Healthcare is undoubtedly crucial for everyone. As individuals age, the risk for health issues and related expenses increases. Consequently, many countries have universal healthcare systems, primarily funded through tax and insurance, to ensure access to essential healthcare services. However, this system is under a heavy fiscal burden since the aging population has increased manyfold, owing to decreasing fertility rates and increasing life span. To sustain the system, governments must face the herculean task of persuading citizens to contribute more to health insurance. In a recent study, a research team consisting of Associate ...

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS — One master’s program. Two universities. Two countries. Two degrees. Students from UTSA and Tecnológico de Monterrey (Tec de Monterrey) in Mexico are swapping campuses, as the two universities jointly launch a unique new degree program this fall. The collaborative program offers students the distinctive opportunity to take high-quality courses at both institutions and earn two degrees: a Master of Science in Information Technology with a concentration in cybersecurity from UTSA and a Master in Cybersecurity from Tec de Monterrey. The program will enable students to advance their cybersecurity ...

Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes are associated with accelerated brain ageing, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published in the journal Diabetes Care. The good news is that this may be counteracted by a healthy lifestyle. Type 2 diabetes is a known risk factor for dementia, but it is unclear how diabetes and its early stages, known as prediabetes, affect brain ageing in people without dementia. Now, a comprehensive brain imaging study shows that both diabetes and prediabetes can be linked to accelerated brain ageing. The study included more than 31,000 people between 40 and ...

New research suggests that epigenetic markers in the blood could be useful for  understanding dementia risk. Two linked papers from the University of Exeter and Maastricht University have together progressed research to show the potential for DNA methylation, an epigenetic marker, in understanding how genetics and lifestyle factors influence dementia risk. DNA methylation is a chemical tag added to DNA, which can turn genes on and off. Genetic and lifestyle factors can alter the levels of the DNA methylation tag on genes, with some of these factors already known to increase the risk of developing dementia. By assessing DNA methylation this can help scientists ...

EMBARGO UNTIL 6 A.M. EST, WEDNESDAY AUG. 28, 2024.   In-person contact helps lead to lower levels of loneliness in older people, but other ways of staying in touch, such as phoning, emailing or texting, are not as effective in lowering loneliness, a team of researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Michigan have found. The findings, out today in the The Journals of Gerontology: Series B Psychological Science, have implications for the health and well-being of many older people. “We were interested to see how older adults react ...

The renewable raw material wood is climate-neutral and at the same time light and strong, making it fundamentally attractive for use in vehicle manufacturing. One challenge to date has been joining the wood and the other materials in the vehicle, such as metals and polymer composites, in a robust way. The research team led by Sergio Amancio from the Institute of Materials Science, Joining and Forming of Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) - Gean Marcatto, Awais Awan, Willian Carvalho and Stefan Herbst - has now successfully tested two techniques by which extremely strong joints can be achieved without using adhesives or screws. ...

London, United Kingdom – 28 August 2024: New research presented at this year’s ESC Congress 2024 in London, UK (30 Aug – 2 Sept) shows that performing echocardiograms remotely using a 5G cellular network has similar accuracy to those performed in person by cardiologists.   “Comprehensive echocardiographic exam with a 5G cellular network and robotic arm-based remote system is feasible with relatively good diagnostic accuracy,” said study author Dr Yu Liu, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai, China.   Echocardiography is the test-of-choice for the ...

London, United Kingdom – 28 August 2024: New research presented at this year’s ESC Congress 2024 in London, UK (30 Aug – 2 Sept) shows that, among patients admitted to the intensive cardiac care unit (ICCU), those with a recent history of recreational drug use are three times more likely than those with no history to experience a repeat serious cardiovascular event within one year.   “Among patients admitted to the intensive cardiac care unit (ICCU), systematic screening for recreational drugs evidenced a significant prevalence ...

KANSAS CITY, MO—August 28, 2024—Humans must regulate blood sugar concentrations to stay healthy and to fuel our cells. Too little or too much can cause serious health complications, and high blood sugar is a hallmark of the metabolic condition, diabetes. New research from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research may enable potential solutions to metabolic disease by turning to evolution and to bats. Recently published in Nature Ecology and Evolution on August 28, 2024, the study led by co-first authors Postdoctoral Research Associate Jasmin Camacho, Ph.D., and former Stowers researcher Andrea Bernal-Rivera from the lab of Stowers ...

Organic redox-active molecules (ORAMs) are abundant and diverse, offering significant potential for cost-effective and sustainable energy storage, particularly in aqueous organic flow batteries (AOFBs). However, ensuring the stability of the ORAMs during the charge and discharge process is critical, as side reactions can deactivate them and eliminate their redox activity. Air stability remains a challenge for many ORAMs, complicating their practical use. Recently, a research group led by Prof. LI Xianfeng and Prof. ZHANG Changkun from ...

Imperial College London press release    Under strict embargo until:  Wednesday 28 August 2024  10am UK time/5am Eastern    Study finds limits to storing CO2 underground to combat climate change  Imperial research has found limits to how quickly we can scale up technology to store gigatonnes of carbon dioxide under the Earth’s surface.  Current international scenarios for limiting global warming to less than 1.5 degrees by the end of the century rely on technologies that remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the Earth’s atmosphere faster than humans release it. This means removing ...

Pain may be the most prevalent and severe symptom reported by individuals with long Covid, according to a new study led by UCL (University College London) researchers. The study, published in JRSM Open, analysed data from over 1,000 people in England and Wales who logged their symptoms on an app between November 2020 and March 2022. Pain, including headache, joint pain and stomach pain, was the most common symptom, reported by 26.5% of participants. The other most common symptoms were neuropsychological ...

[Vienna, August 26 2024] – Since the end of the last Ice Age, growth of human population was far from uniform, marked instead by periods of rapid expansion followed by sharp declines. The reasons behind these fluctuations remain only partially understood. Previous research by CSH scientists Peter Turchin, Daniel Kondor, and an international team of collaborators, demonstrated that social conflicts, rather than – or in addition to – environmental factors, could have significantly impacted these patterns. Now, they add another piece to the puzzle. Wars and conflicts not only cause direct casualties but also create an atmosphere of distress ...

A new paper in the Journal of Public Health, published by Oxford University Press, finds that highlighting the harms of not getting vaccinated is a more effective message than emphasizing the benefits of vaccination for individual patients or the benefits to public health. Vaccination remains the most economical and effective public health strategy for reducing morbidity and mortality. But some vaccines, such as those for flu, pneumonia and HPV, are given voluntarily. Often due to misinformation or ignorance many people are reluctant to get vaccinated for various diseases (or to vaccinate their children). For years researchers have been investigating various strategies ...

Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease caused by a periodontal pathogenic bacteria infection that affects oral and internal health. Good oral care is essential for prevention, but most over-the-counter oral hygiene products are disinfectants that can be highly irritating. This makes them unsuitable for use by young children and the elderly, who are susceptible to periodontal disease. To find an antibacterial that is easy to use and effective in preventing periodontal disease at all ages, Professor Shigeki Kamitani of Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology led a research team in verifying the antibacterial effect of seven ...

Since their release, AI tools like ChatGPT have had a huge impact on content creation. In schools and universities, a debate about whether these tools should be allowed or prohibited is ongoing. Now, researchers in Sweden have investigated the relationship between adolescents’ EF and their use and perceived usefulness of generative AI chatbots for schoolwork. They published their results in Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence. “Students with more EF challenges found these tools particularly useful, especially for completing assignments,” said Johan Klarin, a school psychologist and research assistant at the Department of Psychology ...

Researchers have made a significant breakthrough in the development of catalysts for the electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (eNO₃RR) to ammonia, a process that has broad implications for sustainable energy, agriculture, and industrial applications. Ammonia, a critical component in global food production, also holds promise as a zero-carbon fuel due to its high energy density, clean combustion products, and established infrastructure for storage and transportation. However, the current method of producing ...

Indigenous students pursuing nursing careers at the University of Arizona College of Nursing will benefit from additional financial support thanks to a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Indian Health Service. The grant will fund the successful Indians in Nursing: Career Advancement and Transition Scholars, or INCATS, program for another five years. The program provides Indigenous students at the U of A College of Nursing with financial support for tuition, fees and a living stipend. Additionally, the grant provides resources for dedicated time and personnel to partner with tribal ...

How does one species become two? If you’re a biologist, that’s a loaded question. The consensus is that, in most cases, the process of speciation occurs when individuals from a single population become geographically isolated. If they remain separate long enough, they lose the ability to interbreed. A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences demonstrates what happens when a less common form of speciation occurs. Rather than being separated by a physical barrier, such as a mountain range or an ocean, members of a species can become ...

UVDF Funding, Henna Henna Secures $30,000 from PSU’s University Venture Development Fund to Enhance AI Fairness & Safety Portland, OR – August 13, 2024 – Henna, a startup with deep ties to Portland State University (PSU), has successfully secured $30,000 in funding from the University Venture Development Fund (UVDF). This grant will support Henna's mission to make AI adoption fairer and safer. Henna was founded earlier this year by Arsh Haque (they/them), Chair of the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion ...

Work has started on a new Quantum Communications Hub Optical Ground Station (HOGS), a state-of-the-art telescope which is being built on Heriot-Watt University’s Research Park. The new facility will demonstrate and test satellite quantum secure communications, maintaining and growing the UK’s strength in the field of quantum technologies. It is scheduled to be fully operational by late Autumn [2024]. As well as helping to tackle future cyberattacks by researching methods to send secure transmissions via satellites, it will unlock new research on space environmentalism alongside innovative R&D activities for future laser communication ...

New York, NY – The State University of New York Board of Trustees today appointed Dr. David Troilo as president of SUNY College of Optometry. He is the 4th president to serve the state’s only college of optometry, following the retirement of Dr. David A. Heath after 17 years of dedicated service to the campus. Dr. Troilo’s appointment is effective immediately.   The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “SUNY College of Optometry is a center of research and academic excellence, and Dr. Troilo is a collaborative and thoughtful leader who is ready to move the campus forward growing ...

A new applied mathematical theory could enhance our understanding of how sea ice affects global climate, potentially improving the accuracy of climate predictions. The authors of a new paper published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society A on 28 August, offer new insights into how heat travels through sea ice, a crucial factor in regulating Earth's polar climate. Dr Noa Kraitzman, Senior Lecturer in Applied Mathematics at Macquarie University and lead author of the study, says the research addresses a key gap in current climate modelling. “Sea ice covers about 15 per cent of the ocean’s surface during ...

Individuals with type 2 diabetes who are at higher risk of certain cancers could be identified by a simple blood test, this year’s Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) (Madrid, 9-13 September) will hear. People with type 2 diabetes are known to be at higher risk of developing cancers associated with obesity (OR cancers), including breast, kidney, womb, thyroid and ovarian cancer, as well as gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal and pancreatic ...

The University of Texas School of Public Health San Antonio (UT School of Public Health San Antonio), a collaboration between The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) and The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), proudly welcomes its inaugural class and the official launch of the region’s first Master of Public Health (MPH) graduate degree program. Beginning Monday, Aug. 26, the first cohort of 40 students will attended classes at the new UT School of Public Health San Antonio, located on the Greehey Campus at UT Health San Antonio. Many of the students in the program ...