A systematic review and network meta-analysis examined statins, metformin, and vitamin D in eight randomized trials involving 4,078 high-risk pregnant women. Some higher-dose vitamin D regimens were associated with lower estimated risks of preeclampsia than placebo, but the evidence was limited, heterogeneous, and rated low certainty.
A study of dual-fuel diesel and liquefied petroleum gas engines found that replacing 20–30% of diesel energy with gas maintained brake power while improving exergy efficiency and reducing smoke. A fleet model estimated that retrofitting 30% of vehicles could cut tank-to-wheel carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions by about 6–9%, although the well-to-wheel result depends on the gas supply chain.
A three-year study of 103 female rhesus macaques found that those more interested in unfamiliar female faces were more likely to reproduce the next year. Nursing females, however, showed less interest in unfamiliar monkeys than pregnant or nonbreeding females.
A randomized trial in 219 children aged 6 to 12 with high myopia compared three concentrations of atropine eyedrops over 24 months. Children assigned to 0.10% atropine had less average myopia progression than those assigned to 0.01%, while light sensitivity was reported more often with the higher concentration. The findings apply to children similar to those studied and do not establish how the results compare with other approaches.
Among 704 adults in South Korea’s Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, higher loneliness was associated with common mental disorders and lifetime suicidality. Loneliness remained independently associated with suicidality after researchers accounted for mental disorders and demographic factors.
Researchers report a redesigned water-based electrolyte for zinc batteries that achieved an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.12% over 800 cycles. The electrolyte also supported a 1.0-Ah zinc pouch cell for 70 cycles with negligible capacity decay.
Wastewater at three rural sewer sites in Freiburg, Germany, contained more trifluoroacetate than could be accounted for by drinking water, groundwater, rainwater and estimated dietary intake. The researchers say other human-use sources, including cosmetics, may contribute, but more data are needed.
Recordings from 24 earthquakes show that peak ground acceleration understated a mountain slope’s response at a specific frequency. The slope’s response was 6.67 times that of a valley reference at about 3.6 hertz, while the corresponding peak-acceleration ratio was 1.13.
A meta-analysis reviewed seven randomized trials of fecal microbiota transplantation, sometimes called a stool transplant, in people with Parkinson’s disease. The analysis found some short-term changes in overall symptoms, selected non-motor symptoms, and bowel function, but benefits were not consistently sustained and adverse events were more common.
Researchers developed a flexible glove that recognized 12 complex gestures, including when it was used by people whose data were not used for training. Recognition reached 91.04% without user-specific calibration and 97.85% after adding calibration data equal to 5% of an individual’s samples.
A data-driven analysis of the central and western Baltic Sea identified ecosystem risk hotspots where low oxygen near the seafloor, depth-related constraints and fishing pressure occurred together. These areas also had relatively high species abundance, according to analyses of 2020 data covering 145 marine species.
A systematic review of 86 studies found that artificial intelligence systems using brain MRI can distinguish people with autism from comparison groups in research settings. But reported accuracy varies substantially with the data and testing design, and the evidence is not yet strong enough for routine clinical use.
A new voice-obfuscation system runs on a $3 microcontroller between a microphone and a smart speaker. The system is designed to reduce voice-based identification before audio leaves the device while preserving the speaker’s ability to understand and respond to commands.
A study of rape trials in England and Wales argues that evidence about a complainant’s character can activate rape myths and victim stereotypes, influencing how jurors perceive credibility. It recommends allowing expert evidence to explain and counter these common beliefs while preserving defendants’ right to a fair trial.
A systematic review finds that nanoparticles made with plants, bacteria, fungi and algae can remove dyes, heavy metals and other wastewater pollutants through adsorption, chemical transformation and antimicrobial activity. But differences in how they are produced, along with unanswered questions about their environmental fate, could hinder wider adoption.
