As we develop, the brain connects lessons learned differently
A new study of brain activity patterns in people doing a memory task finds that the way we make inferences — finding hidden connections between different experiences — changes dramatically as we age. The study’s findings might one day lead to personalized learning strategies based on a person’s cognitive and brain development. The researchers found […]
Sleep Apnea Tied to Risk for Severe COVID-19
Sleep-related hypoxia was associated with worse outcomes in COVID-19 patients, a retrospective study found. In the case-control study involving patients in the Cleveland Clinic Health System, sleep-related hypoxia was linked with greater COVID-19-related hospitalization and mortality (adjusted HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.08-1.57, P=0.005), reported Reena Mehra, MD, MS, of the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute […]
Landmark study points to source of rapid aging, chronic inflammation in people living with HIV
In a groundbreaking study of people living with HIV, University of Alberta researchers found that elusive white blood cells called neutrophils play a role in impaired T cell functions and counts, as well as the associated chronic inflammation that is common with the virus. Neutrophils are a foundational part of the body’s immune system and […]
Climatic drivers of honey bee disease revealed
Honey bee colonies worldwide have suffered from a range of damaging diseases. A new study has provided clues on how changing weather patterns might be driving disease in UK colonies. Publishing their findings in the journal Scientific Reports, the team led by Newcastle University found that the most severe disease of honey bees, caused by […]
Evacuation during and after the 2018 Montecito debris flow
A new study by UC Santa Barbara researchers speaks to the importance of public awareness programs in keeping residents — and emergency management offices — informed about rare but potentially lethal natural events in their area. The paper, co-authored by geology professor Ed Keller and colleagues Summer Gray, an assistant professor of environmental studies, Keith […]
Smoggier skies, lower scores? A Brazilian study examines the effects of air pollution on students’ cognitive performance
A new study published in the Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists looks at the causal relationship between outdoor air pollution levels on nationwide university entry examination day and students’ cognitive performance in Brazil. In “The Effects of Air Pollution on Students’ Cognitive Performance: Evidence from Brazilian University Entrance Tests,” authors Juliana […]
Supplements to Prevent Bone Breaks? VITAL Says Forget It
New analyses from the big prospective study called VITAL cast additional doubt on the value of routine vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid supplements for generally healthy individuals. Daily administration of 2,000 IU of vitamin D, in many cases on top of supplements that study participants were taking on their own, had no effect on […]
Why Bariatric Surgery’s Mortality Risk Is Higher in Men
Men and women might see vastly different risks for death following bariatric surgery, a new study suggested. In nearly 20,000 bariatric surgery patients, men saw a five-fold higher rate of death within 30 days of undergoing weight loss surgery compared with women (0.48% vs 0.08%, P<0.001), representing 25 deaths among male patients and 12 deaths […]
Extra spacing can boost children’s reading speed: New study finds significant benefits for both dyslexic and non-dyslexic children
A new study has found that a child’s reading speed can be improved by simply increasing the space between letters within a piece of text. The research, led by Dr Steven Stagg of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), examined the benefits of letter spacing and coloured overlays amongst a group of dyslexic and non-dyslexic children. It […]
Two new species of large predatory dinosaur discovered on Isle of Wight, UK
A new study led by palaeontologists at the University of Southampton suggests that bones found on the Isle of Wight belong to two new species of spinosaurid, a group of predatory theropod dinosaurs closely related to the giant Spinosaurus. Their unusual, crocodile-like skulls helped the group expand their diets, allowing them hunt prey on both […]