Asymptomatic COVID-19 is linked to a gene variant that boosts immune memory after exposure to prior seasonal cold viruses

Researchers found that people with a specific gene variant were two to eight times more likely to not have symptoms after infection.

Danillo Augusto, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina – Charlotte • conversation
July 19, 2023 ~5 min

Global diabetes cases on pace to soar to 1.3 billion people in the next 3 decades, new study finds

Diabetes rates across the world have been rising steadily since the early 1990s, when this data was first estimated. That trend is only going up.

Liane Ong, Lead Research Scientist at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington • conversation
July 19, 2023 ~6 min


A 1-minute gun safety video helped preteen children be more careful around real guns – new research

Kids were more likely to tell an adult and less likely to touch or hold a handgun that they discovered if they’d recently watched a short video about gun safety.

Sophie Kjaervik, Ph.D. Candidate in Communication, The Ohio State University • conversation
July 17, 2023 ~5 min

Putting a price on exoskeleton assistance puts users in the driver's seat of honing the tech

Asking users the dollar value of the costs and benefits of walking in exoskeletons is a better way of finding out how users feel about them than measuring calories saved.

Elliott Rouse, Associate Professor of Robotics and Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan • conversation
July 12, 2023 ~5 min

The 21st Century Cures Act requires that patients receive medical results immediately – and new research shows patients prefer it that way

The law requires medical test results be made available to patients even before a clinician has reviewed them.

CT Lin, Professor of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus • conversation
July 11, 2023 ~6 min

Positive parenting can help protect against the effects of stress in childhood and adolescence, new study shows

Without supportive parents, children already under stress may experience a shrinkage in brain volume in an area of the brain that is important for learning and memory.

Isabella Kahhalé, PhD student in Clinical and Developmental Psychology, University of Pittsburgh • conversation
July 10, 2023 ~6 min

Annual numbers of excess deaths in the US relative to other developed countries are growing at an alarming rate

New research shows that preventable deaths are increasing in the US at the same time that life expectancy keeps dropping.

Patrick Heuveline, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Los Angeles • conversation
June 13, 2023 ~6 min

The allure of the ad-lib: New research identifies why people prefer spontaneity in entertainment

Audiences love improvised, off-the-cuff entertainment, and new research suggests it’s because spontaneity seems to offer a glimpse of the performer’s authentic self.

Katherine Du, Assistant Professor of Marketing, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee • conversation
June 2, 2023 ~5 min


Chronic pain can be objectively measured using brain signals – new research

Pain has long been subjectively measured, leading to frustrations for patients and doctors alike. Identifying neural biomarkers of pain could improve diagnosis and lead to better treatments of chronic pain conditions.

Prasad Shirvalkar, Associate Professor of Anesthesia, University of California, San Francisco • conversation
May 22, 2023 ~6 min

Disinfectants and cleaning products harboring toxic chemicals are widely used despite lack of screening for potential health hazards

Quaternary ammonium compounds, also known as QACs or quats, are commonly used antimicrobials also found in many household products. Soap and water may be a safer bet when cleaning surfaces.

Courtney Carignan, Assistant Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University • conversation
May 9, 2023 ~6 min

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