Science X Newsletter Mon, Apr 8

Dear ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for April 8, 2024:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Scientists investigate information propagation in interacting bosonic systems

Carbon trading solutions for declining coral reef management tested with game theory

A scalable reinforcement learning–based framework to facilitate the teleoperation of humanoid robots

A fusion SLAM system that enhances the sensing and localization capabilities of biped climbing robots

Scientists solve a long-standing mystery surrounding the moon's 'lopsided' geology

Astronomers discover the longest-period classical Cepheid in our galaxy

Exploring how oxytocin interacts with testosterone while humans play a game modeling intergroup conflict

Arctic precipitation rates to double as temperatures rise, finds new study

The spontaneous emergence of 1D superconducting stripes at a 2D interface in an oxide heterostructure

Saturday Citations: AI and the prisoner's dilemma; stellar cannibalism; evidence that EVs reduce atmospheric CO₂

DESI first-year data delivers unprecedented measurements of expanding universe

Dinosaur study challenges Bergmann's rule

A simple, inexpensive way to make carbon atoms bind together

Can language models read the genome? This one decoded mRNA to make better vaccines

Elon Musk says Tesla will unveil robotaxi in August

Nanotechnology news

	New diagnostic tool achieves accuracy of PCR tests with faster and simpler nanopore system Over the past four years, many of us have become accustomed to a swab up the nose to test for COVID-19, using at-home rapid antigen tests or the more accurate clinic-provided PCR tests with a longer processing time. Now a new diagnostic tool developed by UC Santa Cruz Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Holger Schmidt and his collaborators can test for SARS-CoV-2 and Zika virus with the same or better accuracy as high-precision PCR tests in a matter of hours.
	Fluorous lipopeptides act as highly effective antibiotics for multidrug-resistant pathogens Multidrug-resistant bacterial infections that cannot be treated by any known antibiotics pose a serious global threat. Publishing in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition, a Chinese research team has now introduced a method for the development of novel antibiotics to fight resistant pathogens. The drugs are based on protein building blocks with fluorous lipid chains.
	Improving sodium ion batteries with mechanically robust nanocellular graphene Ever since its discovery in 2004, graphene has been revolutionizing the field of materials science and beyond. Graphene comprises two-dimensional sheets of carbon atoms, bonded into a thin hexagonal shape with a thickness of one atom layer. This gives it remarkable physical and chemical properties.
	A targeted polymer to treat colorectal cancer liver metastases A nanosized polymer, developed by a research team from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, can selectively deliver chemotherapeutic drugs to blood vessels that feed tumors and metastases and has emerged as an effective treatment for advanced cancer. The polymer eliminates colorectal cancer liver metastases and prolongs mice survival after a single dose therapy.
	Scientists develop composite accelerometer for extreme environments The demand for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resilient to harsh environments is growing. Silicon-based MEMS struggle under extreme conditions, limited by their performance at elevated temperatures. Silicon carbide (SiC) stands out as a promising solution, offering unmatched thermal, electrical, and mechanical advantages for creating enduring MEMS.
	Novel tech captures disease markers in a snap: The future of early diagnosis Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as promising biomarkers for non-invasive disease diagnostics, offering an alternative to conventional biopsies. However, the challenge has been the efficient and pure isolation of EVs from biological fluids, as current methods yield variable results. Recognizing this gap, researchers have focused on developing advanced techniques that can isolate EVs with high efficiency and purity, crucial for the accurate detection and monitoring of diseases.

Physics news

	Scientists investigate information propagation in interacting bosonic systems A new study by scientists from Japan explores the propagation of quantum information within interacting boson systems like Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs), revealing the potential for accelerated transmission unlike previously thought.
	The spontaneous emergence of 1D superconducting stripes at a 2D interface in an oxide heterostructure Unconventional superconducting states are states of superconductivity rooted in physical processes that do not conform with the conventional theory of superconductivity, namely Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer (BCS) theory. These states are characterized by close interactions between magnetism and superconductivity.
	Nonvolatile quantum memory: Discovery points path to flash-like memory for storing qubits Rice University physicists have discovered a phase-changing quantum material—and a method for finding more like it—that could potentially be used to create flash-like memory capable of storing quantum bits of information, or qubits, even when a quantum computer is powered down.
	Innovative sensing platform unlocks ultrahigh sensitivity in conventional sensors Optical sensors serve as the backbone of numerous scientific and technological endeavors, from detecting gravitational waves to imaging biological tissues for medical diagnostics. These sensors use light to detect changes in the properties of the environment they're monitoring, including chemical biomarkers and physical properties like temperature. A persistent challenge in optical sensing has been enhancing sensitivity to detect faint signals amid noise.
	Physicists discover elbow-like feature in mean logarithmic mass spectrum of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays Researchers at the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) have accurately measured the cosmic ray all-particle energy spectrum and the mean logarithmic mass in the range of 0.3–30 peta-electronvolts (PeV). They have also discovered an "elbow" feature in the mean logarithmic mass spectrum of cosmic rays.
	Propagating dimensions of light: Deforming versatile non-diffractive beams along the optical trajectory The diffraction of light is a ubiquitous phenomenon in nature where waves spread out as they propagate. This spreading of light beams during propagation limits the efficient transmission of energy and information. Therefore, scientists have endeavored to suppress diffraction effects to better maintain the shape and direction of light beams.
	Magnetic levitation: New material offers potential for unlocking gravity-free technology Researchers at the Quantum Machines Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) are studying levitating materials—substances that can remain suspended in a stable position without any physical contact or mechanical support.
	FASER measures high-energy neutrino interaction strength Operating at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) since 2022, the FASER experiment is designed to search for extremely weakly interacting particles. Such particles are predicted by many theories beyond the Standard Model that are attempting to solve outstanding problems in physics such as the nature of dark matter and the matter-antimatter imbalance in the universe.
	Atom interferometer charters Navy's inertial navigation path to reduce drift U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) researchers have developed a patent-pending Continuous 3D-Cooled Atom Beam Interferometer derived from a patented cold and continuous beam of atoms to explore atom-interferometry-based inertial measurement systems as a path to reduce drift in Naval navigation systems.
	CMS experiment at CERN measures a key parameter of the Standard Model Last week, at the annual Rencontres de Moriond conference, the CMS collaboration presented a measurement of the effective leptonic electroweak mixing angle. The result is the most precise measurement performed at a hadron collider to date and is in good agreement with the prediction from the Standard Model.
	A physicist uses X-rays to rescue old music recordings Researchers are developing a technique that uses the special synchrotron X-ray light from the Swiss Light Source SLS to non-destructively digitize recordings from high-value historic audio tapes—including treasures from the Montreux Jazz Festival archive, such as a rare recording of the King of the Blues, B.B. King.
	High-performance terahertz modulators induced by substrate field in Te-based all-2D heterojunctions High-performance active terahertz (THz) modulators are of great importance for next generation communication technology. However, they currently suffer from the tradeoff between modulation depth and speed.
	Microprinting millions of microparticles in the blink of an eye through multi-photon 3D laser printing Multi-photon 3D laser printing has revolutionized miniature fabrication, but limitations in speed and material compatibility have held it back. Now, researchers have taken a giant leap forward, achieving a tenfold increase in print speed while maintaining exquisite detail.
	Advancing real-time 3D holographic display: A new method for computer-generated holography Holographic displays offer a promising avenue for achieving lifelike 3D reproductions with continuous depth sensation, holding potential applications in fields such as entertainment, medical imaging, and virtual reality. However, the conventional methods for generating computer-generated holograms (CGHs) rely on repetitive computations, leading to increased computational complexity and impracticality for real-time applications.

Earth news

	Carbon trading solutions for declining coral reef management tested with game theory Climate change in the media is often represented through evocative images of polar bears on small floating ice rafts and bleached corals—stark white skeletons in the wasteland of a once-thriving marine community. Besides being diverse ecosystems, coral reefs have a vital role in dissipating wave energy to protect coastlines from erosion and natural disasters, as well as being important sources of tourism income for the local economy. Amidst ongoing research into coral reef degradation, scientists are investigating innovative strategies to incentivize change.
	Arctic precipitation rates to double as temperatures rise, finds new study The Arctic is often cited for a plethora of impacts resulting from anthropogenic climate change, including glacier retreat and reductions in floating sea ice, meltwater incursions changing ocean salinity, as well as sea level rise to name but a few. As the region is warming three times faster than the global average annually, ice-albedo feedbacks will only exacerbate the issue further. This mechanism focuses on melting ice exposing more "dark" surface ocean and land to absorb heat to cause further melting, compared to the reflective nature of ice that would otherwise encourage cooling.
	New study suggests we're likely underestimating the future impact of PFAS in the environment Per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances—commonly known as PFAS—are a group of over 14,000 human-made chemicals that have been popular since the 1950s for their diverse skills in resisting heat, water, grease and stains.
	Boreal forest and tundra regions worst hit over next 500 years of climate change, climate model shows The boreal forest, covering much of Canada and Alaska, and the treeless shrublands to the north of the forest region, may be among the worst impacted by climate change over the next 500 years, according to a new study.
	Study presents evidence that recent reductions in aerosol emissions create an additional warming effect Recent reductions in emissions of tiny particles, the major cause of air pollution globally, have led to more heat in the Earth's climate system. This is shown in a new international study led by CICERO and published in Communications Earth & Environment.
	Modeling urban growth shows that cities develop in ways similar to cancerous tumors A team of environmental engineers and city planners from University College London, the University of Sydney, and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne has discovered that cities grow in ways similar to the development of cancerous tumors. In their paper published in Journal of the Royal Society Interface, the group used mathematical models to explain how the city of London grew into its current state, and then applied the models to Sydney, Australia.
	New method predicts how climate change will impact food production and financial institutions Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy have developed a new method to predict the financial impacts climate change will have on agriculture, which can help support food security and financial stability for countries increasingly prone to climate catastrophes.
	Replacing plastics with alternatives is worse for greenhouse gas emissions in most cases, study finds Substituting plastics with alternative materials is likely to result in increased GHG emissions, according to research from the University of Sheffield.
	East Coast earthquakes aren't common, but they are felt by millions. Here's what to know East Coast residents were jolted Friday by a 4.8-magnitude earthquake centered near Lebanon, New Jersey, with weak rumblings felt as far away as Baltimore and the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border. No life-threatening injuries or major damage have been reported.
	What is a sinkhole? A geotechnical engineer explains Sinkholes are back in the news after a 13-year-old boy fell down a two meter deep hole in a waterlogged football field in Sydney over the weekend. The boy reportedly sank further into the hole every time he tried to push down with his feet, but was later rescued by a police officer who pulled him out by his wrists.
	A rainfall scientist explains what April showers are and why they are becoming more intense "March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers", goes the old British proverb. The term was even (almost) used in the Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in the 1300s: "Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote".
	Coastal wetlands can't keep pace with sea-level rise, and infrastructure is leaving them nowhere to go Wetlands have flourished along the world's coastlines for thousands of years, playing valuable roles in the lives of people and wildlife. They protect the land from storm surge, stop seawater from contaminating drinking water supplies, and create habitat for birds, fish and threatened species.
	What causes earthquakes in the Northeast, like the magnitude 4.8 that shook New Jersey? A geoscientist explains It's rare to feel earthquakes in the U.S. Northeast, so the magnitude 4.8 earthquake in New Jersey that shook buildings in New York City and was felt from Maryland to Boston on April 5, 2024, drew a lot of questions. It was one of the strongest earthquakes on record in New Jersey, though there were few reports of damage. A smaller, magnitude 3.8 earthquake and several other smaller aftershocks rattled the region a few hours later. We asked geoscientist Gary Solar to explain what causes earthquakes in this region.
	Why is Ghana so hot this year? An expert explains Ghana's meteorological agency and the state's health service have issued warnings about a period of very high temperatures expected in the first half of 2024 around the country. Ghana's experience is part of a global phenomenon: record temperatures were recorded in 2023.
	Q&A: What to make of the earthquake that rattled the Northeast The 4.8 magnitude earthquake that shook the Northeast on April 5 didn't seem to cause much damage, but it was enough to send tremors of concern through anyone who felt it. It's not that the region never experiences seismic shifts. It's just that most earthquakes in the region go undetected.
	Study identifies atmospheric and economic drivers of global air pollution Carbon monoxide emissions from industrial production have serious consequences for human health and are a strong indicator of overall air pollution levels. Many countries aim to reduce their emissions, but they cannot control air flows originating in other regions. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looks at global flows of air pollution and how they relate to economic activity in the global supply chain.
	Research presents a map of global land cover from 2000–2020 A new study introduces the Hybrid Global Annual 1-km International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) Land Cover Maps for the period 2000–2020.
	Cracking the code of flash floods: New insights from China's mountainous regions Recently, researchers have made breakthroughs in flash flood forecasting by studying how different rainfall patterns affect flash floods in China's mountainous regions. This research leads to the possibility of more accurate and localized flood warnings, potentially enhancing disaster preparedness and reducing the devastating effects of flash floods on at-risk communities.
	Reducing production and consumption growth in high-income countries: Is it good for tackling climate change? A new study led by Jarmo Kikstra, a research scholar in the IIASA Energy, Climate, and Environment Program, explores whether reducing production and consumption growth could make a significant contribution to resolving the climate crisis.
	Greece raises wildfire alert level after spate of blazes Greece on Sunday raised its wildfire alert level to "high risk" after dozens of blazes broke out, the civil protection ministry said.
	Top Europe rights court to issue landmark climate verdicts Europe's top rights court will on Tuesday issue unprecedented verdicts in three separate cases on the responsibility of states in the face of global warming, rulings that could force governments to adopt more ambitious climate policies.
	Malaysian state converts Ramadan food waste into fertilizer After breaking their Ramadan fast outside a mosque in Malaysia, people throw their leftovers into a machine that converts the food scraps into organic fertilizer for crops.
	Bogota restricts water as reservoirs hit 'critical' lows The mayor of Colombia's capital Bogota on Monday announced water restrictions as reservoirs in the sprawling Andean city hit "critical" levels.
	Feeling depleted? So is the planet. Here's how to move from exhaustion to empowerment Have you felt overwhelmed recently? Stressed and exhausted from the busy treadmill of modern life? You're not alone. Global polls suggest 76% of people experience burnout at least sometimes at work.

Astronomy and Space news

	Scientists solve a long-standing mystery surrounding the moon's 'lopsided' geology About 4.5 billion years ago, a small planet smashed into the young Earth, flinging molten rock into space. Slowly, the debris coalesced, cooled and solidified, forming our moon. This scenario of how the Earth's moon came to be is the one largely agreed upon by most scientists. But the details of how exactly that happened are "more of a choose-your-own-adventure novel," according to researchers in the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory who published a paper in Nature Geoscience.
	Astronomers discover the longest-period classical Cepheid in our galaxy Astronomers from the University of Warsaw, Poland and elsewhere have detected a new classical Cepheid variable star. The newfound star, which received designation OGLE-GD-CEP-1884, has the longest pulsation period known among such variables in the Milky Way. The finding was detailed in a research paper published March 29 on the pre-print server arXiv.
	DESI first-year data delivers unprecedented measurements of expanding universe Scientists have analyzed the first batch of data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument's quest to map the universe and unravel the mysteries of dark energy.
	Huge star explosion to appear in sky in once-in-a-lifetime event Sometime between now and September, a massive explosion 3,000 light years from Earth will flare up in the night sky, giving amateur astronomers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness this space oddity.
	What do scientists hope to learn from total solar eclipse in US? When a rare total solar eclipse sweeps across North America on Monday, scientists will be able to gather invaluable data on everything from the sun's atmosphere to strange animal behaviors—and even possible effects on humans.
	A wobbling magnetized star challenges the origin of repeating fast radio bursts An international research team led by Gregory Desvignes from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn, Germany, has used the Effelsberg and Jodrell Bank radio telescopes to observe the precessing magnetar XTE J1810-197—a highly magnetized and ultra-dense neutron star—shortly after its X-ray enhanced activity and radio reactivation.
	Astronomers detect unprecedented behavior from nearby magnetar Researchers using Murriyang, CSIRO's Parkes radio telescope, have detected unusual radio pulses from a previously dormant star with a powerful magnetic field.
	Climate change threatens Antarctic meteorites Using artificial intelligence, satellite observations, and climate model projections, a team of researchers from Switzerland and Belgium calculate that for every tenth of a degree of increase in global air temperature, an average of nearly 9,000 meteorites disappear from the surface of the ice sheet. This loss has major implications, as meteorites are unique samples of extraterrestrial bodies that provide insights into the origin of life on Earth and the formation of the moon.
	Inexplicable cloud of magnetized plasma found in Hydra galaxy cluster High sensitivity radio observations have discovered a cloud of magnetized plasma in the Hydra galaxy cluster. The odd location and shape of this plasma defy all conventional explanations. Dubbed the Flying Fox based on its silhouette, this plasma will remain a mystery until additional observations can provide more insight.
	Researchers enable detection of remarkable gravitational-wave signal Researchers from the University of Portsmouth's Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG) have helped to detect a remarkable gravitational-wave signal, which could hold the key to solving a cosmic mystery.
	A total solar eclipse races across North America as clouds part along totality A chilly, midday darkness fell across North America on Monday as a total solar eclipse raced across the continent, thrilling those lucky enough to behold the spectacle through clear skies.
	The universe's accelerated expansion might be slowing down The universe is still expanding at an accelerating rate, but it may have slowed down recently compared to a few billion years ago, early results from the most precise measurement of its evolution yet suggested Thursday.
	Citizen science group plans to use the 2024 eclipse for ionospheric discovery As the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, draws closer, a vibrant community of enthusiastic amateur radio operators, known as "hams," is gearing up for an exciting project with the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI) group. Our goal is clear and ambitious: to use the moon's shadow as a natural laboratory to uncover the intricacies of the ionosphere, a layer of Earth's atmosphere crucial for radio communication.
	If life exists on Jupiter's moon Europa, scientists might soon be able to detect it Europa is one of the largest of more than 90 moons in orbit around the planet Jupiter. It is also one of the best places to look for alien life.
	Eclipse viewing safety: Keeping your & your kid's vision safe People preparing to watch Monday's total eclipse of the sun need to protect their vision during the event, eye doctors say.
	Eclipse weather forecast points to clear skies in the Northeast and central US. Texas is iffy Some who hope to witness Monday's total solar eclipse may see the sun obscured by clouds instead of by the moon.
	A Soyuz capsule carrying 3 crew from the International Space Station lands safely in Kazakhstan A Russian space capsule with two women and one man safely landed in a steppe in Kazakhstan on Saturday after their missions aboard the International Space Station.
	Eclipse weather forecast: clear skies in the Northeast, clouds in Texas Clouds are likely to spoil the view of the total solar eclipse in Texas and other spots along the path in North America, according to forecasts on Saturday,
	Why unprotected eclipse gazing will leave you seeing stars Just a single, unguarded glance at a solar eclipse can result in a lifetime of vision loss, eye health experts warn.
	Weather is the hot topic as eclipse spectators stake out their spots in US, Mexico and Canada Eclipse spectators staked out their spots across three countries Sunday, fervently hoping for clear skies despite forecasts calling for clouds along most of the sun-vanishing route.
	Huge crowds await a total solar eclipse in North America. Clouds may spoil the view Millions of spectators along a narrow corridor stretching from Mexico to the U.S. to Canada eagerly awaited Monday's celestial sensation—a total eclipse of the sun—even as forecasters called for clouds.
	Totality insanity: Eclipse frenzy hits North America Eclipse mania is sweeping across North America as a breathtaking celestial event on Monday promises a rare blend of commerce, science—and celebration.
	Solar eclipse chasers from Colorado will seek clues for predicting geomagnetic space storms When Monday's solar eclipse casts its shadow, Colorado-based scientists will chase it in a jet flying faster than 500 mph and aim a coffin-shaped instrument straight at the sun's corona, taking measurements that eventually could help weather forecasters predict space storms.
	NASA's LRO finds photo op as it zips past South Korea's Danuri moon orbiter NASA's LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), which has been circling and studying the moon for 15 years, captured several images of Korea Aerospace Research Institute's Danuri lunar orbiter last month. The two spacecraft, traveling in nearly parallel orbits, zipped past each other in opposite directions between March 5 and 6, 2024.
	Hubble peers at pair of closely interacting galaxies This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope features Arp 72, a very selective galaxy group that only includes two galaxies interacting due to gravity: NGC 5996 (the large spiral galaxy) and NGC 5994 (its smaller companion, in the lower left of the image).
	The Latest: Dallas students elated by eclipse A total solar eclipse has begun. Totality will last up to 4 minutes, 28 seconds in certain spots.
	Why is it so hard to drill off Earth? Humans have been digging underground for millennia—on the Earth. It's where we extract some of our most valuable resources that have moved society forward. For example, there wouldn't have been a Bronze Age without tin and copper—both of which are primarily found under the ground. But when digging under the ground on celestial bodies, we've had a much rougher time. That is going to have to change if we ever hope to utilize the potential resources that are available under the surface. A paper from Dariusz Knez and Mitra Kahlilidermani of the University of Krakow looks at why it's so hard to drill in space—and what we might do about it.
	The sun was born when a dense gas cloud collapsed 4.6 billion years ago While the upcoming total solar eclipse is a special moment to reflect on our place in the universe, scientists have been studying the birth of the sun and the formation of our solar system for a long time.
	Nukes in space: A bad idea in the 1960s, an even worse one now The US and Japan are sponsoring a resolution for debate by the United Nations security council which—if passed—will reaffirm international commitments to the 1967 outer space treaty (OST) forbidding the deployment and use of nuclear weapons in space.
	Charting the night sky with exascale computers Creating multiple universes to see how they run might be tempting to scientists, but it's obviously not possible. That is, as long as you need physical universes. If you can make do with virtual ones, there are far more options.
	S. Korea says second spy satellite placed in orbit South Korea put its second domestically made spy satellite into orbit, Seoul's defense ministry said Monday, after it launched from an American space center on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
	SpaceX knocks out early morning Starlink launch from Cape Canaveral The Space Coast saw its 23rd launch of the year early April 5 with a SpaceX launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Technology news

	A scalable reinforcement learning–based framework to facilitate the teleoperation of humanoid robots The effective operation of robots from a distance, also known as teleoperation, could allow humans to complete a vast range of manual tasks remotely, including risky and complex procedures. Yet teleoperation could also be used to compile datasets of human motions, which could help to train humanoid robots on new tasks.
	A fusion SLAM system that enhances the sensing and localization capabilities of biped climbing robots Climbing robots could have many valuable real-world applications, ranging from the completion of maintenance tasks on roofs or other tall structures to the delivery of parcels or survival kits in locations that are difficult to access. To be successfully deployed in real-world settings, however, these robots should be able to effectively sense and map their surroundings, while also accurately predicting where they are located within mapped environments.
	Elon Musk says Tesla will unveil robotaxi in August Elon Musk revealed Friday that Tesla will pull back the curtain on a robotaxi this summer, news that comes as the adoption of self-driving vehicles hits speed bumps over safety concerns.
	This 3D printer can figure out how to print with an unknown material While 3D printing has exploded in popularity, many of the plastic materials these printers use to create objects cannot be easily recycled. While new sustainable materials are emerging for use in 3D printing, they remain difficult to adopt because 3D printer settings need to be adjusted for each material, a process generally done by hand.
	Protecting art and passwords with biochemistry Security experts fear Q-Day, the day when quantum computers become so powerful that they can crack today's passwords. Some experts estimate that this day will come within the next ten years. Password checks are based on cryptographic one-way functions, which calculate an output value from an input value. This makes it possible to check the validity of a password without transmitting the password itself: the one-way function converts the password into an output value that can then be used to check its validity in, say, online banking.
	The words you use matter, especially when you're engaging with ChatGPT Do you start your ChatGPT prompts with a friendly greeting? Have you asked for the output in a certain format? Should you offer a monetary tip for its service? Researchers interact with large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, in many ways, including to label their data for machine learning tasks. There are few answers to how small changes to a prompt can affect the accuracy of these labels.
	Engineers design flexible 'skeletons' for soft, muscle-powered robots Our muscles are nature's perfect actuators—devices that turn energy into motion. For their size, muscle fibers are more powerful and precise than most synthetic actuators. They can even heal from damage and grow stronger with exercise.
	AI may develop a huge carbon footprint, but it could also be a critical ally in the fight against climate change Recently, artificial intelligence (AI) has been cast as a problem in the urgent, international effort to tackle climate change. As AI plays a greater role in our lives, it will need enormous amounts of computing power and data storage.
	Zap! California startup touts its new battery technology as a fast-charging 'universal adapter' Officials at a startup based in Carlsbad, California, expect a battery technology they have engineered will transform the way e-bikes and electric-powered hand-held tools are charged. And once it's scaled up, they believe the technology will reshape even more sectors of the economy.
	Meta asks US judge to toss blockbuster antitrust case Facebook giant Meta on Friday asked a federal judge to dismiss a case from a powerful US antitrust authority that could see the social media juggernaut forced to sell Instagram and WhatsApp.
	US nuclear industry upbeat on small reactors, despite setback Despite the recent cancellation of a next-generation US nuclear plant, backers of the carbon-free power source remain hopeful new projects will come on line by the end of the decade.
	AI vs humans: Influencers face competition from virtual models Social media influencers have embraced artificial intelligence to spice up their content but they are also facing growing competition from AI-generated Instagramers, TikTokers and YouTubers.
	New durability evaluation technique protects against solar variability for advancing green hydrogen production As green hydrogen gains attention as a future clean energy carrier, the question of which renewable energy to utilize as an energy source becomes increasingly important. Among them, solar energy has the advantage of being available everywhere on Earth, with low dependence on natural topography. However, fluctuations in solar output and generation due to factors such as season and weather lead to repetitive increases and decreases in power, posing a challenge of damaging components of production devices. Therefore, precise evaluation of the durability of devices under power fluctuations is crucial for determining the optimal timing for component replacement and developing new materials.
	Berkeley's backtrack on gas ban won't stop the electrification trend Berkeley's agreement to throw out its first-in-the-nation ban on gas hookups in new buildings after losing a court challenge might seem like a big loss for climate action.
	Brain-inspired computing may boil down to information transfer The biological brain, especially the human brain, is a desirable computing system that consumes little energy and runs at high efficiency. To build a computing system just as good, many neuromorphic scientists focus on designing hardware components intended to mimic the elusive learning mechanism of the brain.
	Novel robust-optimal controllers based on fuzzy descriptor system Nonlinear systems have applications in many diverse fields from robotics to economics. Unlike linear systems, the output is not proportional to the input is such systems. A classic example is the motion of a pendulum. Due to the inherent nature of nonlinear systems, their mathematical modeling and, consequently, control is difficult.
	Keeping power in the cycle: Tests confirm quality of purified graphite from used lithium-ion batteries Lithium-ion batteries have become an integral part of everyday life. The number of used batteries is correspondingly high. They contain considerable amounts of important raw materials such as graphite. Recycling this mineral for reuse in new batteries with the same performance is an important goal.
	Google hits pause on suburban Seattle campus Google has halted its plan to construct a fourth building for its Kirkland campus, according to a research report.
	Thermal camera senses breathing to improve exercise calorie estimates The estimates of calories burned made by smartphones, smartwatches and other wearable devices vary wildly. That's because these devices lack the sensors required to gather all the information they need to make accurate estimates.
	OpenAI's Sam Altman declared billionaire by Forbes Sam Altman, the CEO of ChatGPT creator OpenAI, has become a billionaire, Forbes said Monday.
	Why batteries come in so many sizes and shapes If you've looked in your utility drawer lately, you may have noticed the various shapes, sizes and types of batteries that power your electronic devices. First, there are the round, non-rechargeable button cells for your watches and small items. There's also the popular AA and AAA cylindrical batteries for calculators, clocks and remotes. Then you have the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in your laptops and phones. And don't forget about the lead-acid battery in your car.
	Dali hit Key Bridge with the force of 66 heavy trucks at highway speed The cargo ship Dali knocked down three main truss spans, constructed with connected steel elements forming triangles, on the Francis Scott Key Bridge just seconds after crashing into one of the bridge piers early on Tuesday morning, March 26, 2024.
	Novel air-cooling pipeline embankment prevents permafrost thaw disasters for buried warm-oil pipelines During the operation of the China-Russia Crude Oil Pipeline (CRCOP), underground pipelines crossing permafrost regions often face challenges including frost heave, thaw settlement, and other permafrost disasters. In addition, the oil temperature of the CRCOP has been steadily increasing over the years. Therefore, effective mitigation of thaw settlement disasters caused by high oil temperature has become paramount for ensure the stable operation of the CRCOP.
	'Is this a deepfake?' Why we're asking the wrong question Over the past year, the prevalence and potential dangers of deepfakes have raised concerns related to personal privacy, business ethics and even election interference.
	Eye gaze and facial expression of robots are essential for interaction with humans, finds researcher With rapid developments in artificial intelligence and robot technology, social robots will increasingly be used in society. Robotics researcher Chinmaya Mishra looked at the importance of gaze direction and human emotions in our communication with robots and developed two systems to make robots' faces work in our favor. Mishra will receive his Ph.D. at Radboud University on 17 April.
	AI's mysterious 'black box' may not be so black One of the pioneers of Explainable AI has developed an advanced model that explains how and why AI works. The model opens up AI's mysterious "black box" and is available for virtually all AI systems.
	New four-terminal tandem organic solar cell achieves 16.94% power conversion efficiency Researchers at ICFO have fabricated a new four-terminal organic solar cell with a tandem configuration with a 16.94% power conversion efficiency (PCE). The new device is composed by a highly transparent front cell that incorporates a transparent ultrathin silver (Ag) electrode of only 7nm, which ensures its efficient operation.
	Eco-effective cooling: A step forward in sustainable refrigeration The Compression-Absorption Cascade Refrigeration Cycle (CACRC) system, merging Vapor-Compression Refrigeration (VCR) with Absorption Refrigeration Cycle (ARC), presents a promising answer to the pressing energy demands and environmental concerns associated with traditional cooling methods.
	New method for detecting unusual air turbulence holds promise for aviation safety With air turbulence presenting a significant safety concern in civil aviation, especially amidst the growing impacts of climate change and the expansion of the aviation industry, the need for effective monitoring and mitigation strategies has become paramount.
	Study shows renewable energy could partially replace diesel fuel to power instruments, provide heat at South Pole A recent analysis shows that renewable energy could be a viable alternative to diesel fuel for science at the South Pole. The analysis deeply explores the feasibility of replacing part of the energy production at the South Pole with renewable sources.
	Boeing CEO paid $33 mn in 2023, gave up bonus over MAX 9 incident Boeing's CEO received $33 million in compensation for 2023 but declined a potential $2.8 million bonus following the near-catastrophic Alaska Airlines incident in January, the company said Friday in a securities filing.
	Forecasting the future of science to keep Swiss diplomatic hub buzzing As technology and science advance at breakneck speed, a Swiss group is already looking beyond AI to the next big potential technological disrupters.
	Southwest Airlines delays departure of Boeing 737 due to engine fire A Southwest Airlines flight from Texas to Los Angeles was forced to abort during takeoff on Thursday due to an engine fire on a Boeing 737 aircraft, the latest problem incident on a Boeing jet.
	An engine cover on a Southwest Airlines plane rips off, forcing the flight to return to Denver A Southwest Airlines jet returned to Denver Sunday morning after the engine cover fell off and struck the wing flap during takeoff, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
	S. Korea probes Temu over alleged false ads, unfair practices: Yonhap South Korean regulators are investigating the hugely popular Chinese shopping app Temu on suspicion of false advertising and unfair practices, the Yonhap news agency reported Monday.
	Brazil judge orders probe of Musk over censorship charge A Supreme Court judge in Brazil ordered an investigation Sunday of Elon Musk after the mogul criticized the magistrate and accused him of censorship for blocking social media accounts suspected of spreading disinformation.
	Biden lands another big Taiwan chip investment The Taiwan chip giant TSMC has agreed to build a third semiconductor factory in Arizona, raising its total investment in the United States to $65 billion, US officials said Monday.
	Spirit to defer Airbus plane deliveries, furlough 260 pilots this year Spirit Airlines is deferring all aircraft on order from Airbus that were scheduled to be delivered in the second quarter of 2025 through the end of 2026, the discount carrier said Monday.
	Australians are open to self-driving vehicles, but want humans to retain ultimate control A mob set fire to a Waymo self-driving taxi in San Francisco last month as residents' anger about the cars boiled over.

Chemistry news

	A simple, inexpensive way to make carbon atoms bind together The active ingredient in many drugs is what's known as a small molecule: bigger than water, much smaller than an antibody and mainly made of carbon. It's tough, however, to make these molecules if they require a quaternary carbon—a carbon atom bonded to four other carbon atoms. But now, Scripps Research scientists have uncovered a potential cost-effective way to produce these tricky motifs.
	Scientists unveil ruthenium catalyst for new reaction discovery and optimization Researchers at The University of Manchester have developed a new catalyst which has been shown to have a wide variety of uses and the potential to streamline optimization processes in industry and support new scientific discoveries.
	Researchers develop better way to make painkiller from trees Scientists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have developed a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable way to make a popular pain reliever and other valuable products from plants instead of petroleum.
	New statistical-modeling workflow may help advance drug discovery and synthetic chemistry A new automated workflow developed by scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has the potential to allow researchers to analyze the products of their reaction experiments in real time, a key capability needed for future automated chemical processes.
	Finding new chemistry to capture double the carbon Finding ways to capture, store, and use carbon dioxide (CO2) remains an urgent global problem. As temperatures continue to rise, keeping CO2 from entering the atmosphere can help limit warming where carbon-based fuels are still needed.
	Cutting-edge enzyme research fights back against plastic pollution Since the 1950s, the surge in global plastic production has paralleled a concerning rise in plastic waste. In the United States alone, a staggering 35 million tons of plastic waste were generated in 2017, with only a fraction being recycled or combusted, leaving the majority to languish in landfills. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a key contributor to plastic waste, particularly from food packaging, poses significant environmental challenges due to its slow decomposition and pollution.
	The flavors of fire: How does heat make food taste good? Sure, cooking our food can make it safer to eat and more digestible. But let's be honest. We mainly cook to create something we enjoy—something delicious.
	Research unveils biochemical defenses against chemical warfare In the clandestine world of biochemical warfare, researchers are continuously seeking innovative strategies to counteract lethal agents. Researchers led by Jin Kim Montclare, Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, have embarked on a pioneering mission to develop enzymatic defenses against chemical threats, as revealed in a recent study published in ChemistryOpen.
	Bias distribution and regulation in photoelectrochemical overall water-splitting cells The photoelectrochemical (PEC) overall water-splitting reaction (OWS) has been fully developed in the past decade, especially in new catalysts, characterization methods and reaction mechanisms. Compared with the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is deemed the bottleneck of OWS due to its sluggish kinetics.
	On-surface synthesis of carbyne: An sp-hybridized linear carbon allotrope In a study led by Prof. Wei Xu (Interdisciplinary Materials Research Center, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University) and published in the journal National Science Review, a research team achieved the successful synthesis of a one-dimensional carbon chain on the Au(111) surface, with the longest chain containing approximately 120 carbon atoms, and the polyynic nature of the carbon chain was unambiguously characterized by bond-resolved atomic force microscopy (AFM).

Biology news

	Dinosaur study challenges Bergmann's rule When you throw dinosaurs into the mix, sometimes you find that a rule simply isn't.
	Can language models read the genome? This one decoded mRNA to make better vaccines The same class of artificial intelligence that made headlines coding software and passing the bar exam has learned to read a different kind of text—the genetic code.
	Rare Javan rhino calf spotted in Indonesia A new Javan rhinoceros calf has been spotted at an Indonesian national park, giving hope for the conservation of one of the world's most endangered mammals.
	Deep parts of Great Barrier Reef 'insulated' from global warming, for now Some deeper areas of the Great Barrier Reef are insulated from harmful heat waves—but that protection will be lost if global warming continues, according to new research.
	Scientists discover new phage resistance mechanism in phage-bacterial arms race One of the most abundant and deadliest organisms on Earth is a virus called a bacteriophage (phage). These predators have lethal precision against their targets—not humans, but bacteria. Different phages have evolved to target different bacteria and play a critical role in microbial ecology. Recently, ADA Forsyth scientists exploring the complex interactions of microbes in the oral microbiome discovered a third player influencing the phage-bacterial arms race—ultrasmall bacterial parasites, called Saccharibacteria or TM7.
	Different means to the same end: How C. elegans protects its chromosomes University of Michigan researchers have discovered that a worm commonly used in the study of biology uses a set of proteins unlike those seen in other studied organisms to protect the ends of its DNA.
	With the flick of a switch: Shaping cells with light Imagine switching on a light and being able to understand and control the inner dynamics of a cell. This is what the Dimova group has achieved: by shining lights of different colors on replicates of cells, they altered the interactions between cellular elements. Controlling these complex interactions enables us to deliver specific drugs directly into the cells. And with the flick of a switch, we could adjust or even reverse this delivery, potentially revolutionizing the treatment of cells in a smart, accurate and non-invasive way.
	Researchers reveal mechanism behind most common mammalian mRNA modification RNA—in the form of messenger RNA (mRNA), ribosomal RNA (rRNA), and transfer RNA (tRNA)—transforms the genome coded by DNA into proteins that form the backbone of all cellular functions. However, biochemical modifications to RNA frequently occur, with a subsequent influence on gene expression and the potential to cause disease. The sum of these functionally relevant changes to RNA is called the epitranscriptome.
	Toothed whale echolocation organs evolved from jaw muscles, new research suggests Dolphins and whales use sound to communicate, navigate and hunt. New research suggests that the collections of fatty tissue that enable toothed whales to do so may have evolved from their skull muscles and bone marrow.
	Enhanced rock weathering results in higher crop yields and improved crop health, study shows Enhanced rock weathering—a nature-based carbon dioxide removal process that accelerates natural weathering—results in significantly higher first year crop yields, improved soil pH, and higher nutrient uptake, according to a paper, published in PLOS ONE on 27 March.
	New signaling pathway decoded in the decomposition of damaged lysosomes Lysosomes are surrounded by a lipid bilayer that separates the acidic environment and the digestive enzymes of the organelle from the cytoplasm. Damage to this layer—lysosomal membrane permeabilization, or LMP for short—can trigger inflammation and even lead to cell death.
	How plants adjust their photosynthesis to changing light Photosynthesis is the central process by which plants build up biomass using light, water, and carbon dioxide from the air. Gaining a detailed understanding of this process makes it possible to modify and thus optimize it—for example, with a view to increasing food production or stress tolerance.
	An inside look at how plants and mycorrhizal fungi cooperate For millions of years, underground fungi have lived in symbiosis with plant roots. Plants provide photosynthesized carbon, while fungi deliver water and nutrients. In order to do so, these organisms share space at the cellular scale: fungi stretch a network of tendrils called arbuscules into a plant's root cells, and both organisms rearrange their cells around this structure to facilitate sharing.
	First-of-its-kind integrated dataset enables genes-to-ecosystems research A team of Department of Energy scientists led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory has released the first-ever dataset bridging molecular information about the poplar tree microbiome to ecosystem-level processes. The project aims to inform research regarding how natural systems function, their vulnerability to a changing climate, and, ultimately, how plants might be engineered for better performance as sources of bioenergy and natural carbon storage.
	Researchers bring 60-year-old dormant algae cells to life New research at Åbo Akademi University, Finland, has managed to circumvent previous challenges in finding out how microalgae adapt to global warming by studying up to 60-year-old microalgae cells from the Archipelago Sea. Some microalgae form resting cells that sink to the seabed after the blooming is over. Researchers have now managed to awaken these dormant cells from sediment cores with different chronological layers that geological methods can date.
	Mediterranean marine worm has developed eyes 'as big as millstones' Scientists are amazed at the discovery of a bristle worm with such sharp-seeing eyes that they can measure up to those of mammals and octopuses. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and Lund University suspect that these marine worms may have a secretive language, which uses UV light only seen by their own species. The advanced vision of such a primitive creature helps to settle an epic debate about the evolution of eyes.
	How mosquito larva guts could help create highly specific insecticides Did you know that the world's deadliest animal is the mosquito? And Aedes aegypti is one of the most dangerous. This bug spreads viruses that cause dengue fever, which was recently declared as an epidemic in Puerto Rico.
	Researchers map structure of mitochondria at different life stages Mitochondria, organelles with an inner and outer membrane, are responsible for creating the energy that cells use to survive, and their morphology is key to accomplishing this task. The inner mitochondrial membrane contains folds, called cristae, that maximize the surface area available for mitochondrial energetic processes.
	When an antibiotic fails: Scientists are using AI to target 'sleeper' bacteria Since the 1970s, modern antibiotic discovery has been experiencing a lull. Now the World Health Organization has declared the antimicrobial resistance crisis as one of the top 10 global public health threats.
	Jurassic shuotheriids reveal earliest dental diversification of mammaliaforms Paleontologists have presented a new insight into the initial dental variations across mammaliaforms, providing a fresh perspective on the evolutionary past of these ancient beasts.
	Scientists say these killer whales are distinct species: It could save them More than 150 years ago, a San Francisco whaler noticed something about killer whales that scientists may be about to formally recognize—at least in name.
	Common loons threatened by declining water clarity The Common Loon, an icon of the northern wilderness, is under threat from climate change due to reduced water clarity, according to a new study authored by Chapman University professor, Walter Piper. The study, published April 1 in Ecology, followed up an earlier paper that showed a substantial reproductive decline in the author's study area in northern Wisconsin.
	Researchers discover two vesicle fusion mechanisms while studying vesicle movement in living cells Cells intake substances from the outside world by encapsulating them in vesicles called endosomes, which are subsequently transported throughout the cell. During the transport process, vesicles fuse with other intracellular organelles. However, observing this process is challenging in many cells due to their small size and the complexity of underlying regulatory mechanisms.
	Scientists report that buffer and pH strongly affect the phase separation of SARS-CoV-2 N protein In a new paper published in Molecular Biology of the Cell, the Allain lab (IBC) reported that the phase separation of the SARS-CoV-2 N protein strongly depends on the chosen buffer and pH. For example, the protonation of a single histidine side chain makes the difference if the protein phase separates or not.
	Pets and the solar eclipse: How sudden increase in darkness during what should be the middle of day may affect pets On Monday, 13 states in the U.S.—starting with Texas—will experience brief moments of nighttime darkness mid-day as the moon glides in front of the sun, blocking its rays.
	Jellyfish invade Venezuelan waters, worrying fishermen A thick bloom of jellyfish of varying hues drifts in the turquoise waters of Aragua in Venezuela, a surreal vision attributed to climate change that has decimated fishing stocks.
	South Africa is to shut down captive lion farms—experts warn the plan needs a deadline The South African government has officially confirmed that captive lion farms will be shut down. A new ministerial task team report just released has cemented the government's intention, first made public in 2021, to put an end to African lions being legally sold and traded live, both internationally and domestically.
	Turning camels into cows: Megafarms are being set up to produce camel milk on industrial scales The camel may be the next cow. An animal that once grazed and browsed over huge distances is increasingly being enclosed in vast Middle Eastern dairy farms, where thousands of camels are milked by machine. This is the model of sedentary farming that produced modern cows, sheep and pigs. Camels have so far resisted it—yet in certain ways, they are ideal livestock for the next climate reality.
	Scientists agree, the media is biased against wasps Wasp scientists around the globe agree that media coverage of wasps skews negative and almost entirely overlooks their beneficial attributes, reports a team led by UCL researchers.
	Should 'extreme breeding' of dachshunds and French bulldogs be banned? Nothing says canine cuteness like a smush-faced French bulldog. Unless it's a dachshund toddling along on short little legs.
	South Africa's conservation model: Why expanding the use of biodiversity to generate money is a good idea South Africa's government is calling for public comments on an updated version of its existing biodiversity economy plan.
	Thousands of salmon escape truck crash into nearby river Tens of thousands of endangered salmon being transported by truck to a US river miraculously survived a road crash by escaping into a nearby creek, officials said.
	Kill barred owls so spotted owls can live? Wildlife service should put plan on hold say conservation groups There is something shocking about trying to save one species by killing nearly half a million of another species. That's what the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed in a plan to save the spotted owls of the northwestern United States from extinction by shooting hundreds of thousands of barred owls over three decades.
	The regenerative feats of endangered axolotls Axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) are a critically endangered species of salamander. The species has only one natural habitat remaining, a series of canals in Mexico City, and only 50 to 1,000 axolotls are estimated to be left living there.

Medicine and Health news

	Exploring how oxytocin interacts with testosterone while humans play a game modeling intergroup conflict Over the past decades, numerous studies have investigated the neural and cognitive processes underpinning intergroup conflict, as this could help to explain what fuels belligerent behavior, political clashes, and wars. While these works gathered some interesting findings, much about these processes remains poorly understood.
	Rogue immune cell that can cause poor antibody responses in chronic viral infections discovered Australian researchers have discovered a previously unknown rogue immune cell that can cause poor antibody responses in chronic viral infections. The finding, published in the journal, Immunity, may lead to earlier intervention and possibly prevention of some types of viral infections such as HIV or hepatitis.
	Youths with mood disorders 30% less likely to acquire driver's license than peers, researchers find Researchers from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) found that teens and young adults with mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder, were 30% less likely to obtain their driver's license than peers without such disorders. Additionally, those youths with mood disorders experienced a slightly elevated risk of crashing. These findings suggest that these teens and young adults could benefit from guidance on obtaining licensure and accessing training to avoid crashes when they are newly licensed.
	Investigational therapeutic shows promise in preclinical pancreatic cancer model A new type of investigational therapeutic in development for pancreatic cancer has shown unprecedented tumor-fighting abilities in preclinical models of the disease, suggesting it has the potential to offer novel treatment options for nearly all pancreatic tumors, a comprehensive study has found.
	Research shows pregnancy accelerates biological aging in a healthy, young adult population Pregnancy may carry a cost, reports a new study from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. The research, carried out among 1,735 young people in the Philippines, shows that women who reported having been pregnant looked biologically older than women who had never been pregnant, and women who had been pregnant more often looked biologically older than those who reported fewer pregnancies.
	Next-generation neuron labeling technology may be key to unlocking the secret of degenerative brain disorders Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, along with stroke, are among the top three neurodegenerative disorders, characterized by the malfunction and progressive degeneration of neurons. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these neurological disorders and developing therapies requires labeling technologies that can visualize neuronal changes not only in normal conditions but also in disease states.
	Researchers develop method to measure protein expression in neurons Northwestern Medicine investigators have developed a method to measure protein expression in an individual neuron, a discovery that will enable scientists to study how this process goes awry in disease, according to a study published in Molecular Psychiatry.
	Can a cup of tea keep COVID away? Study demonstrates that certain teas inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in saliva New research from the University of Georgia suggests that something as simple as a cup of tea can help in the fight against COVID-19.
	In the genetics of congenital heart disease, noncoding DNA fills in some blanks Researchers have been chipping away at the genetic causes of congenital heart disease (CHD) for a couple of decades. About 45% of cases of CHD have an identifiable cause, including chromosomal abnormalities, genetic variants affecting protein-coding genes, and environmental factors. What about the rest of the cases of CHD?
	Study of twins provides new insights into immune defense in the womb Niklas Björkström's research group at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH) has conducted a study that provides new knowledge about how the immune system in the uterus works. This knowledge contributes to a better understanding of how pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia occur.
	New technique sheds light on memory and learning Less than twenty minutes after finishing this article, your brain will begin to store the information that you've just read in a coordinated burst of neuronal activity. Underpinning this process is a phenomenon known as dendritic translation, which involves an uptick in localized protein production within dendrites, the spiny branches that project off the neuron cell body and receive signals from other neurons at synapses. It's a process key to memory—and its dysfunction is linked to intellectual disorders.
	Study finds treating heart attack patients with beta-blockers may be unnecessary Half of all patients discharged from hospital after a heart attack are treated with beta-blockers unnecessarily. This is according to a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
	New study highlights the benefit of touch on mental and physical health Through a large-scale analysis, researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience have uncovered the ways in which consensual touch can benefit a person's physical and mental well-being.
	Targeting vulnerability in B-cell development leads to novel drug combination for leukemia Despite having an overall survival rate of 94%, B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), the most common childhood cancer, can prove challenging to treat, with survival among relapsed or resistant cases falling between 30-50%.
	Chronic kidney disease progresses faster in patients living in hot countries, new study finds Chronic kidney disease patients living in the hottest countries experienced an additional 8% drop in kidney function each year compared to those living in temperate climates, finds a new study from researchers at UCL and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).
	Researchers develop neural decoding that can give back lost speech Losing the ability to speak due to neurological damage can be incredibly isolating. But thanks to recent advancements in technology, there's hope on the horizon. Scientists have been working on neural speech prostheses, special devices that can help people who have trouble speaking by translating brain activity into speech.
	'Mini kidneys' reveal new insights into metabolic defects in polycystic kidney disease Scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have successfully grown 'mini kidneys' in the lab and grafted them into live mice, revealing new insights into the metabolic defects and a potential therapy for polycystic kidney disease.
	Study uncovers consequences of molnupiravir use to treat COVID-19 A collaboration between the University of Tasmania and Royal Hobart Hospital Pathology has revealed the consequences of using molnupiravir to treat COVID-19.
	Everyday social interactions predict language development in infants A parent interacting with a baby is a heart-warming and universal scene. The parent speaks in a high-pitched voice—known as "parentese"—as they respond positively to the baby's babbling and gestures, commonly with eye contact and smiles.
	Biomedical engineers use AI to build new tool for studying and diagnosing heart function Understanding heart function and disease, as well as testing new drugs for heart conditions, has long been a complex and time-consuming task. A promising way to study disease and test new drugs is to use cellular and engineered tissue models in a dish, but existing methods to study heart cell contraction and calcium handling require a good deal of manual work, are prone to errors, and need expensive specialized equipment.
	Heart-on-a-chip model used to glean insights into COVID-19-induced heart inflammation Researchers at the University of Toronto and its partner hospitals have created a unique heart-on-a-chip model that is helping untangle the causes of COVID-19-induced heart inflammation and uncover strategies to reduce its impact.
	Long COVID leaves telltale traces in the blood, finds new study Findings from the largest UK study of patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection show that long COVID leads to ongoing inflammation which can be detected in the blood.
	Heart disease and depression may be genetically linked by inflammation Coronary artery disease and major depression may be genetically linked via inflammatory pathways to an increased risk for cardiomyopathy, a degenerative heart muscle disease, researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital have found.
	Waist-to-height ratio bests BMI for predicting fat mass in children Waist circumference-to-height ratio (WHtR) is an inexpensive alternative to body mass index (BMI) for predicting fat mass (FM) in pediatric patients, according to a study published online March 5 in Pediatric Research.
	Urine test halves painful procedures in bladder cancer follow up, new trial shows A simple urine test can more than halve the number of cystoscopies necessary to follow up high-risk bladder cancer patients, new research has found.
	Five-year interval is safe for prostate cancer screening, research shows A simple blood test every five years is sufficient to screen low risk men for prostate cancer, new research has shown.
	Statistics presented for global cancer incidence, deaths in 2022 In 2022, there were almost 20 million new cases of cancer as well as 9.7 million deaths from cancer, according to a study published online April 4 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
	Electronic health record-based algorithm does not cut hospitalization in kidney dysfunction triad, trial shows For patients with the triad of chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension, the use of an electronic health record-based algorithm and intervention does not result in reduced hospitalization at one year, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Traditional Japanese diet associated with less brain shrinkage in women compared to Western diet, says research Cognitive decline and dementia already affect more than 55 million people worldwide. This number is projected to skyrocket over the next few decades as the global population ages.
	Meet Clostridium butyricum—the bacteria that helps keep us feeling our best Our friend here, Clostridium butyricum (also known as C butyricum), is one of the hardest working microbes living in our gut. Without its exhaustive work, we might find ourselves constantly feeling a little under the weather.
	Oral vaccine for UTI is potential alternative to antibiotics, finds 9-year study Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) can be prevented for up to nine years in more than half of people given an oral spray-based vaccine and is a potential alternative to antibiotic treatments, finds research.
	New evidence links passive smoking with dangerous heart rhythm disorder Exposure to secondhand smoke—even at small amounts—is linked with greater risk of a serious heart rhythm disorder, according to research presented at EHRA 2024, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). The likelihood of atrial fibrillation increased as the duration of passive smoking lengthened.
	Screening with a PSA test has a small impact on prostate cancer deaths but leads to overdiagnosis, finds study The largest study to date investigating a single invitation to a PSA blood test to screen for prostate cancer has found it had a small impact on reducing deaths, but also led to overdiagnosis and missed early detection of some aggressive cancers.
	Study: Epilepsy patients benefit from structured 'seizure action plans' A new 16-week study of 204 adult epilepsy patients found that 98% of participants believe that all patients with epilepsy should have a seizure action plan (SAP), regardless of seizure status.
	Short-term incentives for exercise can lead to sustained increases in activity Adults with heart disease risks who received daily reminders or incentives to become more active increased their daily steps by more than 1,500 after a year, and many were still sticking with their new habit six months later, according to a study supported by the National Institutes of Health that published in Circulation. The findings were simultaneously presented as late-breaking research at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Session.
	Stopping aspirin 1 month after coronary stenting significantly reduces bleeding complications in heart attack patients Withdrawing aspirin one month after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in high-risk heart patients and keeping them on ticagrelor alone safely improves outcomes and reduces major bleeding by more than half when compared to patients taking aspirin and ticagrelor combined (also known as dual antiplatelet therapy or DAPT), which is the current standard of care.
	Saruparib demonstrates early efficacy in breast cancers with DNA repair defects in Phase I/II trial The first-in-class PARP1-selective inhibitor saruparib demonstrated encouraging early efficacy and a favorable safety profile in patients with homologous recombination repair (HRR)-deficient breast cancers, according to results from the Phase I/II PETRA trial led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
	Combination treatment is well-tolerated, shows antitumor effects in KRAS G12C-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer Combining the KRAS G12C inhibitor adagrasib with the anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab demonstrated promising anti-tumor effects in patients with KRAS G12C-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), according to pooled results from the Phase I/II KRYSTAL-1 trial reported by researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
	Clinical trial data show investigational cancer vaccine may elicit lasting immune response in pancreatic cancer New data presented by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) researchers show an experimental approach to treating pancreatic cancer with the messenger RNA (mRNA)-based therapeutic cancer vaccine candidate, autogene cevumeran, continues to show potential to stimulate an immune response that may reduce the risk of the disease returning after surgery.
	RNA that doesn't age: Neuroscientists discover building blocks in nerve cells that last a life time Certain RNA molecules in the nerve cells in the brain last a life time without being renewed. Neuroscientists from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) have now demonstrated that this is the case together with researchers from Germany, Austria and the U.S.
	Researchers provide platform to help understand how bushfire smoke harms the lungs and heart A team of researchers led by Professor Jay Horvat and Dr. Henry Gomez have developed a world-first platform to define the impact of exposure to landscape fire smoke on the heart and lungs.
	Electronic sock detects unhealthy walking style linked to cardiovascular and diabetic complications An electronic sock that detects an unhealthy walking style linked with diabetes and poor circulation shows promise for preventing foot ulcers and amputation. The novel research is set to benefit the many patients with diabetes who have clogged arteries in the legs and is presented for the first time at EHRA 2024.
	Successful 'first in human' clinical trial of pioneering guidance for heart bypass surgery A new approach to the guidance, planning and conduct of heart bypass surgery has been successfully tested on patients for the first time in a clinical trial coordinated by a research team at University of Galway.
	Watching the solar eclipse, safely Today is your last chance until 2044 to see a total eclipse of the sun in the continental United States.
	Integration of MRI screening beneficial for prostate cancer Integrating magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) into prostate cancer (PCa) screening is associated with a reduction in unnecessary biopsies and overdiagnosis of insignificant disease, according to a review published online April 5 in JAMA Oncology to coincide with the 39th Annual European Association of Urology Congress, held from April 5 to 8 in Paris.
	Many cancer drugs still unproven 5 years after accelerated approval New research questions the effectiveness of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's accelerated drug approval program after finding that many cancer drugs remain unproven five years later.
	Disease severity similar for RSV as unvaccinated COVID-19, influenza Disease severity is similar for patients hospitalized with respiratory syncytial disease (RSV) and unvaccinated adults with COVID-19 or influenza, according to a study published online April 4 in JAMA Network Open.
	EEG most beneficial tool for managing CAR T-cell-related neurotoxicity For patients with immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) due to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, electroencephalogram (EEG) has the greatest therapeutic impact, according to a study published online March 19 in Blood Advances.
	About one-third of surgical residents lack meaningful mentorship About one-third of residents do not report meaningful mentorship, with non-White or Hispanic residents less likely to report meaningful mentorship than non-Hispanic White residents, according to a study published online April 3 in JAMA Surgery.
	For-profit companies open psychiatric hospitals in areas clamoring for care A for-profit company has proposed turning a boarded-up former nursing home here into a psychiatric hospital, joining a national trend toward having such hospitals owned by investors instead of by state governments or nonprofit health systems.
	Your dog may have an anti-aging drug before you do Before we have an anti-aging drug for humans, we're likely to have one for dogs. Multiple clinical trials are currently underway to test potential anti-aging compounds on dogs, since our best friends have become a popular animal model for human aging. Fido also represents a potentially huge market.
	What parents need to know about measles Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by the measles virus. The infection can lead to serious and sometimes fatal complications. Fortunately, measles is a vaccine-preventable illness.
	Melatonin use in children: Is a sleep aid supplement safe? Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced in the brain that's linked to your body's sleep and wake cycle. The natural release of melatonin is stimulated by darkness and suppressed by daylight. It's also available as a supplement that you can take as a pill or chewable gummy.
	Experimental drug could further reduce triglycerides in the blood in high-risk patients, trial shows Hypertriglyceridemia, or high levels of lipids (fats) in the blood, increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and acute pancreatitis. Currently available medications, including statins, ezetimibe, fibrates and prescription omega 3 fatty acids, typically lower triglyceride levels by anywhere from below 10% to up to 40%. These therapies help, but they are not enough to prevent cardiovascular events in everyone.
	Cannabis use during pregnancy linked to increased risk of ADHD, autism and intellectual disability in children A new study presented at the European Psychiatric Association Congress 2024 reveals a significant association between prenatal cannabis use disorder (CUD) and an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and intellectual disability (ID).
	Understanding the link between family physician characteristics and COVID-19 vaccination gaps New research examining the characteristics of physicians with the largest share of patients unvaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 may help increase vaccination rates going forward. The study, published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal), found that family physicians in Ontario with the largest percentage of unvaccinated patients generally served patients living in marginalized neighborhoods and had less support in their practices.
	Researchers identify an economic solution to Canada's opioid crisis Nasal-administered naloxone is more cost-effective and could help reduce the number of opioid-related fatalities compared to the current publicly funded intermuscular version, a new study has found. The study, "An economic evaluation of community pharmacy dispensed naloxone in Canada," was published in the Canadian Pharmacists Journal.
	Virtual reality sessions lessen cancer pain in clinical trial A 10-minute virtual reality (VR) session significantly lessened pain in hospitalized patients with cancer in a recent clinical trial published in Cancer.
	Diabetes drug found to improve cardiovascular outcomes across a range of heart and kidney conditions A new meta-analysis shows sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with either diabetes at high risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), heart failure, or chronic kidney disease (CKD). Findings were presented at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session & Expo and simultaneously published in Circulation.
	App-based therapy can help men with frequent urges to urinate, finds research Combining pelvic floor exercises with behavioral therapy could be more effective than current medical treatments at helping men with frequent urges to urinate, new research has found.
	New study highlights the link between depression and breast cancer mortality in women A new study presented at the European Psychiatric Association Congress 2024 sheds light on the significant impact of depression on the survival rates and quality of life for women diagnosed with breast cancer. This study, conducted by a team of researchers in Russia, conducted a comprehensive analysis of existing research on the prevalence and impact of depression in breast cancer patients.
	Immunotherapies show promise for patients with kidney cancer and solid organ transplant recipients with skin cancer Researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center presented encouraging findings from two clinical trials in a plenary session highlighting advances in novel immunotherapy approaches at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2024.
	Brainstem neuronal shutdown as a potential cause of sudden death in at-risk infants Sudden unexpected death in children, which includes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), is a devastating but poorly understood global health problem. The cause of SIDS was long considered a mystery, and although this mystery has never been solved, it was considered to be a sleep accident.
	Study finds remote care approach improves therapy adherence and uptake in patients with type 2 diabetes A new study by investigators from Mass General Brigham demonstrated that a remote team focused on identifying, educating and prescribing therapy can improve guideline-directed-medical-therapy (GDMT) adherence in patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular and/or kidney risk.
	Disparities in sleep health and insomnia may begin at a young age, according to researchers Most people have experienced a night or two of sleeplessness, tossing and turning while being unable to fall asleep or stay asleep. But for some people, sleep disturbances aren't just a one-off occurrence, and they can begin in childhood.
	Researchers create guidelines to help kids build tolerance to food allergens Researchers with McMaster University have crafted the first-ever guidelines to help prepare families who plan to build their child's tolerance to common food allergens.
	Inter-atrial shunts may benefit some heart failure patients while harming others, trial finds Inter-atrial shunts—investigational devices that create a small pathway for blood to pass from the left to the right side of the heart in order to improve heart failure symptoms and outcomes—may be beneficial to heart failure patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) but harmful or even deadly for heart failure patients with preserved LVEF, a new Mount Sinai-led study shows.
	Neuroscientists release state-of-the-art spike-sorting software How do researchers make sense of the mountains of data collected from recording the simultaneous activity of hundreds of neurons? Neuroscientists all over the world rely on Kilosort, software that enables them to tease apart spikes from individual neurons to understand how the brain's cells and circuits work together to process information.
	The five-step wellness model that really works—and the psychology behind it The wellness movement appears to have the answers that our burnt-out minds need. However, psychological research and practice suggests that a superficial focus on candles, juice cleanses, and a "good vibes only" approach to life is unlikely to create meaningful changes to your well-being.
	A natural deception: 3 marketing myths the supplement industry wants you to swallow Americans seem to have quite a positive view of dietary supplements. According to a 2023 survey, 74% of U.S. adults take vitamins, prebiotics and the like.
	Have you ever suffered intimate partner abuse? We asked girls in Malawi and 40% said yes Intimate partner violence starts early. Around one in four girls aged between 15 and 19 worldwide have already been subjected to physical or sexual violence.
	Your child has been prescribed opioids: 7 ways to use them more safely Imagine your teen has just had surgery. After a few days in hospital, it is time to go home, but their pain is still quite significant. The medical team suggests using acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil) first, but knowing that it might not be enough, they prescribe oxycodone as well.
	Could my glasses be making my eyesight worse? So, you got your eyesight tested and found out you need your first pair of glasses. Or you found out you need a stronger pair than the ones you have. You put them on and everything looks crystal clear. But after a few weeks things look blurrier without them than they did before your eye test. What's going on?
	Fetal personhood rulings could nullify a pregnant patient's wishes for end-of-life care The Alabama Supreme Court handed down an unprecedented decision in February 2024, holding that stored frozen embryos created for in vitro fertilization, known as IVF, were "minor children" under a state wrongful death law.
	A person in Texas caught bird flu after mixing with dairy cattle. Should we be worried? The United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a health alert after the first case of H5N1 avian influenza, or bird flu, seemingly spread from a cow to a human.
	Acetaminophen may be less heart-safe than previously thought The common painkiller acetaminophen was found to alter proteins in the heart tissue when used regularly at moderate doses, according to a new study conducted in mice. Researchers presented their work at the American Physiology Summit, the flagship annual meeting of the American Physiological Society (APS), in Long Beach, California, held April 4–7.
	Study shows one injection of novel drug cuts systolic blood pressure by up to 12 mmHg A single subcutaneous injection of the investigational drug zilebesiran, when added to existing treatment with a standard antihypertensive medication, reduced systolic blood pressure by between 4 to 12 mmHg on average at three months in patients whose blood pressure had remained uncontrolled despite compliance with their medication regimen, according to a study presented April 7 at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	Accelerated aging may increase risk of early-onset cancers in younger generations Accelerated aging was more common in recent birth cohorts and was associated with increased incidence of early-onset solid tumors, according to research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2024, held April 5–10.
	Biologic drug-device combination immunotherapy for metastatic prostate cancer patients SYNC-T, an investigational therapy that combines a device-induced vaccination at the tumor site with intratumoral infusion of a multitarget biologic drug led to numerous clinical responses in patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), according to results reported at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2024, held April 5–10.
	Research finds preventive angioplasty does not improve prognosis For heart attack patients, treating only the coronary artery that caused the infarction works just as well as preventive balloon dilation of the other coronary arteries, according to a new large study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and others. The results are published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Medicare pays for message-based e-visits. Are older adults using them? In the early days of the pandemic, Medicare announced it would start paying doctors and other health care providers for the time it took to handle their patients' digital messages—or at least, the ones that required at least five minutes of medical decision-making.
	Research finds pretzel size affects intake by governing how quickly a person eats and how big their bites are The size of an individual snack piece not only influences how fast a person eats it, but also how much of it they eat, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn State. With nearly a quarter of daily calorie intake in the United States coming from snacks, these findings may have implications for helping people better understand how eating behavior impacts calorie and sodium intake.
	Pupil contraction indicates hidden cognitive fatigue in prolonged esports play across various skill levels Fatigue plays a crucial role in safeguarding against overexertion by inducing feelings of tiredness and causing temporary reductions in physical and mental performance. However, according to a recent study in Computers in Human Behavior, esports (electronic sports) players, who are primarily engaged in cognitive tasks rather than physical activities, experience cognitive fatigue and judgment impairment before they consciously perceive the feeling of fatigue.
	Call to reduce repeat 'within-episode' antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory tract infections in primary care A new study exploring the use of repeat antibiotic prescriptions for the same respiratory tract infection (RTI) episode—known as repeat 'within-episode' prescriptions—in primary care has found high rates of their use in England, despite evidence that they are of little benefit. The study authors, from the Universities of Bristol and Bath, King's College London, and University Medical Center Utrecht, are calling for a reduction in their use and to make them a target for antimicrobial stewardship interventions.
	Difficulties of setting efficacy endpoints in early-stage clinical trials of brain tumor drugs Clinical trials for cancer drugs have three stages, Phase I–III, before marketing, each with different evaluation items. However, there is no consensus on the appropriateness of evaluation criteria for early-stage clinical trials of brain tumor drugs compared with drugs that treat other solid tumors because brain tumors require unique biomarkers and complex evaluations.
	Bispecific immune checkpoint inhibitor improves survival in gastric cancer patients regardless of PD-L1 status The PD-1/CTLA-4 bispecific antibody cadonilimab plus chemotherapy improved progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with untreated, HER2-negative, locally advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer, including those with PD-L1-low tumors, compared with chemotherapy alone, according to results from the phase III COMPASSION-15 trial presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2024, held April 5–10.
	Study bolsters evidence that effects of puberty blockers are reversible Medications commonly known as puberty blockers were found to delay development of female reproductive organs but allow for restoration of reproductive functioning after the medications were withdrawn, according to a new study being presented this week at the American Physiology Summit, the flagship annual meeting of the American Physiological Society (APS), in Long Beach, California.
	Cultivating spirituality can lower blood pressure People with high blood pressure saw their systolic blood pressure drop by 7 mmHg, on average, and experienced improvements in other markers of blood vessel health after receiving daily smartphone messages designed to cultivate spirituality for 12 weeks, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	Ninerafaxstat well-tolerated and safe for nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy The investigational drug ninerafaxstat showed a good tolerability and safety profile, along with evidence of improvements in symptoms and exercise capacity among people with nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), according to results of a 12-week phase 2 trial presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	Topical tranexamic acid found inferior to intravenous administration Administering tranexamic acid (TxA), a drug used to reduce bleeding during heart surgery topically rather than intravenously did not meet its primary endpoint of reducing seizures and was stopped early due to an increased risk of bleeding events, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	New drug fails to improve diabetes-related heart failure One of the first studies to attempt to treat early-stage heart failure in patients with Type 2 diabetes did not meet its primary endpoint, but a preplanned subgroup analysis found a statistically significant effect of treatment in patients who were not taking SGLT2 inhibitors or GLP-1 RAs, which are antidiabetic medications that also have benefits for the heart. The research was presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	Study shows web app effective in determining access to statins without a prescription Using a web application to qualify individuals for treatment with a non-prescription statin closely matched the results of clinician assessments in determining a person's eligibility for taking statins to lower cholesterol, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session. Participants who were given access to a 5 mg dose of rosuvastatin using this technology-assisted approach experienced a 35.5% reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, on average, six months after starting treatment.
	ACE inhibitor not protective against heart damage from chemotherapy Patients who took an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor while undergoing cancer treatment with high-dose anthracycline chemotherapy did not show any difference in troponin T levels, a biomarker associated with heart damage, at one month after their last chemotherapy dose compared with those who did not take an ACE inhibitor, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	Prebiotics could help space travelers stay healthy Space travel can be hard on the human body, but new research suggests that cultivating a healthy gut microbiome could help astronauts weather the stresses of altered gravity. Researchers presented their work at the American Physiology Summit in Long Beach, California, held April 4–7.
	Black men found to have greater microvascular dysfunction than white men after prostate cancer diagnosis Microvascular function is lower is Black men following a recent diagnosis of prostate cancer, compared to white men, according to researchers at the Medical College of Georgia. Researchers presented their work at the American Physiology Summit in Long Beach, California, held April 4–7.
	Therapy involving diabetes drug empagliflozin shows promise in delaying hospitalizations for heart failure About 800,000 people in the U.S. suffer a heart attack every year, and about 30% of them will go on to develop heart failure. There are limited treatments to prevent or slow that development.
	Coronary sinus reducer relieves angina, but how it works remains unclear People with chronic chest pain who received a coronary sinus reducer (CSR)—a stent thought to increase the amount of oxygen-rich blood flowing to the heart muscle—experienced significant reductions in the daily number of chest pain episodes but did not show evidence of increased overall blood flow to the heart compared with patients who received a placebo procedure, according to six-month results from a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	Heart pump improves survival after severe heart attacks Implantation of the Impella CP micro-axial flow pump in the hours after a heart attack significantly increased the rate of survival at six months among people suffering cardiogenic shock, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	Plozasiran reduces triglyceride levels by 74% at 24 weeks In patients with severely elevated triglyceride levels at risk for developing acute pancreatitis, the investigational drug plozasiran reduced triglyceride levels by an average of 74% after 24 weeks of use without causing any significant safety concerns, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	Novel PCSK9 inhibitor cut LDL cholesterol levels by more than half Among patients at high or very high risk for a heart attack or stroke, the addition of the investigational drug lerodalcibep to standard cholesterol-lowering medication for one year reduced LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, levels by more than half on average, compared with placebo.
	CPAP alternative comparable for reducing blood pressure People with hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea were no less likely to see their blood pressure drop over six months if they used a mandibular advancement device (MAD), which is inserted onto the teeth similar to a bite guard. compared to a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, according to research featured at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	SGLT-2 inhibitors show mixed results after heart attack While the composite of death and heart failure hospitalizations was not significantly reduced, empagliflozin may help reduce heart failure risks after a heart attack
	First-in-human study demonstrates reduction of hard-to-reach ventricular tachycardias A new technology using ultralow temperature cryoablation (ULTC) has eliminated clinical ventricular tachycardia (VT) in 94% of patients. The late-breaking science is presented at EHRA 2024, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
	Q&A: A task-oriented approach in occupational therapy is critical to recovery after a stroke Recovering from a life-altering stroke can be a long and arduous journey when an irascible demeanor and a litany of frustrations prolong a patient's return to normalcy.
	Researchers develop new method for detecting heart failure with a smartphone A new technology using a smartphone to analyze heart movement and detect heart failure was created at the University of Turku and developed by the company CardioSignal. The study involved five organizations from Finland and the United States and is now published in JACC: Heart Failure.
	Chelation therapy does not improve outcomes after heart attack People with diabetes who had suffered a heart attack derived no clinical benefit from edetate disodium-based chelation, a therapy that draws lead and other toxic metals linked to increased risk of heart disease and stroke out of the body, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	Review compares analgesic interventions after shoulder surgery The average pain trajectories after shoulder surgery vary with different analgesic interventions, according to research presented at the 49th Annual Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine Meeting, held from March 21 to 23 in San Diego.
	Femoral nerve block cuts opioid use in ACL reconstruction For patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, a femoral nerve block (FNB) is associated with a lower incidence of excessive opioid consumption than adductor canal block (ACB), according to a study presented at the 49th Annual Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine Meeting, held from March 21 to 23 in San Diego.
	ACC: AI-based video biomarker detects aortic stenosis progression A video-based artificial intelligence (AI) biomarker (Digital Aortic Stenosis [AS] Severity index [DASSi]) can detect severe AS development and progression among patients undergoing echocardiography or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, according to a study published online April 6 in JAMA Cardiology to coincide with the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from April 6 to 8 in Atlanta.
	ACC: Empagliflozin cuts heart failure hospitalization risk after AMI For patients with acute myocardial infarction at risk for heart failure, empagliflozin reduces the risk for heart failure hospitalization, according to a study published online April 6 in Circulation to coincide with the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from April 6 to 8 in Atlanta.
	Blood test spots early pancreatic cancers with 97% accuracy A blood test appears capable of detecting early-stage pancreatic cancers with up to 97% accuracy, a new study reports.
	AACR: Cadonilimab plus chemo beneficial for gastric adenocarcinoma For patients with gastric/gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) adenocarcinoma, cadonilimab plus chemotherapy is associated with improved overall survival and progression-free survival, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, held from April 5 to 10 in San Diego.
	Heavy alcohol use may increase type 2 diabetes risk in middle-aged adults Heavy alcohol use may increase middle-aged adults' risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to research to be presented this week at the American Physiology Summit in Long Beach, California. The Summit is the flagship annual meeting of the American Physiological Society (APS).
	Study reveals how obesity could accelerate aging in the brain A new study conducted in mice traces how obesity and a high-fat diet may accelerate aging in the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. The work is being presented this week at the American Physiology Summit, the flagship annual meeting of the American Physiological Society (APS), in Long Beach, California.
	Survey shows that medical technology can improve access, but may hurt employee retention Artificial intelligence, telehealth video appointments, and other technological evolutions make health care access easier for some, but they also take the personal touch out of medicine and contribute to why professionals are leaving the industry. Those are among the findings of the 2023 CU Denver Business School's Health Systems Climate Study, produced by the Health Administration Research Consortium (HARC).
	War in Ukraine is increasing the prevalence of mental health conditions in children, new study finds A new study presented at the European Psychiatric Association Congress 2024 reveals a significant rise in mental health issues among children and adolescents displaced by the war in Ukraine. The research, conducted by the Institute of Forensic Psychiatry of MoH of Ukraine, highlights the devastating impact of prolonged exposure to violence and displacement on the mental well-being of young people.
	No reduction in 90-day deaths, heart attacks with human Apo/A1, a building block of HDL cholesterol The first trial of a novel strategy for removing cholesterol from patients' arteries did not reduce the risk of death, heart attack or stroke within three months of a prior heart attack, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session. However, the findings suggest that the strategy may be beneficial with longer follow-up.
	An exosome-based liquid biopsy shows promise for early detection of pancreatic cancer An investigational exosome-based liquid biopsy accurately detected 97% of stage 1-2 pancreatic cancers when combined with the biomarker CA 19-9, according to research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2024, held April 5-10.
	Trial reports mixed results with nerve ablation for high blood pressure A new system that uses dehydrated alcohol to deactivate certain nerves surrounding the kidneys' arteries in order to control high blood pressure met its primary endpoint—lowering blood pressure at three months as measured with a 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure monitor—in a pivotal Phase III trial presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	TAVR found non-inferior to SAVR for low-risk patients Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) was found to bring no increased risks and was associated with substantial decreased rates of death or stroke at one year in low-risk patients, compared with surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), according to findings presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	Researchers find more action is needed to prevent arthritis after knee reconstruction surgery The prevalence of early knee osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms faced by patients after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is staggering—but not much is being done to address it, according to new research published by scholars from Michigan State University's Department of Kinesiology.
	Researchers uncover underlying mechanism driving membranous nephropathy, a chronic kidney disease in children No therapies currently exist that can halt the progression of chronic kidney disease in children or restore the ability of kidney cells to filter blood. Recently, researchers at the GOFARR Laboratory for Organ Regenerative Research and Cell Therapeutics in Urology at The Saban Research Institute of Children's Hospital Los Angeles found new clues to understanding how chronic kidney disease progresses.
	Intravascular ultrasound outperforms angiography for peripheral artery disease treatment One-year success rates from angioplasty procedures to open clogged arteries in the legs were significantly higher among patients whose procedures were guided by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) alongside angiography compared with those whose procedures were guided by angiography alone, in a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	Q&A: Is xylitol for your teeth a sweet trend or a true cavity blocker? At first glance, a claim that a sweetener derived from the bark of birch trees can prevent cavity formation might seem far-fetched. It can't be true, some might reason. Sugar causes cavities.
	Intermittent fasting may help preserve intestinal health as we age A study conducted in mice has found that intermittent fasting brought benefits beyond weight loss, suggesting the practice could help the body better process glucose and reduce age-related declines in intestinal function. Researchers presented their work at the American Physiology Summit, the annual meeting of the American Physiological Society (APS), in Long Beach, California.
	Opioids kill, especially if you're alone: Study They slow down breathing. First, you lose consciousness, then your heart stops beating.
	Preventive percutaneous coronary intervention for high-risk coronary plaques found to reduce cardiac events People with a buildup of fatty atherosclerotic plaque in the heart's arteries considered at risk of rupturing were far less likely to suffer a serious cardiac event if they underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a procedure to open blocked arteries, compared with those who took medications alone but did not undergo PCI, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	Barbie may help physicians, patients have more productive telehealth visits As telehealth visits become more prevalent, physicians can sometimes struggle to help patients effectively demonstrate a musculoskeletal exam through a screen.
	Inducing labor with drug vaginally shows benefits in study Labor induction with vaginal misoprostol during childbirth achieves vaginal delivery rates similar to the oral alternative while significantly reducing the need for oxytocin, the most commonly used labor-inducing drug, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report.
	New study explores video game addiction rates Using data from a top video game streaming service, Puneet Manchanda, Isadore and Leon Winkelman Professor of Marketing, and Ph.D. student Bruno Castelo Branco have challenged preconceived notions of high addiction rates in the video game-playing community.
	Access to genomic medicine illustrates precision medicine's delicate future As genomics and precision medicine advances open new avenues for personalized treatments to replace the conventional one-size-fits-all model, who will actually benefit from them? Paradigm shifts in disease treatment can change lives, if only people have access to them. New research has now delved into the challenge of accessing innovative care.
	Low cardiorespiratory fitness in youth associated with decreased work ability throughout adulthood, finds 45-year study A study from the University of Jyväskylä confirms the concerns raised in the public domain about how young people's decreased fitness may affect their future work ability. The association of low youth cardiorespiratory fitness and adulthood decreased work ability persisted until the end of working life, which predicts substantial societal costs.
	Socially vulnerable children improve health knowledge, well-being after residential health education program A study has followed more than 600 socially vulnerable children who took part in a 10-week residential stay at two Danish charity homes over a 2-year study period. Through a parallel cohort study, the researchers investigated the effects of the residential stay itself, and whether there are additional effects of adding the football [soccer]-based health education program called "11 for Health."
	A friendly pat on the back can improve performance in basketball A free throw in basketball will have every eye glued to one person. It's an intensely stressful situation. A research team led by the University of Basel studied whether a friendly tap on the shoulder increases the odds of making a shot.
	Shorter scan to diagnose prostate cancer could increase availability and reduce cost Removing one step from a three-part MRI scan, which could make them quicker, cheaper, and more accessible, had no negative impact on diagnostic accuracy, according to clinical trial results led by UCL and UCLH.
	More premature babies born following Swedish parental leave policy The introduction of a policy protecting parental leave benefits in Sweden in 1980 had unintended consequences on child health. The policy led to an increase in premature birth rates. This is shown by a study from researchers at Stockholm University, published in JAMA Pediatrics.
	Birth rate in United States remained unchanged from 2021 to 2022, report shows The birth rate in the United States was essentially unchanged from 2021 to 2022, according to the April 4 National Vital Statistics Reports.
	Desperate to dodge dengue, Argentines run out of repellent Insect repellent has become a hot commodity in Argentina, which is besieged by dengue-carrying mosquitoes and facing shortages that have sparked supermarket brawls, rations and homemade concoctions.
	France to fine patients who miss medical appointments France is to introduce a five euro ($5.50) penalty for people who fail to turn up for millions of doctors' appointments missed each year, the prime minister said Saturday.
	Your doctor or your insurer? Little-known rules may ease the choice in Medicare Advantage Bart Klion, 95, and his wife, Barbara, faced a tough choice in January: The upstate New York couple learned that this year they could keep either their private, Medicare Advantage insurance plan—or their doctors at Saratoga Hospital.
	Wilms tumor: Kidney cancer in children While kidney cancer is rare in children, Wilms tumor is the most common type found in kids, with between 500 and 600 children diagnosed annually in the U.S. The disease most often affects kids ages 3 to 4.
	Ontario's proposed plan to broaden alcohol sales will harm people, say public health officials The Ontario government's plans to broaden alcohol sales to privately operated stores in the province could lead to higher consumption rates and related harms, write commentary authors in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
	International experts agree on standards for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation An international consensus statement on how to treat atrial fibrillation with catheter or surgical ablation has been published in EP Europace and presented at EHRA 2024.
	Will introducing independent doctors at games help the AFL tackle its concussion problem? The Australian Football League (AFL) recently announced it is "considering appointing independent doctors at all AFL games to assist club medical staff in identifying and assessing players for potential head injuries."
	The health connection between cardiac arrest survivors and their loved ones Lynn and Kent Wiles agree that the day she died—then was revived—was miraculous.
	Scientists explain how the COVID States Project analyzed the pandemic with objectivity David Lazer ran into a fellow Northeastern University professor Alessandro Vespignani. It was February 2020. One month before the COVID-19 shutdowns.
	Self-expanding valve outperforms balloon-expandable valve for TAVR in patients with small valve annulus People with a small aortic annulus, a part of the heart's anatomy where the left ventricle meets the aorta, who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with a supra-annular self-expanding valve saw similar clinical outcomes and superior valve performance at one year compared with those who underwent TAVR with a balloon-expandable valve, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	Regular exercise prevents DNA damage with aging Regular aerobic exercise later in life prevents genomic instability characterized by DNA damage and telomere dysfunction, according to a study from the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Utah. Researchers will present their work this week at the American Physiology Summit, the flagship annual meeting of the American Physiological Society (APS), in Long Beach, California.
	Extracellular cell matrix stiffness may induce drug resistance of breast cancer cells A new study, led by Prof. Liu from the department of pharmacy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, discovered that the extracellular cell matrix (ECM) could induce the drug resistance of breast cancer cells.
	UK work policies not fit for people living with long COVID, says study New research has found current sickness absence and return to work policies in the workplace are unfit for purpose for those living with long COVID.
	New review provides insights into the impact of osteoporosis and related medications on fracture healing A new comprehensive review, authored by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) Committee of Scientific Advisors Fracture Working Group on behalf of the IOF and the International Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology (SICOT), clarifies the evidence linking fracture healing with osteoporosis and the currently available medications used to treat osteoporosis.
	Single-cell profile reveals the landscape of cardiac immunity and identifies a cardio-protective Ym-1hi neutrophil Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) is a major hindrance to the success of cardiac reperfusion therapy. Immune response mediates the pathophysiological process of MIRI, implying that regulating immune responses within a certain time window may be an effective strategy for treating MIRI.
	Landscape of global urban environmental resistome and its association with local socioeconomic and medical status In a study published in the journal Science China Life Sciences, a research team used nearly 5,000 metagenomic samples collected from 60 cities around the world to conduct in-depth research on the antibiotic resistance of urban environmental microbes, providing a more comprehensive landscape of resistome in the global urban environment.

Other Sciences news

	Saturday Citations: AI and the prisoner's dilemma; stellar cannibalism; evidence that EVs reduce atmospheric CO₂ While I was assembling and formatting all these links, we had a 4.8-magnitude earthquake here on the East Coast, so apologies in advance for any misaligned text. This week: Gravitationally accelerated stars! AIs that exhibit cooperative and selfish behaviors! And another edition of "Would You Eat This?"
	Best of Last Week—largest 3D map of universe, obscuring images for privacy, stool transplants help with Parkinson's Using data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, multiple teams of researchers have created the largest-ever 3D map of the universe, which is expected to give future researchers the ability to look 11 billion years into the past. Also, officials at NASA announced that they had been directed by officials at the White House to come up with a new clock for the moon, where seconds tick away faster. And a team of astronomers led by Olivier Demangeon, with the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences, in Portugal, detected a potential "glory effect" on a hellish distant world for the first time—the effect involves rings of light that occur only under peculiar conditions.
	Carvings in southern Peru may have been inspired by people singing while hallucinating A pair of archaeologists, one with Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, the other with the University of Warsaw, both in Poland, has found evidence suggesting that rock carvings found in a southern part of Peru may have been inspired by people singing while consuming hallucinogenic plants. In their study, published in the Cambridge Archaeological Journal, Andrzej Rozwadowski and Janusz Wołoszyn analyzed rock carvings found in Toro Muerto.
	Archaeologists find that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens organized living spaces similarly In a study published in the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, archaeologists from Université de Montréal and the University of Genoa reveal that far from being more primitive, Neanderthals did much the same as their Homo sapiens successors: made themselves at home.
	Earth, the sun and a bike wheel: Why your high-school textbook was wrong about the shape of Earth's orbit If you've ever been taught about how Earth orbits around the sun, you might well think our planet travels along an oval-shaped path that brings it much closer to the sun at some times of the year than at others. You'd have a good reason to think that, too: it's how most textbooks show things.
	Americans are bad at recognizing conspiracy theories when they believe they're true, says study Conspiracy theorists get a bad rap in popular culture, yet research has shown that most Americans believe conspiracy theories of some sort. Why then, if most of us believe conspiracies, do we generally think of conspiracy theorists as loony?
	During a solar eclipse, some Indigenous groups believe it's not just your eyes that need protecting The last time a total solar eclipse cast its shadows across the United States in August 2017, Jenée Chizick-Agüero, the founder and publisher of Motivos magazine, was pregnant with her son.
	Office gossip isn't just idle chatter. It's a valuable—but risky—way to build relationships Gossip flows through the offices and lunchrooms of our workplaces, seemingly filling idle time. But perhaps, through these ubiquitous and intriguing conversations, we are influencing our workplace relationships more than we realize.
	Embracing digital spaces: How older immigrants are navigating the infodemic Occurring in tandem with the COVID-19 pandemic, another crisis was quietly escalating and unnoticed by many—an infodemic characterized by an overload of information, much of it misleading or false. Though concerns of an infodemic started before this time, and can occur with any issue or event, the phenomenon has become so widespread that the term was included into Merriam-Webster's 2020 list of "words we are watching."
	Fining big polluters can reduce environmental damage, but only if the fines match the crimes Some of Canada's biggest employers have a poor track record of abiding by environmental laws. When laws are broken corporate leaders don't go to prison; instead, the company is fined. But the fines are rarely severe enough to scare them into changing their ways, let alone enough to make companies repair environmental damage or build a cleaner future.
	Kids and 'bad' news: How can parents safely introduce their children to news and current affairs? While much attention has been drawn to the detrimental impact of violent video games on children's developing brains, there has been relatively little discussion regarding the negative effects of news and current affair programs children are exposed to.
	How conspiracy theories around George III's madness and Queen Charlotte's scheming took hold During the Georgian period, the British royal family had a strange habit of concealing illness, even from themselves.
	Eclipses were once associated with the deaths of kings—predictions played a key role in the birth of astronomy Making interesting predictions is one of the hallmarks of successful science. When Albert Einstein formulated his theory of general relativity, an almost immediate test involved the prediction that in a solar eclipse, light from stars that would normally be behind the sun (and thus invisible) would be bent in such a way as to become visible just at the sun's edges.
	US media coverage of new science less likely to mention researchers with African and East Asian names When one Chinese national recently petitioned the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to become a permanent resident, he thought his chances were pretty good. As an accomplished biologist, he figured that news articles in top media outlets, including The New York Times, covering his research would demonstrate his "extraordinary ability" in the sciences, as called for by the EB-1A visa.
	Happier, more connected neighborhoods start right in the front yard A salve for America's loneliness epidemic could exist right in front of its homes.
	How being furloughed affected people's sense of time and relationship with work Between March 2020 and September 2021, millions of workers furloughed under the UK government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme lived what for many of us is a dream: being paid not to work.
	Young adults with a history of school discipline report depressive symptoms, lower well-being Research on school discipline has focused largely on the effects of exclusionary measures across the life course, but a University at Buffalo sociologist has published a new study that suggests how a fuller range of disciplinary experiences, not just the most severe punishments, has detrimental health and well-being implications for students later in life.
	Clocks going forward can catch investors napping: How investors' reactions are affected by sleep disruption Clocks losing an hour in spring significantly affects how investors respond to companies that reveal unexpected levels of earnings, research shows.
	Prioritizing your phone over your partner affects creativity in the workplace for women Focusing attention on your mobile phone instead of your partner doesn't just strain your relationship—it also affects women's creativity in the workplace, caution researchers from the Universities of Bath, Aston, and IESE Business School.
	Challenging the gig economy Employee engagement among independent gig workers is an important issue facing organizations working with remote teams and individuals. A study published in the International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy, which looked at the connections between gig workers and their client teams, suggests there is a need to improve engagement to improve working conditions, well-being, and mental health for remote workers.
	Do opponents' race, gender, and party impact US congressional fundraising? Donations for a political candidate can be motivated by support for that candidate or by opposition to the candidate's opponent. New research published in Social Science Quarterly found that female Democrats and non-white male Democrats in the United States have a fundraising advantage when running against a white male Republican. Female Republicans or non-white male Republicans do not have this advantage when running against white male Democrats.

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