have  similar priorities for allocating medical resources, they are less aligned on how these priorities should be achieved. “We did this study in response to concerns in the pandemic that we could run out of critical resources, such as mechanical ventilators, and that health systems ...

WASHINGTON, DC – The Editorial Board of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) has selected six papers published by PNAS in 2023 to receive the Cozzarelli Prize, an award that recognizes outstanding contributions to the scientific disciplines represented by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Papers were chosen from more than 3,000 research articles that appeared in the journal last year and represent the six broadly defined classes under which the NAS is organized. Additionally, the Editorial Board has recognized ...

Washington, D.C. (March 12, 2024) — The Association for Psychological Science, the leading global organization dedicated to advancing scientific psychology for the benefit of science and society, is revamping its roster of regularly scheduled events to better foster global scientific collaboration and environmental sustainability. Starting in 2025, APS will merge its Annual Convention and the biennial International Convention of Psychological Science (ICPS). The new APS Annual Convention will rotate outside of North America ...

Watch the video announcement here. New York, NY (March 12, 2024) – The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, fulfilling its commitment to connecting medical care with public health, today established a new Department of Public Health under the visionary leadership of Rosalind J. Wright, MD, MPH, the Horace W. Goldsmith Professor in Children’s Health Research at Icahn Mount Sinai. The Department of Public Health will bridge the school’s existing excellence in environmental medicine, population health, global health, infectious disease, climate science, digital health, data science and artificial intelligence, community engagement, ...

A new study co-authored by a University of Massachusetts Amherst economist reveals the value of government vaccine recommendations to drugmakers, as well as potential benefits of advertising pharmaceuticals directly to consumers — a practice that is banned in every country apart from the United States and New Zealand. The research is the most comprehensive investigation to date of manufacturer marketing and consumer response to adult vaccine recommendations. After the U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended in 2014 that people aged 65 and over receive the pneumococcal vaccine Prevnar 13, Medicare and private ...

  A team of Medical University of South Carolina researchers, led by Onder Albayram, Ph.D., reports in PNAS Nexus that they have discovered a novel protective response by which the brain naturally repairs itself after traumatic brain injury. Findings could lead to drug treatments that improve the brain’s ability to recover after concussions and prevent long-term brain disease. “Brain recovery mechanisms are very, very powerful,” said Albayram. “We don’t always have to develop new treatment approaches. We can also just give the brain a chance to heal itself properly.” Repetitive mild ...

A new study finds that policies to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from motor vehicles combined with investments in electric vehicles and public transportation would reduce air pollution and bring large benefits to children’s health. They would also save money. The findings by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health with collaborators at the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the Boston University School of Public Health appear in the journal Environmental Research ...

A new analysis of 5.8 million Americans finds that earning a college degree is still a sound investment, although the rate of economic return varies across college majors and student demographics. The findings come as skepticism continues to grow over the value of a degree in the face of rising college costs, a decline in college enrollment, and a transforming economy. The study was published today in American Educational Research Journal, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Educational Research Association. It was conducted by Liang Zhang from New York University, Xiangmin Liu from Rutgers University, and Yitong Hu from New York University. The study estimated ...

Scientists have identified a new organelle in liver cells called the mitochondria-lysosome-related organelle (MLRO). This discovery could improve our understanding of chronic liver diseases like alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). Mitochondria are essential components of cells, often called the "powerhouses" because they generate energy. They also play a crucial role in metabolism, calcium signalling, and cell survival. When mitochondria malfunction, it's linked to various liver diseases. Cells have intricate mechanisms to maintain healthy mitochondria. One way is to ...

Four exceptional UNIST students were honored for their outstanding academic and research achievements at the prestigious 30th Annual Samsung Humantech Paper Award ceremony. Among the many eminent individuals, JungSoo Lee (Advisor: Professor Han Gi Chae) from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering notched the highest score and won the Gold Prize within the category of Energy & Environment. His groundbreaking research on enhancing the efficiency of thermoelectric power generation through the development of a new power generation device structure technology earned him this accolade. By focusing on optimizing the structure ...

-- There is a widening employment gap between people with and without disability -- -- In 2022, only 53.1 per cent of people with work-limiting disability were employed, compared to 81.8 per cent of people without disability -- -- People with disability are 25-30 percentage points less likely to be employed -- -- Over a quarter of people with disability cite transport as a barrier to finding work -- A new report by the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre at Curtin University reveals that there has been no improvement in employment rates for people with disability ...

For thousands of Americans each year, a bone marrow transplant has the potential to cure diseases such as leukemias, lymphomas and immune deficiency disorders. While lifesaving, bone marrow transplants are taxing procedures that can affect various organs, including the cardiovascular system. With advances in medical science and improvement in protocols, more bone marrow transplants, also known as hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, are being offered to older patients, a population at greater risk of cardiovascular disease.  Researchers led by ...

BENTLEY UNIVERSITY Drug approvals in the United States between 2010-2019 were aligned with the US, but not global, burden of disease and the increasing number of expedited drug approvals could make the gap worse according to a study in the BMJ Open. The study also demonstrates that drugs indicated for conditions with the greatest burden of disease were less likely to be approved through the FDA’s expedited approval programs that reduce the timeline and cost of drug development, thus making it relatively more expensive to develop these products. US markets and FDA approval play an important role in shaping the product portfolios of global pharmaceutical companies; as such, expedited ...

A study links a rise in a serious bacterial illness to an unexpected factor: a decline in air pollution. Legionnaires’ disease is a respiratory illness with a fatality rate of 10–25% that is caused by inhaled Legionella bacteria. The bacteria live in water and outbreaks have been linked to water sources such as cooling towers, which cool indoor spaces by dissipating heat into the atmosphere in the form of water droplets and vapor. Other sources include improperly maintained public fountains, hot tubs, ice machines, home humidifiers, and showers. A global rise in Legionnaires’ disease since the year 2000 has puzzled ...

We experience turbulence every day: a gust of wind, water gushing down a river or mid-flight bumps on an airplane. Although it may be easy to understand what causes some kinds of turbulence — a felled tree in a river or a bear splashing around for salmon — there is now evidence that a very small disturbance at the start can have dramatic effects later. Instead of a tree, think of a twig — or even the swerving motion of a molecule. University of California San Diego Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Physics Nigel Goldenfeld, along with his former student Dmytro Bandak, and Professors Alexei ...

Recent breakthroughs in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA), such as the recently developed “RevGel-seq” method, has revolutionized plant cell analysis. This technique, independent of special instruments, streamlines processes and resolves protoplast isolation challenges. Now, a multinational team of researchers review this and other such recent advances in plant scRNA sequencing with the intention of providing guidance for facilitating the appropriate selection of scRNA methods for different plant samples. In the world of plant biology, understanding ...