Animals fake death for long periods to escape predators

Many animals feign death to try to escape their predators, with some individuals in prey species remaining motionless, if in danger, for extended lengths of time.

Quick-learning cuttlefish pass 'the marshmallow test'

Much like the popular TikTok challenge where kids resist eating snacks, cuttlefish can do the same! Cuttlefish can delay gratification—wait for a better meal rather than be tempted by the one at hand—and those that can wait longest also do better in a learning test, scientists have discovered.

Cutting-edge analysis of prehistoric teeth sheds new light on the diets of lizards and snakes

New research has revealed that the diets of early lizards and snakes, which lived alongside dinosaurs around 100 million years ago, were more varied and advanced than previously thought.

Weight loss drug hope for patients with type 2 diabetes

Patients with type 2 diabetes that were treated with a weekly injection of the breakthrough drug Semaglutide were able to achieve an average weight loss of nearly 10 kg, according to a new study published in The Lancet today.

School-based dental program reduces cavities by more than 50 percent

A school-based cavity prevention program involving nearly 7,000 elementary school students reduced cavities by more than 50 percent, according to a study led by researchers at NYU College of Dentistry. The findings are published March 1 in the Journal of the American Dental Association.

Tissue filler, scaffold technologies provide new options for patients with breast cancer, other diseases

New technology from Purdue University innovators may help improve tissue restoration outcomes for people with breast cancer and other diseases or traumatic injuries.

Zoom posts big quarter even as subscriber growth slows

Zoom's astronomical growth is tapering off along with the pandemic, raising questions about whether the videoconferencing service's immense popularity will fade as more people return to classrooms, offices and other places that have been off limits for the past year.

High fat diets may over-activate destructive heart disease protein

Consumption of a high fat diet may be activating a response in the heart that is causing destructive growth and lead to greater risk of heart attacks, according to new research.

Alcohol and tobacco sales climb during early months of COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 has taken a huge medical, emotional and economic toll on Americans. Now, new Keck Medicine of USC research shows that the pandemic may also have harmful indirect consequences.

Benign bone tumors are common in kids—historical X-rays lend new insights

Benign bone tumors may be present in nearly 20 percent of healthy children, based on a review of historical radiographs in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Researchers find frustration is an additional factor of addiction

A team from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) focused on drug addiction research have pioneered a new way to study frustration as a factor in substance use disorders. The study was published in the medical journal Psychopharmacology.

Increase in Medicaid managed care for youth linked to slightly more preventive care

Nationally, the number of children under age 21 enrolled in Medicaid grew from 23.5 million in 2000 to 40.5 million in 2017, with the proportion of children in Medicaid managed care plans increasing from 65 percent to 94 percent, according to a study from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago published in the journal Academic Pediatrics.

Repurposed arthritis drug did not significantly improve severe COVID-19 pneumonia

In a study published online February 25, 2021 in The New England Journal of Medicine, a repurposed drug used to treat arthritis did not significantly improve the outcomes of patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

The enemy within: Understanding the mechanisms of r-chop resistance in b-cell lymphoma

White blood cells or lymphocytes are the soldiers of our immune system that patrol the body via the lymphatic system. While their primary role is to protect the body by scavenging invaders, they can sometimes go rogue and become the enemy. Lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, results from the uncontrolled proliferation of lymphocytes. They are classified as Hodgkins and Non-Hodgkins lymphomas on the basis of the cell of origin and clinical characteristics. Of them, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common Non-Hodgkins lymphoma and is highly aggressive and fast-growing.

Greenhouse gas emissions associated with dietary guidelines vary between countries

Greenhouse gas emissions associated with national dietary guidelines advocating a healthy diet vary greatly between countries, with US guidelines having the largest carbon footprint and India having the smallest, according to a study involving seven countries published in the open access Nutrition Journal. The variations result from differences in recommendations for and consumptions of individual foods within the six main food groups—protein foods, dairy, grains, fruits, vegetables, and oils/fats.

Boeing Starliner test flight postponed

An unmanned test mission of Boeing's Starliner space capsule, which is eventually to transport astronauts to the International Space Station, has had to be postponed, NASA said Monday.

What's happening to the most remote coral reefs on Earth?

In the middle of the Indian Ocean lies some of the last coral reef wilderness on Earth. The Chagos Archipelago, a collection of atolls, including Earth's largest—the Great Chagos Bank—is home to reefs that have been largely undisturbed by humans for the last 50 years. Some estimates indicate the Chagos Archipelago may contain more than half of the healthy coral reefs remaining in the entire Indian Ocean. These reefs are protected both by their remote location, and in one of the world's largest no-take marine reserves—the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) marine protected area.

Coffee for the birds: Connecting bird-watchers with shade-grown coffee

Since 1970, bird populations in North America have declined by approximately 2.9 billion birds, a loss of more than one in four birds. Factors in this decline include habitat loss and ecosystem degradation from human actions on the landscape.

Stressed-out young oysters may grow less meat on their shells

Early exposure to tough conditions—particularly warmer waters and nightly swings of low oxygen—could leave lasting scars on oysters' ability to grow meaty tissue. A team of biologists at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) reported the discovery in a new study, published online Feb. 26 in the journal Ecological Applications.

New study proposes a low cost, high efficiency mask design

A new paper in Oxford Open Materials Science presents low cost modifications to existing N95 masks that prolongs their effectiveness and improves their reusability post disinfectants.