Study sheds more light on rate of rare blood clots after Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine

A large study from Denmark and Norway published by The BMJ today sheds more light on the risk of rare blood clots in adults receiving their first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Making Bitcoin more secure

A computer science engineer at Michigan State University has a word of advice for the millions of bitcoin owners who use smartphone apps to manage their cryptocurrency: don't. Or at least, be careful. Researchers from MSU are developing a mobile app to act as a safeguard for popular but vulnerable "wallet" applications used to manage cryptocurrency.

Gene therapy in Alzheimer's disease mouse model preserves learning and memory

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues elsewhere, have used gene therapy to prevent learning and memory loss in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a key step toward eventually testing the approach in humans with the neurodegenerative disease.

Study demonstrates swarm of photons that somersault in lockstep

Spinning or rotating objects are commonplace, from toy tops, fidget spinners, and figure skaters to water circling a drain, tornadoes, and hurricanes.

Being around children makes adults more generous

Adults are more compassionate and are up to twice as likely to donate to charity when children are present, according to a new study from psychologists.

Study explores how private equity acquisitions impact hospitals

Private equity investment in hospitals has grown substantially in the 21st century, and it accelerated in the years leading up the COVID-19 pandemic. Now a new study of short-term acute care hospitals acquired by private equity firms finds they not only have higher markups and profit margins, they're also slower to expand their staffs.

Study finds potential therapeutic target for pediatric acute myeloid leukemia

Researchers have identified a gene expressed in children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that could serve as a new immunotherapy treatment target, according to a new study published today in Blood Advances, a journal of the American Society of Hematology. The study, co-authored by researchers with Nemours Children's Health System, outlines the process and potential path for new immunotherapy drugs that improve survival and reduce treatment-related toxicity in children with AML.

Neighborhood disadvantage may be an environmental risk factor for brain development

A new USC study suggests that certain neighborhoods—particularly those characterized by poverty and unemployment—may pose an environmental risk to the developing brains of children, impacting neurocognitive performance and even brain size.

Long-term monitoring shows successful restoration of mining-polluted streams

Many miles of streams and rivers in the United States and elsewhere are polluted by toxic metals in acidic runoff draining from abandoned mining sites, and major investments have been made to clean up acid mine drainage at some sites. A new study based on long-term monitoring data from four sites in the western United States shows that cleanup efforts can allow affected streams to recover to near natural conditions within 10 to 15 years after the start of abatement work.

Reduced kidney function linked to increased risk of dementia

Chronic kidney disease is when a person's kidneys progressively lose their ability to filter waste from the blood and eliminate fluids. Now a new study has found that people with reduced kidney function may have an increased risk of developing dementia. The study is published in the May 5, 2021, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Light pollution at night affects the calls of migratory birds

When investigators in the UK recorded the calls of migratory birds called thrushes at night, they found that call rates were up to five times higher over the brightest urban areas compared with darker villages.

The online learning needs of students across different grades during the COVID-19 pandemic

A new study published in the British Journal of Educational Technology has identified the different needs of students across primary, middle, and high school related to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

New tool offers personalized, low environmental impact, healthy diet specific to country and season

To improve our own health and the health of our planet, dietary habits will need to change. Because the composition of an optimal diet changes depending on the combination of location, season, and personalized dietary needs, investigators have built a tool that uses an extensive database of food items, nutrients, and environmental-impacts to develop optimized diets specific to an individual in a given country and month. As described in an article published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology, the tool breaks new ground: it can be used to develop personalized, healthful, low-impact diets for people around the world.

Which medications are most toxic to the liver?

A new study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology provides insights on how common hospitalized patients develop liver injury from taking different medications.

Study uncovers potentially avoidable acute care use for vaccine-preventable illnesses in lupus patients

A new study published in Arthritis Care & Research indicates that few individuals with the autoimmune disease lupus who were publicly insured through Medicaid received recommended vaccines in 2000-2010. Also, those who were unvaccinated needed more acute care for vaccine-preventable illnesses.

More studies needed on mental health treatments during and after pregnancy

Untreated mental health disorders can be a serious problem for women and their children during pregnancy and after giving birth, during the postpartum period.

Do bacteria in the mouth affect risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis?

Investigators found similarities in the bacterial composition of the mouth among patients with early rheumatoid arthritis and those at risk of developing the disease, compared with healthy individuals who were not at risk. The findings come from a study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Erythropoietin treatments may increase hip fracture risk in patients with kidney failure

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a medication used to stimulate the production of new red blood cells, which is impaired in individuals with kidney failure. Unfortunately, however, the treatment may increase the risk of hip fractures.

How accurate are virtual assessments of cognitive function?

Virtual care provided through telephone or videoconference has been broadly implemented in recent months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A new analysis of published studies has examined the accuracy and reliability of virtual compared with in-person cognitive assessments for diagnosing dementia or mild cognitive impairment.

New algorithm uses a hologram to control trapped ions

Researchers have discovered the most precise way to control individual ions using holographic optical engineering technology.

Can Twitter help improve dental education?

An analysis of published studies indicates that Twitter may be a useful learning tool in dental education.

Pandemic poses health risk to moms of preschoolers

Stress levels of moms with preschoolers soared during the pandemic, with twice as many of the mothers reporting they lost sleep during the COVID-19 outbreak than before it.