UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Extracting natural gas from shale formations can provide an abundant, lower-carbon footprint fossil fuel, but also creates concerns over increased methane emissions. A team led by Penn State researchers has developed a new tool that can estimate the emission potential of shale wells after they are no longer active. The findings, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, revealed that methane begins diffusing from the shale formation after a well is decommissioned  and that this represents a notable source of methane ...

MADISON — A newly developed nanomaterial that mimics the behavior of proteins could be an effective tool for treating Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. The nanomaterial alters the interaction between two key proteins in brain cells — with a potentially powerful therapeutic effect. The innovative findings, recently published in the journal Advanced Materials, were made possible thanks to a collaboration between University of Wisconsin–Madison scientists and nanomaterial engineers at Northwestern ...

In recent years, the scientific community has increasingly turned its attention to sustainable agriculture, aiming to maximize crop yield while minimizing environmental impact. A crucial aspect of this research involves understanding the fundamental processes of plant photosynthesis and how they can be monitored at scale. One promising method for assessing photosynthetic activity is through the measurement of sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence, a byproduct of photosynthesis that can be detected ...

RESEARCH SUMMARY   Study Title:  Positive selection CRISPR screens reveal a druggable pocket in an oligosaccharyltransferase required for inflammatory signaling to NF-κB   Publication:  Cell (4/25/24)   Dana-Farber Cancer Institute authors include: William Kaelin, Jr, MD, senior author; Benjamin Lampson, MD, PhD, first author; Lixia He, PhD; Jamie Pfaff, MD; Nitin Shirole, PhD; and Yanfeng He, PhD   Summary: A new paper by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute ...

Oil is an important natural resource for many industries, but it can lead to serious environmental damage when accidentally spilled. While large oil spills are highly publicized, every year there are many smaller-scale spills into lakes, rivers and oceans. And, according to research published in ACS’ Energy & Fuels, the longer that oil remains in freshwater, the more chemical changes it undergoes, creating products that can persist in the environment. Approximately 600,000 gallons of oil were accidentally spilled into the environment ...

LOS ANGELES — More than 660 Nevadans need an organ transplant, according to Nevada Organ Network, a federally designated organ procurement organization; but many currently struggle to access care because of limited transplant services available in Nevada.   Amid the growing need for additional transplant services in the state, Keck Medicine of USC has opened a new location in Las Vegas that will provide specialized care for patients in Las Vegas and surrounding communities who need a liver or heart transplant.   The clinic is the first in Nevada to offer ...

Chemokines are signalling proteins that orchestrate the interaction of immune cells against pathogens and tumours. To understand this complex network, various techniques have been developed to identify chemokine-producing cells. However, it has not yet been possible to determine which cells react to these chemokines. Researchers at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn have developed a new class of genetically modified mice that enables the simultaneous identification of chemokine producers and sensors. Using the chemokine ...

Researchers from Wageningen University and Research, the Netherlands, have published a comprehensive study on the invasion of lionfish in the Mediterranean Sea, highlighting a rapid spread and the potential ecological impacts. Published in the open-access journal NeoBiota, the research shows the lionfish species Pterois miles has significantly expanded its territory in the Mediterranean since the invasion began around ten years ago. The invasive species has established presence in the eastern Mediterranean, with observations now extending to colder waters previously ...

Two independent research teams have successfully regenerated mouse brain circuits in mice using neurons grown from rat stem cells. Both studies, published April 25 in the journal Cell, offer valuable insights into how brain tissue forms and present new opportunities for restoring lost brain function due to disease and aging. “This research helps to show the brain’s potential flexibility in using synthetic neural circuits to restore brain functions,” says Kristin Baldwin (@kkbaldwin238), a professor at Columbia University in New York and corresponding author ...

Kingston, ON, March 27, 2024 – In the era after the introduction of publicly funded in vitro fertilization (IVF) mandating elective single embryo transfer, the multifetal pregnancy rate decreased significantly for IVF, but the contribution of ovulation induction and intrauterine insemination (OI/IUI) to multifetal pregnancy still needs attention, according to a new study from ICES and Queen’s University.  Twins, triplets, and higher multifetal pregnancies are associated with some adverse outcomes ...

A new study led by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) showed people surviving cancer who reported feeling more lonely experienced a higher mortality risk compared to survivors reporting low or no loneliness. Researchers observed the highest mortality risk among the group reporting the highest levels of loneliness, even after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. The findings are published today in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (JNCCN). “Loneliness, ...

About The Study: In this nationally representative cross-sectional study of 25,000 participants, those experiencing post–COVID-19 condition (PCC) were approximately twice as likely to report depression and anxiety symptoms than other U.S. adults. Among individuals with these symptoms, adults with PCC were just as likely to have received mental health treatment but more likely to report cost-related barriers to accessing therapy. Care pathways for PCC should consider prioritizing mental health screening and affordable treatment.  Authors: Hiten Naik, M.D., ...

About The Study: In an otherwise largely homogeneous sample of female nurses, participants identifying as lesbian or bisexual had markedly earlier mortality during the study period compared with heterosexual women. These differences in mortality timing highlight the urgency of addressing modifiable risks and upstream social forces that propagate and perpetuate disparities.  Authors: Sarah McKetta, M.D., Ph.D., of Harvard University in Boston, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed ...

Warning letters from Medicare can safely cut prescribing of a powerful but risky antipsychotic, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Researchers used Medicare data to study the effects of the letters on hundreds of thousands of older adults with dementia. They found a significant and lasting reduction in prescribing but no signs of adverse effects on patient health. The findings are published in JAMA Network Open. “Our study shows that low-cost letter interventions can safely reduce antipsychotic prescribing to patients with dementia,” said Adam Sacarny, PhD, assistant professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia Mailman School. ...

Key takeaways: A new study led by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute examined differences in premature mortality by sexual orientation among a large group of women followed for three decades. Findings show that sexual minority women died much sooner than heterosexual women, with bisexual women having the most pronounced differences. This work highlights the urgent need to address sexual orientation-related inequities in preventable illness, including a focus on the systems and laws that ...

Due to the changing climate, young herring arrive in the Wadden Sea earlier and earlier in spring. That is shown in a new publication by NIOZ ecologists Mark Rademaker, Myron Peck and Anieke van Leeuwen, in this month's journal Global Change Biology. "The fact that we were able to demonstrate this, was only due to very consistently, for more than 60 years, and continuously sampling the fish every spring and every fall with exactly the same fyke every time", Rademaker says. "Recognizing this kind of change requires extreme precision ...

NEW YORK, NY--If mice ever wonder what it’s like to experience the world as a rat, some are now able to live that dream, at least when it comes to the sense of smell.  Researchers led by Columbia University's Kristin Baldwin have created mice with hybrid brains – part mouse, part rat – that sense the odors of the world with their rat neurons.   It is the first time that an animal has been able to use the sensory apparatus of another to sense and respond accurately to the world ...

Following the 2017 siege of Marawi, the Philippines' counter-terrorism efforts have faced an increasingly complex and unpredictable landscape. While authorities have claimed victory, one which garnered global media attention during the peak of ISIS reign in Syria and Iraq, the aftermath of Marawi highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive reassessment of the country's counter-terrorism strategy. A new study, led by experts in security and terrorism studies at the University of Portsmouth, provides a thorough examination of the terrorist ...

(Boston)—Dane Scantling, DO, MPH, FACS, assistant professor of surgery at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, has been awarded the C. James Carrico, MD, FACS, Faculty Research Fellowship for the Study of Trauma and Critical Care from the American College of Surgeons. The two-year, $80,000 award will support his project, "Improving Equity and Access to Trauma Care for Victims of Firearm Violence."   Firearm violence (FV) rates have risen to levels not seen ...

WASHINGTON — Researchers have developed a compact and lightweight single-photon airborne lidar system that can acquire high-resolution 3D images with a low-power laser. This advance could make single-photon lidar practical for air and space applications such as environmental monitoring, 3D terrain mapping and object identification. Single-photon lidar uses single-photon detection techniques to measure the time it takes laser pulses to travel to objects and back. It is particularly useful for airborne applications because it enables highly accurate 3D mapping of terrain and objects even in challenging environments such as dense vegetation or urban areas. “Using single-photon ...

(WASHINGTON, April 25, 2024) – The volume of hematopoietic cell transplants rose among all racial/ethnic groups, but grew faster among African Americans and Hispanics compared with Non-Hispanic white individuals, mirroring changes in population growth rates. Survival after both autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (autoHCT) and allogeneic hematopoietic transplant (alloHCT) improved over time across racial/ethnic groups, though non-Hispanic African Americans still have worse outcomes, according ...

INDIANAPOLIS – Chlamydia and gonorrhea are the two most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States, impacting 2.4 million in 2021, and the number is rising. A recent study of individuals ages 15 to 60 measuring and comparing treatment rates for these STIs has found that nearly one-in-five patients with chlamydia and one-in-four patients with gonorrhea did not receive Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended treatment for their infection. Individuals seen by clinicians in a private healthcare setting were less likely to receive CDC recommended treatment than those seen ...

Plastic is a very complex material that can contain many different chemicals, some of which can be harmful. This is also true for plastic food packaging. “We found as many as 9936 different chemicals in a single plastic product used as food packaging,” said Martin Wagner, a professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU’s) Department of Biology. Wagner has been working with chemicals in plastic products for several years. He is part of a research group at NTNU that ...

One might think that snow, of all things, is easy to describe: it is cold, white and covers the landscape like a blanket. What else is there to say about it? A lot, according to Mathieu Nguyen. He has just defended his doctoral thesis on the optical properties of snow at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Gjøvik. “Snow reflects all wavelengths of light and can have very different colours depending on the conditions and the angle at which light hits it. The age and density ...

HOUSTON – (April 25, 2024) – Diagnosing rare Mendelian disorders is a labor-intensive task, even for experienced geneticists. Investigators at Baylor College of Medicine are trying to make the process more efficient using artificial intelligence. The team developed a machine learning system called AI-MARRVEL (AIM) to help prioritize potentially causative variants for Mendelian disorders. The study is published today in NEJM AI.  Researchers from the Baylor Genetics clinical diagnostic laboratory noted that AIM's module can contribute to predictions ...