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New rheumatic fever treatments hurt less and last longer
PLOS ONE
A new penicillin injection for rheumatic fever could help young people stick with the recommended 10-year treatment period. The new treatment uses a smaller needle into the stomach, which patients described as less painful overall. The new injection Read more about New rheumatic fever treatments hurt less and last longer
Australia; New Zealand; WAUniversity of Otago|Telethon Kids Institute|The University of Western Australia... -
Heatwaves lead to more than 150,000 deaths a year
PLOS Medicine
Heatwaves over the four hottest months of the year lead to more than 150,000 deaths around the world each year, according to research led by Monash University which looked at deaths over 30 years going back to 1990. The authors say this equates Read more about Heatwaves lead to more than 150,000 deaths a year
Australia; New Zealand; Pacific; VICMonash University|Queensland University of Technology (QUT) -
Wind farms quickly offset their emissions
Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand
After spinning for 1. 5-1. 7 years, a wind turbine has offset the carbon emissions generated across its entire 30-year lifespan, when compared to thermal power plants. These numbers come from a study which used real construction data from a Hawke's Read more about Wind farms quickly offset their emissions
New ZealandVictoria University of Wellington -
The Northern Hemisphere summer of 2023 was the warmest in 2000 years
Nature
The summer of 2023 was the warmest in the Northern Hemisphere extra-tropical regions in the past 2,000 years, according to international researchers. The team reconstructed the past 2000 years of land temperature data using tree rings, and combined Read more about The Northern Hemisphere summer of 2023 was the warmest in 2000 years
InternationalJohannes Gutenberg University, Germany -
246 million more older adults will be exposed to dangerous heat by 2050
Nature Communications
Up to 246 million more older adults around the world are projected to be exposed to dangerous acute heat by the year 2050 — with those living in Asia and Africa experiencing the most severe effects according to international researchers. According Read more about 246 million more older adults will be exposed to dangerous heat by 2050
InternationalCMCC Foundation, Italy -
Can eye-tracking tests accurately identify children with autism?
JAMA Network Open
Eye-tracking tests can accurately identify autism in children, according to international researchers, who say that a combination of eye-tracking data and primary-care practitioners' diagnosis can improve accurate diagnosis. The team studied 146 Read more about Can eye-tracking tests accurately identify children with autism?
InternationalPurdue University, USA -
What do we know about the risks of forever chemicals PFAS for our reproductive health?
Reproduction, Fertility and Development
The full extent of the threat per-and ployfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pose to the reproductive health of humans and animals, including livestock, is not yet known, according to Australian researchers. In a perspective article, the researchers Read more about What do we know about the risks of forever chemicals PFAS for our reproductive health?
Australia; NSW; VIC; SAThe University of Melbourne|The University of Adelaide... -
Aussie science and innovation needs immediate and sustained investment to power a future made in Australia
The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) welcomes commitments in the Budget to review Australia’s languishing investment in Australian science and innovation and back clean energy industries, however investment Read more about Aussie science and innovation needs immediate and sustained investment to power a future made in Australia
AustraliaAustralian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) -
EXPERT REACTION: Federal Budget 2024-2025
The Federal Government has released their budget for 2024-2025. Below, a variety of Australian experts respond and discuss what this year's Budget means. Registered journalists can also find additional expert lists from The University of Sydney, Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Federal Budget 2024-2025
Australia; QLD; SAAustralian Science Media Centre|Australian Government - Dept of the Treasury -
Mislabelled shark meat rampant in Australian markets, study finds
Marine and Freshwater Research
Macquarie University researchers found widespread mislabelling of shark meat in Australia, including threatened species, highlighting a need for better enforcement to protect consumers and sharks. Researchers at Macquarie University have found a Read more about Mislabelled shark meat rampant in Australian markets, study finds
Australia; NSWMacquarie University -
High genetic diversity discovered in South African leopards
PeerJ
Researchers say the discovery of very high genetic diversity in leopards found in the Highveld region of South Africa has increased the need for conservation efforts to protect leopards in the country. Declan Morris, a PhD candidate with the Read more about High genetic diversity discovered in South African leopards
Australia; SAThe University of Adelaide -
The weight loss effects of semaglutide can last at least 4 years, and the heart health benefits may be irrespective of the kilos dropped
Nature Medicine and European Congress on Obesity
New data from the largest and longest clinical trial of the effects of semaglutide on weight loss have found that people taking the drug lost around 10% of their body weight and over 7cm from their waistline and the effects continued to last for 4 Read more about The weight loss effects of semaglutide can last at least 4 years, and the heart health benefits may be irrespective of the kilos dropped
InternationalPennington Biomedical Research Centre, USA, University College London, UK -
Men with low testosterone levels may be at increased risk of dying prematurely
Annals of Internal Medicine
Men with low testosterone levels may be at an increased risk of dying prematurely, according to a study by Australian and international researchers. To investigate the relationship between testosterone and other sex hormone levels and health in Read more about Men with low testosterone levels may be at increased risk of dying prematurely
Australia; NSW; SA; WAThe University of Western Australia|Flinders University... -
Our food obsessed brains can sort beans from jeans in 1/10th of a second
The Journal of Neuroscience
You might think you have food on the brain all the time, but Aussie researchers have shown our brains are able to sort food items from non-food items really quickly, in around 1/10th of a second. The researchers also found that our brains take a bit Read more about Our food obsessed brains can sort beans from jeans in 1/10th of a second
Australia; NSWThe University of Sydney -
Identifying genes that could predict breast cancer risk in African women
Nature Genetics
International researchers have identified six genetic variants they say could predict an increased risk of an aggressive form of breast cancer in African women. While women of African ancestry are more likely to develop breast cancer at an earlier Read more about Identifying genes that could predict breast cancer risk in African women
InternationalVanderbilt University Medical Center, USA -
Breastfed babies don't get any benefit from iron supplements
JAMA Pediatrics
Breastfed infants are at risk of iron deficiency which can impact their development but a new study, which includes Aussie authors, has found no benefit to giving breastfed babies iron supplements. The trial, conducted in Poland and Sweden, involved Read more about Breastfed babies don't get any benefit from iron supplements
Australia; International; SASouth Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI)... -
Mind-reading device can decode your internal monologue, but accuracy varies widely
Nature Human Behaviour
Researchers have been able to decode words spoken internally with 79% accuracy in a quadriplegia patient, which they hope could lead to the development of a device to help restore communication in people who have lost the ability to speak. However, Read more about Mind-reading device can decode your internal monologue, but accuracy varies widely
InternationalCalifornia Institute of Technology, USA -
Is endurance running as good as traditional methods for hunting game?
Nature Human Behaviour
Endurance running for game hunting may have been as efficient as other traditional hunting methods, according to international researchers. The team say that their findings support the hypothesis that humans uniquely developed muscles primarily Read more about Is endurance running as good as traditional methods for hunting game?
InternationalTrent University, Canada -
Could a blood test help predict who is at risk of heart disease and stroke?
JAMA
Screening the general population with a blood test to look for markers of cardiovascular disease would only lead to a small improvement in our ability to predict who is at risk of diseases such as heart disease and stroke, according to a study Read more about Could a blood test help predict who is at risk of heart disease and stroke?
Australia; NSW; VIC; WAMonash University|Edith Cowan University|The University of Sydney... -
A few simple questions could help doctors assess breast cancer risk
Cancer
Breast cancer risk could be linked to obesity status and different components of metabolic syndrome (such as obesity, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, and abnormal cholesterol), according to international researchers who say the findings Read more about A few simple questions could help doctors assess breast cancer risk
InternationalThe Lundquist Institute, USA